Monday 6 October 2008

Not a Water Baby

the remains of chimney sweeping.

I was going to sweep the chimney today. It should be a very easy task, I have all the kit and the whole height of the thing can't be more than 7 or 8 metres but when it came to it, the exit from the fire box is narrow and obstructed and the register plate - the bit that goes across the old chimney and seals around the woodburner flue - seems to be made of asbestos (!) with the cleaning hole totally weighted down with debris. So I'm going to wait until I have some company with muscle and some breathing apparatus before continuing. We may even need to get a new register plate and do a full service.

It's a blow really, the damn thing needs doing and it's got cold enough to need a fire nearly every night now. I don't think it will catch fire but it's not something I want to have to consider everytime I fill up the grate with a roaring blaze.

This morning I saw this naughty creature running across the yard.

peter

Not a great picture of Peter Rabbit, or possibly Peter Hare and I've no real desire to have him and his family chomping on my vegetables but I'd much rather he was in our farmyard, even with the feral cats and the brooding birds of prey, than out in the fields. The hunters are at it constantly and now there is a shred of sunshine any small animal had best look to its safety if it doesn't want to get blown to smithereens.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Your paintings are fantastic and you post slug porn. I'm giving up now.

Christina S said...

Hee hee, it does look a bit like Peter Rabbit, very cute. But I hope your visitors stay away from your crops!

Catofstripes said...

notkeith, you are cruel, but I forgive you :)

Ruby, I have far more trouble from the wretched deer than the rabbits. Deer having sex is very noisy and can keep me awake all night.