I have been tagged by Susan of arkonite’s blog http://arkonitebabe.blogspot.com/ to complete the A - Z of Homemaking, now lets see how I get on:
A is for Aprons - yes/no? If yes, what’s your favourite?
I grew up wearing bright cotton aprons to protect my clothes when helping in the kitchen. Now I have two PVC aprons for cooking and baking days, they are purely functional.
B is for Baking - favourite thing to bake?
Cooking for one is soul destroying! I used to bake and cook every day when my husband was alive and Elly was at home. I cook a meal for perhaps four or six, have one portion then cool and freeze the rest in portions for days I don’t feel like cooking.
C is for Clothesline - do you have one?
Yes, I have a wonderful line across the back garden. Being high up I get full benefit from the wind, some days if I open the back door the clothes blow right in! 
D is for Donuts - have you ever made them?
Yes, Mammy made them quite often to have after lunch. I regularly helped to make them while she did something else. They were not your regular donuts, more a scone-like texture with jam in the middle. (I feel a blog post coming on…!)
E is for Every Day - one homemaking task you do every day.
Will getting out of bed do? Nowadays I wash dishes after every meal. Everything else is done when I feel like it or health allows.
F is for Freezer - do you have a separate deep freeze?
No need for one. Fridge freezer is enough for my needs.
G is for Garbage Disposal Unit - do you have one?
Me 
Seriously I don’t know of anyone in Ireland who has one.
H is for Handbook - what’s your favourite homemaking resource?
Trial and error – well that is how I learned.
I is for Ironing - love or hate it?
I actually love it. A good play on the radio or nice music and a few toffees to chew on and I am happy. When I was young the load often contained 15 shirts; umpteen sheets, pillowcases and quilt-covers, cotton dresses, tablecloths and napkins and more hankies than a large box of tissues! All those items had to he starched first. Will I continue?
Thank the Lord for easy-care-no-iron clothing!
J is for Junk Drawer - yes/no? If yes, where is it?
Not really. I like to be able to find things when I need them so the best way is for them to have a home and be put back when finished with. I am not a hoarder. If I can’t use something then I try to pass it on to somebody who has a need for the item.
K is for Kitchen - colour and decorating scheme?
My kitchen is small and simple, little changed since the house was built. It functions well for my needs so why change it? I do change the colour scheme – curtains and paintwork from time to time.
L is for Love - what’s your favourite part of homemaking?
I put plenty of love & effort into homemaking when Jack was alive and Elly was at home. Jack and I worked well together and did all our own decorating. Once we started, a great companionable silence descended and we worked happily away side by side for hours without a word being spoken. I made all my own curtains over the years, thankfully only the living room window measured 14ft wide by 7ft high! The others were all more manageable sizes. I made duvet covers and fitted sheets, covered chairs and did all the cooking, baking and cleaning (that includes the chimney), this is beginning to sound like a CV so I had better stop!
M is for Mop - do you have one?
I do have a spongy one on a telescopic pole and I use it for the high windows outside.
N is for Nylons - machine or hand wash?
Nylons? I remember them! I wore tights once this year. I put them in a pillowcase and tie a knot in it and add to the washing load in the machine.
O is for Oven - do you use a window or open the oven door to check?
I have two doors, the inner one is glass. Mind you I still open both to check for doneness.
P is for Pizza - what do you put on yours?
Pizza involves cheese, so they are out for me – no dairy!
Q is for quiet - what do you do during the day when you get a quiet moment?
Living alone there are far too many quiet moments!
R is for Recipe Card Box - yes/no? If yes, what does it look like?
No. I have three A5 ring binders with wipe clean covers. I type the recipes and put them in plastic pockets, all sorted by type e.g. soups cakes etc. They are also stored on my computer, which makes Food Mondays easier.
S is Style of House - what style is your house?
Detached bungalow, 3 bed.
T is for Tablecloths - do you use them?
I like to. Not when I am alone, but yes if I am having guests for a Dinner. Family get to eat off the old china – so if you got the old stuff and no tablecloths – consider yourself family
U is for Under The Kitchen Sink - organised or toxic wasteland?
Organised, little changed in 30 years. I could find things with my eyes closed.
V is for Vacuum - how many times a week?
Used to do it every day, now it is more like once a week.
W is for Wash - how many loads of washing do you do each week?
It takes more than seven sets of sexy underwear to fill the washing machine 
A dark and a light load and sometimes a third wash. Woollens are done by hand.
X’s - Do you keep a daily list of things to do that you cross off?
Not any more.
Y is for Yard - who does what?
Nowadays – me or nobody!
Zzzz’s - what’s the last homemaking task you do before bed in the evening?
Switch off and unplug items and that included the computer!
Tags open, you try if you fancy it.
