Heavens this house as a child free zone thing is slightly un-nerving: all of a sudden there isn’t a single reason why I can’t be the dedicated housekeeper I was when Finley was a babe in arms and life wasn’t one long round of picking up and putting away.
In the spirit of freedom I want to flit about in silk pyjamas, buffing my non-existent nails and singing along to Carla Bruni. (As if the help will arrive later and I have the luxury of doing bugger all…)
Truth is, if the help was on her way I’d be in a frenzy anyway: pinny strapped over my nightie, toting the homemade orange blossom air freshener like a gun and crawling around the skirt boards issuing dust bunnies their marching orders in case my chosen char has high standards and friends in high places…
So in the spirit of lets get back in the swing of things, I am today throwing myself a little laundry party:something much required in the long absence of my once regular Suds Days (Coming soon to a brand new Brocante Calendar!)
All the regular laundry is done (I woke up stupidly early consumed by panic in case I was the only Mummy to send her child in sans PE kit today) and sitting piled prettily/chaotically in the laundry room, and as we speak the shower curtain is swooshing around the washing machine. Beds will be stripped soon, ironing done accompanied by a delicious glass of elder flower water, a glug of fabric conditioner simmered in a pan of hot water to make the house smell divinely fresh, and the living room rug dragged into the garden and swung over the washing line so I can I can beat the frustration out of it in a suitably violent fashion.
And then… after a little lunch of leftovers I will slow down the pace, open up my little blue vintage linen cupboard and gently tend to the dust, creases and stains on the collection of new linens I have acquired over the Summer and stored away to rot (Bad housekeeper! Bad housekeeper!)…
Rust from dressmakers pins will be shifted with a mixture of lemon and salt (the linen stretched tight over the ironing board and then left to work it’s magic for an hour) and linens I consider up to it, boiled (I love boiling things! It makes me feel like a Victorian Laundress and also just a fast makes me feel like I need to get a life pronto!!) and if that too should fail to budge unidentified stains, a mixture of water and glycerine sponged on and the just as gently sponged off…
A nice cup of
An early to bed sweetener if ever there was one…
Happy Monday HouseKeepers.
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Further Reading.
Cleaning Vintage Linens Soak at TipNut.