Tuesday 24 October 2023

Tuesday, 24-10-23

Morning, all.  As expected, most of yesterday was dry but rather dull and not terribly warm.  Today is predicted to be wet and, while I know I said I want to hold off turning the heating on until next Tuesday, it's beginning to feel a bit damp inside with all the rain and the washing was taking forever to dry not-terribly-well on the rack so I think I will bite the bullet, turn the thermostat down a bit and get the heating turned back on again.  Oh, well, I tried.

I gritted my teeth yesterday morning, unlocked the garage and moved the rest of the stuff from the shed to the garage.  The garage is now chock-a-block and will definitely need a good sort out once stuff has been moved back.
It took about an hour and I was so glad I did it because . . . 

. . .  when I came in, I checked my mailbox and there was a message from Maxine asking if they could start the garden room on Thursday.  This Thursday.  Woo hoo!  

So - this morning I will defrost the freezer I am keeping, moving as much stuff as possible into the other freezer.  When everything's back in the one I'm keeping, I can defrost the freezer that's going - I might do that this afternoon, assuming all goes well.  And on Wednesday, I need to move a few chairs so that the chest freezer has a place to go until the work is finished.  The men are doing all the lifting, etc, I just need to have things ready.

So that's the big news and I can hardly believe it's all happening at last.  So exciting.

Yesterday afternoon I went upstairs and started working through my wardrobe clothes.  Two hours later, I had a pile to donate after asking myself . . .
have I worn it in the last year?
does it fit?
really, honestly, do I want to wear this again?
. . . and now I have spaces in the wardrobes.
The burning question now is 'do I need any more tops for winter/the cruise and the answer is a very firm, definite 'NO'!  That's good.

I found something that made me both sad and happy.  I found a kilt, made by my mum in her sewing classes ages ago.  A proper, pleated, fold over kilt made with some sort of tweed she bought on holiday in Scotland with Dad many, many moons ago.  She was so proud of that kilt and it really is a lovely thing.  When I cleared her clothes after she died, I couldn't bear to discard it so, after checking with Dad, I brought it home and hung it in my wardrobe.
Anyway, I tried it on and it fits, it really fits.  Three cheers.  What's more, as it is a classic, it looks fine, it's not dated, and it will be great teamed with one of my aran jumpers, I think.
The only thing - I am pretty sure it is not dry clean as Mum never did dry clean (apart from coats) but I might tack the pleats and hand wash/drip dry rather than machine wash.  What do you think?

Tell me - do plastic coathangers reproduce in the dark of the wardrobe?  I am SURE I sorted them all out not that long ago and yet I seem to have hundreds - well, had; I've chucked quite a lot now.

As mentioned above, today's big task is to defrost the chest freezer.  I'd also like to sort through clothes in the cupboards - I don't want to get rid of any but I want to put summer stuff away and to bring the winter stuff down.  Once all that is done, I will feel really on top of things.

I also need to get a few things in Morrisons at some point.  Thank goodness there's no fitness classes this week; it's going to be a busy one, isn't it?
Have a lovely day, everyone.  xx


20 comments:

  1. I love it when I find an exciting forgotten treasure when sorting out! The kilt sounds fabulous, what colour is it? I am sure tacking the pleats in place then gently dunking the kilt up and down in a bowl of soapy water will work perfectly. Good news about the garden room too.
    Suze x

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    1. Thanks, Suze. It was exciting; I had forgotten that I had it. As it's home made, I am not sure how well the pleats would stay in and it is worth taking the necessary care. xx

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  2. Oh, how exciting that your garden room is being started this week! It'll be all ready for use next year, wonderful. The kilt made by your Mum (clever lady) which now fits you is such a poignant thing - you'll love wearing it and it'll look lovely with an Aran jumper. Yes, I'm sure plastic coathangers do breed! Have a successful busy day Joy. xx

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    1. Isn't it? I've thought of something else I need to do today or tomorrow and that is make a final decision regarding the cupboards.
      I'm so pleased I can wear the kilt and I knitted the Aran jumper so it is a lovely fusion of the two of us.
      I can be very soppy at times. :-)
      xx

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  3. I would take the kilt to a specialist dry cleaner, Joy. It will be heavy when it’s wet, take a long time to dry in this weather and may possibly felt. It is too precious to risk and will be lovely to wear. Catriona

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    1. I never thought about felting - a very good point, thanks. I would hate to spoil it. xx

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  4. How long do you think the garden room will take? It will be lovely to have the extra space.
    I really should declutter my drawers and cupboards but there's always something much more interesting to do ;-) x x

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    1. I asked. Seth said about a fortnight - which probably means three weeks really! It will be nice to have all that extra storage and I'm busy planning what will go where. xx

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  5. Hi Sue, I read your blog regularly, but don't usually comment. The kilt is a wonderful find! As a weaver/textiles/vintage clothing person, I'd strongly suggest that unless it's very grubby or stained, to hang it on a skirt hanger and give it a go over with a steamer would be more than sufficient, possibly with a tacking stitch at the base of each pleat. Items like woollen skirts really don't need need to be cleaned that often.
    I really enjoy reading about your daily life!!
    Lizziex

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    1. Hi, Lizzie, welcome to commenting. :-) It's Joy, not Sue - but I do have more than my fair share of Sue readers (and they are all lovely)!
      It's not at all stained, which is good. I was thinking of the future really. I'd never have thought of steaming - brilliant advice, many thanks. xx

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  6. What a lovely find and not at all soppy x
    Alison in Wales x

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    1. It warmed my heart when I pulled it out. So lovely. Thanks, Alison. xx

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  7. I need your enthusiasm to start my wardrobe sort out, well done you.. and what a great thing to have that your mother made. I don't think I'd wash it but have it dry cleaned.

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    1. It always takes me ages to get started and I am always really glad to get it done. Almost there now and the freezer defrost is working out well too.
      Judging by what has been advised, I think I will tack and steam as a first resort and then move on to dry cleaning. Hopefully, it won't be necessary all that often.
      Yet again, I wish Mum was here to ask - although if she was, I wouldn't have it, would I?
      I'd gladly swap.
      xx

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  8. 45 years or so ago, my husband used to complain that he also thought hangers reproduced in the dark of the closet. We were cleaning out our small daughter's room prepping it for new paint, when he found a Barbie doll hanger on the floor. Clutching it between his two fingers he showed it to me and said, "SEE? I KNEW I was right - hangers DO reproduce in the dark! And here is one of their babies!"

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    1. ROFL - that is very funny!! Clear proof! So that's where they're coming from. xx

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  9. How exciting that your garden room is about to be built. It will be a fantastic extra space for you to enjoy.
    My husband still has a kilt which was made for him as a teen when his family used to do a lot of Scottish dancing.

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    1. Thank you - it's been a long time in the thinking and planning and it's great timing - it gives me time to think exactly what or how I want to use it over winter when I will just be using the shed part and the cupboards.

      How lovely to have kept the kilt all this time. xx

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  10. How lovely regarding the kilt. That really made me smile!

    Hope all goes well with the garden room. That's really exciting!

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    1. Thanks, Sharon. Thinking about makes me smile too. xx

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