Getting back on Track

 After getting the new washer back in its proper place, the old one taken out I started last night to process the huge pile of washing that had accumulated and am now about half way through it.  Today therefore has primarily been a laundry day and no doubt tomorrow will be as well. Getting the laundry out of the way is therefore a big item off the list. Hopefully all will be done and dusted by the start of the weekend tomorrow night.  That is the aim in any event.

I will then set about the kitchen and get that all washed out in readiness for being painted after the Pantry is completed.  Think this is going to be the most time effective way of dealing with things.  The reason behind this is that I poked my nose into the Pantry today and realised that there is far more in there to clear down than I had first thought and a bit more preparation work.

The kitchen therefore needs to be tidied out to accommodate all the contents whilst the Pantry is being renovated.  As space is very tight in any event I am having to deal with things in a different way than I had envisaged.  This is now necessary so that we can move and actually do stuff.  Then when it comes to the painting, it will just be a matter of moving items out of the way and G will then just be able to get on and paint. In turn the kitchen as a result should get a reasonably quick turnover when it comes to the actual painting.

However before G goes into the Pantry, I have a big pile of washing up to do in any event, stuff that has got knocked over in the dining room and needs a clean down as a result just to be on the safe side.  Once the washing up is all done and dusted and as much of it put away as I can, I can then start the scrubbing down of the kitchen walls and ceiling.  Everything is going to be painted.

Today I also dragged out a small trolley table from the Pantry to use in the kitchen.  I think it will be ideal as a small preparation area if needed or useful for having one of the bread machine's running on so that I have some space on either the counter or the trolley table.  A universal piece.  I also found a tray of new jars on it in the Pantry so have some more jars for preserving in the next few days or so.  I am determined that this space is going to work for me better than it has done so far.  Chief in relation to this though is getting everything in the Pantry so that I can find it which will also make more room available in the house to manoeuvre.  We also need to get the new strip light up on the ceiling as well.  Still have not managed to get that done.  It will happen and even now things are starting to clear in the kitchen compared to what they used to be.  Mostly down to the fact that I have been working away putting things away behind the scenes for the past couple of weeks or more (a lot of hard work) that at the time did not appear to do much, but this often happens when you have long term projects.

I counted up how many large sweetie jars I have for bulk storage in the Pantry and I have 24 jars.  I also have quite a few large stone and Terracotta crocks to put into the Pantry as well (which are also lurking in the dining room) and get them pressed into use.  Ideally I am looking for a set of Avery scales for weighing bulk items up in the kitchen for the future, but I need to locate a set at a good price for this to happen. I am also on the lookout for some more sweetie jars, ground glass stoppered glass storage jars (Ravenhead), more Douwe Egbert coffee jars, more vintage preserving and storage jars as well.  I wish I could go to the auctions and also more vintage centres again, but that will sort itself out in due course.  I do not even go to the Charity shop at the moment.  Would see something that I would like, and then not to be able to acquire it.  Everything happens for a reason and I take the view that if I am not in a position to take advantage at that particular moment in time it is because something better will be on its way at the end of the day.  Ever the Optimist me!

Tea tonight was baked potatoes prepared in the Ninja Foodi 9 in 1 using the bake function.  No fats or anything extra added.  Potatoes were just scrubbed and washed, pricked with a fork all over to stop the skins splitting and then placed in the bottom of the cooking pot on high for 40 minutes.  The skins came out beautifully crispy and the inside buttery.  Served with a little butter and a load of finely grated cheese mixed with a couple of grated shallots.  Must say it went down very nicely indeed.

Hope everyone has a lovely evening.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

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