Friday 15 November 2013

Useful things

Sometimes I get a spooky feeling that someone is reading my mind.  Knowing what I'm thinking even though I've only just thought of it.  How I'm sitting on the sofa realising it's been a week since I last blogged but what have I got to share with my blog friends. Then I notice that Sian  has updated her blog and lo and behold - what to blog about when you've got nothing to blog about! That's more than a coincidence surely?
So now I'm sitting here mulling over what I can share under the heading of

5 Things it is useful to know.

Because we all know useful things, but there must be something obscure that could be shared

For instance.  you've got biro on a white apple laptop or washable wallpaper, or even a handbag.  How would you get it out? Nail varnish remover? No, it'll likely melt the plastic or take the colour out the wallpaper.  Washing liquid? No, won't touch it.  The answer my dear blog friends is a squirt of hairspray.  Unlikely I know but trust me, it works.  I have personal experience on all three counts.  Son's laptop, lounge wallpaper and daughter's Mulberry handbag.  All rescued.

It's also useful to know how to get the bathroom door unlocked from the outside if a) you have accidentally somehow locked it as you closed it whilst you were running a bath and went downstairs to answer a phone call and closed the door to stop the bath loving dog from going in or b) Grandma can't remember how the handle works.  Oh yes, a thin screwdriver (like the ones you get in Christmas crackers) poked into the hole in the handle works a treat. But only if you have the same design of handle that we do obviously!

In our house, it's useful to know that when the dog jumps on your lap, turns to face you, keeps standing on your knees, looking you in the eyes with an unblinking stare, she needs to go out into the garden for an (ahem) comfort break.  This is a very useful thing to know.

It's very useful to know that if you break an egg into a bowl and a bit of shell breaks off and floats around, if you lower a larger bit of shell in there, it will attract the small piece so you can get it out easily instead of chasing it around with a spoon.

It's also useful to know curry stains will come out of a pale shirt if you soak the affected part for a little while in a solution of a little bit of bleach in some hot water.  Neat bleach is a no-no even on white fabric it goes yellow but if you are careful, and keep an eye on things there will be no evidence of your husband's messy eating. 

So that's it.  One blog post written and now the whole of blog land knows that we are a family of messy eaters, careless cooks, who have leaky pens, a desperate dog who also loves a bubble bath and lock their elderly relatives in the bathroom.

14 comments:

Jo.C said...

I'll have to pop across to Sian's, I need some inspiration. Like the tip about biro, and yes the egg shell works every time. Great post x

Cheri said...

Definitely some good things to know. We can pop a bathroom lock with just a bobby pin here. But since you seem to know about getting stains out of clothing... any way to remove nail polish from a lace dress? Nail polish remover didn't touch it.

helena said...

Giggling at the thought of the dog jumping in the bath, and your last sentene is is great

alexa said...

Your final paragraph had me in stitches! And the egg and hairspray tips are so useful - I didn't know either of these!

Amy said...

Oh Deb, what a great post - filled with your fantastic sense of humour!
I didn't know about the eggshell one, that's a good tip.

Alison said...

Great collection of tips...particularly the eggshell one...I ALWAYS end up with some shell in my bowl when baking!
Alison xx

Denise said...

Its funny you should share that as I was sitting thinking the same this morning - i really miss my bloggy friends and sometimes dont think they want to hear my chatter- but maybe its better than doing nothing !! great tips Deb xx

Fiona@Staring at the Sea said...

All useful things to know (especially the eggshell tip, which is new to me) but your last paragraph had me laughing 'til the tears ran! Much needed today. Thank you x

Sian said...

Seriously: brilliant fun to read and not only that, you have actually given me some useful things I'm going to remember. This post is a classic!

scrappyjacky said...

Some very useful....and amusing....tips there,Deb....like Fiona I've never heard the eggshell one.
A tip for you....give your husband a serviette....or even a bib!!

Sandie said...

Great post Debs! I'll try to remember those tips except for the locked door. We have bolts so we would have a problem if they locked with no one inside!
I love your sense of humour and it seems Sian has posted about something we all can relate to.

ComfyMom~Stacey said...

Great list of tips! I use the eggshell trick constantly.

Julie Kirk said...

I didn't know about the eggshell trick! [Obviously I don't do enough baking to have picked up any tips!].

Great post Deb :-)

Beverly said...

Very useful information although I had no clue what a biro was until the end ;)