Maybe it’s the holidays, maybe it’s the contentment of knowing Neal and I will be married next year, but I’m feeling happy and enjoying the things of my childhood. I asked my mom about the red-white-and-blue pin. She doesn’t remember it, but I think she may when I show her the green pin I purchased last week.
Anyhow. What’ got me so happy now is the new Kate Gilbert pattern for her Lise socks. Tell me they are not the most adorable things you’ve ever seen; I cannot wait to cast on for a pair, pom-pom and all! Don’t you just want to prance about with those inside your serious boots? Now that’s the way to dress for work.
I’m also basking in what may be my most very favorite movie: Mary Poppins. Every song, one after the other, is familiar to me. One song, in particular, evokes so many memories. My grandfather was a chimney sweep, and he loved to hear us sing "Chim-Chiminee". Whenever I hear it or sing it myself, I think of him, of his blue workshirts, of being quiet in the house so he could sleep after a long night’s work (he was also a steam cleaner, which meant he was working in restaurants after they closed), of the smell of him when he came home from a job. On his gravestone my gramps had a chimney sweep carved, along with this little poem: "Say a prayer and touch the sweep, and you will have good luck all week." He had a great sense of humor and used to say that this way he’d always have people praying over his grave.
So if you have a fireplace, when you get it cleaned next, be sure to shake hands with your sweep, say a little prayer, and luck is sure to follow.
We watched part of Mary Poppins on tv a couple of days ago. I love that movie too.
I was just thinking that I needed my chimney cleaned and my flue fixed so that I could have a proper fire for the holidays. Do chimney sweeps fix flues?
When I had my chimney cleaned last year I shook the guy’s hand when he was finished and he said “no one has done that for years… it’s good luck you know!” That made me smile for about a week (and still does whenever it comes to mind).
We need some serious cleaning and repair work done after the first of the year on our chimney (can’t afford it now). I am going to shake both of the sweep’s hands, and maybe his feet too. One can never have too much good luck!