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| Image borrowed - I believe this is Scotland's first female chimney sweep. |
We have three chimney's on our house, one at either end and a flue in the middle. This week was designated the week we would tackle the chimney-sweeping. Eeek! Run for the hills, it is a filthy job.
However, some things have to be faced, and this is one of them. We don't want to have to call out the wonderful volunteers of Alford Fire Brigade again, handsome though they may be...
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| The small one in the middle belongs to the Rayburn |
So, the chimneys have been swept and prepared for when we begin lighting the fires on those cooler days of autumn.
The rooms have to be dust sheeted, floors covered, etc. It is a time consuming and tedious process. Even with these precautions I still have to wash down surfaces, clean away soot and dust. All I can say it is wonderful when it is over. For a few minutes it actually feels as though I live in a clean and tidy house.
Apologies to you all, time has been short this week...this month. I have not managed to keep up with my reading, or commenting. Once we get through the heavy work schedule of harvest and into October I hope things will settle down again.
One of the many jobs I did today was to make a more than 80 mile round trip to do shopping for my elderly aunt. She asked whether I thought Harry would like this! It is a beautiful hobby horse. Don't you think he looks quite a bit like Arnold? (see side panel photographs)
If Harry says no, then I know a little girl who would really like it when she is older!
What a lovely hobby horse. It's amazing how much he looks like Arnold. Jx
ReplyDeleteHarry is thrilled to bits with his new steed, they have galloped many miles together, already.
DeleteI can't imagine having to deal with cleaning a chimney! And you have to do this every year?
ReplyDeleteHello Ms Sparrow, After the events of earlier this year, the Rayburn chimney flue will be swept twice a year! I'll put up with the hassle if the pay-off is peace of mind.
DeleteHello Elaine:
ReplyDeleteWe can well imagine the ghastliness of the dust and dirt from the chimney sweeping, but the thought of snuggling up in front of an open fire in the winter would make it all worthwhile. There surely is nothing better than staring into those flickering flames long into the night!!
In Budapest chimney inspections happen on an annual basis and one is issued with a chimney certificate when one is pronounced 'all clear'. The fact that we have no open fires is neither here nor there, a certificate is required!!
Hello Jane and Lance, One of the nicest things about this house is that we have an open fire in our bedroom, the light from that is magical!
DeleteI hope you manage to get your certificate.
Wow that was a lot of work with the sweeping and then all the cleaning. Such a cute horse *smile*.
ReplyDeleteHugs
that reminds me.... I need to sweep mine!
Deletebloody dirty job it was
Hello Elna, It was a lot of work, but at least we don't have to do it often - and I do end up with a very clean house!
DeleteHello John, Get those brushes out and get to work!
That time of the year again. Your house looks very cosy. Bet young Harry was chuffed to bits with his hobby horse.
ReplyDeleteHello Molly, Harry was absolutely tickled pink! He stables it at our house, which is very appropriate, given that horses were stabled here!
DeleteElaine, I cannot imagine cleaning the chimney. We take the easy way out and call a chimney sweep. They appear with all their modern equipment and take care of everything. I agree fires are to be avoided at all costs. I am glad the chore is behind you.
ReplyDeleteHello Bonnie, We used to call the chimney sweep, but then my husband bought himself a set of brushes... Boys and their toys!
DeleteErrr...I know a 50 year old girl who'd love the horse!
ReplyDeleteChris sweeps our chimney AND cleans up afterwards...he's a keeper!
Jane x
PS I know I've said it before but I LOVE your kitchen.
Hello Jane, Isn't the horse a handsome chap, Harry loves it. Francesca is fascinated, but I think the lack of a body worries her!
DeleteI love your cream two-bum Aga... I had one the same. I do my own sweeping and stove maintenance. It is a filthy job. I do a thorough job once a year, then several smaller jobs during the fire season. It keeps me off the streets!
ReplyDeleteI wonder what the Hobby Horse will be called? Oh, right!
Hello Cro, Ah the joys of a solid fuel stove! They are worth it though.
DeleteThe hobby horse is called....Galahad!
Oh god oh god oh god... The bloody chimneys!
ReplyDeleteHello Dom, I hope you have had them cleaned - you don't want any incidents.
DeleteI thought chimney cleaning was a very clean operation these days, the chimney sweeps have such modern equipment! Sorry your experiences are not like this.
ReplyDeleteHello LindyLou, The last time we had the chimney swept professionally it was all very clean and easy. So easy that my husband decided he could do it himself. It is easy, he does do a thorough clean of the chimneys, it's just that he creates a lot of mess while he does it. He gets Brownie points for trying.
DeleteHeck, if Harry doesn't want this lovely hobby horse, I do:-D And, it does resemble Arnold! My blogging has gotten behind also with a frightful workload and needing to Fall clean. You never have to apologize--been there, done that! XOXO
ReplyDeleteHello Susan, It is a busy time for all of us! I feel I am constantly chasing my own tail at the moment, but things will settle down. I hope your work load is easing a little now. It is a lovely hobby horse, a quite unexpected gift for Harry, he was thrilled to bits with it.
DeleteListen, if the grandkids don't want the hobby horse, I sure do. It is wonderful that he looks just like Arnold.
ReplyDeleteWe used to have to have our chimney swept in Connecticut. It was a fairly new home (1965), so clearly not the event you describe. And the chimney sweepers never looked very poetic.
Now I find this all very interesting, as we pay a chimney sweep to do ours. No way would I get up on our metal two-storey roof. Chimney sweep Ed comes with his truck and bucket, and hoists himself up there. OUr chimney goes down to the wood/oil furnace in the basement and while there's a little dust, it's not bad at all (not bad enough that I need to cover things up.)
ReplyDeleteThe last guy who owned this place did his own sweeping. The first time we had it swept after moving in, Ed told us there had been a chimney fire at one point, but it had put itself out! I was dubious about the last guy's chimney sweeping abilities, since he used potato sacks or some such thing to do it!
Because we burn so much wood and oil in winter, I am paranoid about the chimney. If I am careful to burn good fires, we are okay with one big sweeping a year. For $90, it's well worth it to me!
I love your home!!!