Cleaning the Fireplace stonework

Tuesday I decided to do something I have wanted to do for several months.  Clean the smoke stain off of the stonework of our fireplace.  I really meant to do this last spring when I bought the brick cleaner, but the intention got lost with all of the painting work.

I have done this every couple of years to keep the stone reasonably nice.

 I only had a small bottle of the cleaning solution so I didn't get it as clean as I would have liked, but I plan on doing it again next spring, or before we put the house on the market.

We burn a wood fire in this almost every evening during the winter months.  We really enjoy just sitting in our comfy chairs and reading, (or doing Sudoku) and listening to good music.

Now no comments allowed on my eclectic collection of stuff on the mantle!

 The clock in the center is one of my only treasured antiques.  It is over 100 years old and was owned by a great aunt of mine.

  The small brown stuffed animal is a moose on skis.  I got him on a family ski trip to Whistler Blackhome BC, and he has gone on many other ski trips with us.  He has retired to the mantle to remind me of some fun times in the past.

On the very end of the mantle is a little orange traffic cone.  Craig bought it for me on our "rented RV" vacation last year.  It says "IF GRANDMA AIN'T HAPPY, AIN'T NOBODY HAPPY."  I try to remind him from time to time that if he puts me in an RV I will be happy!

The fireplace itself has a story, but I will leave that for another blog.

Exercise Goal:
1000 miles on the treadmill, 

2 miles today

Total walked = 192 miles

Someday I will be hiking 1000 miles in National Parks!

Daily countdown:

391 days, or 1 year, 26 days. 

Just like the walking.  If I do a little bit each day it will add up to a house ready for market.