6.05.2022 My kingdom for a washing up rack!

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 Friday 6th 46F, a grey overcast. Up at 6.15am. The cherry trees on our northern boundary are covered in blossom. I haven't had a proper walk for several days.

 09.00. 52F. The overcast is breaking up. I walked up to the woods and back by the marsh. Where I was told off by the farmer for walking on the spray tracks. I "must only walk on the roads." At least my back and hips are feeling better for the walk. I was gone just over an hour.

  Plans for today? The kitchen makeover is ongoing. I really like the new layout with the fridge in the corner. Though I have yet to find a suitable place for the most used crockery. It fits, but it presently has to be stacked on the worktop.

 Not that I need all of it. I simply haven't adjusted the quantities to match my new status as "Solo Master Chef." Given a daily [or twice daily] washing up cycle, I am seriously embarrassed by the sheer quantity of dinner plates and other items.

 I still need to find a decent dish rack and a cutlery container for the new drainer. There is nothing obvious from the Danish, high street, vendor chains. Ikea.dk should be utterly ashamed of themselves! Perhaps I'd better look at Amazon?

  I have spoken to a local installer about joining the 21st century with our electrical system. One 10A ceramic fuse for all the sockets and lights in the house and all on the same circuit? Correct! Now all I need is for them to arrive on a prearranged appointment. A local mason and carpenter have repeatedly failed this very basic test of their professionalism. 

 I have re-tidied my clothes into transparent tubs. With them pushed under the sloping ceiling they take up no room. The tubs provide a uniform, tidy appearance. With easy identification and access. I was careful to purchase non-locking lids. They just snap gently into place. You would not believe the difference in space available and how tidy it suddenly looks.

  Another car boot full of stuff went to the charity shop. I found a washing up rack in the same village. Very sturdily built but the tray has no drain hole. Being plastic it is easily drilled and even given a drip with the heat gun. No cutlery container though. I have just realised that the plates can be left on the rack between meals. That solves the storage problem. I have no idea why I need saucers. Drinks are in mugs or glasses.

 Rather than  placing the new working surface on top of the old for the mock-up. I thought I'd bring in the B&D workbenches and support the new board on those. Then I can play with a full scale model. Without being unduly biased by the present layout. 

 The cut-outs for the new sink and hob are huge. Which will seriously weaken the board if I have to lift it alone. Best to raise it first and then slide it into place after sawing out the cut-outs. 

 The far end of the overlong board could go over a front loading, washing machine. That would provide an easy drain connection under the sink. No hurry to replace the top loader though. I just need to wait for it to break. They always do. 

 I just bunged a pasty into the mini-oven for dinner. Whereupon I discovered a huge benefit. I can actually see the timer dial and the contents cooking inside. All thanks to it now facing the windows. Another win! I had been using a torch and a magnifying glass for all the time we have owned the mini-oven. Until today.

 The washing up trial with the new rack went very well. It safely bridges the old, second sink. The images show the results of my kitchen makeover so far. The new working surface has yet to be installed.The top image shows some of my wife's collection in the window sill. Just as she left it.

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