A pretty country church; much loved, but rarely cleaned, probably not had a proper spruce-up since the last wedding was held there - about 9 years ago.
Start at the top and work down - no, not the bell tower!
Extendable mop at the ready, stand on the pews, broggle around the moulded capitals of the columns, wait for the cascade of spiders and debris.
I employed the same process with the long windows, taking care not to damage the glass! Just inside the main door is where the old crusader statue lies in repose; above him, a tall narrow lancet window.
The only way to clean it was to lean across him and carefully jiggle the mop around - engrossing and absorbing work! I gave it my full attention...then jumped like mad as I was shockingly 'goosed'.
My friend was at the other end of the church, cleaning out the vestry, and she was the only other person in the church, not that she would do such a thing, so my immediate and fleeting thought was that the crusader..., but no, stupid thought.
I turned around, no one. Looked down and saw one blue eye, and one brown eye laughing up at me. A beautiful young collie dog had wandered into the church and wanted my attention!
She lives next door in the old rectory and must have heard the activity in the church, called to investigate. Giggles. Pause for a gulp of water, then on with the cleaning.
By midday we had made great inroads, then we abandoned the place. Just time for a quick lunch, a shower, and then off to the monthly meeting in the village hall.
Tea, coffee, cake - crisply starched traycloths, dainty china, a vase of lavender spikes and roses. Such simple touches, they loved it.
The cake was a triumph, much to my relief. I had made an elderflower and lemon cake at the weekend, crossing my fingers that it would store nicely...and it did. Phew!
Here are the early birds - "Is that kettle on yet?"
Tea and cake enjoyed, quiz completed and marked by Miss Read, once a teacher, always a teacher.
Plans for next month, requests for refreshments again, then whizz home to feed the grandchildren.
Half an hour later, back into my scruffy clothes, and we nipped back to the church for another couple of hours. This time the work involved beeswax polish and elbow grease.
The flowers for the wedding will be done on Friday morning, so we will go back in there on Friday afternoon for a last minute dust and tidy...well, the real reason is so that we can see the place bedecked and beautiful!
LOL re the goosing! I hope we get photos of the church with the wedding flowers in them...? :)
ReplyDeleteI shall do my very best - watch this space! That Collie dog was so cute, a little mischief.
DeleteOh Elaine, I loved this story it made me laugh. I'd have been out of there like a rocket :)
ReplyDeleteKeep them coming xx
Molly! How lovely to hear from you! I often think about you, wonder how you are doing. Funnily enough, there is said to be a ghost, an outdoors one. One of the churchwardens, not given to fantasy, was convinced that someone had followed him as he walked through the churchyard to lock up one evening. Apparently he is not the first person to have experienced it, luckily it doesn't go inside the church. xx
DeleteI love your subject line!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteCertainly happy it was a doggie. Would anyone what to be married there, if the Crusader was known to rise up and do such a thing...?!?!?!? LOL
You make me tired, just reading this post. -sigh- I may have to stop and have a nap, before reading any more blogs!!!! >,-)
Hope the bride/groom and family know, all the work, done by you two, which went into making the church shine.
Lovely meeting!!!!!!!! Yet another one of your projects.
Oh and are the "grands" out of school yet? Their teacher parents should soon be home, and taking care of them, themselves, soon, I'd think...
Hello Luna, Just under two weeks to go, then they have six weeks of holiday - hurrah! The meeting went really well, everyone went home happy, which is what it is all about. Don't worry, I am having a quiet day or two. Yesterday was wonderful, but it pushed me right to the edge of my energy, I need to be quiet and recharge my batteries. As to the bride and bridegroom, I very much doubt they will even think about the mundane things like cleaning and polishing. It was my pleasure to add a little sparkle to their special day! Charming though the dog is, I hope she doesn't invite herself to the wedding! Glad you enjoyed it.
DeleteI an impressed, that is deadication. I'm sure the church will look lovely.
ReplyDeleteWe found some interesting bits of 'history' in the vestry, some only fit for the bin and the tip, but one item is worth posting about. It was a pleasure to clean the place up, order restored.
DeleteYou have worked hard and I too hope its appreciated. They must have scoped out the church ahead of time and seen the dust and all. Goosed by a knight? No a curious collie. How funny.
ReplyDeleteHad it been 'housework, in a house', I doubt I would have been so keen! The bride's family live in the manor house in the next village, their farm is opposite the church, so she knows it well. My friend is her aunt.
DeletePoor knight, the thought was fleeting, but I am glad it turned out to be a dog! She was very cute, just a young thing, not used to being ignored!
‘Broggle’ ?... Mrs Mop!?! Not being a lover of cleaning, I have never heard the word, nor yet polish, Dyson or Hoover.
ReplyDeleteI bet a pound to a penny, your next assignment... the flowers?
LX
Would that I had the talent, Lettice. Ramming a few flowers into a jam jar is about as far as I go with flower arranging...actually, I hope that is almost as far as they go with the flowers for the church (I bet the bride's father does as well!).
DeleteI'm a pretty useless Mrs Mop, I would far rather walk the fields, read a book, bake a cake - anything but housework!
Good morning Mrs Mopp - you sport that look well!! I hope that the wedding goes beautifully in the newly-spruced-up church. Well done for helping out. I love the sound of your Elderflower and Lemon cake. I haven't baked for ages - ought to do something for the Patchwork class this afternoon, but am not in the mood really.
ReplyDeleteI love the fact that you even considered it might be the Knight having a bit of fun!!!
Hello Jennie, I was cross with myself, I forgot to wear my Barbie-doll pink rubber gloves for the photograph - I wore the outfit (plus gloves) while I waited for my friend to pick me up, all the time hoping that no one else would come along the lane.
DeleteI think I read the wrong sort of books, watch too many films, because I did think it, just for a nano-second. I nipped into the church this morning, while I was walking the dog, everything still looks wonderful, woodwork glowing and nourished. Enjoy your patchwork class.
This post certainly made me smile, a dog indeed. There is nothing nicer than the smell of polish on beautiful woodwork.
ReplyDeleteNo doubt the scent of flowers will top the beeswax but there should still be notes of it, for the discerning nose!
DeleteWhat a lovely church! I love this post, as well - I would have screeched like an owl. I bet that cake was absolutely wonderful. (I am about to make your black currant sorbet this weekend - the currants are ripe!)
ReplyDeleteI hope you enjoy the sorbet, Susan. It is a lovely church, lots of history connected with it, so there will be more stories to come in the future.
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