Romance and the Mt. Holly Snapping Turtle Part 2

Day 258

I've had never had any experience with a cast iron, wood burning heater before, I figured it wouldn't generate much heat, so I did what any young male would do, I filled it to the top with wood and threw in a match. Then I went outside to get the rest of our things. When I came back in the cabin was filling with smoke.

It took about thirty minutes, after I opened the flue, for the smoke to clear and we could go back inside.

After a quick dinner we settled down with a glass of wine. By this time the heater was glowing cherry red and the heat was coming off of it in waves. We moved back, as far from it as we could, still the cabin felt like a sauna in summertime. Irene thought it was cozy and took off her blanket. I was sweating profusely and stripped down to my shorts.

Up until now, I still had hope of sharing one of the bunk beds on the main floor with Irene (I was much thinner back then). But Irene thought we should sleep in the loft since there was more room. She went up the ladder first, stifling a yawn as she reached the top.

I soon followed, and once I reached the top I found myself breathless. The air was so hot and thick in the loft I couldn't breathe. Of course, I thought, hot air rises. This would be intolerable. I was about to suggest we sleep on the main floor. Looking over I saw Irene was already wrapped up in her sleeping bag, and with a quick goodnight she rolled over and went to sleep.

I went back down the ladder, found the bunk furthest from the heater and pushed it to the furthest corner away from the red eyed dragon. For a moment, I even considered sleeping outside, but I didn't want Irene to wake up alone.

Whoever had built this cabin had done a great job of insulating it, the heat never dissipated until early morning. Until then I just tossed and turned before finally falling asleep. The temperature had finally reached tolerable levels at around 5 am. I remember thinking, "Today is going to be different, today is going to be a good day,"

I was wrong.

Until tomorrow,

Ken