Another perspective. We have a used brick, with fire brick and tile liner wall with three fues, one for the master bedroom (fireplace has wooden/Dry Wall finish) one to the basement and one on the main floor which support a large fireplace with a large wood storage bin (with it's own exterior door for loading, we don't us it for that for obvious reasons), all finished inside with used brick. The whole unit is on an exterior wall with the flues exterior to the house proper all enclosed in used brick, real brick, may have block underneath, I don't know. I don't recommend it if you're going to use it for heating, and I'd recommend it for decorating reasons only if that's real important, and would ask why not use brick veneer? Then the flues could be enclosed in an insulated structure that would help keep the flues warmer, cutting back on smell and improving the draft and heat utilization when heating with wood. Of course if you're using the fireplace "open" you'll be doing good to break even on heat gain/loss. We're having the chimney people out on Tuesday to clean two of the flues, maybe power clean the flue to the main floor, it is used the most, and then install a "LockTop" damper at the top of the main fireplace flue so we can close a "storm door" like damper when the unit isn't in use. All this will run about $800, something to keep in mind when one thinks they are saving money when burning hard wood, we did use an insert in the main and it did heat well. We've been here almost 20 years and have burned upwards of two cords in a season, less in recent years. Not sure what all has changed, it isn't the used brick construction, but we have noticed an increase, under some weather conditions, of the old fire smell, thus the above mentioned work is intended to correct...we will of course have to remove the insert as the damper requires access to a chain coming down the flue for its operation, we'll just use he fireplace for ambiance on a few times a year going forward. The subject of smell has been on the forum many times, and there is a general consensus that an exterior masonry chimney is more problematic than an interior chimeny or one in an insulated enclosure, as is done, I believe, in most stainless chimney installations that have a simple frame box around the chimney to cover its route to the roof.

Just wanted to give an update now that we've been in the house for a while. We went ahead and purchased the 1.5" unfinished red oak from a company in FL for an even better price and had it drop shipped to us. We ripped out the lineoleum ourselves and had our installer install, sand and refinish everything to match. You can barely tell where the new floor starts and the old floor ends! We're really happy with it. It's actually a little lighter than the pictures portray. The only downside is that because the house is so old, the floors are pretty creaky! Before: And after:

Talley, good luck with the canister decision. I had an adorable inherited cookie jar that I loved, but we stopped eating cookies, and I was deeply conflicted about keeping it-couldn't think of anything else to store there (still had the canisters at that point). However, the lid fell off while I was cleaning it one day, and sadly broke in many pieces. So that was that, away it went-and I was spared a little guilt along the way since it was very precious to the person who gave it to me as well. And as an aside, my Martha Stewart P-Touch died this morning. Remember? : ) Purchased in 2003? We will try to repair it (we think there is a short in the wiring since it flashes the words P-Touch then completely stops working but after a lot of re-plugging in and fiddling with the adaptor cord, it might start again, maybe but increasingly not), but if not, will replace it. We used it just yesterday and it was hard to keep the power on but we made five nice labels for our car files. Fifteen years of flawless label making, such a godsend! Any recommendations? Thanks!

Now, see, Paula, I would be putting a big heart emoji here now. You guys are the best, and all of us can easily see why you do it; and when you pass the baton, all of the rest of us would love to take it up. As much as I'd like to have it here, I must admit, you are the perfect place, and even Kim can make it that far. Jack, Jay, Jacob, and the rest of you who are in the netherlands, you should try it just once. (Hmmm, is there something about J's?) You do it because you have a big heart, and you love your fellow members, and because your place is perfect. I don't see most of you as often as I'd like. . . which would be 6 blocks away, max and with 10 minutes notice for visiting. Okay half an hour away. Like many of the rest of you, the LAST thing I want to do is to leave my gardens and the property. I'd be a lot more engaged with groups and folks and clubs if I could do it at MY home. :) I HAVE gone out on a limb and connected with Amy and Eileen in the Tulsa vicinity since I have willingly foregone time away from home for that. And now, having forged a bond there, I'd probably even make up an excuse to see those two characters. AND even their hubbies! I miss George, and think of them often. I think about Jay and Jack, and Carol and so many others who don't check in often. And now Jacob. As you all have noticed, I check in here often. I moved down here four years ago. Didn't know a soul. Have many dear friends in Wyoming and Minnesota. Miss all of them so much. I pretty much know this is what drives my fondness for OKGW--I have found a community of like-minded souls that has filled the emptiness in my heart for my other friends (many of whom I still visit, virtually, or because they come visit, or because I make trips and see them.) But it came about because every time I had a gardening question to figure out, 9 times out of 10, the Google results pointed me here. And rightly so. Speaking of that, I am going to Minnesota in June. I haven't been back for nearly 2 years now. I am so excited. We had two very important life events come up in Dec. 2017. One granddaughter graduating June 7, another getting married on June 9. What were the chances. I didn't even realized it until about 2 months ago. When it finally hit me, I talked it out with GDW. As we saw it, the only option was for me to go to Mpls, and for him to go to the wedding near here. It's good, in that he'll be here to take care of the cats and dog and garden. It'll be good for me, as I'll be visiting many close friends up there. AND I get to see my revered and precious beauticians, who will fix my hair! (LOL, they have become very close friends of mine outside of the hair stuff.) Nevertheless, I'm kind of sad about it. I would so much prefer that he and I were there for both. This is certainly not a post before driving to OKC to see all of you. Well, maybe it is. I have so loved getting to know you all better, even if not in person, and will be so tickled to see you all.