Edinburgh Festival

Ok, so I've never actually, really, been to the festival...

But I do have a recommendation...

Having experienced the unique wonders of the Hunt & Darton Cafe in Cambridge during May (once visited far too easily hooked); all I can do is urge you to go along if you are anywhere near the festival...

P.S. Hunt & Darton- if you are reading this, please come back to Cambridge & set up your cafe again!

To List (or not to List)

I often think that the world is split into two distinct camps; those who write lists & those who know they should but fight the urge.

My Mum & sister are both proficient (& prolific) list-writers; so I naturally, fight the urge. I used to claim that I could keep all the relevant information in my head but I can't.

Mr TH has converted me to the joys sense of writing lists. I will now admit that it is much easier to just write things down. (I've also discovered that 'writing a list' provides an excellent excuse to sit down with a cuppa).

The best & thriftiest reason to write a list has to be the ongoing, everlasting shopping list stuck to the side of the fridge. The unspoken rule is that whoever uses the last of something is responsible for adding it to the list. It works for us & makes a trip to the supermarket less frequent, much quicker & significantly cheaper...

Cheap & Cheesy

Go for a cheap circular soft cheese (this one cost under £1), push thick slices of garlic in to it, drizzle with oil, season, add fresh herbs, wrap in foil, put in a medium hot oven for about 15-20 minutes...(or as long as it takes to melt)

...eat with bread or dunk bits of chopped carrot, pepper, cucumber, cauliflower, etc...in & try to pretend it's not raining (or give to visitors & soak up the praise).

If there are any leftovers, chop finely & add to a white sauce, quiche, pizza or jacket potato.

P.S. Cheese freezes...so I bought two!

Cleaning Metal

Cleaning metal is not one of my favourite activities...(but it becomes palatable on a soggy afternoon when there's something good on the radio).

I usually opt for the laziest way possible. If it's silver, I use this method...

Line a plastic container with foil (shiny side facing up). Fill with warm water & a tablespoon or two of soda crystals. Place the metal item in & watch as the oxidised metal reacts with the solution & transfers to the foil...Leave for about 30 seconds, remove, rinse & buff dry. This works really well with silver jewellery (but will ruin anything plated & isn't a good idea for stones set in silver).

Pewter is the easiest because it just needs soapy water, a rinse & a good buff!

Sometimes more energy & lots of cleaning rags are required. If I have a really mucky copper or brass object, I scrub it with a paste of lemon juice & table salt. (Alternatively use lemon & bicarbonate of soda or vinegar & salt- don't use vinegar & bicarbonate of soda because it'll just turn to foam). It's messy but very effective. (Door handles are easy because they can be done with the hull of a lemon sprinkled with table salt). Rinse thoroughly to get rid of the acidic lemon & then buff dry.

Then, for a good shine, I'll always end up with Brasso...

Does anybody have any other tips for cleaning metal?


P.S. The door handle is not in our house! If you do have good quality metal objects here's a cleaning site that might be more useful...

Away

Passing Crosby...

We stopped & photographed...

 Saw the remnants of yarn bombing...

 Then waited for the sun to set...