Early start

Actually, it's not an early start as such, just early for me.  I hate waking up early!

So I've hung out some washing, taking the gamble that it will stay fine long enough to dry the things.  It was odd because the sky is lovely and clear but it was obvious that there had been really heavy rain overnight - everywhere was soaked and I was wiping lots of drops off the washing line. 

So I have another wash load in of things that say do-not-tumble-dry so that I can get them out quickly to make the most of it, and I will do the rest of the washing and hopefully get that line dried as well.

I know that there are some places where you are not allowed to dry clothes on a clothes line.  This would break my heart because apart from the rising cost of energy, you get much whiter whites and a fresher smell. 

Another token of housewifery is that I had neglected a teapot and decided to clean it.  The teapot was long overdue, it is my favourite teapot as it is actually a vast jug flask teapot that is incredibly efficient and the tea still steams 24 hours after brewing.  I have to boil the kettle twice to fill it. 

The inside had been lacquered by year after year after year of brewing up, so I decided to do something about it.  I had bought a tube of denture cleaning tablets to use (as per the household tips) to clean coffee stained cups, but hadn't bothered.  Apart from anything else, we usually only brew two cups of coffee per week, one each weekend morning for OH, so they don't really get that stained.  I tipped the entire tube into the teapot, added the hottest water I could get out of the tap and left it. 

You would not believe the lumps of tannin that fell out of that teapot when I rinsed it out later.  It was seriously gunked and I was ashamed.  It was also strangely satisfying to get the huge lumps out and look into the shiny metal insides of the teapot, looking gleaming for the first time in years.  I shall get some more tablets as there is still a tiny corner of gunk, but otherwise it is pristine.  I feel so housewifely.  I shall also try and keep de-gunking it early on, as it looks so lovely as it shines.