Monthly Archives: February 2014

Opening a jar when your Big Strong Man is out of town

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I recently, made a lovely nettle infusion. However, when I tried to open the jar – it wouldn’t budge. Normally, I would go find my Big Strong Man for these jobs. Yes, that is what I call Mike during these moments. Most of the time I yell, “I need my Big Strong Man” and hand him the jar. He really has a talent for opening jars. Well, this day, my Big Strong Man was out of town. Therefore, I resorted to the tools I used before I met him. I actually have 3 jar openers, yet they didn’t have any luck with the lid either. I ran hot water over the metal lid – nothing. It was so frustrating and hard to believe. It wasn’t a new lid; it had been reused at least 100 times, so how could it have created such a good seal?!

All my jar openers minus my Big Strong Man

All my jar openers minus my Big Strong Man

So I decided to call upon my friends on Facebook. I posted my “dilemma” and got many suggestions. One even suggested that I find a new Big Strong Man or use an oil filter wrench (hey I really wanted to drink the infusion, but couldn’t find where ours was). Then, the miracle came – “Just take a butter knife and put the tip under the lip of the jar lid. Lift a little and it will break the seal and the lid should twist off easily.” It worked like magic! I felt so liberated! Now as long as I have a butter knife, I don’t need to depend on my Big Strong Man for opening jars. Of course, I will still need him for getting rid of wasp nests and “other things.” So, it’s best to keep him around nonetheless. But now I got this jar thing covered.

The magical jar opener

The magical jar opener

Some people might think this post is sexist and I am exploiting Mike. Well, you bet your sweet bippy I am! Aren’t most people exploited in some way? Mike and anyone I have ever worked or volunteered with has exploited my organizational skills. Writers, scientists, artists, and financial managers are all being exploited for their talents. Exploit simply means to “make full use of or to derive benefit from.” Negative connotations aside: I’ll continue to exploit my husband and butter knives equally, as long as it gets me where I’m going.

 

Confessions of an outdoor temperature addict

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Hello, my name is Debbie and I am addicted to knowing what the outdoor temperature is at all times. This fact became very apparent the other day when our indoor/outdoor thermometer needed a new battery. I was shocked when I came downstairs and saw the thermometer was blank. I cannot explain the deep sense of loss and disappointment I felt. It’s unhealthy, I know, and I’m not proud of how dependent I had become on the outdoor thermometer.

Our dead thermometer

Our dead thermometer

I believe it started around October 2003, when we bought a new Toyota Matrix that displayed the outdoor temperature on the dashboard.  I had driven other cars with temperature gauges but they were not as accurate as this car. My 1976, Olds 98 Regency had a gauge on its side mirror but if the car was parked in the sun, it would read over 100°F on a cool fall day. I had thermometers that stuck to my kitchen windows but they were also prone to incorrect readings when the sun shone on them. The thermometer in the Matrix was quite accurate. The minute I got in the car, I looked at it. I compared its reading to bank thermometers. I looked at it every time I looked at the speedometer. I knew that every car after that one had to have an outdoor thermometer and, luckily, it seems to be standard on most cars nowadays.

In March of 2004, I bought an indoor/outdoor thermometer and put it in the kitchen. Every time I went into the kitchen, I would check it. I kept telling myself that I needed to know how to dress appropriately for the day.  Some days, it can get so bright and sunny in the house, I would never guess it was -14 °F outside without my handy thermometer. It really helped me. But the day the little screen was blank, my reaction made it clear I could no longer deny that I can’t live without knowing what the outdoor temperature was – I was a temperature addict. That day, I shopped all over town to replace the rare button battery with no luck. I also looked at replacing the thermometer with another that had normal batteries, but with no success. I simply couldn’t find the right one. So, I came home and ordered a battery online – what else could I do? I really needed my thermometer.

YAY!

YAY!

I just had to share my dark secret addiction. I absolutely refuse to give up my thermometer. What technology are you addicted to? Please share – it is very liberating.