On the positive side

With OH now working from home, means that I have had to vacate the study/craft room to leave him in peace to work.  I am hoping therefore that I can get into a routine and set about each room in turn, find those items I no longer want or require and hopefully get that decorating done.  Whilst he keeps Missy company as well as working.

I have had to start in the back bedroom because of sliding boxes, plus as I go from room to room there will be other items to store in there and to tidy up the rest of the house.  Once the back bedroom is sorted I intend to go on to the Pantry.

The Pantry did not get done fully, when I hoped to get it done so that is first on the list.  It was partially done, but the decorating needs doing.  With me planning to slowly fill things up again (which was planned prior to all the current difficulties), I need to have a full detailed list of what I have and what I have not got before I go shopping.  So if the Pantry is dealt with, I should be able to get things really organised and stuff easy to find.  That is the plan in any event.  There are also some boxes in the dining room which need their contents decanting into the Pantry.  I also need to find a vegetable rack.  I am rather drawn to the Tala metal vintage ones as they are reasonably sturdy.  This would be kept under the stairs as the Pantry in the kitchen is too dry and fresh veg soon goes off under there.  The cupboard under the stairs though is nice and cool at all times of the year and so is a good environment.  I normally use it as my Jam Pantry.

I also fancy a proper Meat Safe, vintage again but I think that one will have to wait.  It would be very useful - not to keep meat in though.  Anyway as usual I digress!

I know that I have more dried fruit in the Pantry and so I want to get that turned into some chutneys (dried fruit), more mincemeat (I use this all year long - plus I want to try some different recipes).  I have dried apricots, some to be turned into wine and chutney and some into Dried Apricot Jam and Dried Apricot Jam with Amaretto.  I would just add here that I do have a quantity of sugar in house. I also have some older dried ginger to turn into ice cream sauce with the aid of some Green Ginger Wine Even though a little bit it will be good to get some more preserves into the Pantry.  All stuff I have in the Pantry.

I bought some cooking apples last week and so I am hoping to turn these into apple sauce and bottle them.  It can then be used in puddings or as a sauce or even in a cake.  I am hoping to get a few more this week and dry the apples for use in Muesli, puddings and cake.

Once the Pantry is sorted out I will then start on the kitchen.  Quite a bit of stuff needs doing in here, including decorating.  This room will need quite a bit of time investment as well as decorating throughout.  I have some new handles for the kitchen cupboards and I also want OH to add some shelves in there.  I have some sewing to do for the kitchen in any event.

The kitchen gets very cold and it also condenses (as does the bathroom) when I have the cooker on.  We have a big old fashioned air brick which cannot be closed off and which is open at all times and it still condenses.  I even have a small machine taking away the moisture in here.  I may have to invest in a larger machine.  The plaster work in the kitchen and the bathroom is not particularly good, but will try and make the best of it.

I will feel better once the Pantry is sorted as I will be able to plan meals a lot more than what I have been doing.  I tend to buy in specific items because they are good eating in themselves but we don't always eat them on the designated night!  I want to be more disciplined with this.

Once the Pantry is under control, it will be the turn of the freezers. If it is fine on Saturday I may ask OH to help me tackle the freezers, especially as he is hoping to go to the Butcher shop.  It would help if the freezers were sorted.

So we will see what happens.  Sometimes, just sometimes things do not go to plan.  I will feel happier once I can get the freezers sorted and then I can store things as I go along like fresh veggies, main meals and puddings.

Fingers crossed can get this sorted soon.

Take care

Pattypan

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