Swish and shine: a giveaway

Having read about the transformative power of Lucy's engagement with the Fly Lady I felt quite inspired to take control of my own domestic situation. Unfortunately the Fly Lady does not do charitable home visits to those in need, so this is not a task that can be contracted out.

I am sure all of you domestic goddesses out there are sitting in neat and tidy kitchens and sitting rooms, uncluttered and totally up to date with your chores, which is why you can sit guilt-free wandering the hills and vales of Blogland.

Alas and alack, the same does not apply to poor Pomona, sitting in Clutter Cottage in a state of some misery and confusion. I was brought up in the cleanest and tidiest household you could imagine, and my dear mamma and sister are domestic paragons both; I love cleanliness and order, and everything spick and span, but somehow by the time I have achieved that in the B&B wing of the house, there seems to be somewhat of a falling off in our own personal domestic space, compounded by the fact that I would rather be knitting or stitching or writing or doing almost anything but housework. (And of course I do live with the messiest bunch of codependants in the known universe, bless their grubby cotton socks, she says in an effort to shift the blame onto someone else.)

Please avert your eyes from the messy bits - I couldn't crop them all out

So dear Readers I have signed up to the promise of domestic bliss, and at this very moment (Baby Step No 1) my sink is full of hot water and bleach, and I am about to start constructing a 'Control Journal' - Control (with a capital letter) is what I need in my life right now, it has a reassuringly firm ring to it. I am also sitting at my computer in an apron to emphasize the all-encompassing domestic routine which I am determined will Solve Everything.

And just in the nick of time, a very generous chap called Al McCavery asked me to choose two tea towels (or dish towels, or drying-up cloths, depending which language you speak) from his website to review. Well, you may say, how can you get excited about a tea towel? And I might have said the same thing, only the Fly Lady sets great store by them for imbuing your sink with the best sort of shine, and also when I visited the All Tea Towels website I was quite overcome with the impossibility of only choosing two. This is Tea Towel City (not to be confused with Smack Bottom City, just off whichever motorway you happen to be travelling on, and to be used as a threat for small children squabbling in the back of the car. Works a treat - no physical punishment necessary, just threaten to drop them off there if they carry on misbehaving. Remember to speak in an earnest but sorrowful voice, and elaborate with stories about government regulations if required).

Where was I? Oh yes, Tea Towel heaven: I have never seen so many tea towels gathered in one shop, and there is something for everyone from the traditional cats and botanicals to the retro, edgy, and absolutely hilarious (go on click that link and you will have a good laugh!) - in fact, this year I am going to do tea towels as stocking fillers for the men and boys as a gentle, but oh so amusing hint. Ha ha! And for those of you not from these shores, just go and look at the Rules of Cricket - it still makes me laugh even though that tea towel has been around for years. Those are exactly the rules of cricket, and it is the only team sport where I have the vaguest idea of what is happening.

I also think that these would make fun presents when you go to stay with someone - chocolate is so midriff-enhancing, and flowers so ephemeral; a nice jolly tea towel would certainly be something I would like to receive, and there is such a choice here that you could really tailor the gift to the person. (I'll have this one and this one please! Or if you are feeling more mature, then this would be very acceptable.)

Princess Bunchy was most taken with Keep Calm and Carry On, and I bowed to her judgement here, although I did insist that it stays in the kitchen rather than migrating upstairs to her bedroom wall. And I could not resist Where There's A Woman There's A Way (my capitals are very deliberate and assertive) and how could the chaps in my house disagree with that one? The latter is a large, good quality Ulster Weavers cloth, and the Keep Calm is also a real heavy duty cotton, large size - and I am pleased to note made in the UK.

Anyway I couldn't torture you with the joys of the tea towel without giving you a chance to experience them for yourself. Jolly old Al will send out two tea towels of choice to the winner of the giveaway - and I might even get the Head Chef to do the picking this time, as he is the biggest destroyer of kitchen cloths I have ever met, having the pro's habit of using them in lieu of oven gloves, pot holders and heatproof stands, and walking round with one draped over his shoulder at all times. (He is certainly not going to get his mitts on my new ones.)

So this is what you have to do:

1. Be a Follower.

2. Visit All Tea Towels here and tell me which two you would like if you win, then come back and tell me in your comment.

3. You get an extra entry for putting a button on your blog which links back to here - you are welcome to use one of my pictures for that purpose (right click and save to your computer to do that). Just remember to tell me that you have done so.

Open to all - anyone, anywhere with a postal service can enter, and I will do the draw next week - have fun choosing!