Tuesday 3 May 2011

I do turn the kettle off first

The Sage has been enthusiastically cutting grass this afternoon.  I don't expect anyone went behind the bungalow yesterday or down towards the beehives, but the grass, which is mixed with a fair lot of nettles and so on, hadn't been cut at all this spring and it's quite a large area.  It was just not too long to be cut with the ride-on mower.  He had to finish this evening, after the bees had gone to bed, around the hives.  He came in very cold - Al says that a frost is forecast.  The Sage cut all the asparagus, in case.  He was just saying how much he enjoyed meeting you all yesterday.

The switch on the kettle is on the point of giving up.  It has been sticking in the 'on' position for the last few days and yesterday it didn't want to switch on at all.  I have to poke it with a knife to get it into the right position.  It's done pretty well, it's only the third kettle we've ever had.  I haven't time to go shopping this week so I've ordered a new one online.  I think that waiting until next Tuesday, the next time I'd have an opportunity to go to Norwich, would be pushing it and I've only got a tiny travelling kettle otherwise.  I appreciate the warning.

11 comments:

Dave said...

You do have at least one decent-sized ordinary (non-electric) kettle in your dining room, which you could presumably put on top of the Aga.

Blue Witch said...

I was going to say (but Dave sort-of got there first): Aga but you use an electric kettle?

Z said...

I did originally explain it in the post, but it was just too boring! I used to have an enamelled kettle for the Aga but it rusted after a few years and, when I looked to replace it, found that I was supposed to empty it and leave it dry after use. This seemed absurd, when you could be pre-warming the water for quicker boiling. I've never quite steeled myself to spend the ludicrous price for a proper Aga kettle. I want an electric kettle too, I don't want to have the Aga lid up more than necessary in summer, besides an electric kettle, in side-by-side tests, boils quicker. And if I wander off and forget it, it turns off.

I did see a possible stove-top kettle on the website, but I'd want to look at it first to see if the keep dry rule applies.

The copper kettle - no, don't fancy it, Dave. Don't know what it's lined with.

Sarah said...

I buy a Tesco value kettle once a year (£4.95) We have such hard water that even a good one only lasts 18 months, so there's not much point spending any more. You shouldn't re-boil water anyway Z, all the minerals dissolve and it does something horrible to your gut!!

Z said...

The Morphy Richards ones I've had in the past have been very good, even with our hard water and each lasted 10-15 years. I don't reboil the water, I empty the kettle and get rid of the bits of limescale (which I hate), and when I had an Aga-top kettle, then refilled it and left it for the water to warm before I wanted to boil it. The electric kettle, I put in the right amount of water when I want it.

Anonymous said...

I understand only kettle, water, electricity: You do NOT poke in something electric with a knife, do you?

Z said...

Not before switching it off, dear Mago, hence the title of the post. I have no particular wish to be electrocuted.

Anonymous said...

Thank you.

martina said...

I have a Cuisinart electric kettle that is about 15 years old. Worried I'd forget and leave the burner on if using a stove top kettle.

luckyzmom said...

I had not heard that water should not be reboiled in a kettle.

Z said...

I have always understood that the flavour is better if you boil fresh water.

Usually, stove top kettles have a piercing whistle for just that reason, Martina.