Owning a home of our own has been a rewarding, but somewhat expensive endeavor. My wife and I have done everything from paint to dig around the footer to install a perimeter drain to fix a septic problem. Our newest addition, though, is a wood burning stove. We decided to install this as a backup heat in case we have the rough winter that the old timers have been saying we are do and also to help offset the cost of heating with electric. Being that our 5.5 acres is mostly wooded combined with friends giving us firewood, the fuel cost will be low...aside from the labor of splitting the wood...which will provide an opportunity to "get in shape". We've had our first fire, which provided a pleasant atmosphere for an evening...aside from the need to "cure" the new paint, which produced a noxious odor and smoke. Thankfully, we had fired the stove for the first time earlier in the day so it wasn't so bad by evening when we ate steaks and drank a Guinness in the flickering light of the burning fire.

Hopefully we are now prepared for the winter months and will have many opportunities to have family and friends sitting around the hearth sharing in the warmth of good companionship.