Hi All,

My missus has just mentioned that my Mum has requested my assistace
soon re taking her to her Mum, Dad and Brothers grave and cleaning the
loose stones that sit on the grave (she thinks they were green at one
time).

I think her intention is to shovel the stones into a bag(s), take
them home to clean (not sure how she intends doing the 'cleaning'
yet).

So, before we do all that, is there anything we should consider ..
like, are there any chemicals that could be sprayed on, are we allowed
to do such ourselves, would they mind us turning up with my pressure
washer etc etc ;-)

All the best ..

T i m

On Wed, 29 Jun 2005 18:16:35 GMT, T i m babbled
like a waterfall and said:

Hi All,

My missus has just mentioned that my Mum has requested my assistace
soon re taking her to her Mum, Dad and Brothers grave and cleaning the
loose stones that sit on the grave (she thinks they were green at one
time).

I think her intention is to shovel the stones into a bag(s), take
them home to clean (not sure how she intends doing the 'cleaning'
yet).

So, before we do all that, is there anything we should consider ..
like, are there any chemicals that could be sprayed on, are we allowed
to do such ourselves, would they mind us turning up with my pressure
washer etc etc ;-)

All the best ..

T i m

I would recommend "Finish Power Boost".

It's that roundish plastic pod from the supermarket used to boost
dishwashers cleaning power. I have found it makes the cheapest
miracle cleaner for just about any job that you could mentiom. In
operation it emulates a neat bleach solution without the nasty bits.

Dump some in a bucket of warm water and clean the chippings in the
bucket

HTH

T i m wrote:
My missus has just mentioned that my Mum has requested my assistace
soon re taking her to her Mum, Dad and Brothers grave and cleaning the
loose stones that sit on the grave (she thinks they were green at one
time).

You know, that's what I thought you meant when I saw the subject line,
but I didn't believe it until I read the posting!

I think her intention is to shovel the stones into a bag(s), take
them home to clean (not sure how she intends doing the 'cleaning'
yet).
So, before we do all that, is there anything we should consider ..
like, are there any chemicals that could be sprayed on, are we allowed
to do such ourselves, would they mind us turning up with my pressure
washer etc etc ;-)

A new bag of chippings might not cost much, especially if the plot still
has "room for more".

I started off thinking about frugal alternatives like glass chippings
from a recycling bin, but thought that might not be sufficiently respectful.

Owain

"Owain" wrote in message
t...
T i m wrote:
My missus has just mentioned that my Mum has requested my assistace
soon re taking her to her Mum, Dad and Brothers grave and cleaning the
loose stones that sit on the grave (she thinks they were green at one
time).

You know, that's what I thought you meant when I saw the subject line,
but I didn't believe it until I read the posting!

I think her intention is to shovel the stones into a bag(s), take
them home to clean (not sure how she intends doing the 'cleaning'
yet).
So, before we do all that, is there anything we should consider ..
like, are there any chemicals that could be sprayed on, are we allowed
to do such ourselves, would they mind us turning up with my pressure
washer etc etc ;-)

A new bag of chippings might not cost much, especially if the plot still
has "room for more".

I started off thinking about frugal alternatives like glass chippings
from a recycling bin, but thought that might not be sufficiently
respectful.

Owain


Neat bleach will almost certainly improve them.

Andy.

On Wed, 29 Jun 2005 18:27:21 GMT, EricP
wrote:


I would recommend "Finish Power Boost".

It's that roundish plastic pod from the supermarket used to boost
dishwashers cleaning power. I have found it makes the cheapest
miracle cleaner for just about any job that you could mentiom. In
operation it emulates a neat bleach solution without the nasty bits.

Dump some in a bucket of warm water and clean the chippings in the
bucket

HTH

Well, anything is worth a try .. and considering the location I don't
think we are going to poison anyone but ourselves ;-)

All the best ..

T i m

On Wed, 29 Jun 2005 20:12:09 +0100, Owain
wrote:

T i m wrote:
My missus has just mentioned that my Mum has requested my assistace
soon re taking her to her Mum, Dad and Brothers grave and cleaning the
loose stones that sit on the grave (she thinks they were green at one
time).

You know, that's what I thought you meant when I saw the subject line,
but I didn't believe it until I read the posting!

;-) Hey, even the dwellings of those since gone need a cleanup once in
a while ;-)

A new bag of chippings might not cost much, especially if the plot still
has "room for more".

Good thought .. though I'm not sure Mum would consider that option
(even at 75 she's still game for any work if it saves a few quid) ;-)

I started off thinking about frugal alternatives like glass chippings
from a recycling bin, but thought that might not be sufficiently respectful.

Spose ..

All the best

T i m

On Wed, 29 Jun 2005 21:30:56 +0100, "andrewpreece"
wrote:


Neat bleach will almost certainly improve them.

Do you suggest we 'soak' the chippings Andy and if so for how long
(roughly)?

ie, Is this something we could do there or when at home?

All the best ..

T i m

"T i m" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 29 Jun 2005 21:30:56 +0100, "andrewpreece"
wrote:


Neat bleach will almost certainly improve them.

Do you suggest we 'soak' the chippings Andy and if so for how long
(roughly)?

ie, Is this something we could do there or when at home?

All the best ..

T i m

You could do it there, but I am sure if some busybody saw you they'd
invoke the Health and Safety at Work Act and the CoSHH regulations,
so don't make it too obvious! Also neutralise the bleach with water when
you've finished. It may take an hour for full effect, though probably an
improvement will be seen in less time than that.

My experience is based on cleaning up some local limestone I had
lying around in my garden as edging: I wanted to use it to build a stone
wall, and found that although mud would come off with water and a
good soaking and bit of a scrub, the general patina of ages wouldn't budge,
it being mainly a mixture of surface moulds ( not lichen ). Neat bleach
seems to annihalate this stuff and bring the underlying colour back.
As an aside, I got the same effect accidentally when a windfall apple came
to
rest on one of the aforesaid edging stones: when I removed it to compost it,
the stone underneath was restored to full colour.

I expect that was due to fruit acids. I expect tomato juice, HP sauce or
allsorts
might work, but at least with bleach it's easy to wash off afterwards.
Don't dilute the bleach, use the thick stuff, wear gloves, don't get any on
your
clothes and have sufficient water with you to clean up afterwards.

Nice to see someone taking care of the appearance of their relatives' grave.

Good luck,

Andy.

"T i m" wrote in message
...
Hi All,

My missus has just mentioned that my Mum has requested my assistace
soon re taking her to her Mum, Dad and Brothers grave and cleaning the
loose stones that sit on the grave (she thinks they were green at one
time).

I think her intention is to shovel the stones into a bag(s), take
them home to clean (not sure how she intends doing the 'cleaning'
yet).

So, before we do all that, is there anything we should consider ..
like, are there any chemicals that could be sprayed on, are we allowed
to do such ourselves, would they mind us turning up with my pressure
washer etc etc ;-)

Graveyards often have quite strict rules on what may be done to the graves
and by whom. You should speak to the graveyard superintendent first.

Colin Bignell

On Thu, 30 Jun 2005 02:41:22 +0100, "nightjar" nightjar@insert my
surname here.uk.com wrote:



Graveyards often have quite strict rules on what may be done to the graves
and by whom. You should speak to the graveyard superintendent first.

That was in the back of my mind ..

Where would we find such a creature (normally)?

All the best ..

T i m

On Wed, 29 Jun 2005 20:12:09 +0100, Owain
wrote:

T i m wrote:
My missus has just mentioned that my Mum has requested my assistace
soon re taking her to her Mum, Dad and Brothers grave and cleaning the
loose stones that sit on the grave (she thinks they were green at one
time).

You know, that's what I thought you meant when I saw the subject line,
but I didn't believe it until I read the posting!

I thought I'd replied to you this morning fella but I can't see it
now?

I think her intention is to shovel the stones into a bag(s), take
them home to clean (not sure how she intends doing the 'cleaning'
yet).
So, before we do all that, is there anything we should consider ..
like, are there any chemicals that could be sprayed on, are we allowed
to do such ourselves, would they mind us turning up with my pressure
washer etc etc ;-)

A new bag of chippings might not cost much, especially if the plot still
has "room for more".

Good thought .. but to me it sounds like putting plasterboard OVER
(well under) an old lathe and plaster ceiling ? (That's Virgos for
ya)

I started off thinking about frugal alternatives like glass chippings
from a recycling bin, but thought that might not be sufficiently respectful.

I don't suppose it would bother Mum (all for saving a couple of quid)
... as long as it doesn't look out of place (and broken glass might be
handy if the chavs start mucking about in the graveyard and fall into
it) ;-)

All the best ..

T i m

T i m wrote:
A new bag of chippings might not cost much, especially if the plot still
has "room for more".
Good thought .. but to me it sounds like putting plasterboard OVER
(well under) an old lathe and plaster ceiling ? (That's Virgos for
ya)

I was actually thinking that the cost of a bag of chippings can be
amortised over future additional residents. Of course, if the lair's
full you'll be saving your pennies for a new plot. (That's a Sagittarius
living in Scotland for you.)

Owain

T i m wrote:
Graveyards often have quite strict rules on what may be done to the graves
and by whom. You should speak to the graveyard superintendent first.
That was in the back of my mind ..
Where would we find such a creature (normally)?

In a little hut, drinking tea.

Nowadays (grave robbing having fallen in popularity, at least south of
the border, although the Scottish neds still like the occasional bit of
defiling a sepulchre[1]) they're probably centralised and you have to go
through the Council call-centre and ask for the Department of Memorial
Landscaping and Bereavement Services or whatever it's called this month.

Owain


[1] http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3572771.stm
(Some people may find this article distressing)

"T i m" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 30 Jun 2005 02:41:22 +0100, "nightjar" nightjar@insert my
surname here.uk.com wrote:



Graveyards often have quite strict rules on what may be done to the graves
and by whom. You should speak to the graveyard superintendent first.

That was in the back of my mind ..

Where would we find such a creature (normally)?

My local graveyard has an administration building at one entrance. If you
haven't got one of those, probably you would need to talk to the local
Council.

Colin Bignell

On Thu, 30 Jun 2005 22:17:31 +0100, Owain
wrote:

T i m wrote:
A new bag of chippings might not cost much, especially if the plot still
has "room for more".
Good thought .. but to me it sounds like putting plasterboard OVER
(well under) an old lathe and plaster ceiling ? (That's Virgos for
ya)

I was actually thinking that the cost of a bag of chippings can be
amortised over future additional residents.

True ..

Of course, if the lair's
full you'll be saving your pennies for a new plot. (That's a Sagittarius
living in Scotland for you.)

I have to admit I don't know the setup there or even where the grave
is? I loved my Grandma (I used to call my Grandma my 'step Grandma'
... as she used to wave us off from her front step g) my Grandad
(although I didn't know him very well / long) and my Uncle (who was
probably more of a 'Father' to me than my own).

I think I may have gone to the funerals of the grandparents (I was
quite young) but not my Uncle. I wanted to remember him as he was
before he went into hospital with cancer and by not going to the
funeral sort of allows me to think he's 'still there' (if you know
what I mean).

I hope helping my Mum 'sort' the grave isn't going to open up any
'issues' .. or too many deeper thoughts .. (I'm aiming to just treat
it as 'helping Mum clean some gravel')?

All the best ..

T i m

On Thu, 30 Jun 2005 22:32:27 +0100, Owain
wrote:

T i m wrote:
Graveyards often have quite strict rules on what may be done to the graves
and by whom. You should speak to the graveyard superintendent first.
That was in the back of my mind ..
Where would we find such a creature (normally)?

In a little hut, drinking tea.

Ok, I'll have a look ;-)

Nowadays (grave robbing having fallen in popularity, at least south of
the border, although the Scottish neds still like the occasional bit of
defiling a sepulchre[1]) they're probably centralised and you have to go
through the Council call-centre and ask for the Department of Memorial
Landscaping and Bereavement Services or whatever it's called this month.

I just wonder if it's one of those questions you possibly don't want
to ask .. like when I asked them if it was ok to dump a load of
chemical waste in a ditch (what a ferfuffle that was!) ;-)

All the best ..

T i m

On Fri, 1 Jul 2005 03:46:00 +0100, "nightjar" nightjar@insert my
surname here.uk.com wrote:


"T i m" wrote in message
.. .
On Thu, 30 Jun 2005 02:41:22 +0100, "nightjar" nightjar@insert my
surname here.uk.com wrote:



Graveyards often have quite strict rules on what may be done to the graves
and by whom. You should speak to the graveyard superintendent first.

That was in the back of my mind ..

Where would we find such a creature (normally)?

My local graveyard has an administration building at one entrance.

I think I've seen some sort of structure at the Crem but not at any of
the local graveyards (but then I haven't 'been' for many years ..).

If you
haven't got one of those, probably you would need to talk to the local
Council.

Hmmm , contacting our local Council is very much like trying to
contact the dead ... ;-)

All the best ..

T i m

T i m wrote:

So, before we do all that, is there anything we should consider ..

White "Spirit" ?

:¬))

On Fri, 01 Jul 2005 17:26:55 GMT, GymRatZ
wrote:

T i m wrote:

So, before we do all that, is there anything we should consider ..

White "Spirit" ?

:¬))

Hmm, worth a go, but it's a devil to keep off your clothes groan
...;-)

All the best ..

T i m

"T i m" wrote in message
news

Hmmm , contacting our local Council is very much like trying to
contact the dead ... ;-)

You can look up your council on the net, there should be a list of
graveyards and contacts.

Mary

All the best ..

T i m

T i m wrote:

So, before we do all that, is there anything we should consider ..
White "Spirit" ?
Hmm, worth a go, but it's a devil to keep off your clothes groan

could leave a finish to die for though !

:¬O

On Fri, 01 Jul 2005 23:25:00 GMT, GymRatZ
wrote:

T i m wrote:

So, before we do all that, is there anything we should consider ..
White "Spirit" ?
Hmm, worth a go, but it's a devil to keep off your clothes groan

could leave a finish to die for though !


Except that the technique is shrouded in mystery



--

..andy

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http://www.diybanter.com

On Sat, 02 Jul 2005 00:39:57 +0100, Andy Hall
wrote:

On Fri, 01 Jul 2005 23:25:00 GMT, GymRatZ
wrote:

T i m wrote:

So, before we do all that, is there anything we should consider ..
White "Spirit" ?
Hmm, worth a go, but it's a devil to keep off your clothes groan

could leave a finish to die for though !


Except that the technique is shrouded in mystery

Oh dear lads .. ;-)

T i m

Andy Hall wrote:
On Fri, 01 Jul 2005 23:25:00 GMT, GymRatZ
White "Spirit" ?
Hmm, worth a go, but it's a devil to keep off your clothes groan
could leave a finish to die for though !
Except that the technique is shrouded in mystery

You'd feel a right burk if you spilt it on your hair.

Owain