Thread 9 - TalkLair: “Russell's teapot goes on being round”

[Kucinghitam]

Continuation of previous threads (thread 8).

The new lair of JTT escapees is all cosy and homey; we have truly settled here. Outside, the garden is blooming with summer flowers - should bloody well be, what with all that rain. Inside, the hearth is glowing, pictures are up on the walls, rugs are down on the floors (and assorted pets curled up on them).

We just won’t mention the gnawed bones of our prey over there in the corner of the cave…

Where was that from, @Tricyrtis2022? Our plastic one has just fallen apart and we're looking for a non-plastic replacement.

Apologies for the evil link, Binturong, but I couldn't find its like anywhere else: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gorffy-Sock-Aluminum-Underwear-Windproof/dp/B09Z6JVBGR

That's exactly the thing - thanks.

Another sewing achievement yesterday. I have a pair of pink corduroy cargo pants that were far too long. I took them up, but, and this is the achievement, they still have the original hem. I watched a YouTube video on how to do it with jeans and it seriously feels like magic!

As I was typing this I got a call from a friend who runs a shop selling Indian products including robes. She has a couple that came without belts so now I'm going to be making the belts by taking fabric from the bottom and then hemming them again. She's also going to offer a service to short arses like me to have the robes taken up if they'd like. Exciting stuff! It'll also give me practice in being far more precise.

How do you keep the original hem? I'm intrigued

I can only think of maybe making a tuck on the inside above the original hem, so the stitch line follows the hemline?

The conversation about sock dryers reminds me that one thing I have not seen at all in the twenty years I've lived here is washing hung out to dry. Mind you, it would be literally pointless for maybe three or four months of the year when the temperature in Maine doesn't really get above freezing.

On lovely days I sometimes hang the washing out, but usually just hang everything on hangers over the Aga. Today it has to go outside because the Aga is burping oil smoke into the kitchen, which is horrid on clothes.

When we did our renovations on this house, DH (architect) designed a cupboard in the utility room that has a laundry chute down from the bathroom into the top half of it, and in the bottom half there are two hanging rails and a small baseboard heater so that anything that shouldn't go in the dryer can be hung in there. It's incredibly useful and because the cupboard door keeps all the heat in, it's also very cheap to run despite being electric.

That’s what I’m having in my lottery winner’s house, Brit!

Also two bathrooms on either side of the bed, walking through our own separate dressing rooms to reach them. And a bedroom balcony overlooking all my lovely acres.

I don’t hang washing out in winter as the days are too short (I’m not good at mornings) and the air too damp but I hang it out in summer. I have a washer-dryer and used to use the dryer for stuff like knickers and socks (thereby speeding the drying process up by making more space on the clothes horse for everything else) but it’s currently pretending to be an ordinary washing machine and now that I have a dehumidifier stuff dries quickly enough on the clothes horse. I think pegging out is getting less common though; I don’t see much evidence of it round here any more.

I love a good windy day to hang the washing out. Being by the sea means there are more of those than inland. Result!

@MmePoppySeedDefage I was about to type out how to do it and then realised I'd forgotten one part of it although if I was doing it I'd remember it! I'm too tired to make my brain work right now but I'll give you a brief outline tomorrow when it's working again and I remember the important middle bit!

I love hanging washing out in the summer. Saves money and (to me anyway) smells fresher somehow. Especially on a hot or windy summer's day.

But in the winter, I never do it. I often see (e.g. on MN) people saying that of course the laundry dries just as well - I disagree, I think it retains some clammy dampness which soon produces an obvious musty smell in storage. So in the winter I'd rather tumble-dry or use a dehumidifier/fan combo.

I love hanging the washing out in summer too and really appreciate the good drying days. In winter there's very little direct sunlight where the washing lines are and it's usually too damp anyway, so it's a waste of time as the washing just hangs limp and doesn't dry. In the winter months, it's a combination of a short tumble, then either use the dehumidifier or stand the laundry rack in the living room when we light the fire. Sometimes it takes on a slight smell of wood smoke, but I don't mind that.

Round here the worst months for outside drying are November and December - even though January is just as dark and damp it's less misty and stuff has a chance to blow about - has to be out by about 10, and by 2 the drying effect mostly stops and it's in and onto the airers in front of the wood stove or upstairs radiators. My central heating boiler is in a little lean-to shed with the water pump, and small things can be hung there on one of those sock dryers.

This 'summer' has been awful for getting stuff dry - I've been pondering how one uses those big coin-op things outside Tesco.

My washing machine has a very fast spin which helps a lot but I tend to find that if I take the washing out of the machine in the early hours (I’m very much a night person) and stick the dehumidifier on the washing is all but dry by morning. Some stuff goes on hangers in open doorways but I only have four hangers with long enough necks for that which is a limitation.

My sister says all her laundry gets pegged out at some point, even in winter, but she lives in a breezier area than me.

In winter I hang some lighter things from the curtain rails and leave the window ajar, which works quite well. When we were in Taiwan and it was rainy season I placed a long bamboo pole over the open doors of the fitted wardrobes and hung the things on hangers there and that worked quite well too. Sometimes I finished the odd thing off with a hair dryer if it was needed sooner.

Today I'm celebrating the last bit of tooth root coming out and my gum feels much better without the tiny sharp bit sticking out of it. On the x-rays it was quite deep so I'm impressed at how our bodies can push out bits they don't want. How does it work?

Oh, just by SCIENCE, Tric. Y’know.

Yeah, but how?

Yay for happier gums! Tooth problems are miserable so I’m very glad yours are over @Tricyrtis2022

In garden news, I have just watered some sad looking plants in pots. It’s fair to say that was a waste of time and water.

@artant thank you, I do feel so much better now.

That looks like a good downpour. We've had a few showers and a couple of rumbles of thunder but that's it so far.

Trial run with the GoPro on Badger during our walk today, attached to his back via the harness, but without tightening the harness to crush injury levels, the weight of the camera kept slipping the whole thing to one side. HOWEVER! There’s also a camera slot on the front of the harness, on his chest, so we’ll try that next time.

Does feel a bit like we’re encouraging him to fuck off, just so we can see where he goes!

You must be itching to see what he gets up to, Mavis. Makes me feel a bit scratchy myself, tbh.