I have a proper, traditional Pantry of which I am very fond. It has open shelves for tins and packets and jars, hooks for hanging bags of fresh vegetables, wide shelves for the largest stock pots and the gadgets that don't get used every day, plus a space for the recycling bags and boxes for plastic, paper, cardboard, glass and cans and tinfoil, with enough room left over to store my rotary clothes dryer, airers, mop bucket etc.
It stays relatively cool all the year round. The only drawback is the window, which catches just enough sunlight to fade herbs and spices before your very eyes!
So, time to make a curtain!
I had a rummage in my fabric stash and hauled out the piece of heavyweight sage-green gingham I had bought for the very purpose - over two years ago! Then I went to the bedroom cupboard and brought down the Mini Stitch Sewing Machine we bought from Woolworths (how I miss Woolworths!) also about two years ago, and which had never seen the light of day before.
What a feat of miniature engineering! Just threading the blessed needle was like performing micro-surgery, and was not an easy task for someone whose eyes probably need testing again and whose fingers appear to be thumbs! Anyway, I had measured (twice) and cut (once), and pinned and tacked. Now all I had to do was sew.
And then I remembered why I have never had an electric sewing machine before - they terrify me! This one has two speeds, Formula One and Rocket, and I just cannot master the feeding in of the fabric, the pressing the pedal and squinting to check that the machine is sewing in a straight line. This inability to push, pull , press, see and operate is why I can't drive a car!
Needless to say, it didn't sew in a straight line, and I ended up unpicking the stitches and sewing the curtain by hand. Thankfully the pantry window is a very small one...!
The curtain got finished, ironed and hung.
Eventually.
The Mini Stitch, after its mini outing, has been consigned to the back of the cupboard.
I doubt that I shall ever summon sufficient courage to try to beat it into submission, so a plaintive request will be posted on Freecycle before long for a good old-fashioned hand operated sewing machine. Now don't get the impression that I'm a Luddite - I can just manage a treadle, if anyone has one going begging...!
Sunday, 29 August 2010
Thin Pickings
The bargains were a bit thin on the ground this week!
Morrisons:
Still has its 1% fat milk (4 Pints) for 50p. This keeps really well in the fridge without going off.
Original Alpro Soya Drink is still shelf-priced at 83p, but is dearer on the website.
Moy Park Chicken Kievs, (Garlic or Cheese and Bacon) which are £1.99 each, and BOGOF.
Shippams small pastes (Beef, Salmon,Crab) are 3 for £1.
Lotus 'Toy Story' Kitchen Roll Twinpack, £1
Morrisons Value Passata 25p (Ideal for Lasagne, Bolognese etc)
Other than that it was the usual plunder of short-date but still ok reduced trays of meat - Pig's Liver for 35p, a huge Smoked Coley for £1.25 etc
Aldi:
200g sliced Gouda or Edam for 99p - cheaper than 200g unsliced.
Square Sandwich Loaf, (thin white slices, ideal for cucumber sandwiches when the vicar comes for tea, hem hem!) just 30p.
Also, their own brand ('Belmont' ) Ginger Biscuits, just as good as the leading brand, but only 34p.
And Grandessa speciality Marmalade, (Blood Orange, Grapefriut, Tangerine) is 59p a jar, and really great flavour and texture.
Iceland:
Has a selection of frozen vegetables (peas, sweetcorn, brussels sprouts etc) for £1 a bag, which beats many of the supermarkets at the moment.
Morrisons:
Still has its 1% fat milk (4 Pints) for 50p. This keeps really well in the fridge without going off.
Original Alpro Soya Drink is still shelf-priced at 83p, but is dearer on the website.
Moy Park Chicken Kievs, (Garlic or Cheese and Bacon) which are £1.99 each, and BOGOF.
Shippams small pastes (Beef, Salmon,Crab) are 3 for £1.
Lotus 'Toy Story' Kitchen Roll Twinpack, £1
Morrisons Value Passata 25p (Ideal for Lasagne, Bolognese etc)
Other than that it was the usual plunder of short-date but still ok reduced trays of meat - Pig's Liver for 35p, a huge Smoked Coley for £1.25 etc
Aldi:
200g sliced Gouda or Edam for 99p - cheaper than 200g unsliced.
Square Sandwich Loaf, (thin white slices, ideal for cucumber sandwiches when the vicar comes for tea, hem hem!) just 30p.
Also, their own brand ('Belmont' ) Ginger Biscuits, just as good as the leading brand, but only 34p.
And Grandessa speciality Marmalade, (Blood Orange, Grapefriut, Tangerine) is 59p a jar, and really great flavour and texture.
Iceland:
Has a selection of frozen vegetables (peas, sweetcorn, brussels sprouts etc) for £1 a bag, which beats many of the supermarkets at the moment.
Wednesday, 18 August 2010
Today's Best Bargains
Here are today's best bargains!
(Note that this is in Whitehaven - prices across the country may vary)
Morrisons:
4 pints of 1% fat milk (Purple Top) 50p
Flora Buttery Spread, 84p (Until 31st August)
Cathedral City 200g Grated Cheese, £1.59 (£1 less than ungrated)
Alpro Original Soya Drink 1l, 83p.
Morrison's 'Softer' Toilet Tissue, 16 roll pack, £4.95
Bernard Matthews wafer thin Turkey Ham 340g, £1
Aldi:
Square White Sandwich Loaf (Thin slices= more slices!) 30p
French Torchon Ham, 200g, £1.49
Beetroot (cooked) 39p
Spring Onions125g, 39p
2Little Gem Lettuce, 39p
6 Tomatoes, 39p
Punnet Strawberries £1.19
BM:
Skinny Cow Mint Hot Chocolate 200g, 79p (long date )
Bean Meal (Adzuki, Soya and Mung) 400g tin, 15p (long date)
2 x 1kg sugar £1 (long date)
Bake At Home Baguettes, 2 pack. 25p (short date)
(Note that this is in Whitehaven - prices across the country may vary)
Morrisons:
4 pints of 1% fat milk (Purple Top) 50p
Flora Buttery Spread, 84p (Until 31st August)
Cathedral City 200g Grated Cheese, £1.59 (£1 less than ungrated)
Alpro Original Soya Drink 1l, 83p.
Morrison's 'Softer' Toilet Tissue, 16 roll pack, £4.95
Bernard Matthews wafer thin Turkey Ham 340g, £1
Aldi:
Square White Sandwich Loaf (Thin slices= more slices!) 30p
French Torchon Ham, 200g, £1.49
Beetroot (cooked) 39p
Spring Onions125g, 39p
2Little Gem Lettuce, 39p
6 Tomatoes, 39p
Punnet Strawberries £1.19
BM:
Skinny Cow Mint Hot Chocolate 200g, 79p (long date )
Bean Meal (Adzuki, Soya and Mung) 400g tin, 15p (long date)
2 x 1kg sugar £1 (long date)
Bake At Home Baguettes, 2 pack. 25p (short date)
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