On Sun, 16 Dec 2007 09:45:35 -0000, "Jymn" 
blethered:

>In urp, Halla  wrote in response to Jymn:
><snip>
>>> Its doable, given the space and the money I'd start with a
>>> couple of telegraph poles, and some heavy plant to move
>>> them, (but am in training to be a wimp these days) ;~)
>>
>> Next time I am visiting one of the family friends I shall
>> mention this conversation. He is keen on things like big
>> bonfires, and I expect he'd be keen to attempt the
>> experiment. Whether his (infinitely more sensible and lovely)
>> wife will let him, on the other hand... <g>
>
>The friend who taught me fire building and the like, came back from a 
>holiday with tales of a serious bonfire.
>Having been warned to move all vehicles at least four hundred yards from the 
>intended bonfire site.  He watched the bonfire being constructed out of 2 
>cords of wet looking wood. The structure was conical, but with a funnel 
>shaped cavity in one side. Lit at dusk on the Friday evening by a flaming 
>arrow, very dramatic, it fireballed. By the saturday night it was 
>comfortable to sit around and bake potatoes in embers and use the flames as 
>a barbeque.
>He never found out what accelerant the wood had been soaking in for week or 
>so, and we've never had the space to attempt even a small scale 
>reconstruction (and hopefully have a bit more sense - but it would be fun)

It'd certainly be a great one for Bonfire Night, and might give pause
to that portion of the population who like to throw aerosol cans on
the fire to see them go pop. <g>

I'm not mentioning this fire-setting to the mate above, mind. That'd
be far too tempting... well, OK, I might... <eg>


-- 
"I can still see her face at thirty.
When will I be most myself?
I thought I'd always be their child.
In my sleep it's never winter."