Anthea Turn er How I See It...

Hello,

This week let’s celebrate Old Things! I’m talking about items we’ve had for years. Last week while still in my pyjamas I had an overriding compulsion to clean my washing machine and dryer. This wasn’t just a wipe round, it was a pull every detachable part out, fire up the steam cleaner, turn up the music and don’t finish until its completed a 60 degrees empty cycle with a cup of baking soda in the drum, two cups of white vinegar in the dispenser and it’s in showroom condition.

During this frenzy I put a few pictures up on my favourite social media outlet, Instagram, explaining what I was doing to my 20 year old washer and dryer, and asked the question: So what do you have that’s old and still working?

Whoosh, some 161 comments arrived so quickly I knew I had hit the button and had to share with you… Graham had a tumble dryer and Flymo both aged 22, Sally had a 26-year-old chest freezer in the garage, then Marianne trumped her with one even older at 32! Hayley’s 25-year-old slow cooker is maybe a little slower, but simmering beautifully, and Joanne still gets a ding every time from her 26-year-old microwave.

What we all agreed on was the value of looking after our appliances in the hope they will look after us, thus they are worth their weight in gold if you divide the original price by the times you have used it.

It’s a wardrobe logic I use when about to make a clothing investment. My winter coat, which I genuinely look forward to pulling out each year, was bought in 1992. It cost the earth when I bought it, but using the aforementioned arithmetic, it’s the cheapest item I’ve ever owned. In fact it’s now paying me to wear it!

When I was younger, I couldn’t comprehend having items as old as these in my home, still loved and going strong, but I now view them all as a testimony to the care I’ve given them.

Which brings me finally to an article in My Weekly last week under the heading 10 Secrets To AHealthy Long Life. I have a feeling regular readers might have kept it. I definitely have as it’s packed with sound, practical advice which we need to remember if we want our bodies to be the best appliance we’ve ever invested in!

Love, Anthea X