New Teatowels

 

I am quite fussy with teatowels.  I like them to be a good size and dry well, and cotton is usually the best option.

Several years ago, I bought some and they have lasted well so I went searching for some more that were the same.

Nobody seems to have them anymore, presumably because nowadays most people use a dishwasher!

With a bit of searching, I discovered a commercial outlet that also supplies the public.  Waikato Cleaning Supplies had a great range of all types of cleaning products, and I found exactly what I was looking for.

These teatowels came in a pack of 12, are 100% cotton and made in Pakistan.  They have now all been washed and ironed ready for use.

I like to iron in my bedroom (often the sunniest room in the house) and Mittens always comes and supervises!

The teatowels are now neatly stacked in the linen cupboard – the old ones will be cut up and used as rags.

I am already using the first one, and am very impressed with how well it dries.  Hopefully, they will last as long as my previous ones did – perhaps they may even outlast me!

The last two mornings we have woken to heavy fog that doesn’t clear away until lunchtime.  The sun shines for a couple of hours and then the cold sets in again. 

Winter is starting to make itself felt 😊

Margaret.

 

A Zwilling Knife Set

 

I had the good fortune this last week to win an online auction for a Zwilling J.A. Henckels meat carving set made in Germany.  

When I married, we were given a boxed carving set (knife, fork and steel) for a wedding present and used it for many years.

Over time, however, the box disappeared, the knife blade separated from its handle, and all that is left is a steel and fork buried in the bottom of a drawer.

Now I am getting rid of a lot of these things I no longer use, I decided to replace what I wanted with something that had some quality.

I loved this set as there is a gold embossed hunting scene on one side of the knife blade, and the box itself has another scene on the inside of the lid.  The handles are apparently made with antelope horn.

I did some research and Zwilling J.A. Henckels is one of the leading knife manufacturers in the world, which made my purchase feel even more special.

I have no idea how old the set is, and the lady I bought it off did not know either, but this will not stop me from the enjoyment of using it.

“A knife is only as good as the one who wields it”

Have a happy day 😊

Margaret.

 

A New Toy

 

I must be feeling financial at the moment as I have splashed out on an unnecessary kitchen appliance – a George Foreman Spiralizer.  It is the electronic way of turning courgettes, carrots etc. into ribbons of noodles.

I used it last night and forgot to photograph the container full of long narrow strips of carrot, courgette, and kumara (sweet potato) – it was quite colourful.

I snipped the long lengths into shorter ones to make them more manageable and then added them to our stir-fry.  I mean, I could have used a knife to cut them into matchsticks or something, but this was much more fun!

Our weather is definitely on the cooler side now, and we are lighting the fire most nights.  Thankfully we have missed the heavy rain that has flooded Canterbury (one friend there has had to evacuate, but hoping to get home again today).

It is only three more weeks until we reach the shortest day – which I always feel should mean things will begin warming up, but they normally get colder after that.  It seems to signal more the start of winter than the middle of it.

I had a happy time on Monday night visiting my youngest grand-daughter.  I don’t get to see her very often, but this was her eighth birthday and I was thrilled to be able to spend some time with her.

Have a great week everyone 😊

Margaret.

A Normal Day

Today, for a change, the wind has dropped and the sun is shining.  We still have a very high haze over the sky (probably from bushfire smoke) but it is giving way to the odd cloud and the temperature is definitely summer (we are expecting to reach 27 degrees Celsius later today).

When I pulled my curtains this morning the first thing I saw was Mittens sitting on a post by the compost heap, no doubt watching for some breakfast mice.  Or she may have been watching the cows in the field behind us as they have a habit of coming over to the fence to look longingly at the green grass in our lawn (the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence!).

Mittens

Soon after I heard the whoosh of a hot air balloon, and the Hamilton Balloon sailed over top of us and out over the river and the other side of the city. 

Our local commercial hot air balloon

I have now finished re-organizing the pantry and feel happy with it.  Whenever I changed things around my husband always used to grizzle that he couldn’t find anything, and I guess son and grand-daughter will be the same for a couple of weeks now until they get it sorted out. 

Next week I want to start on the cupboards.  We have doubled up on some of our appliances and other bits and pieces, so it is time to get them sorted.

The best pantry I have ever had was one we built in 2006 when we redid our kitchen.  I really missed that pantry when we sold the house.

My dream pantry (2006)

I have finished reading another book.  This time it was Watership Down by Richard Adams.  I have seen the movie a few times, but this was the first time I have read the book. 

Even though it is a fictional tale, the details of how rabbits live and behave appeared well researched and added immensely to the story.  It was quite gripping in places!

'Watership Down' by Richard Adams

My son loves his books and reads widely.  He has been suggesting all sorts of genres that I might like to try, but I think I will stick to more classic stories for this year at least.  

With that in mind, I have drawn up a reading list of possible books.  Some are old favourites, some I read as a teenager, and some will be completely new to me.  There will be no Charles Dickens on my list though, as through the years I have read (or tried to read!) a lot of his books and didn’t like any of them!

Lunch is over (a cheese and salad sandwich), the dishes are done, the house is quiet, I’ve spoken to my younger son on the phone, and emailed with my daughter.  

Cheese and Salad sandwich for lunch

Now it’s time to get another glass of water and sit in my comfy armchair and start another book – Children Of The New Forest this time.

Hope everyone has a great weekend,

Margaret.


Linked to My Corner Of The World

Gone Potty Today

Son went a bit potty today!  He and I visited the garden centre this morning and came home with several plants, that he has now put into their respective pots.

The wind is blowing again this afternoon, and is so drying for the plants.  We may have to end up watering twice a day until they get settled in.

Son has been doing so much work around here and is getting things to be looking really nice.  Pity then that some anonymous neighbour, who did not even have the decency to sign his name, should leave a note in the mailbox complaining about the pile of rubbish sitting next to the fence.

The rubbish (it is all inorganic, there is not that much of it, and it is not visible from the road) is waiting for a skip to take it away.  This was going to be next week, but now son is digging his toes in and says it will be three or four weeks before he gets the skip. 

This afternoon I began re-organizing the kitchen pantry.  Now that we have been in the house several months we are beginning to see what is used and what isn't.  It has taken a little while to merge our two households together, but we are getting there quite successfully.

The pantry has become a work-in-progress as there are still several items spread over the bench awaiting sorting.  Tomorrow will be soon enough.

Margaret.