Saturday, June 2, 2007

Boiled Linseed Oil

A day for many small tasks around the house. Finally got some time to treat all the wooden handles of the garden tools with boiled linseed oil. I first sanded them smooth and then rubbed them with a well-oiled rag. After about ten minutes I rubbed off the excess with a clean rag (torn from one of Liam's old T-shirts) and buffed them well.

The oil made the handles dark and smooth. They felt wonderful and smelled even better. I had really put off doing this and the handle of the spade was very dry and cracking in spots. I hope it feels better. There is something about doing tasks such as this that gives you hope for the future.

The smell of boiled linseed oil is very evocative.

I really should clean out the garage.

4 comments:

June Butler said...

Aghaveagh, that seems like quite a satisfying task to complete. I can't say I've ever done it myself, and I believe that my husband, who is the real gardener in the family, leaves the tool handles in a dried out condition.

Ironing is like that for me. I do less of it than I have ever done, but when I do iron, I enjoy it and feel that I have truly accomplished something.

Why did you pick a nom de blog that is so difficult to spell? ;o)

Aghaveagh said...

I went into the garage today and all the tool handles felt so smooth and smelled so good that I had to use them! So I got more tasks done than if I hadn't oiled them. Tell Grandpère he should try it.

My name is hard to spell and hard to pronounce. Maybe I just like being esoteric. At least I don't have an accent grave in mine!

Grandmère, you may call me "Avie".

Wormwood's Doxy said...

Sniff. What does one have to do to earn the right to call you by your nick?

Aghaveagh said...

Usually chocolate. But you, dear Doxie, may address me by "Avie."

(Remember all those great books where the young man finally gets to address his beloved by her first name? Usually at the moment of the engagement! Or even better when the husband addresses his wife as "Mrs. Bennet"! We do lose a lot by our informality.