Saturday 2 April 2011

Close Encounters of the Dirt Kind...

Our children have always welcomed a plethora of imaginary friends into our home, starting off with my daughter's partners in crime, Dolla and Dilla, who arrived when she was around 15 months old. They lived with us for around two and a half years before taking themselves off "on holiday" never to be seen again. Recently I asked her whether she had heard from them, to be told rather matter of factly that they are now dead. She didn't seem too bothered by this, but I did feel a pang of sadness that this part of her childhood is now over. My son also has a couple of imaginary friends currently in existence, who are also (rather conveniently) his hands. "Bulgus" and "Dinty" are "brothers" who have lived with us for around two years now, and are to blame whenever something has "happened". It wasn't me, it was my naughty hand, is quite often heard in this house (imaginary friends do come in useful from time to time though, especially when having to tidy away things, or serving them food that they are not so keen on, "it wasn't mummy it was so and so", calls their bluff a little sometimes!)...

You can perhaps appreciate then at being told by my four year old that there was a man in a top hat in the garden, I just muttered "oh really, that's nice" without really bothering to look. Then I discovered that there was actually a real man in a top hat in the garden, and thus we met our first Danish Chimney Sweep in full traditional regalia. When he worked out I wasn't Danish, he wanted to know if I had ever heard of Hans Christian Andersen, pointing to his outfit (which initially made me quite worried that he wasn't actually there to do any chimney sweeping, he just liked dressing up), but no, he was actually "a dentist for fireplaces" after all. After the winter we have had, I imagined our fireplace would probably need a few fillings after trying to get through that pile of wood we had ordered. So I let him in (although I hadn't booked an appointment, this is the time of year he normally comes apparently!), and seized the opportunity to ask whether I could take his picture. He seemed a bit surprised that I should want a picture of him in his elaborate gear though, "don't chimney sweeps in the UK wear this?" he asked, and then went on to tell me how it took him 8 years alone to be allowed to wear his top hat. When I told him that chimney sweeps in the UK usually just wear overalls and carry vacuum cleaners, he looked crestfallen and said he felt very sorry for them.

17 comments:

  1. Even the chimney sweeps in Denmark are stylish...well, apart from his trainers!

    We have the 'overall and vacuum cleaner type' to do our chimney at home: not the same effect at all!

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  2. Love it! How much more exciting than the grubby slightly dodgy looking chap who comes to vacuum our chimney.

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  3. Wow, I love it, I bet the children did to! If I answered the door to a guy dressed like that here I definitely wouldn't let him in!! Can you imagine? xx

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  4. That is so completely cool! Must make a mental note that it has to be a house with a cleanable chimney for me if I ever live in Denmark

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  5. wow, I've never seen any chimney sweep that looks as smart as that; I always think of the Mary Poppins chimney sweeps :)

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  6. What a wonderful garden apparition - your children will never believe their imaginary friends are imaginary again! How lovely that you get to spend this stage of life with then in the land of fairy tales.
    ~M

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  7. Thanks all. I didn't know he was turning up at all, let alone dressed like this so it was quite a funny morning! Whilst this might be situation normal to the Danes, it certainly isn't for us UK folk! Emma :)

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  8. Chim chimenee Chim chimenee.... That's the closest I've ever been to a chimney sweep. Lucky you!!

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  9. He's fabulous. I feel sorry for the overall type chimney sweep now, too. Although I can't help feeling he should have some shiny black boots...

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  10. Wow! That's fantastic, like something out of a fairytale - we don't even have a proper chimney!!

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  11. Now I am jealous
    1. I don't have a fireplace that needs sweeping
    2. We don't have chimney sweepers like yours
    3. I want a top hat too!
    fabulous post, have a great day

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  12. Wow. I want a chimney also. Dammit apartment life!

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  13. Totally agree about the black shiny boots Englishmum, then he would totally look the part. I think he could actually make a lot of money in the UK wishing newlywed's luck!

    Don't be jealous everyone else, he did make a mess, and forced me to take down and clean pictures I haven't touched for ages... (Mari, do you want me to keep an eye out for a top hat at the next fleamarket?)...

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  14. Ha ha 'it wasn't mummy...' i love it! And what a fancy sweep, it reminds you of how all these jobs that were once seen as a noble profession are just (ahem) swept aside nowadays.

    I wish we had a sweep like that, I bet he'd sort our chimney out in a jiffy. The sight of him alone cheers me up. Maybe I can persuade the hubby to dress the part?

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  15. I have lived in several different countries and I think that one of my favourite things has been to discover the things that make every country unique. Your chimney sweep looks amazing!
    I love the idea of the naughty hands... better not tell my children about it though ;-)

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  16. Laughed out loud at the dead imaginary friends. Glad to hear she cuts to the chase. Hopped over from Mummy's LIttle Monkey!

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  17. @tartankiwi,it's so interesting isn't it... I also recommend not letting any naughty hands into your household...

    @I'm So Fancy, no mincing of words with my daughter! Thanks for the follow :)

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I love your comments - thank you :)

 
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