Cuckoo4Cuckoos

I have been looking into how to clean the wooden cases for my cuckoo clocks.  Sometimes I feel they need more than just oiling.  Some of the clocks I’ve purchased have dull wood and have perhaps been improperly cleaned in the past before I bought them.

Anyway, I found a website with an interesting recipe … 50 parts linseed oil, 48 parts of vinegar, and 2 parts of methylated spirits.  I didn’t know what methylated spirits were, so I did some further investigating.  Apparently, this formula (95% ethyl alchol and 5% methyl alcohol) is called methylated spirits in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand.  But, in the US and Canada it’s called denatured alcohol. 

So, what you do is put the linseed oil into a small bottle only filling it a quarter of the way.  Add the methylated spirits and shake well.  Add the vinegar a little at a time, shaking well after each addition.  This will form an emulsion the consistency of cream.  Make sure to label the bottle clearly, so no one uses it in their cofee by mistake.  lol

This is supposed to be a great polish restorer that will clean off old wax and surface dirt.  Using this is supposed to leave a little shine, which can be followed with either some teak oil or some other type of penetrating furniture oil.

If you try this out, please come back and let me know how it worked out.  I’ll come back here and let you all know how it worked out.

Well, it’s here!  My new oompah band cuckoo clock.  The story of how it came to be mine is really quite interesting.  I saw this clock on eBay a few months ago.  However, I was outbid on the item and did not win.  This made me very sad, as I hadn’t seen this type of clock on eBay before.  It was so cute with the little oompah band members.  It was, of course, a chalet style cuckoo clock, which was another big plus for me.  At the end of the auction, I was bummed because I didn’t win, but I figured the clock I was supposed to have would find its way to me.

Well, a few weeks ago I’m purusing the cuckoo clock listings on eBay when low and behold … there it is again!  Apparently, it was purchased by a very nice cuckoo clock repairman named Jim.  He replaced the bellows, and put the clock in tip top working condition.  I jumped on it and put in my bid.  He had it listed with a reserve and my first bid surpassed what his reserve was set for.

Patiently I waited as the days and hours ticked down.  Surprisingly, no one else bid on the clock (which I see as fate), and I won the cuckoo clock of my dreams!  Jim promptly shipped it out me - wrapped ever so carefully in bubble wrap.  It was (and is) exquisite.  It has a music box in it that plays two songs (Edelweis and The Wanderer) - one on the hour and one on the half hour.  When the songs are playing, the little oompah band moves side to side like they’re playing their little instruments.

I’ve always loved my cuckoo clocks because they give my home a unique feel and warmth.  People comment more on my cuckoo clock than on any other feature of my home.  I have original oil paintings, mosaic tile art, art glass, stained glass windows, and other unique things for the eye to see.  But, it’s always the cuckoo clocks that are the biggest stars of my home.

I’m thrilled to have this new clock.  It’s like a new friend that I’m getting acquainted with.  The sounds of the clock haven’t yet incorporated themselves into my home.  I still pause when I hear them - sometimes I’m even startled.  But, they always bring a smile to my face.  The other day, in fact, when the song began to play, I saw my son stop what he was doing and just listen for a few seconds and smile.  With all his high-tech gadgets and toys, it was my vintage cuckoo clock that coaxed the smile.  You’ve gotta love that.

Well, I finally did it.  I have my own blog.  I’ll be writing my thoughts about cuckoo clocks (which is one of my life’s loves), the Black Forest, and about some environmental things.  I love the earth.  I love the green of the forests, the sound of the ocean, and the smell of the desert when it rains. 

That’s one reason I like cuckoo clocks.  They are crafted by hand - which makes each one unique.  Typically, the carvings are from nature - deer, birds, leaves, etc.  My first cuckoo clock has carved deer, pine trees, and mushrooms.  The warm sound of the cuckoo with the mechanical bellows and gong reminds me of people who heard the same sound from their cuckoo clocks almost 300 years ago.

 Don’t get me wrong.  I love modern technology.  I love my high speed internet connection, 400 channels of cable tv, and my car.  But, I also try to stay connected with things that have a history.  I feel that history is what binds us together as humans.  If we forget about history, we become lost — doomed to repeat the mistakes from the past.

I love that if my power goes out, my cuckoo clock will keep right on ticking.  No batteries, no cords.  Just two little metal pinecones that I need to bring back up underneath the clockcase to keep it going.  Now, granted, my clock loses a minute or two every day and I have to make adjustments.  But, perfection isn’t really the goal of life, is it?  Sometimes we think it is and we try to be perfect — have perfect lives — have perfect relationships — raise perfect kids.  But, perfection is overrated.  It’s taken me 44 years to realize that life is messy.  A good life is especially messy because in order for life to be good we have to take chances.  Many of us aren’t good with risk, so we avoid it and try to be perfect instead.  Perfect is stressful and boring — and, most of all, unrealistic and completely unattainable.  No, give me my messy life with my imperfect family and my cuckoo clock that loses a couple of minutes every day.  Because those are the things that really make me happy.  And, after all, isn’t that what this is all about?