Romilly asked if we could have another bonfire tonight - apparently Daniel had been envious of that last one we had, that he couldn't come to, so she wanted to repeat the experience so he could be there. Good idea; weather seemed like it would hold so that was the plan for the evening. More on that later.
Talking of fires, we've started to light the log fire in the lounge recently as the evenings have been getting a bit chilly; saves putting the heating on! When our chimney sweep was here last autumn he'd advised us to burn a cleaning log at some point before the next sweep, as there is evidence of a build up of creosote up the flue. We've seen this when it trickles down occasionally in small chunks - it's very shiny and black, and brittle. So we went to the local Scats to buy this special log. C loves Scats - it's one of those weird mixes of garden, pet, household cleaning, outdoor clothing, shooting, building, home ware stores that is a favourite of his (another is Hursts). You can buy most things from a bag of shotgun cartridges to a large box of washing powder, and everything in between, including the patented Chimney Cleaning Log (or CCL to give it its 'technical' name). We had to have a wander around first though; you never know what you are going to find in that shop and it's a real treasure trove of weird and wonderful things - and I found a nice waxed hat which will be just right for my wet walks (hoods are really not flattering at the best of times, and believe me when my hood is done up tight I look like ET when he emerged from the wardrobe....)
We'd noticed a lot of cars parked up at Arreton Barns on the way - it transpired that it is Terrier Racing this weekend and clearly as the weather was so nice it was attracting a large crowd (it was apparently part of the 'Sweetcorn Fayre' there - funny stuff sweetcorn; it's the only food stuff I know that comes out the other end in the same format as it went in the top end, if you get my drift...what's the point in eating it really?) We debated what it would be like to put Sidney in for the racing - he's a fast mover but as he's very easily distracted, and takes umbrage at dogs that run faster than him (he tries to catch them and nip their legs to slow them down, as Archie, Bren and Gem's dog, has found to his cost) so it probably isn't a good idea. Nice to imagine him in a little coat with a number on though, like the greyhounds, or don't they do that with terriers????
We took in a waif and stray today, in the form of No 2 - Christopher Jr was at a loose end as his mates and brother were all on their way to Prague for one of the friends stag nights, but for various reasons he was unable to go with them. So he turned up here to watch the football with his Pa - I took myself up the garden to split some logs as it gets a bit wearing listening to those to shouting at the TV. Log splitting - there's a chore, another one C would have done but can't at the moment. There's nothing like swining a 6lb long handled axe over your head time and time again to eliminate bingo wings; and give you arm ache into the bargain. But I did persist with it and managed to get three more barrow loads into the log store. This is definitely one chore I'm going to have to do in stages...I think I'll have forearms like Popeye before too long!
Did the usual Culver Down walk with the mutts again - C came for the ride and sat in the Land Rover looking off. There were loads of people up there this afternoon, enjoying the sunshine, which is lovely for them but sadly it's hassle for me as Sidney just doesn't know what to chase first - he made his choice pretty quickly though, and it took all the air in my lungs to yell him to come back from chasing the little boy who was trying to launch his kite...
Chich (No 2 - I've explained about the nickname before haven't I?) was still at ours when we got back - he decided to stay for the bonfire extravaganza. I went up around 5.30 with the equipment - firelighters, matches, kindling; sausages, potatoes, foil, forks, sharp knives, salt, ketchup, mustart, kitchen roll - and got cracking with the fire. I love fires. I love watching them and listening to the crackling they make - there's something very 'home on the range' about cooking over an open fire too. Rom arrived back with further supplies - cold beer; you CANNOT have an open fire without cold beer, it's the law. Dan arrived soon after, with further supplies (result!) and we spent a lovely few hours sitting around, burning sausages and eating jacket spuds out of foil, playing silly games - one of which, the lyric game, proved hilarious as there were three different generations and genres of music fans so it proved difficult to find songs we could all remember!!!
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