And the storms and power cuts continue. At times it’s felt like going old school. No tech, even limited mobile signal, no TV. It’s been a time for things like Lego, Board Games and Books. Even candles. Why do rooms look so good when all you have to illuminate them are a few small tea candles. I’m amazed that I found them and some matches as well.

It all brought out the inner Bear Grylls in me. Time to light a fire in the garden. Might give the hunting a miss. Maybe just hunt to find a few tins of soup and beans. Maybe brew some tea. Obviously I could have just used matches but no, the Bear was out. Almost felt like I should be putting face camouflage paint on.

Two hours later I was still trying to light the fire. Failed with the friction stick method. No sunlight so magnifying lens not possible -that method is never working in deepest Yorkshire. The flint and steel method was now proving as effective as my diet, useless. But here’s the thing. Madness had truly set in. Outside in the rain desperately trying to produce just one spark to survive. Madness because the power had come back on just under two hours ago….. Hawklad was inside playing on his Xbox and looking out, shaking his head at the nutter outside.

The nutter outside who had let self pride take over …..

And no I didn’t ever get that fire going.

PANTS.

44 thoughts on “Candles”

  3. Imagining that scene and smiling thinking we have all done such. Determined to accomplish a feat that may have been needed, but then not, still our stubborn side demands we keep trying. Even as those around us check on us occasionally. Whether for their amusement or to make sure we haven’t injured ourselves we don’t know and may never.

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  6. At least you tried, Gary.
    What did you use as fodder for your fire? I find the best thing for starting fires is rolled up newspaper sheets. Roll them up individually, quite tightly, and make a bed under a bit of kindling. Then bring the burning candle out, and use it to start the fire, or, if it is raining out, light the newspaper inside and carry it out like a torch.
    This is how I survived in the bush as a young man. It wasn’t easy travelling mountain trails, having to put out campfires every morning, then starting a new one at night. But I learned. Newspaper is a necessity. And matches sure help.

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  13. A movie I watched recently had a scene of starting a fire that looked pretty simple, but glad I don’t have to try it.  I never worried about power in our old home in Colorado since I had a gas stove.  Could always heat the room up and or cook if you had a match/lighter.  Now I have all electric and do not prefer it.

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