The “Isn't Life Great” thread

[Toddy]

I call it the Magic Device! If it's not branded it's possible you might have a copy, and not sure they're as good. The Leifheit one surprises me, because I would have thought it'd need a lot of grip from the user to work effectively, which might be counter productive. Never got into silicone mats, but discovered anti-slip matting for drawers etc rather effective for fountain pen disassembly* so tend to have a square of that handy for Sieger-less situations. Of course, if worst came to worse, it'd be down to the workshop and into the vice jaws. That really works.

*Now that has produced situations on a par with WG's pickle tackling. Once spent a whole afternoon, and lots and lots of swear words, trying to get the hood off a Parker 51. Ended up with actual blisters on my fingers as a result, but we got there in the end. That was an "Isn't Life Great" moment, because then I could repair it, get it on its way and never see the ruddy thing again!

To be honest, it looks identical, and there's not much to go wrong with a big rubber band really
Mine came from Boots about twenty years ago.
The Liefheit one works easily if you make sure that the lid you're trying to open is properly fitted into the ring part, and then it's simplicity itself. It's still best used with a silicon mat, or a bit of the drawer liner foam cubey stuff, to grab the jar itself though.

I have small hands and even I manage that one, and I can't work most pruners for long because they're too wide.

Do the vice jaws not leave such a mess though ? stuff leaks when it's on it's side to open.

The drawer liner stuff (or rug gripper stuff) is very good a couple of handspan sixed offcuts and it helps shift almost any lid

I have one gadget that's been so brilliantly useful that I bought half a dozen of them and gave them to friends.
From opening ring pull tins to bottles, even sauce bottles, it's excellent
My friend broke her elbow, on her dominant hand, and I gave her one of them, and she said it was such a kindness because she could manage without pestering anyone to come in and help with little things.

Pardon our interruption...

 

[grainweevil]

Ooo, that looks interesting. Just been struggling with the ring pull on a tin of tomatoes which seemed manufactured entirely with the aim of keeping the customer from their product. Can't help but wonder what they're trying to hide... Thanks, Toddy.

As for the vice, I use the bottom of the jaws so the jar/bottle remains upright. It's a bit dependent on the vice in question!

 

[Chris]

Sat out burning a few bits of wood the dog bought home to dry out the fire pit (again) with a cup of peppermint tea.

Thinking about what to plant in our garden this year - got some elder and hawthorn growing behind the garden so thinking I could grow something up the back fence to make it blend in.

Love being outdoors and warm and cosy whilst it is cold and wintery. This time last year the garden was like the Somme due to new build and a puppy. So even this bit of grass and a sparse looking, young lilac in the corner is an improvement!

 

[Broch]

Sat out burning a few bits of wood the dog bought home to dry out the fire pit (again) with a cup of peppermint tea.

Thinking about what to plant in our garden this year - got some elder and hawthorn growing behind the garden so thinking I could grow something up the back fence to make it blend in.

Love being outdoors and warm and cosy whilst it is cold and wintery. This time last year the garden was like the Somme due to new build and a puppy. So even this bit of grass and a sparse looking, young lilac in the corner is an improvement!

To me, that looks like an exciting blank canvas for a woodland edge/shrub corner

 

[Chris]

To me, that looks like an exciting blank canvas for a woodland edge/shrub corner

Absolutely! It’s quite nice to sit here and think about all the potential.

 

[Toddy]

To be honest, it looks identical, and there's not much to go wrong with a big rubber band really
Mine came from Boots about twenty years ago.
The Liefheit one works easily if you make sure that the lid you're trying to open is properly fitted into the ring part, and then it's simplicity itself. It's still best used with a silicon mat, or a bit of the drawer liner foam cubey stuff, to grab the jar itself though.

I have small hands and even I manage that one, and I can't work most pruners for long because they're too wide.

Do the vice jaws not leave such a mess though ? stuff leaks when it's on it's side to open.

The drawer liner stuff (or rug gripper stuff) is very good a couple of handspan sixed offcuts and it helps shift almost any lid

I have one gadget that's been so brilliantly useful that I bought half a dozen of them and gave them to friends.
From opening ring pull tins to bottles, even sauce bottles, it's excellent
My friend broke her elbow, on her dominant hand, and I gave her one of them, and she said it was such a kindness because she could manage without pestering anyone to come in and help with little things.

Pardon our interruption...

It's brilliant for that. The knack is to find the skinny end and that slips under the ring and lifts it a little, turn the tool over and hook into the ring and pull.
No frustration, no yanked off rings, no broken fingernails, no scrabbling for a knife/screwdriver/just something to lift the blasted thing !
Mine sits right beside the can opener and the kitchen scissors

 

[jcr71]

that mug made me chuckle

 

[Toddy]

that mug made me chuckle

I didn't even notice

 

[oldtimer]

Christmas decorations all taken down today and packed away ready for next year. That will ensure that the crops will grow this year. If proof of this old belief were needed, snowdrops are out and plenty of bulbs show signs of life, And attendance yesterday at the funeral of a friend we've known for 65 years reminds us that we are still here.

 

[Chris]

Sorry to hear about your friend @oldtimer - though happy to hear you're focusing on the positive.

Christmas decorations coming down here today too, feels like I am now beginning to think about spring preparations rather than winter preparations. Excited for the Winter Moot, then after that it's the home stretch to astronomical spring time.

 

[Pattree]

Yep, lights go out tonight. With a bit of effort we’ll manage the last of the Christmas cake. The rest of the food mountain went a while ago. My children don’t like Christmas cake! Luckily some of their children do.

The lights and tree have brought back the sun. I’m not precious about the day we take down the decorations but I do like to see just a little more daylight than at the Solstice before we switch off.

Not done much in the garden, it’s so very wet but I’m confident that it’s still going in under there.

 

[GNJC]

Absolutely! It’s quite nice to sit here and think about all the potential.

Too many times I have planned, and the potential really has been there, and then... it never happened. Do it while you have the enthusiasm, and cash! Plus, if you have some good ideas, the sooner you get it done, the sooner you get to reap the benefits.

 

[bearbait]

The lights and tree have brought back the sun. I’m not precious about the day we take down the decorations but I do like to see just a little more daylight than at the Solstice before we switch off.

I generally - consciously - notice the lengthening days around 10 - 12 days after the Winter Solstice.

I wonder if this is why the original Yule log was lit on the Solstice and kept burning for 12 days. (Which then mutated into the 12 days of Christmas.)

 

[Pattree]

Will it certainly works.
We’ve brought back the sun even if it is currently wrapped in cloud.

 

[Brizzlebush]

The sun came out yesterday.
And stayed out.
People were nicer.
I was nicer.
The lid had been taken off the sky and our smiles returned.

Simplest pleasures sometimes are the best.

 

[Chris]

Sun’s out here and it’s glorious.

Chopped up the Christmas tree so that can dry out and be burned at some point, made a feather stick with the thin end whilst I sat and drank my brew by the fire pit which is now drying out.

Shifting gravel off my shed base so that the shed can go on it on Wednesday and noticed that I’ve accidentally grown onions out the bottom of the compost bin.

A lovely break in a stretch of gloomy days.

 

[Woody girl]

Fabulous blue sky, and sunshine at last.
Washing is done, and on the line Instead of draped in front of the radiators.
I've got an urge to spring clean the house!
I think I'll wait a while, its not quite time yet, but just nice enough to tidy up the rather windblown garden.

 

[Paul_B]

Visit to practise nurse, curse of regular asthma assessments. Got offered a flun jab and had ab blood sample taken. 3 for 1 deal! Got some nice pork pie and Yorkshire pasties. They're like cornish pasties but better obviously since it's God's own country! Along with meatloaf ingredients and a nice, warm baguette a good Booths visit!

Back home and it's a nice, crisp day with blue skies everywhere. Gardening weather, but I'm not sure I want to. Think I'll start sanding a bookcase we're thinking of "upscaling" with a lock of paint. I think that's what they call it. Then we've got 4 chairs with worn red paint to sand off before treating or painting. A good freegle haul that's in the project list.

 

[Broch]

Yep, glorious day here too with just the odd sunny shower. I know it's only the first week of January but there's a difference in the air and the birds are singing

 

[Paul_B]

A trellis had fallen off a fence so we put that back and tied the climber back up. And tied back a second. Would have trimmed it back a bit but it's all in bud, some are actually flower buds. I think that's earlier than past years.