TORRANCE TRIBUNE December 12, 2013 Page 11 TerriAnn in Torrance from page 3 have it any more and I couldn’t get my helper to wear it, so I had to wear it and the kid was so cool. This kid was so sweet and the lady wanted a brush a chimney sweep brush for him for Christmas. I got her the brush. The kid was so happy. weet little guy...” Chimney sweeping as a profession wasn’t developed until the 17th and 18th centuries. The beginning of the use of fireplaces to keep warm dates back well into Roman times, but that whole issue is greatly debated. Suffice to say our idea of a chimney sweep is deeply rooted in, well, Mary Poppins. I find it interesting to note that originally, chimney sweeps didn’t get paid for their work. They collected the soot and sold it to farmers for fertilizer. After the cleaning, sweeping, patching and instructing, Greg and Haydn left my home with all their machinery and tools. They climbed into the van and off they went on another call to clean out somebody else’s chimney. Next year marks the 50th anniversary of the release of the film Mary Poppins. What better way to celebrate than to have your chimney swept and remember that “a clean chimney is a safe chimney.” As for me, I will continue to call my friendly, bonded and insured chimney sweep, Greg Meyer, every year for he taught me a lot in one day about fire safety. Chim Chim Cher-ee! • top. Haydn told me he is from South Africa and his mother is Welsh. “I watched Oliver Twist--it’s my favorite musical,” he said in his Welsh/English accent. “I’m into musicals. I sing myself. I write my own songs as well--that’s my passion. I got a guitar five years ago, so I put the chords to the guitar and that’s what I do--I sing.” Why is it a singing chimney sweep does not surprise me? “Do you burn wood or the Duraflame junk?” asked Greg. I told him I use both, but he told me to go to wood. “Your wall’s got some cracks too…when you have a chimney fire, it looks kind of like a burnt marshmallow-- crispy. I have never actually seen one. Is it like a flame thrower?” I told him no, it was more like several sparklers at the top of the chimney. Greg told me that some customers in the past have reported a loud sound, like a jet plane while the fire burned. Thank goodness I didn’t have that. Just then, Haydn started up the ‘vacuum’ and began cleaning the chimney. Soot, ash and other things drifted down toward the grate and the floor of the fireplace. Good thing Haydn wore a mask. Greg said they wear masks to Hadyn holding the chimney brush. protect themselves because of all the soot they are exposed to and the masks help protect their lungs. I remember learning in school about the Industrial Revolution in England where the air was so bad the people had to go back to cutting and burning wood instead of the dirty coal. But chimney sweeps are still needed and their job will be here as long as there are fireplaces because their job is cleaning the soot out of the chimney. After the vacuuming, Greg inspected my fireplace and told me I needed to have the cracks sealed with mortar. He then was able to unplug the holes in my existing gas starter pipe, which saved me some money and that was good news. At least I hadn’t burned out anything else that would have required more repairs! This isn’t exactly what I had planned to do before Christmas, but having this done is certainly making me feel safer. But I am embarrassed to find out how little I knew about my fireplace. Greg told me a story about one client who has a son who had watched Mary Poppins and wanted Greg to wear the ‘chimney sweep hat.’ Greg told me, “She wanted me to wear the hat. I had the hat Hadyn cleaning out the chimney. Photos by TerriAnn Ferren. at the time. I don’t Hadyn Pratt and Greg Meyer. Breakfast Lunch Dinner happy hour pizza itaLian chinese Mexican Japanese unique store sanDwich shop Gift store physicaL therapy/weLLness fLoorinG/carpet yoGurt shop ice creaM shop reaLtor - MaLe hanDyMan ViDeo rentaL naiL saLon Beauty shop JeweLry store cLothinG store coMputer store/repair fLower shop hoteL construction coffee house 2013 Torrance Tribune’s Best of the Best Awards Herald Publications Best of the Best Awards gives the community an opportunity to let their voices be heard. The rules are very simple. All one has to do is submit a completed entry form to Herald Publications’ office by December 27, 2013. Results of this survey will be published in the January 9, 2014 issue with special sections highlighting the winners to follow. Each individual in the community is invited to vote one time only. The completed form must be on an original page of the newspaper. No photocopied entries will be accepted. To include your entry in our contest, simply fill the name of your favorite establishment(s) and the city in which they are located, in the blank below each category. Then, mail or bring in your completed entry form by December 27, 2013 at noon to: Herald Publications Attn: Best of the Best 312 E. Imperial Ave. El Segundo, CA 90245 Partially completed will be accepted however at least 35 of the categories must have entries. reaLtor - feMaLe insurance aGent Bank Dentist physician pharMacy auto repair BarBer shop pet care fitness pLuMBer paintinG
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