Our New Toy

We have a new electric kettle.


I'm a little surprised by how much I LOVE this thing. I mean, how hard is it to get out a glass measuring cup, fill it at the tap and pop it into the microwave for a minute, particularly when said microwave has a designated "minute" button? Not hard at all, I tell you! In spite of the former ease with which I magicked up hot water, though, I have fallen into quite a state of love for this little gadget.

In the two weeks we've had it, it's boiled up a whole dining table's worth of after-dinner tea, not to mention the single cup that Husband likes to enjoy with cookies in front of the t.v. at night. It has provided a jump start for the girls' thermoses when soup was the bring-to-school lunch meal request. It makes short work of instant oatmeal and will, I'm betting, but just dandy when hot cocoa season comes around (though I imagine that it will only be pressed into cocoa service occasionally for the gotta-have-it-now cocoa emergency. We here at the Chili household like our hot chocolate REAL - milk and chocolate and vanilla - not that out-of-a-can powder, though such stuff does make it into the pantry and is good in a pinch). It was also handy when making WeedWoman's birthday cake last week.

I think part of my infatuation may be due to the fact that I'm re-reading Outlander and vicariously living the life of a time traveler who finds herself in the 1700s. It makes me glad to be living in the time that I do. What wonders we have at our fingertips! Automobiles! Hot showers! Antibiotics! And electric kettles that cleanly and efficiently meet all one's hot water needs!