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Spring into action!
Next, the inside. We dust, clean, sort out... And we always find something to throw away. At the cottage as at home, it is important not to clutter up the balcony, as well as the doorways of the house. It is the same for boxes and various objects that we leave obstructing the evacuation route. This winter, Yves saw his share of balconies piled heavy with snow up above the door. How do the people living inside think they would get out if there was an emergency! That is scary.
2006-08-10 1:34 PM |
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The warm days are back. The birds are returning from the south as are the Snow birds. Oh yes, Albert is back from the south where he spent happy days under the tropical sun. He is now getting ready to open his cottage for the summer. His friend Yves is not a migratory bird like Albert, but he is also looking forward to the nice weather and the quiet life on the waterfront. He is the owner of the neighbouring cottage and he is also getting ready to spend a few months there. 
First of all, the exterior: spring being the mating season means nests, and Albert decides to check if any birds have set up house inside his chimney. As for Yves, he has his chimney swept every spring. Creosote deposits can easily catch on fire during the next good blaze. He explains to Albert that the deposits left in the chimney in the fall, combined with humid summer air, can lead to corrosion of the steel parts of the chimney. Just yesterday, Yves heard on the news that a chimney fire was responsible for leaving a family homeless: the owners ignited the creosote to clean the chimney. It would have been much cheaper to call a chimney sweep. 
Because the weather is so mild, Albert and Yves don't stay indoors long. There's plenty to do outside. The winter was hard on the trees and bushes. Branches and trees in danger of falling onto electrical lines have to be cut. And that's not to mention lightning. If it hits a dead tree, it can easily catch on fire. There are many fallen branches on the ground. There are also leaves from last autumn to pick up and the grass to dethatch. It isn't necessary to burn it all. That would not be such a blazing idea! A dethatcher is not that expensive, especially if you do like Yves and Albert and rent one together, and thus share the cost! Albert has already seen people light a fire in a metal container placed in the middle of their lot to burn various rubbish. That's a fire hazard for the whole neighbourhood.
Once everything is picked up, it is especially important to avoid piling up the garbage bags along the side of a building (house, cottage or shed). While awaiting the garbage collector, Albert places them far from any flammable objects and in a less conspicuous place so as not to attract the attention of any pyromaniac! Yves has taken an ecological approach: he has set up composting containers at the back of his lot. That way, there will be less garbage to collect for the municipality and he can use this compost to improve his soil and flower beds. The idea is very appealing to Albert! 
There you have it, a full day that ends well. Exhausted but satisfied, the two friends meet on the porch for a last drink and talk seeds. They have worked with safety in mind and being prudent has rewarded them: spring has ignited only their enthusiasm.