A Warm Fire

It's been snowing and it's cold outside. We have been out walking, the whole family.

Snowball fights and building a snowman after rolling a huge snowball that was much too big to throw, the snow was quite deep this year but not too deep to walk through with our wellingtons on.

We also made snow angels and had great fun, but started to get cold, but there were smiles on every face, and we began to walk back trudging through the drifting snow.

The path to our cottage meant we weren't walking through the now any more, and when we got to the door we took off our wellingtons and picked up some extra wood for the fire from the pile at the front.

Looking out of the window we can see the snow starting to fall again so we are glad to be inside and sheltered from the cold snow fall, swirling down to earth.

We take the logs and light the fire, the flames kissing the logs and sparking in the fire grate. Everyone sits around the fireplace warming their hands and talking about the day, the snowman and snow angels.

As the room heats up we see the snowflakes melting as they slide down the windowpanes melting then hitting the sill and the floor ready to freeze once again creating a layer of ice glass.

We put a pot of scouse on the cooker, something tasty to eat and warm us up after our day out. There was also mulled wine before we ate and hot blackcurrant for the youngsters.

Outside it was now dark and still snowing, and were getting warmed up on the sofas, and we put some music on for us all to enjoy.

Then we got the games out, and everyone joined in, we all love doing things together. We played Ludo, Snakes and Ladders and then some card games to play Uno, Snap and Happy Families. That keeps us together and keeps us happy.

Tummy's started to rumble, and so the bowls of scouse with crusty bread and butter came out and the games took a rest while we enjoyed to food, and ate until we were satisfied.

We were all very warmed up and filled with warmth and food.

The fire was roaring and making us appreciate the warmth and love in the room.

The contrast between the snow and cold outside, decorating the trees and making them look like they have been painted with diamonds and silver, and the sparks and crackles from the heat of the roaring fire made us realise that we were in as perfect a situation as we could ever be in.

The bowls and plates made their way to the dishwasher, and more drinks were poured for everyone. The games were left and someone suggested that we tell each other Christmas Stories and maybe read some books to each other.

There was a copy of "A Christmas Carol" on the bookshelf and that was the first one taken down and opened.

"Marley was dead: to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that. The register of his burial was signed by the clergyman, the clerk, the undertaker, and the chief mourner. Scrooge signed it: and Scrooge’s name was good upon ’Change, for anything he chose to put his hand to. Old Marley was as dead as a door-nail."

That was a bit of a scary start to the story telling but we all know how the story shows that even the most curmudgeonly people can be redeemed and good deeds and goodwill can raise the spirits and lives of all.

As the book was read we began to question what we would do if we were in similar situations, and that led to us spinning stories with each other, putting more logs on the fire, some sparks landing on the stone hearth and then wondering what we could see in the shapes that they made, and if the meant anything.

Someone said they knew someone who could read tea leaves and then we tried to make up ghost stories as the night drew on.

The house was very warm and soon for all of us our beds were calling. We decided to let the fire burn down, and one by one we left for our beds, having memories of a wonderful day and night.

The snow was still falling and the fire was still burning and before long everyone in the house was soundly sleeping.