Wednesday 16 December 2009

Making Headway Towards Christmas!

Well, my artificial Christmas deadline still stands (just about). I've finished my Christmas shopping and I'm ploughing my way through my list of jobs that have to be done before Christmas which is Friday (my artificial deadline). My jobs today included sweeping the chimney so it's nice and clean for Father Christmas to come down. I hate this job. It's dirty and I'm always anxious that I'm going to lose the brush up there. I need ten rods to get to the very top; had assembled and pushed up 7, then pulled them back to see how much soot was coming down. As I was pulling the rods down through my makeshift cardboard barrier, they seemed to be coming down much easier than they had gone up. "Gravity!" I thought, until I pulled out the rods minus the brush. I admit to exclaiming a 4 letter word (and it wasn't 'Xmas'), then realised that two of the rods were missing as well - double 4 letter word. I removed my dust sheets and cardboard barrier, thrust my arm up into the dark ( thoughts of James Herriot here) and joy of joy, grasped the errant rods and pulled - hurrah!  I was very brave and reassembled them to push them up another 2 times and with great relief have now packed them away until next year. I'd love to have a proper sweep come and do it, but I have just saved myself £45 for 10 minutes' anxiety. Of course I've now had to have a bath because I was covered in soot which is weird because the room and fireplace remained unsullied.
Next job was icing the Christmas cake. Each year my offspring expect me to come up with exciting creations for birthday and christmas cakes. The birthday cakes have included a wrestling ring, LFC logo, skateboard, sheet music, karate GI according to their interests at the time. The Christmas cakes have been christmas pudding (very easy), snowman, christmas tree; last years was a present:


Which was quite easy to do.

This year my eldest requested I make a christmas cracker. I'm not sure, I think it looks more like a sweet, what do you think? If I'd done it in black & white it could've been a humbug - get it - Bah Humbug! Ho, ho, ho!


3 comments:

Felted House said...

I can't believe you sweep your own chimney, there are always new things I'm discovering and admiring about your talents (and I'm being perfectly serious!)
I think in all honesty the cake probably does look a bit more like a sweet, but a very,very posh and nice one.
I guess it's time to wish you a Happy Christmas for Friday, well done for being ready xx

Cathy said...

Well I think it looks like a sweet/cracker Tammy and I bet it tastes delicious too. I also stand back in awe of anyone who can sweep their own chimney (don't you have a little child to put up there - haha.)I remember from childhood when we had the sweep in and they still got soot everywhere. We had chimney fires from time to time too. Very scary for children.

Have a very Happy Christmas and a lovely New Year.

tammykingdon said...

Thanks, Cathy and a happy Christmas to you too. Yes I have got a small child, but with very light blonde hair- it takes ages to wash the soot out of it ha ha!