Every two years I sweep my chimney. The job is much easier for two people but occasionally I must do it on my own. This is a chimney sweep year and I saw a window, weather wise, so I went for it. You will realize what a high tech job this really is when you see my equipment. It is also great leg exercise as the job requires at least 8 trips of and down the ladder getting equipment in place and so forth. I sweep the chimney three times which partly explains the many ladder trips.
To accomplish this task a rope is dropped down the chimney into the house. A brush is tied to the rope inside the house and then pulled up the chimney loosening the soot.
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I borrow Rosemary’s brush, so “thank you” to Rosemary for providing the use of her equipment for my task. I have been imposing on her now over a span of 24 years, every other year.
But wait, there is more to it. The pipe inside the living room needs to be dismantled and cleaned out as well.
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As you have probably guessed I throughly enjoy sweeping my chimney. This time something strange happened. I accidentally knocked a screwdriver off the outside chimney top. It landed on the roof around the corner of the chimney. I heard it roll for a bit, then all was silent. During clean up I looked for that screwdriver and it had disappeared. I scoured the roof tops, I searched the gutters and decks below. I perused the ground around the house. There was no screwdriver to be found. Where it went is still a big mystery.
TRICKS OF THE TRADE: Should you one day take up chimney sweeping here are a few tricks you should know.
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Other tasks I have worked on this week
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Taylor brought home a bunch of little grapes, or at least I think they were grapes, although they taste like mulberries. After sitting in the fridge for days I decided to make up some jelly, which turned out very good.
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I put a cat door in the garage. Late one evening I came home, opened the garage door and found a surprise, for both parties. That became the end of the cat door in the garage idea.
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I have learned that skunks are gentle animals and if I don’t panic and give them their space they will go away. I turned the truck off, went into the house and stepped into the garage from there, putting the skunk between me and her escape route. Away she went.