Bonfire

The other night Jacob, Dylan, and friend Eric heated up the chilly backyard with a small bonfire featuring our dry, bare Christmas tree. They used to enjoy post-Christmas tree burning with their dad, so they continued the tradition.

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You can't tell in the camera's flash, but the red-orange flames and sparking embers were quite a sight in the pitch-black of a moonless night.

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I tried to get a shot without the flash, but it didn't come out too great. I wish you could see how the embers were swirling upward like a flaming whirlwind!

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We didn't have to worry about the flames escaping the firepit, since there was still plenty of snow on the damp ground!

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This weekend, Jacob and his friend Bryce rolled up their sleeves and tackled a truly dirty job: cleaning out the shed.

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The shed was always Mark's domain. He went there to smoke, among other things, when the weather was cold. I haven't set foot inside it in years (other than to the freezer just inside the door). Mark left it in a mess when he moved out 2 years ago, and my sons and their friends have only made it worse since then.

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I put off cleaning it out because, frankly, I was afraid of what we might find inside.

Last night Jacob and Bryce pulled almost everything out of the shed. This is what the pile looked like this morning.

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They spent most of today sorting through everything to see what was worth saving and what was beyond redemption. The good stuff was re-stacked neatly in the shed while the large trash went into another pile to be hauled away by a friend on Monday.

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The boys found a few questionable items, like a broken crack pipe and pages from naughty magazines, but it wasn't nearly as bad as I expected.

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Unfortunately, most of our stuff was trashed. Old camping supplies, chairs, ice chests, a stereo system, all gone. On the plus side, there is now plenty of shelf and wall space, as you can see here! Now I can actually use the shed again without fear.

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When it comes to hard work, Jacob and Bryce make a great team. Good job, guys!