This morning’s first puzzle

As I put tea water over it atop the barrel. I arrived last night and it was almost 5 degrees warmer outside than inside, a fire starting nightmare.

For several minutes I huffed and puffed after vacuuming clean the firebox and then sending air up through reversing the vac. Pushing air out doesn’t start the draft, it’s about heat.

After smoking up the house and not being able to generate enough heat to push through the barrel, bench and chimney, I heard myself say “pushing is in vain, I need pulling!” (Smarter not harder, hellooooo)

I got up on the roof by the chimney with the shop vac and cupped my hands over the pipe with the vac hose and in seconds could smell that poor horrible smoke that had been trying to push out. It’s a really gross smell as it’s such a low combustion temperature and the mass cools it.

Seconds later I felt the heat (and moisture), pulled my hands and hose away, voilà, the exhaust was just pouring out, column straight up.

After descending the ladder with extension cord hang ups, I stepped inside and it’s a completely different fire, practically roaring.

I made spring rolls with canned tuna for a midnight snack, the first veggies all day (Amato’s hot food snack treat driving north after work!!) they landed well as I then fell in bed as showers started on the roof and leaves on the ground. Bliss.

Why am I leaving this place until spring?!?