Reminiscent of my younger days too Ditto ~ I'd help mum by folding pages of the newspaper into strips then tied these into loose knots ~ then we criss~crossed kindle wood or twigs from our trees on top of that lot ~ then we'd place some of yesterdays burnt coal that looked like coke on top and a little lard ~ then we'd add a few small pieces of coal and light the paper. Once the paper lit the twigs or wood ~ like you Ditto mum would place a hand shovel on the front of the grate and cover it with a couple of pages of newspaper ~ and woohoo fire lit

Then we added more pieces of coal. My mum dad & I would sit around the fire watching the *fairies* in the flames
🙄 Happy memories

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