Rayburn & Me

I am still here!

No blog writing though because I did not seem to have the necessary words to write.

I think my head must have gone on some sort of holiday,

but then it had been a busy 2015,

with lots to think about,

lots of chaos in the house,

and a generally unquiet year all round.

 

But we do have a warm home, well, warm for France.

Back in the UK we were warmer, but then we had a house locked down tightly against drafts, and a central heating system which was on full blast when Lester was home,

because he worked in a hot office all day and didn't want to feel cold at home.

There was lots of times when I felt like I was cooking.
It was very unhealthy.
I was always suffering with colds.

 

Our home here is not quite so locked down against drafts,

but is much better than it was during the previous winters.
Most of all we now have internal doors which wafts of cold air struggle to get through,

plus we have the Rayburn which is making a good battle against the chills.

We now do not feel that winter is inside the house as well as outside it.

And to remind us of how it was in previous winters,

all we have to do is go into the room to the left of the front doors.

It does not have any heating.

It is how the house would have been if the Rayburn had not been saving us from the cold.

It is good to be reminded of how it was.

 

But we do not run the Rayburn all day, just from mid afternoon afterwards,
because the rooms we are using are holding their heat, although in comparison to our UK hot house it would probably feel quite chilly, but in comparison to having lived for several winters here without heating, it is cosy and comfortably warm.

It is also healthier.

 

The Rayburn heats three rooms, the sitting room and Half Barn via four radiators, and the kitchen through the heat from its body.

And then there is the little boudoir chair beside the Rayburn in which one can sit and cuddle up to this most splendid of heating appliances.

 

I can heat a pot of something up on the stove top, but have to be careful because the Rayburn is very vigorous in its enthusiasm to do the job. Burnt bottoms often happen if one is not watchful.

I have not yet found a cool spot on the stove top to simmer on.

Apparently one is supposed to put anything needing to be slow cooked inside the oven, that I have not done as yet because I don't have the right cookware.

And on the subject of the oven:

???????????

.....and that is all I have to say on the matter!!!!

 

Cakes? burnt. Tarts? burnt. Bread? burnt.

 

I look at the dial on the front of the oven door.

It says that I can 'Bake'.

I do.

It doesn't.

It incinerates.

 

So I look on the internet.

See that there is supposed to be something called a 'cold shelf' inside the oven.

I thought it was the floor of the oven, it isn't. It is a shelf which is supposed to be put above the food one is cooking if the oven is too hot.

Does it work?

No.

 

As I say, on the subject of the oven

??????????

 

 

Meanwhile I continue to bake on the range cooker. Just switch the dials on, and the baking gets done.

Meanwhile, I love the Rayburn but not its fickle oven.

 

Anyone have any helpful hints for a wood burning stove novice?

Any help would be most gratefully received, bless you.

 

Now must be off and away

am late in getting into the back kitchen where the morning milk is waiting to be processed,

the dogs are waiting to be fed,

I must get dressed,

there is some canning of a stew which needs to be done,

etc.....

 

Bye for now,

Vx

 

....and wishing you all the best for 2016