Wednesday 5 October 2011

Shiny shiny

As is traditional when it comes to the time to pick a giveaway winner, the wind is whistling and wuthering fit to blow bits of paper all round the garden. I suppose that I could have just stepped outside with my bowl and let the zephyrs do the choosing, but I didn't fancy chasing round the raised beds after the winner (especially as I don't have my laceups on this morning (oh no!)), so I took the coward's route and stayed indoors to do the mighty deed.


Not a trace of breakfast in sight
And the upside of remaining safely in the kitchen is that you get to see my beautiful shiny sink (oh yes!). The Flylady would be proud of me - no backsliding here - my sinks have been shiny ever since my first encounter with Her Flyness. And funnily enough, this shiny sink business really is like the broken window syndrome - this morning I left before the Head Chef and Princess Bunchy (not only am I knocking my house into shape, the plan is also to knock my cake-ridden body into shape by going to the gym at an ungodly hour), and returned expecting to see the dregs of breakfast leering at me from the sideboard - and instead, what did I find? A shiny sink smiling beatifically at me . . . The Head Chef hopes that I am impressed; I am reserving judgement.


Admire those reflections

I am getting on much better with the Flylady now that I have bought the book - I find the website slightly frenetic, and became totally confused about where I was and where I should be, and in one of those late-night book-buying sprees (I blame Princess Bunchy and her musical talents - it is always when I am sitting up late waiting for my nearest and dearest to return from some event that I run amok in the halls of Amazon because sitting at the computer is the only thing that will keep me awake) I bought the wonderfully titled Sink Reflections in the hope of demystification.


First shine your sink

And I am happy to tell you that now all is clear and shiny - I am much more at ease with the linear narrative of the written word, all has fallen into place, and I have sorted out my to-dos and my tick lists, my house is clean and I can spend the rest of the day hand-quilting (oh, happy day!).


The tension builds
And so, having made some more cake to fill the holes eroded in the gym (possibly), I can now present you with the winner. I did think about putting the Little Stranger into the sink to do the draw (and I am sure that she wouldn't have minded, as long as something edible was involved, and her definition of edible is comfortingly wide), but then I thought that I would have to start right back at the beginning with the bleach and Shiny Sinks 101, and I have made such leaps since then it would seem a pity to take such retrograde action.

Enter sausage tongs, sink right

So I opted for the sausage tongs instead. As a vegetarian this did involve some heart-searching but I felt that this would introduce an extra element of randomness as I do find them rather awkward to manipulate (not enough practice). It took a few goes, and a few restirrings of the bowl (I kept finding that I had picked up a whole bundle of slips at a time), but eventually I got the hang of it, and here we have the winner (and I can tell you that it was not easy to take a photo with one hand while keeping the tongs clamped shut with the other).


And here is the lovely winner: Menopausal Musing who said, 'I would love to own the Sergeant Pepper teatowel and the Tunnocks one - red is such a cheery colour!' Perhaps you could email me with your details, and I will pass them on to the lovely Al at All Tea Towels.


Oh, the bliss of a shiny sink!


Commiserations to those who did not win this time, but why not put your favourite tea towels on your Christmas list? Just think what fun you could have making things shiny, shiny - I think this one would coordinate rather beautifully with my sink, and this one would look rather fetching on the Aga. I have also used tea towels as rather fun recyclable wrapping for presents;  it seems so much less wasteful than paper, and I have spotted a few in the sale which would be just perfect for some people I know . . . 







29 comments:

Serenata said...

Oh phooey, missed out again!

I am very much admiring your sink. At the moment I am failing dismally on nearly all counts. All I ever seem to achieve is making more mess than when I started, although I can see a patch of newly hoovered carpet today.

Amy Friend said...

Your sink is perfection...can you visit and take care of mine please?

...Nina Nixon... said...

Oh I wish I could get my belfast to look that shiny. It's covered in dents all over that I fear only a good dosing of bleach would do the trick.

Nina x

millefeuilles said...

Congratulations to the winners and especially to you, Pomona, for having such a spanking clean sink.

Impressive? Yes, very!

yorkie mom said...

I LOVE your sink! very cute blog post!

Nicky said...

Your skills are never ending! And that is one shiny sink - think i'd better go and clean mine!

greenrabbitdesigns said...

Wow, that is a shiny sink!! Well done you. :)
You are right to reserve judgement on being impressed, we don't want menfolk getting too sure of themselves, now do we! ;)
Congrats to the winner.
Vivienne x

Ruth said...

I would love a sink like that - shiny or not! It's fab!

Used-to-Bees said...

That is a very impressive sink and draining board. I may have to get to know The Flylady sometime soon...Congrats to the winner - fab teatowels on that site!
x

dragonfly said...

Serious sink envy going on over here ; )

Sarah - Red Gingham said...

Oh my that is impressive! I quite agree with you about a book being much better than just reading online. You just can't beat it. Happy cleaning to you, it's looking great.

Lucille said...

A deserving winner and what an amazing shiny sink. It looks brand new. Please drop me a hint about your alma mater - I don't know which it was! All the threes?

Carol said...

What a lovely sink.
Mine is 'matt' green so would never be as shiny as yours, well that's my excuse..
I can report, however, that I now have laceup shoes so I have no excuse for not putting my best food forward when tackling the cleaning.
Carol xx

menopausalmusing said...

Drying up is going to be a much nicer experience now that I am the winner of the teatowels! THANK YOU!

harmony and rosie said...

I am in awe of your shiny sink, I truly am. Please could you come and do mine for me .. pretty please?

Pat said...

Reading your so-well-done posts is gift enough for me...and I never thought to think a kitchen sink could be so awesome but your's fits that description!

Well done!! And Happy Stitching too...

Katy Cameron said...

Lol, full marks for your valiant draw efforts, mastering the evil sausage tongs (who knew there even was such a specific implement? ;o) )

Annie said...

I have serious shiny sink envy. And an allergy to many cleaning products. Off to find some elbow grease ;D

Mrs. Micawber said...

O admirable sink! The mirror-like gloss, the absence of stains and soaking dishes...

How nice that the Head Chef and the Princess fell so in so quickly with the new tidiness. A clean sink can exert powerful influence in the kitchen. Or so I found when Mr. M decided to take up dishwashing recently.

Helen Philipps said...

Congratulations to the lucky winner! And congratulations to you too, Pomona, on the shiny sink and other household perfections!I'm enjoying your posts on this subject very much.
Have a lovely day. Helen x

Karen L R said...

gasp. border collie tea towel?

oh, you wicked girl, to fill me with such temptation!

and i am a deep shade of green, seeing your very fine and shiny sink!

xoK-

Second Chance Tan said...

Fab sink, and fab blog.

I missed the giveaway - will keep an eye out for the next one!

;)

Little Blue Mouse said...

Oh my, I would have to stroke that sink, it looks so smooth and shiny. I think I may have to check this Flylady out!

josie crafter @ Homemade and Happy said...

Hi Pomona
Just to let you know the two magazines are yours! I've sent you an email.
x

silverpebble said...

Your sink is truly most shiny and beautiful. Perhaps after all your worthy work you deserve a little glass of wine. Oh yes, I think so! (Oof, just had wonderful Rifleman's roast flashback!)

Greedy Nan said...

Well done Kathy on winning the giveaway - I am extremely envious.
I may have to buy the Flylady book myself as I am not getting on particularly well with things Fly related either. Don't quite know why. Do you think the book is more comprehensive than the site?

Faith Hope and Cherrytea said...

and congrats to the winner! EnJoy =))

Liz Davey said...

I love your sink. We are just about to refurbish our kitchen. Could you let me know where it came from? Many thanks

Barbara said...

Wrapping presents in tea towels, now that is a novel idea Pomona.
I blew up your book cover to see what it was about. You are going to be busy.
I love your draining board along with your sink.

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