Kitchen Accessory Refresh

It started with a can opener.  That’s how many stories begin. 

I like a good manual can opener, but ours is old and it was skipping around the top of the can, not completely piercing the lid.  Prying off half open lids was a bit scary with my history in the kitchen.

We probably let that situation go on for about, oh, a year or so.  No sense in rushing a purchase like that, right?

Hub finally took the matter into his own hands and ordered a new one. That was quite a big step.  Then the purchases sort of snowballed.

After weeks and weeks of no in-store shopping, I finally took a little trip to Home Goods and I refreshed a few of our kitchen accessories that were in embarrassingly bad shape.  Well, not that anyone is in my kitchen anymore.

But, when they finally come, they’ll see some spiffy new additions.

Cutting Mats

We had some OLD plastic cutting mats that I really saw no purpose in at all and rarely used, but when I saw these colorful babies, I picked them up.  Throwing those old ones in the trash felt pretty good.  Even though you know I hate to waste.

Utility Knives

My DF Jan sent me a ceramic knife from Japan a few years back.  Maybe like ten or fifteen years back?  I have no idea of time.  The top of the blade broke off and John was devastated.  It was his favorite knife.

I picked up two different sizes and hopefully these will make up for his loss.

Measuring  Spoons

Do you really want to hear this?  After I made cookies last week, I accidentally dropped the 1/8 teaspoon down into the garbage disposal.  Whoops, after two seconds, it was shaped into a tiny knot.  Time to get a new set. I found a heavy duty set for under $5 at Home Goods.

Watermelon Slicer/Cuber

DF Evon purchased this gadget from Amazon and suggested we try it since watermelon is on constant rotation year-round in our house.  The watermelon still has to be cut in half or quarters, but the doohickey is pretty slick in making uniform cubes.

Small Wooden Cutting Board

I didn’t really need any additional wooden boards, but I thought this one was pretty enough and the perfect size to serve up happy hour for two.  Don’t worry, I didn’t pop the cork on that Rombauer yet.  I’m saving it for a special occasion.  Like when you finally come to visit.

What I’m Reading

DF Connie suggested Blind Your Ponies by Stanley Gordon West.  Yes, yes, yes.  Best book I’ve read in 2020.  Thank you, Connie.  First of all, the title is going to put you off.  Second of all, the beginning is about tragedy and loss and hopelessness.  That might put you off too.

Let me just say that is very heavy on basketball games.  The author most certainly knows his basketball stuff.  I might have skipped through some of that. 

But then.

Rays of sunshine start seeping into the lives of the people in a tiny Montana town.  I could barely put this book down and am so glad I read it.  It’s warm without being gooey.  It’s spiritual without being preachy.  It’s about hope without knowing what the end looks like.

I am so in love with this I’m going to read another by the author.  Highly recommend.

On audio, I listened to Silence the second Jack Till book by a favorite, Thomas Perry.  He is so masterful at character building, suspense building, plot building.  I’m never disappointed and wasn’t with this book.  I think Perry’s true genius lies in getting the reader interested in the psycho bad guys. 

What I’m Eating

Continuing along with my Home Goods haul, I found some delicacies from Italy and had to get them.  Packaged pasta from Italy just tastes so much better.  I have my eye on a pasta salad recipe for these adorable lacy-shaped macaroni.  I’ll report back soon when I’ve had time to make it.

Thank you in advance if you were going to compliment me on my new gingham top. I’m sucker for gingham.

When my sister Monique and her hub accompanied us to Rome a couple of years ago, we picked up a bag of cookies for our hotel.  Oh, my.  They were slightly better than Oreos.  Or Chips Ahoy, even.  I saw these cutie pies and thought I’d take a chance on them for a treat.

Imagine my surprise to find they are all individually wrapped.  Perfect for sharing during lockdown.

Everyone posting all things autumn is driving me crazy.  It’s still 110 degrees, for your information, you crazy autumn lovers!  No need to be putting on sweaters just yet.  I’ve written before how I don’t love this season.  My one teeny tiny nod to the season was this irresistible bag of autumn Jelly Bellies.  I won’t get started on them because the sugar is too addicting, but John’s been trying every color.

What I’m Drinking

That would be GALLONS of iced tea.  I don’t drink sweet tea, per se, but I do add about a tablespoon of honey to the pot before I boil it and it’s just sweet enough to feel like a treat.  I use decaf black tea so I’m not up jittering all night long.  Well, I am anyway, but cannot blame caffeine.

I might add that the pitcher from Pottery Barn (similar) and the Walmart Pioneer Woman glasses are two of my kitchen favorites.

Thank you for reading my blog.  A note that my prayer list has been long on healing this summer.  If you or a loved one have needed a procedure or some other healing, please know that you have been in my prayers and I’ve been very faithful about that. 

God bless you and have a wonderful weekend.