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Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Water Pitcher

As summer approaches, and despite our cool spring so far, I've been doing small things to prepare for outdoorsy stuff.


Like cleaning the patio, getting some plants ready to pot, and picking up the occasional summer-based item.  In this case, I found this really nice glass pitcher at the thrift store across the street.


It was dirty and gross, but I really liked the shape and size.  Plus it was only about $2.


So... a couple rounds of washing and sterilizing, and I breathed new life into him.  He's now as good as new, I imagine, and looks gorgeous.


I love shopping for kitchenware at thrift stores.  


To be sure, the extremely vast majority is all crap your great aunt forgot about in her basement: threadbare wicker serving platters, chipped and cracked porcelain cups adorned with roosters and pigs, and (my favourite) crazy uncle Chuck's personalized mug from the 70's, complete with the words "3rd runner up bowling champion" emblazoned in flaking fake-gold enamel.


However, one in one hundred items will be a true find.  An overlooked, unappreciated gem, which its owners certainly didn't value, and the thrift store employees under-priced.  In this way my wife and I have picked up an entire (matching, identical) set of decent chardonnay glasses (six), literally one glass at a time over the course of three years.  For 99 cents a piece.


So, you have to be willing to look through the dust, dirt, and sometimes grime and grease, and be willing to run it through the dishwasher a couple times if it's really bad (HELLO dishwashers' sterilization setting!!!)  But sometimes you get pretty lucky.


This guy will bring me much summer joy, I believe.




Of particular noteworthiness, is the fluted neck.  Sure it looks cool, but did you know that it works perfectly to stop lemon and lime slices from escaping when pouring water?  Easy to put in with a gentle push, and take out with a gentle pull, but too big to slip out on their own.  Put your ice-cubes in first, with the citrus slices on top, (like I did not do in the pictures), and it keeps the ice down too!  Pretty cool, right?


Anyway... I've been keeping fresh, chilled, lemon water out in the dining room lately for everyone, and it's been splendid!




I'm sure once it warms up outside, I'll be taking this bad boy out on the patio with me often!