Sweating the small stuff

The big jobs have been done, more or less, and I'm wandering round the house noting all the small things that I should attend to. Like touching up masonry paint in the yard. Like washing the front door, and polishing the brass.

Like extending some TLC to the fireplace in the spare room.... O, be still, my prickling conscience!

When we bought the house, this little iron fireplace and its pretty pansy tiles were hidden behind enormous suspended sliding door wardrobes, its mantel shelf brutally removed.

We improvised a replacement with a wooden shelf, and left it at that. So much more to do in this house in those days! Rewiring, damp proofing, central heating, locating old marble fireplaces to replace those long broken up as un-modern, throwing out nasty rippled glass doors, and removing acres of polystyrene tiles and woodchip wallpaper.

There was a great deal of wardrobe door paint on the pansy tiles, and for 28 years I have intended to scrape it off. But an old towel rail always stood in front of the fire, and somehow, the intention never translated into action. Until today.

Scrape, scrape, scrape, with the blade of a Stanley knife, till my fingers hurt. So worthwhile!

Just a little more work with some fine wire wool, and it'll be done.

Sorry for the long years of neglect, little fireplace; you've had your smiling pansy-faces washed at last, and very pretty you look for it.