I know it is still about two weeks before spring’s official arrival, but today while on a walk down the back of the yard I discovered a few beautiful yellow daffodils. It’s a sign, for sure!
Okay, so here’s the real thrill of the daffodils. It means we can be outside soon enough. It was warm today and the sun was shining all the day. I decided I had to come share the thrill of new life and spring with everyone today. It is supposed to start raining tomorrow — lasting for quite a few days. I guess when it is so wonderful outside it is something to share.
Last week — yes, just last week, on the 2nd of March:
Isn’t it just amazing how the world can change in just six days? Oh, my! I do hope I am not going to spark those “and on the 7th day…. ” comments.
Anyway, we have enjoyed a rather cold winter for our part of the country. It really wasn’t so bad for us, not compared to some parts of the country. But, I will admit that for our part of the world it was a beautiful winter with several snowfalls and a few days for the kids to attempt to make a snowman.
Well, as far as the neighborhood news goes, Mrs. Hildebrand has been the talk and the focus of all the neighbors for the past couple of weeks. I do suppose we needed a cause to rally around. Anyway, now that it is over I suppose we can all laugh a little. I wasn’t laughing a couple of weeks ago.
Like most of the houses on our street, Mrs. Hildebrand’s home is well over 100 years old. And, like many of the homes along the ridge most of her fireplaces have been closed off. You see, back in the day when all these old homes were being built it was not unusual to have a fireplace in every room. We have six fireplaces on the main floor, but only three are visible these days. Back before we moved here the previous owners had the others walled in.
I do suppose that was the ”modern” thing to do. After all, imagine giving up a wall in every room to a huge fireplace. It sounds good on the surface, but — well, too much of a good thing and all that.
Anyway, Mrs. Hildebrand had her fireplaces closed up to prevent drafts sucking the heat from the house during the cold months. And, as with most things, there is always a little glitch. So, when the leak started in her hallway she rang up our neighborhood handyman and asked him to come take a look. It was determined that the leak was the result of the only chimney that was not covered with a dome. Can you see where this is going?
When asked if the fireplace was in use, Mrs. Hildebrand announced that she never used any of the fireplaces and wondered why that one had been left unattended for all the years.
Now, folks, I may not be the brightest light on the tree, but one has to wonder why one chimney out of eight on a roof line is not closed off. You see, with all our old slate roofs and all the chimneys visible along our street, there is usually at least one roof that has someone on top of it repairing something.
If there is a catch, it would be that Mrs. Hildebrand’s uncapped chimney was in the middle of the house and not visible from the road, the yard, or anywhere else —- except the roof itself. So, after Mrs. Hildebrand announced that the chimney was not in use and had not been in use for years, it was decided that the handyman should cap off the chimney. He didn’t fashion a dome of copper like the others, but sealed off the chimney with a flat cap.
Now, it made no difference as far as visual appear since you can’t see it. It totally stopped the leak in the hallway — and all was well. ALMOST!
In January, Mrs. Hildebrand mentioned that she was noticing a strong smell of oil. She has an oil heater that is older than she is and she’s 90. The heater repairman came, changed the filter, tinkered and tapped on a few things, sent the bill, was paid and all was well. ALMOST!
Several weeks ago, when some of us decided to visit Mrs. Hildebrand and Miss Bessie we noticed a distinct smell of oil. We mentioned it to Mrs. Hildebrand and she promised to have it checked out again. I guess you become very accustomed to the smells in your house, so much so that you don’t notice them as an outsider would do. (I’ve been scrubbing and cleaning for days, wondering if there is a distinct smell to my house that neighbors have failed to mention. We do have a dog.)
Well, the day before the heater repairman was supposed to return to Mrs. Hildebrand’s I stopped by to see her. The smell was considerable and I confirmed with her that the repairman would be there the following day. But, what was most interesting was Mrs. Hildebrand’s comment as I entered the front door.
“Maya, I want you to look at me. I cannot believe how dark my hair is getting. I don’t know what is happening but it is turning dark again.”
Now, you know that just isn’t right. That’s when I noticed her white poodle was grey. Miss Bessie appeared and her grey hair had dulled as if she had begun darkening it. I turned on the lights in the living room and the white sheer curtains were dull grey. As I walked through the house, everything seemed to have a pallor.
Oh, my! Around all the molding in the old house, there was a very distinct greyish black outline. That’s when I realized the house was filled with smut. When the man had capped off the chimney, he had closed the exhaust to the oil heater in the basement and I do suppose the exhaust fumes and the black smut had to go somewhere. It had managed to seep through all the old cracks and crevices in the house.
We called the chimney man immediately and asked him to come over. Yep. He had capped off the only working chimney in the entire house.
Now, you would think that Mrs. Hildebrand would have been a little upset about everything in her house being covered with soot. Instead, her only comment was, “You know, Jerry does good work! He said he had capped it off and nothing could get in and out. Guess he knows his business.”
I’m not so sure I could have stayed so positive. Anyway, for the past couple of weeks, the neighbors under Jasmine’s supervision have cleaned Mrs. Hildebrand’s home from top to bottom, including upholstery, carpets, Persian rugs, and walls. The smell of oil is gone. Mrs. Hildebrand is not sure if she is pleased about her hair not getting darker. The dog is white again — after two baths. And, all is well.
So, as I look back on this winter I can only smile and know how very blessed we are to have enjoyed the better side of snowy weather and cold temperatures. We are very grateful for having good neighbors that don’t mind getting their hands dirty when the need arises. And, yes! I am thankful for those few little daffodils that are the first sign of spring.
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