Operation warmth has begun - at last!

At long last I'm having my two wood burning stoves installed - hurrah!! I bought them years ago but due to the cost of the job and the fact that I couldn't find anyone willing to put them in for me they've just been sitting in the fireplaces collecting dust!

After suffering the cold last winter I've been determined to get the job done this year. I really couldn't face another few months of putting more clothes on to go to bed than what I was wearing to go out shopping. It became a night time ritual, 2 pairs of socks, long sleeved t-shirt, short sleeve t-shirt, tights (!), pajama bottoms and occasionally a bobble hat. Some of these garments were discarded as the night went on due to over heating but to allow me to nod off they were essential items.

Last year we had a new family move into the street and the father (Clive) is a builder. He's done one or two jobs at my place so I asked him if he could put the stoves in and I'm glad to say he was up for doing the job. So this week I've been working the late shift and coming home to stovey progress, this is what I came home to last night! One of the chimneys was clear and past the smoke test with flying colours, the other however was a different story all together. Over time rooks have been building nests in my chimney pot and the old ones have been falling in and blocking the hole, Clive thought there might be a 4ft stretch of compressed nests stuck - eek!

Clive was going to try and dislodge the blockage by opening up another fire place situated in my art room and pushing the nests down but apparently that didn't work so the only option was to burn it out and allow the smoke to come into the front room and out through the front door creating... a right old mess, soot everywhere!

I was planning to paint the front room last week but didn't pull my finger out and get the job done - I'm glad I didn't now.

This is the chimney that's behaving as it should.

And this is what I came home to in my art room...I had thought about opening up this fire place but now the decision has been made for me, at least now I can go to the auctions on the look out for a lovely Victorian fire surround :)

I'll post some updated pictures when the job is done and I've tidied up a bit - don't hold your breath though, it may take a while!

Edit: please excuse the horrible red carpet - that will be going.