1ST burn of the season

Hi all;
9 F this morning and the kitchen bathroom area of the house was rather chilly.
Time to fire up the Great Majestic wood cook stove in the kitchen. For the 1st time this year.
Most of the year it doubles as a table. Conveniently just inside the front door... some things stay on it for weeks... It also doubles as a cat bed and feeding location.
Being a multi use table it acquires a lot of "stuff"  down in every crevice.
This means it SMOKES off on the top... for at least an hour, during the first burn. It generally doesn't smell bad , so there is that. Just one of the little things we live with.
After this, as long as we don't spill anything on top, we are good for the rest of the season.

Seeing your name and this title I was thinking it was a rocket stove you were referring too and was surprised you waited so long to fire it.....so this is your main heater and cooking device???

Hi Orin;
Oh no, we rarely cook on it any more.  It will run you out of the house in just a few hours.
The propane stove beyond it, is the main cooking instrument.

And... even though I can't shut up about rmh's ... I do not !!!  have one in the house !!! my shameful secret :(
I have a home made wood stove, from a piece of 3/4" Alaska pipeline that is our main heat.

Several reasons.
My reason, is the 90 year old floor is not supported well enough for a J tube. (with no easy access) Liz's main reason is the open J tube would attract a Persian kitty, who would drape their tail down in and run around the house catching it on fire!  (She could have a good point)  

I haven't had time nor been brave enough to convert our greenhouse J tube into a batch box.  I know she would like one if I build it.
If I give her one outside and show her how the cats can't catch afire... she might allow me to build one indoors.  
My floor is strong enough for a brick bell and a ceramic fiber core riser build... some day...

Nice stove!

I was thinking the same thing though on the burn. I was thinking...until I read your post...that I had put a ton of wood through my stove already. It is a pellet stove, which makes figuring out how many tons I have put through it pretty easy.

It has been a warm season so far. Last Thanksgiving we were the coldest spot in the world. -4 degrees below zero, and blowing some 25 mph!

Thomas,  The day you build a batch box in your home, we'll all be there to help (watch) with your progress! ....and don't worry about Liz, we'll convince/bribe her somehow.
In the meantime, perhaps some CF blanket wrapped around a cats tail would work?  🐱

aaahhhh.... Now I understand..... life is always more complicated than it appears :D    ....well, good luck Thomas, there's always hope.