A fire needs 3 things to exist:

• Heat
• Air
• Fuel

It's all very simple, you bring those 3 things together and you will have a robust and happy fire. It will warm you and sustain you and bring to you the mad coziness that you may be appeased.

If you happen to show up at a fellas house as he is starting his fire and detain him there is a good chance the fire will never burn. At least one of the three necessary ingredients for fire will become neglected. In my case today, it was heat. My fire didn't build up any heat as the oil burner tech knocked. Damn, I knew right away....

I returned to a smoldering, cold, smoky box and there was no way that would stand. Paper. Lots of shredded newspaper. So I ripped and balled and ripped and tossed it into my cold lack-of-fire. And it was marvelous. Roar! It was alight. Heat was building. The wood was catching. Oh yeah....and I wasn't satisfied so I moved the wood for better air.

And I'm in here now, my office, away from the fire. It's satisfied. It's got what it wants and it's giving me what I want.

Glorious.

Stay warm, sisters and brothers.