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Yvie Burnett: Hoping jumper disaster will all come out in the wash with top tips

Washing a jumper in the basin or sink. Washing clothes by hand. ; Shutterstock ID 2040049448; purchase_order: ; job: To go with columnist piece for P&J; 928b8ad3-dde7-42be-9f0d-af5ef92353c9

I’m all talk! I’m busy telling all of you how I hand wash my knitwear and dry everything flat and then somehow I put one of Gordon’s posh Whistles’ jumpers on a 40 degree wash and it comes out looking like it’s would fit a 5-year-old.

We have all done it of course, shrunk things by mistake and its very annoying. So, before he notices it missing, I’m looking up every hack online to try to fix it.

As I write this, the jumper in question is soaking in tepid water with fabric softener. Apparently that will unshrink it so I will keep you posted and let’s see if it can be back in the drawer without him knowing!

Thank goodness we can look up tips online when we need advice.

Mind you, did I tell you about the time I got a tip from my favourite show This Morning about how to clean the glass door on my oven?

The tip was to take the glass off and soak it in vinegar and bicarbonate of soda. Thankfully I had stepped away when it ‘blew up’ and the kitchen was covered in shards of glass where it had completely exploded.

I assumed that surely bicarb and vinegar weren’t dangerous substances and contacted the manufacturer as I was sure the glass shouldn’t have done that.

Apparently though, my cleaning hack was in fact dangerous, and they took no responsibility. So don’t believe every bit of advice you get, even from This Morning.

No bicarb or vinegar is going near Gordon’s jumper though. I will let you know next week if it ends up in the bin!

Birthday celebration for my auntie

So, I popped up to Scotland this week to belatedly celebrate my Auntie Margaret’s 98th birthday!

Her care home had been closed on her actual birthday due to Covid cases, so myself and my Auntie Agnes were very relieved to be able to see her at last.

She is frail now but was so happy to see all her lovely cards and presents.

What a wonderful age to reach.

A year ago, Margaret had a stroke so I’m so very thankful to still have her with us.

Yvie with her aunties Margaret Spence and Agnes Lamb.

It’s been hard to see her as much during Covid. Of course, we know that it has been particularly hard for all elderly people who have been alone in their rooms and not been able to have visitors. That generation are always so sociable and love a good old chat and a cup of tea. Let’s hope things are getting back to normal for them. They all deserve that.

Thank goodness for Bradley Walsh and The Chase and all the other quiz shows which a lot of elderly people love watching every day.

Having a bit of company from that box in the corner of the room has I’m sure, been a life saver.

The Larkins was feel-good telly

Speaking of Bradley Walsh, did any of you catch him staring in The Larkins on Sunday night? It’s the updated version of The Darling Buds of May which famously stared Catherine Zeta Jones, David Jason and Pam Ferris.

Ma Larkin, as played by Joanna Scanlan, and  Bradley Walsh as Pop Larkin new ITV show The Larkins.

I always forget that Bradley is an actor because we are so used to him as a TV presenter.

Gordon refused to watch it as he loved the old version but I gave it a go and I thought it was perfect Sunday night feel-good TV. It’s beautifully set in Kent which most certainly looks like it lives up to its title as ‘The garden of England’ and I’m looking forward to Sunday nights over the next few weeks getting cosy as the nights draw in.

And what about Strictly? Who are we liking?

I’m in a WhatsApp group of friends and we discuss Strictly as we watch it live which is a lot of fun.

Will Bradley be waltzing on to Strictly?

Mind you, sometimes I’m so busy typing a reply I miss some of the dancing.

Isn’t it funny though how we all form opinions on the contestants by what they say? We decide who is big headed and who is a nice person and it’s not really all about the dancing, it’s about who we take a liking to.

I’m liking Anton on the panel. He fits in perfectly and having been dancing on the show for so many years he is the one person who really understands what the contestants are going through.

If I was a betting person I would put some money on Bradley Walsh being on there next year! He has done everything else. I reckon that he can probably dance too!

Have a good week,
Yvie x