Unbatten The Hatches .......... Dust Off The Barbie

[Topper]

Sunny day mostly and have been to a garden party tonight, the gas patio heater and chiminea kept us all warm as toast and no rain

 

[Huevos]

We had about an hour of torrential stuff this afternoon, and the two hours of drizzle.

I'd forgotten there were so many words to describe the wet stuff; here it's just rain.

the gas patio heater

There's going to be a Europe-wide ban on the sale of those things soon, just like the light bulbs, so if anyone wants one they better get out and buy one before it's too late.

 

[sonnetpete]

I'd forgotten there were so many words to describe the wet stuff; here it's just rain.

Pisitively possing down here. "Comme un vache pis" as the locals say.

There's going to be a Europe-wide ban on the sale of those things soon, just like the light bulbs, so if anyone wants one they better get out and buy one before it's too late.

I have neither a patio or a barbeque, so no heater either, but why would they ban them? Global warming? Health and Safety?

 

[Channel Hopper]

I have neither a patio or a barbeque, so no heater either, but why would they ban them? Global warming? Health and Safety?

Both I would have thought. Efficiency aside - heat rises - , an open flame often near, (or under) under a piece of waxed cloth umbrella is just asking for trouble. Then there is the gas cylinder within another metal housing. I doubt if many carry out the suggested general maintenance after a winter stored outside.

 

[sonnetpete]

Given the Gallic disregard for "health and safety" I can see the ban having little or no effect here (apart from not being able to buy new ones). They could of course replace the gas heater with a couple of burning tyres, as these often are their preferred open air heating system at "peaceful demonstrations".

 

[Channel Hopper]

The old Russian central heating method was a hearth of housebricks that had been soaked in engine oil.

 

[Huevos]

Global warming? Health and Safety?

In this day and age where not having 12 inches of insulation in every corner of your house is a sin, converting butane to CO2 on your outdoor patio in the hope of catching 1% of the heat output is heresy. Recommended heating for outdoors these days is infra red lighting... but anyway if it is so cold outdoors why not just put on some more clothes, or come indoors, so we can save a few drops of fuel for future generations to have wars over.

 

[wod]

well so much for good weather over the bank holiday weekend, its blowing a gale down the back of the house but clear skies here no rain which is good.

 

[Analoguesat]

What bank holiday - its a normal working week up here

 

[Lazarus]

Yeah, but you get Hogmanure instead, don't you?

 

[sonnetpete]

No holiday for us either, as the French schools go back on Thursday. Anyway, we seem to get more than our fair share of public holidays!

Weather wise it's been sunny intervals and a strong breeze with a definite chill in the air. No doubt it will warm up when the children begin school!! (Note to self, must order 6 cubic metres of firewood for winter to go with 2 tonnes of anthracite already ordered and paid for!!)

 

[A nonymous]

Well just to make sure everyone else is feeling better my Bank Holiday has been sh*te up to now.

Been in Bed most of the weekend with a chest infection that has completly knocked me on my back.

Just been doing a bit on the forums and having a play on ebay in between coughing my head off. Work is looking more unlikely on tuesday anyway

Nano

 

[Huevos]

No holiday for us either, as the French schools go back on Thursday. Anyway, we seem to get more than our fair share of public holidays!

Weather wise it's been sunny intervals and a strong breeze with a definite chill in the air. No doubt it will warm up when the children begin school!! (Note to self, must order 6 cubic metres of firewood for winter to go with 2 tonnes of anthracite already ordered and paid for!!)

My kids go back on the 14th of September. They've been off since the 19th June.

Here we buy firewood by weight. The longer you wait the more you get for the money due to drying... but if you wait too long the seasoned wood is all gone. With any luck we should get to mid December without burning anything...

Last year when we did get round to lighting a fire we found I had a bird's nest problem... and once we removed the bird's nest we got a bird falling down the chimney problem.

BTW, this week it's been 40ºC most days.

 

[sonnetpete]

Here we buy firewood by weight.....

Last year when we did get round to lighting a fire we found I had a bird's nest problem...

Well buying a stere (cubic metre) or corde (3 cubic metres) of wood is fraught with difficulty here, as it's calculation depends on how short or long the wood is cut, which commune it is, or whether the farmer has had his evening pastis. I actually order two trailerfulls, the contents of which vary in size and thickness.

Oh, and please assure me that roast sparrow is NOT on the menu!!

 

[Huevos]

corde (3 cubic metres) of wood

Corde? Is that a French measure? In the US they use the Cord which is the US standardised measure for stacked firewood. It's 128 cubic feet (8' x 4' x 4') and is measured with a cord, which is 4 feet long, hence the name. Does your Corde, which equates to 103 cubic feet, relate to stacked wood?

 

[sonnetpete]

Corde? Is that a French measure? Does your Corde, which equates to 103 cubic feet, relate to stacked wood?

Yes it is a French measure, although they may have adopted it from the Americans post liberation. It usually relates to stacked firewood, but both the stere and corde vary according to whether or not the wood is split and the length to which it is cut (i.e. 33cm, 40cm or 50cm)

Have a look at _http://www.e-bois.fr/ for photos and examples, though you may have to use my post code 50640 to access the listings.

 

[Huevos]

BTW, what are you burning it in. I burn in the stove in the picture which is pretty efficient and has double combustion so it produces zero visible smoke, once it is alight.

 

[sonnetpete]

I guess it would be too easy just to say wood!! It does depend on what my usual supplier sends as he normally brings a mixture, and this usually includes oak, beech and chestnut. The logburner is really efficient (and less than a year old) but I now only use it as backup to the Rayburn in the kitchen, on which I also cook and heat the upper floor through five radiators. It's dual fuel so I can use anthracite and wood.

 

[Lazarus]

Why do you want to cook the upper floor?

We went t'other way and stopped burning logs last year. Now use portable LPG heater for secondary heating.

 

[Huevos]

We went t'other way and stopped burning logs last year. Now use portable LPG heater for secondary heating.

So you're not into save the planet then?