Sunday, September 2, 2012

At Last! At Last!

For twenty years the wife and I have been on the search for a wood burning cook range.
We have found several though the years ranging from the best of the best to the worst of the worst.

The closest I came to actually affording one of these stoves was a few months ago when a lady had one stashed away in a barn and was asking $400 for it. This was the cheapest I have seen so I was excited. It turned out it was all rusted out and missing several parts so I reluctantly passed on it, but glad I did. I really did try to talk myself into it. Most of the stoves I have seen for sell around these parts are priced from $1500 to $5000, way too rich for my blood.
Every friend, every family member and every stranger that would listen knew I was looking for one. Every consignment and antique store for miles around has my number and is instructed to call me if they hear of anything that comes up.
 If one came up for sell anywhere around I knew about it, but yet I could never find one I could afford.

A buddy of mine picked up his stove up a couple of years ago. He found it in a barn and bought it for $100. He got a beautiful, solid, antique range in great shape that could easily go for three grand on the market. He actually unloaded his truck right in the lady's yard so he could load the stove and get it home before she changed her mind. To say I was jealous is an understatement. Even though I was happy for him, I was sick to my stomach for not being able to find it first.

That same buddy called me this last week and asked me if I was still looking for a wood fired range. I simply answered that I was. He said he knew where one was if I wanted it. Being I have been through this several times before and the deal only ending in disappointment, I played along and I asked where and how much. He said it was in his front yard and to just come get it.
Okay, now he had my full attention to say the least. Being the skeptic that I am, I could only imagine the condition this thing could be in for my buddy to give this stove to me for little to nothing. At the most I figured it was just going to be more junk I would have to pile in the barn to maybe later restore somehow.

This is what I picked up last night.  

I can't believe after all these years I finally have my very own wood burning cook stove.
Right now it sits in the house just for decoration. After I get the outdoor kitchen done then it's final resting place will be there. I plan to do most of my cooking on the old Queen for many years to come.
I am giddy.
            

39 comments:

  1. Congratulations! And God bless your friend!

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  2. MDR,

    Wow, talk about a beauty! I can see you know cooking outside in your handmade outdoor kitchen with a smile from ear to ear :-)
    What a great friend you have!

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  3. Wow that looks like a neat one! You did good even if you need to mess with it some. Run some flexible stainless steel to it and it will draw like a vacuum cleaner.

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    1. Thanks SBF, I only need to make the fire box door and it is as good as new. I can't wait to get it outside and fired up.

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  4. SCORE!

    to say that our friendship has taken a hit due to my jealousy would be an understatement - bahahahahahahah!

    your friend,
    kymber

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    1. It has been a long time coming Kymber. I have only dreamed of one until now.

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  5. Wow! I am so happy for you !!!

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  6. Yay! I would be giddy too! Enjoy! :)

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  7. Wonderful! I would love to have one!

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    1. Thanks Becky, It took years for this one to come home.

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  8. Good things come to those who wait!! She's a beauty! Now you are going to have to give up your life of leisure and get back to work and build that outdoor kitchen!
    Shar

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    1. Thanks Shar, I really want to start building now but my life of leisure for the past few months have depleted most of the funds.

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  9. WooHoo! Now please tell us how it all came about that he had one for you.

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    1. Thanks Ladyhawthorne, My buddy is I guess is what you would call a picker and he always runs into deals. He knows I have been looking for a range for years and when he got his he called me over just to see me beg for it. He finally ran across this one a couple of weeks ago and thought to give me first dibs. I can't thank him enough.

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  10. Stunning - congrats - and just in time for winter... :)

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  11. That is fantastic. Congratulations! Glad your friend decided it wasn't for him. Enjoy!

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    1. Thanks Linda G, Yes he could have kept it but that would have been just wrong being that he already had one.

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  12. you are so right I AM green with envy would love to have one of those but don't see it happening any time soon

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  13. I am completely green with envy!! Nice find!

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  14. Oh my gosh, it's beautiful! Congrats!

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  15. Nice!!!!! If you havent cooked on a wood stove, you are in for a treat. I love mine!!!!!

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    1. Thanks SFG, I have never used one before and I know it will take some getting used to. I have a lot of work to do building the kitchen before I can use it though. The wife says I am not putting it outside in the weather.

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  16. I am so jealous. Unfortunately I wouldnt have a place to put it though...Living in a subdivision I dont think my neighbors would appreciate it being on the front porch and the chickens wouldnt like it in the back either LOL.

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    1. I understand Denise, when we lived in town for that short while we thought the same but ended up doing most of things we do now. When we moved our neighbors agreed we needed to be out in the country with more room.

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  17. I am happy and jealous all at the same time. What an incredible find.

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