I filled our electric, plug-in, hybrid car with petrol for the first time this year. $40 worth, that should keep us going for another 3 months.

I spent the rest of the day cutting up the last burnt dead tree in the front yard. We almost got it all finished yesterday, but ran out of daylight. I also found out that the bobcat had to go home at the end of the day, so the pressure was on. I got stuck into it and managed to get it all cut up before the truck came to take the loader away. I have been so lucky that my friend Ross was not needing it until now.

Burnt stringy bark really takes the micky out of the chain saw chains. I had to sharpen the chain after every few cuts. Stringybark bark has the ability to blunten a chain in no time flat. perhaps because it is a permanent back that never drops off. It may collect mineral dust and sand grains blown by the wind, and keep the dust and grit embedded in the bark? This is just pure speculation. I really don’t know.

Whatever the reason, it isn’t nice to mill. Very slow and tedious.

I eventually got it all done and packed the saw away as the truck drove it to collect the bobcat. Great timing.

I must say, I was pretty tired by the end of the day.

The work is never ending. Now I’ve finished with the burnt and blackened dead trees. I still have to deal with the pines that were killed by the heat of the house fire, but not carbonised. Cleaner work, but still as tiring. Using a chain saw all day takes a lot of energy.

We had a working bee today to pull down the big wood kiln. It’s such a shame that kilns take so long to build but are so quick to dismantle. If wish it were the other way around. We got a lot done, but not quite finished the job. We should get it finished tomorrow. Today a friend Walter came to help and brought his chainsaw. Luckily for me he was keen to have a go at the big pine logs. and made a good start. He’ll be back tomorrow to help me get it all done- if we can. If not, there is alway the next day.