First Fire

Last night we lit our first fire in years.

The barrel was one we picked up off the side of the road. An old table gave up its iron top for a lid. Yesterday we bought a small iron grate to sit inside it. Pieced together. Practical. Ours.

I cut the wood myself with a hacksaw — slow, steady work from branches I’d saved. There was something grounding in that rhythm. Making use of what was already here.

We had a simple BBQ. A new solar torch lit the yard for the first time. I noticed the grass turning back to green after months of scorched yellow.

Quiet recovery.

My girl hasn’t been good these last few days. So I took the kids with me. Sometimes you don’t fix anything — you just build a fire and sit in its light.

Today the younger ones are swimming at the pool. Another warm day.

Keep moving.

Keep showing up.

Steady forward.