Buy Local

After about 24 hours of research into purchasing combustable materials to burn upon my lovely open fire...sourcing dried hardwood logs which have been (preferably) kiln dried...and taking great care to avoid 'green wood' which produces no heat and leaves loads of tar up your chimney...I have conversed with a few log suppliers from various locations and discussed prices, delivery times, stacking (who is going to move it all from the roadside delivery round to my little garden?...I am a woman living alone....sob!).

All very frustrating and time consuming and massive variations in price.....just as I was about to give up...I discovered the divine Nick who is a tree surgeon operating here in Sheffield. He will deliver half a transit load (which equates to about 1.5 cubic metres) for £80 (cash)....he will stack it all for me, and no doubt avail himself of my lovely homely tea and coffee making facilities! He will also deliver at a time to suit me. (Nobody else would - they were all a bit vague - and if you left half a ton of logs outside my house when I'm not in...you can bet by the time I got back half of Sheffield would have been round to 'help themselves'). He will also deliver this afternoon...no waiting three days for an internet delivery.

So - here I am - very pleased with that result - and more than happy to advocate 'shopping locally'.

PS - I've also ordered a flat pack (wailing and gnashing of teeth) wooden log store for the back garden...but alas...that was ordered from t'internet so no doubt I'll be waiting a fortnight for that baby.