Not my Favourite Job

There are only two buses a day to Norbury (and only one a week all the way to Norbury Junction) but Norbury village is near enough and the 16.05 from Newport connects nicely with the bus from Shrewsbury, which itself connects with the Hereford train.So, yesterday at exactly 16.05, I found myself heading out of Newport on the last bus of the day on service 350. Even this vestigial service survives only because it doubles as a school bus,and its no doubt heavily-subsidised so may not be around much longer when the cuts begin to bite.
By the time I'd walked from the village it was nearly dark and getting cold, but first job - left over from last time - was to sweep the chimney. Not a big job in itself, but the dislodged soot falls down the flue and collects on a baffle plate at the base. If left there, over time it builds up to the extent that it blocks the flue, puts the fire out and fills the cabin with fumes! Its only happened to me twice, but now I make a point of sweeping the plate clear each time I sweep the chimney. Its not my favourite job because the only way to clear she soot is to stick your hand right into the stove and try and clear it from the plate using your fingers and,as usual, even with overalls and fire gloves on I got pretty dirty.
Having lit the fire, I thought I'd p;ost a picture of it burning away merrily, but then I decided you'd much rather see the cabin side and smoking chimney of working-boat "Becky" moored opposite on the visitor moorings.