A sad day today. My kettle, which I have had since I was a student, went to the small electrical recycling event held at Kennington Park and did not come home. I honestly thought it was going to last me my whole life. It was second hand when I got it, a hand-me-down from someone who probably got a more sophisticated model that turned itself off when it boiled.
They don’t make the.m like this anymore
It has been with me through thick and thin, as an undergraduate and post graduate; as a newly qualified teacher right up to this morning when I boiled it for the last time to make my morning coffee. It’s been in halls of residence, slum accommodation, dodgy rental flats, social housing, my own home. But a while ago I decided to tackle the limes ale around the spout. Mistake. Once removed, I realised it had been stopping my kettle from leaking. I looked for ways to repair it. I found some advice but, lacking a soldering iron or any experience in using one, success seemed unlikely. I contacted the company that made it, Swan. They regretted they could not help, but they did offer me a substantial discount on a new kettle. A clever way to retain my custom and for me, a useful way of narrowing my choices. Still. Saying goodbye was hard and I kept putting the moment off.
Finally, this week, with Celia’s help I made my decision between a stainless steel kettle and a rather more expensive pale green model. It arrived this morning.
On trial
The picture shows it having its first boil, I don’t know why I sat it on a piece of bubble wrap, but I definitely felt it was on trial.
It’s not the only green thing in my kitchen. The toaster is green, so is the chopping board, the washing up bowl, the colander, the sharpest knife, the coffee tin, the kitchen blind, the pastry brush, the spatulas, the vegetable peeler, the oven gloves, the compost caddy, the vegetable brush, MasterB’s biscuit box, my apron, the measuring spoons, the bowl where the tomatoes live. The walls are a very pale green. Few of the greens are the same. It’s not so much a symphony of green as a celebration of the possibilities of green. MasterB drinks (though rarely) out of a bowl with a green rim. His main food bowls are pale green with white. Today I am even wearing a green shirt.
I am so glad those novels were named for a man whose name was not Green. I might have had to change everything.
Isobel (and Cat)'s Blog 
What a steamy post! Hope you have many happy boiling years together!
I shall look at your kitchen more closely next time I’m round – I had no idea so much is green.
I’m incredibly impressed at how long you had your previous kettle. I hate to think how many kettles I have had since student days. I do have a jug and cup and saucer that date from my second year at uni.
My two favourite blue mugs are ones I bought as an undergraduate! Then there’s my mixing bowl, a plate I have at the boat, my hairbrush, a Pyrex bowl…
Brilliant!
Thank-you. A kind but puzzling comment!
Your new kettle is very beautiful,as was your old one. Take care with the on/off switch. They make them very vulnerable these days so you have to buy a new one in a year or so.
A very nice kettle, indeed. Our red one sprung a leak so we also bought a new one. A stainless one that is working very well.
I am getting used to it, but I still find it surprising that it is in my kitchen and my stainless steel one has gone.
Your beautiful pale green kettle makes me wish I was a tea drinker. I have a red toaster, coffee maker (I am not the coffee drinker in the family), and blender. The green color is very soothing. I need soothing these days.
I rarely drink tea, just the occasional Earl Grey, Lapsang or herbal, ie tea for people who don’t like tea! I’m a coffee drinker, one cup a day at breakfast. But I do use my kettle to boil water when I am cooking pasta etc.
I am sorry to hear you are feeling stressed. Time to get out and cuddle an equine? Or a cat?