Last weekend Graham cleaned our windows. They hadn't been cleaned in at least a year (due to the enormous extendable pole being held hostage by one of Graham's friends) and were apparently much dirtier than I had realised. Everything in the flat looks a different colour thanks to ten times as much daylight getting in, and I feel like a heavy, dark cloud has been lifted from my shoulders. Nice work, Graham! Apparently it is my job to clean the insides. Hmm, there are many things I'm prepared to attempt with a baby in one hand (like laboriously typing this blog post) but climbing a ladder is not one of them!
The cats were very much entertained by the strange fluffy creature slipping and sliding over the glass, or one of them was. Poor Poppy was more terrified than entertained!
Today I was looking out this window and saw that part of the window's "edging" (between the actual window frame and the stone wall) had been dislodged by the cleaning process and was lying on the windowsill. It is made of what looks to be very ancient newspaper, folded up, wedged in the gap and painted black on the edge that would be visible. No wonder our windows are so draughty! I will try to retrieve the piece of paper (watch this space - opening the heavy window is another thing I can't do with a baby in one hand) and determine just how long ago this makeshift fix was carried out. I bet whoever did it never expected it to last until 2012! This sort of thing is what is so great and also not-so-great about living in an old tenement flat.
[UPDATE: The newspaper was the Glasgow Herald from 1950. 1950! I tried to unfurl it to read it but it was too crispy and fragile, hardly surprising after over 60 years protecting our flat from the Glaswegian elements! I did see an advert for a treatment for baldness peeking out. I guess the product didn't really work or surely there would be no baldy heads by now.]
[UPDATE: The newspaper was the Glasgow Herald from 1950. 1950! I tried to unfurl it to read it but it was too crispy and fragile, hardly surprising after over 60 years protecting our flat from the Glaswegian elements! I did see an advert for a treatment for baldness peeking out. I guess the product didn't really work or surely there would be no baldy heads by now.]
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Like a message in a bottle :-)
ReplyDeleteRemember to keep away from the meths - though when teemed with newspaper it's a brilliant window cleaner the fumes might do funny things to you (they used too to my nana!)
I wasn't planning to use meths but perhaps I will now. God, I miss booze... ;)
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