We were all with one accord in agreeing that at least two things needed to be done to make things more comfortable for our living. The most important item was a new, more efficient heating plant. We needed a central heating system. At this time, Pa read about a new and improved pipeless furnace to be had from the United States, called the Bull Dog Pipeless Furnace. Two things were needed.

Now we were ready for the furnace and the furnace chimney. A new chimney was designed and built from the cellar floor up. To save money and labour, Pa decided to use precast concrete chimney blocks, lined with conventional flue-liner. A hole was prepared in the floor, the exact size of the furnace, and the "BullDog" lowered through the hole ready for use. We celebrated Christmas that year in a warm house, heated by our new furnace!

For some time, Mama had wanted some changes made in the living room area to make it more cheery and therefore more comfortable. She had a vision of an open stairway to replace the closed one originally in place, with built-in cupboard and bookcase under the new stairs. The parlour door would be made wider with glass French doors. A new hardwood floor over the dining-living room area would be great. Ma expressed her wishes and we all agreed that this should happen. The new work would be solid oak, stairs and paneling. It happened that an oak tree was growing in the neighbour's flats across the road. A purchase was made, the tree cut down and left to season for a year, then sawn into lumber at Daddy Arrand's sawmill. A local planing mill dressed these boards and made up the special cupboards, doors, etc. We had no more use for the woven rag carpet. It was getting worn out anyway. Dusting, waxing and polishing was now the order of the day at regular intervals and at house-cleaning time. Another of Mama's dreams had come true, and another page of happiness was added to our lives. I must not forget the expert help we received from one of Pa's cousins, who had come to Canada to temporarily live with us. He was a cabinet maker and had all the right tools and skills to do the fine woodwork necessary to make the job complete. So I give credit to Arran Kester, one of the persons I will never forget.

While this renovation was going on, the Ontario Hydro was getting around to extending their power to our community. The dim reddish flame of the old coal lamps had been replaced by a luxury of an Aladdin hanging lamp for the living room. This did brighten our evenings and our nights. But now that Hydro might soon be available, this was something to think about. This became Ma's next dream.