Yesterday was wet and very windy. I decided to bite the bullet and clean the kitchen cupboards. Last year, when we were on holiday, I had given this ‘exciting’ job to the cleaners.
On our return, exhausted from the long trip back from the US, we were met by the kitchen work surfaces covered in bottles, tins, tubs and jars, all past their sell by dates! I was on the verge of gathering them up and throwing them in the bin when my husband stepped in!
Looking at the dates on the containers he systematically began packing them back into the cupboards, muttering under his breath that they were all fine and it would be a criminal waste to bin them!
A year later these cupboards were jam-packed and needed a thorough overhaul! I had procrastinated long enough. I turned on the radio, rolled up my sleeves and opened the first door.
I could not believe some of the sell by dates! I found herbs from the nineteen nineties! There were jams and pickles that were ten to fifteen years old! Fancy packets of tea and spices we had bought when we were in Sri Lanka, twenty years ago, remained unopened, hidden from view at the back of a cupboard.
I was shocked and embarrassed. This was such a waste! I, like my husband, hate throwing food away. The main problem was how the cupboards had been packed. The worst culprits were right at the top, not easy to reach and in no particular order.
A few hours later after, thankfully, a number of welcomed interruptions, I had washed down the cupboards, created a sensible storage system and removed the inedible products. I am determined that this will never happen again!
Feeling relieved that I had finally completed this unpleasant chore, I decided to polish the oak doors. This made such a difference and the lovely patterns in the wood became clearly visible. I picked up the kettle to make myself a well-deserved cup of tea and skidded across the hard stone floor. I had created a polished ice rink! The next half an hour was taken up scrubbing the floor on my hands and knees to avoid serious injury!
I have spent more exiting days as a ‘Lady of Leisure’ but this does rank as one of the most satisfying! I spent the next two hours at the yoga class and then had a long walk with a friend, taking advantage of the lull in the weather. I popped in to see Mum and leave money for her ‘petty cash’ so that she can have her weekly hairdos and outings and got home just as the heavens opened.
Yesterday would have been my father’s birthday.He was the same age as the Queen, born in 1926. Rest in peace, Dad. I still miss you. 👠
Jenny Burrell 