Progress in the Kitchen

Pantry Continuation

I had hoped in all honesty to complete the Pantry yesterday (Tuesday).  However, things were not to be.  As I mentioned in my previous post, I  did empty two big Poly tubs - I have another two to go, plus some smaller boxes.  It is coming together very gradually and will make my life easier overall, but it is getting it there and I am after getting all the stuff in the Pantry this time around before I go shopping.  Then I will know how much space I have left and can work out what is yet to be bought. I am planning on buying in quite a few tinned goods - one part of my Pantry that I have found that needs to be kept in.  It is that tinned store that keeps you going when things are tough. Next year from the off I am determined to try and do some form of heat processing to bolster up my food stores from the get go.  I have been doing odd things this year but not as much as I would like, next year is going to be different though. I am keen to get not only the basics into the Pantry, but also start getting a few bits for Christmas as well.

Detour to the Kitchen

Things are and have been progressing slowly and I have had to completely down tools where the Pantry was concerned to try and tackle the kitchen. In reality this will more likely be at least a couple of days. I need the space in there to continue unloading the poly tubs I have left and then getting them onto the shelves where I possibly can.  It is now going to take as long as it takes.  Kitchen is centre to operations in the house and needs sorting first.  I need to sort the Baking pan cupboards out as well as I need to sort those pans I wish to use for Christmas in order that they are easily accessible.

We have to eat and I have to cook on a daily basis and therefore as I say another kitchen day today.  Will stay in the kitchen until this is all sorted out.  Will make things easier overall.  Not the order I had planned, but you have to react to priorities and needs which means that my "agenda" is always a moveable feast as it were.  It will all get done in the end.  Then it will be back into the Pantry.

I have also had the washing machine on again as well in order to try and get down the washing pile. This unfortunately has included the tumble drier as well as otherwise just would not get things dry at the moment. Will tackle the ironing pile probably next week at this rate going forwards in reality.  

I also am pottering with other things for the Pantry shelf as well in-between doing everything else.  Plus I still have the big shop to do.  That may have to be deferred until next week as I do not want to overload any further my current position; would rather get everything else in once I have everything I already have into the Pantry itself.

As a result of the Pantry being re-organised and "bottomed" out, (the cleaning bit has been done). Dragging stuff out has caused a right old mess in the dining room, kitchen (being tackled) and the bathroom.  Things have spread a bit as I have moved things out of the way as I have gone along. I will therefore have to sort out the bathroom and then the dining room after the Pantry and the kitchen have been sorted and order has been achieved.  G can then once I have sorted the bathroom lay new flooring in the main part of the bathroom and then decorate without him getting under my feet. We need new flooring in the kitchen and the dining room eventually too. Then I will get into the under-stair cupboard and the Fireplace Cupboards.  In reality I have already started on the bathroom as I am dealing with the washing pile which is slowly going down.  So multi-tasking is going on between the rooms all the time as it were.

As a result of Herculean efforts on my part, the ironing pile is diminishing very slowly.  Only the really difficult bits will go into the new ironing pile.  I have been tumbling and getting rid of creases and washing where necessary.  It will be a very diminished ironing pile by the time I have finished.  I initially ran out of clothes hangers which was a partial reason for not having tackled things before.  I therefore ordered some new metal coat-hangers (40 of and I think I need some more - have since received and ordered more) and used up the initial 40 hangers.  So now am awaiting the rest of the coat hangers to carry on the filtering.  It is going down drastically as are the boxes in the dining room.

We were supposed to go out and about today, however, that has not happened for one reason or another.  Therefore that little trip has been deferred until sometime next week.  There are a few other places that I would like to go to as well.  Will see what happens.

In the interim I do not think that is too bad a thing as it means I can now get stuck in, in the kitchen with a vengeance despite the fact that I am running several other things at the same time so a fair amount of juggling going on as per usual.  So am now out of my nice clothes back into my scruffs which I keep specifically for doing housework chores etc.  Doesn't matter if these get grubbed up as they are not going to spoil.  Certainly not the kind of clothes you go out in or want to be seen in.  Once they get too grubbed up, they end up in the bin.  Usually a pair of "joggy" bottoms with an old sweatshirt or a jumper to keep me warm.  So let the action begin.

Today have managed to get all the washing which was done yesterday and dried; and have now dealt with another five loads of washing which is in the final throes of drying.  It has been another "mizley" damp day here and no chance of getting the washing out and dried, so tumbler and on coat hangers it has been.  There is still a load to be done, gradually getting to the remainder of the big sort out pile I sorted earlier a couple of months or so back.  That will be one big achievement which is not far off being completed.  By the time that it is all done and dusted I will  have been through all the linen in the house.

The kitchen, has been a hive of industry.  Washing machine whirring around, sorting out some cupboards and getting stuff back into them. Lots of hand washing accomplished.  Washing machine area is now all tidy and sorted.  Have Microwave and small cooker area to sort.  There are then four cupboards that need sorting with baking tins in.  I have emptied in total half the kitchen.  Still have half to go and the cooker to clean in full as well.  All in readiness really for getting ready for Christmas.  Once the kitchen is finished I can then reconnect and finish off the Pantry and so on.  All will be jobs well done and off the proverbial "To Do" list.  So another day in the kitchen itself should see that completed, and then into the Pantry.  So movement at long last.

Tea for tonight has been a Take Away a Kebab with lots of onions and peppers.  Did not fancy really but thoroughly enjoyed it and it saved me having to cook today. Tomorrow I will cook, just not sure what yet.  Kitchen will be nice and tidy for me to cook in.

I have an awful lot to do in the coming weeks.

Yesterday, we finally got the car back from the repair shop after it was pranged outside of the house.  I am therefore hoping to get to the Tip on Monday to get rid of a few things that have been accumulating.  Then I can get the front garden tidied up during the course of the week. I will also start doing a little bit in the back garden as well where I can, but in reality the focus is on the inside of the house at the moment. If we get a dry enough day, the hedge will probably get a trim as well.

Right am off to put my feet up.  I am absolutely cream-crackered.

Wishing you all a lovely evening.

Keep well, keep safe.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

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