Back into the fray i.e. the kitchen

 I went today with the intent of starting to get this kitchen sorted out once and for all.  It is going to be continued effort  over several days on this front now until it is completed. I am not showing photos but everything really got out of hand and I am now going to rectify this.  I have as it has been a bright and warmer day also been able to get a couple of loads of washing out on the line to dry.  At the time of writing this post, the weather forecast is good for the next couple of days so an ideal period in which to get stuck in.

I have bought a lot of extra bits of different foods in the past six weeks that need popping into the Pantry.  I still have more shopping to do, especially on supplies for the preserving front as I am determined to have a better supply of foods in overall.  I have filled a large poly box this  morning with the bits and bobs that have been purchased and not been got into the Pantry.  Once everything is in there it will clear things up a bit and then I can get set too on the cleaning front.  Eventually on to the Pantry and re-organising and slotting in things there.  This is without the preserving that has been going on in the background.  This is going to take a lot of effort but I am determined to get this all sorted.

As I got a little tired and ready for a break I went for a wander in the Charity shop round the corner.  I was not looking for things, but there were things there that go with collections I already have.  I have a large dinner service called Summer Chintz by Johnson Brothers.  I bought the basic dinner and tea sets when they first came out many years ago.  I did not buy all the tureens and extra bits though and it is these that I have been collecting as I can.  A few years back I managed to locate at a Car Boot a big box full of Tureens including a fancy soup tureen and ladle. Today I have found two oval serving dishes, a cruet set, two cups and saucers, and a gravy boat for £3.50.

On top of that I have bought two glass bowls which I think are the Carnival glass.  £1 each.  The best bargain though was a pitcher, and four matching tumblers, another fancy handled larger pitcher, a medium sized frilly bowl for £5.  It is Cranberry glass.  A very lucky find.

A small tray which will be ideal either as a tray or a cake platter with a countryside scene on it made of Melamine for £1.  That will be ideal for the Easter box.  

There were also two more pink transfer ware plates for £1 each. That is now 6 in total.  Four of which are full dinner sized but I need to check these two for size as well as checking whether they are the same pattern that I bought the other day.

 * The plates are two different makes.  There is no definite stamp apart from Ironstone England on the 4 x larger dinner plates.  However from research on the internet the pattern it would appear is Enoch Wedgewood of Tunstall, Woodland Pink.  Currently there is a set of 9 3/4 inch plates x 6 for £135.90 plus £34.94 delivery from the States. 

It would seem that a red glass and pink pottery collection seems to be being formed.  Was not the intention but they are both things that I like very much.  Would look rather lovely and cheery at Christmas.  I suppose those are heading towards the Christmas collection box!  I will never go to heaven but I do like things to look nice.  That is green, pink/red, amber and plain glass collections.  Ooohps!

I also came away with three more DVDs for my rapidly growing collection.  They are three DVDs for £1.  As I am a person who actually loves watching films and DVDs they will be well used and loved.

So for a total of about £12 I have come home with quite a few bits and pieces to add to my collections.  I am having problems with loading photos at the moment and will pop the photos up as soon as I can in due course.

Trouble is when you have a blended family you end up with quite a few bodies to cater for without other extended family members.  The dream is one day to have all the nearest and dearest together for Christmas just like my Nan used to do.  It is a dream a wish, something that I have always wanted to do but never been in a position to carry out.  You have to dream to move yourself forward.  It sustains you when things are difficult and you feel trapped by circumstances, but always want to put a positive spin on things.  Faith and Hope sustain us and charity, kindness and empathy for others is the icing on the cake.

Since then have carried on loading food into the trunk in readiness for decanting it into the Pantry after it has had a sort out.

Washing up has been commenced and I am wading my way through that. 

G kindly ordered a take-away bearing in mind that I am knee deep in the kitchen and not able to access the cooker at the moment.  He has eaten well for the rest of the week.  He had steak and salad with fried mushrooms, onions, tomatoes.  I had beef in red wine pasta in a tomato sauce.  Went down very nicely on both fronts. I could not fancy a full steak.

Tuesday night 

At this point in time I cannot remember.  Doh.  It will come to me.

Monday night

We had a Barbecue Beef melt served with Purple Sprouting Broccoli cheese and buttered Kale, roast potatoes, Spring carrots and it went down very nicely indeed.  I quote often mix cauliflower and broccoli together in either a white garlic sauce or a cheese sauce and bake them.  I am particularly fond of Purple Sprouting Broccoli in any event.  Went down very nicely.

Sunday night

We had a Lamb, Rosemary and Mint Traybake.

Sorry no pictures I have been slightly distracted and forgot to do any.

The work therefore has been started mainly in the kitchen but it does impact other rooms and is ongoing.  It has been a brilliant drying day in so far as the washing has gone and the next few days look as though they are going to be equally as good. Hence me surging forward on all fronts.  Maybe get back into the garden again.

Good news on the neighbour.  She returned home today although is in a wheel chair.  Nice to see her back not that we see a lot of her as she does tend to keep herself to herself.

Once the kitchen and the bathroom have been returned to sanity I will see about getting the flooring sorted which will save a lot of trouble overall.  I can then get on with the ironing.

Right upwards and onwards.

Have a lovely evening everyone.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

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