HOUSEHOLD TIPS NOT FOUND IN WOMAN'S WEEKLY

[chinatyke]

You are out in the early morning but did you know that just before dawn is the best time time to observe the International Space Station? The other time to see it is just after sunset. Dawn and dusk because sightings rely on reflected sunlight. It is visible very regularly and passes over everywhere as it progresses around The Earth. Check the times on here:

https://www.heavens-above.com/

There are many more man-made objects visible in the sky if you know where or take the time to look. It is amazing how many people have never seen a shooting star and yet they are very common.

[Stanley]

I'm too busy to be stargazing China beyond checking the overcast for the local weather!
All going well this morning, all my jobs done including cooking and I am ready for the shed.

[plaques]

It is visible very regularly and passes over everywhere as it progresses around The Earth.

Very true China, Our problem in Lancashire is that most of the time we have a very heavy cloud cover and see nowt. Up in New Biggin by the See, I could see a very bright object in low orbit towards the south. Asking what is was came the very nonchalant answer "its the space station, you can see it all the time." Never knew that!

[chinatyke]

It is visible very regularly and passes over everywhere as it progresses around The Earth.

... came the very nonchalant answer "its the space station, you can see it all the time." Never knew that!

you can see it all the time = often!

I love to watch it go over and imagine what the astronauts are seeing. You can see their view here

[Stanley]

I have enough on keeping up with what's happening down here! Today's tip, tidy your own backyard before you start on Outer Space!

[Tizer]

Thanks for the prompt, China. I haven't looked for the ISS for a few years and when I went to the NASA ISS tracker I found that this week is very good for sightings here. I looked at their web page at about 19.45 and 15 minutes later we were watching the ISS for a few minutes rise from WSW in a clear sky, rise to 28 degrees elevation then disappear while still quite high. Of course this is because it is visible due to reflection of the sunlight which we are not seeing from down here in the dusk. It disappears as it passes out of the light. The rest of the nights this week are going to be good too.

[Stanley]

I have enough trouble seeing the scale divisions on my measuring tackle! Has anyone tried the very expensive 'Serious Lights' that are advertised as giving far better light?
How nice a good stew tastes when you haven't had one for a while. (Especially with lots of garlic in it)

[Stanley]

In the transition period between no heating and cooler weather I find that the house can feel chilly even though the thermostat is set at the same level all year. This will sort itself out as the cold deepens and the cure for a week or so is a thick waistcoat or a jumper in the evenings when you aren't active. I think it's a mistake to turn the thermostat up.

[Tizer]

We've got thermometers around the house and what that has taught me is that the same temperature reading can feel cold or warm depending on circumstances. It's obvious really, e.g. humidity alters the perception, but having the proof helps! I've noted too that the same temperature reading has a different feel depending on whether the room is getting warmer or cooler. A quick blast of heat can make a big difference to comfort because it starts the temperature rising.

Here's a tip. If you suffer from damp and mould on a wall and haven't been able to get rid of it permanently with mould inhibitors etc cover it with insulated wallpaper. I advised a relative to do this on a bedroom wall that faced north and was always causing problems. Now it's free of mould and damp. The thin layer of insulation is enough to make the surface warmer and therefore moisture doesn't condense on it. here's an example of the type of product... LINK

[Stanley]

Thanks for confirming it isn't just me. (I have the thermometers all over the place as well......) It's not damp that is causing it because I have a hygrometer as well!

[Stanley]

Mention of having multiple thermometers in the house reminded me that every room I use has a clock in it as well. My working life has been regulated by the clock, even when driving for three hours to a dairy somewhere we always arrived on time and it gets to be a habit, a good one I think. Today's tip is never to forget that clocks aren't a tyranny, they are a valuable aid to good time management which in turn means a well ordered and satisfying life. I am always struck by the fact that everyone, either with a watch or a smart phone, has the most accurate time keeping ability ever but yet punctuality seems to be a thing of the past. I suppose I am getting old.... I always remember the tag; "Punctuality is the politeness of princes and the courtesy of kings".

[Tizer]

Another thing sliding into the past is taking care to send your customer the correct item that they ordered. I know I'm always complaining about such problems but we ordered a pond liner from a big gardening supplier last week. We paid for a high quality one so that it will last but they sent us their lowest quality one which is a third of the price. When we rang and asked them to send us the correct one they had the cheek to demand that we sent them a photo of what we'd received so they could be sure we weren't trying to pull fast one. Surely they must have a record of what they sent to us?

[Stanley]

Just making you jump through hoops Tiz! Besides, if they are so badly organised perhaps they don't trust their own records because as you say, they must have an audit trail. Mustn't they?

[plaques]

Or perhaps they've got a bad apple working for them who sends out a cheaper option but charges the top price and pockets the difference! Who knows?

[Stanley]

If you see the owners of a dog that almost killed yours, (I met the neighbours from hell in the back street yesterday) just walk on by.....

[Stanley]

If you have a shed attached to the house like mine, reconcile yourself to the fact that you are going to tread small metal chips onto the carpets no matter how careful you are.... (Then add the dog hairs!) No wonder I have this constant compulsion to vacuum!

[Marilyn]

Ha! No dog hairs or metal filings here - but I have a hubby who drops lots of crumbs!

[Stanley]

Jack deals with any crumbs..... Very efficient!
If you are air drying timber outside allow one year for every inch of thickness. Now there's a useful tip for you!

[Stanley]

Don't trust the size marked on the hanger when buying shirts, check the label. I ended up with an XXL size yesterday but it's just about OK.

[Stanley]

I brew my morning coffee in an old enamel brew can and normally just swill it with cold water. Same with my stainless steel strainer. I decided this morning that it would be good to do my occasional bleach out of both of them..... They look much better but the taste of the coffee will be slightly different for a day or two. Some things don't need regular cleaning! (Like the inside of a teapot)

[Stanley]

Coffee tastes fine this morning. I must admit that it was perhaps time to bleach the sieve and the brew can!
The secret to living as a singleton is you have a well adjusted threshold to household cleanliness. Everything doesn't need to be sterile! Ignore what visitors might think. All that matters is if you feel comfortable! Susan assures me that my standards are adequate.

[Stanley]

That all reminds me of another tip. If you are the sort of person who likes to present an image of total cleanliness and efficiency in your kitchen to visitors you have a bit of a problem in your oven or grill pan because while it is relatively simple to keep flat surfaces clean the wire grills are a different matter. I have come across the perfect solution.....
Dead simple, have a spare set of grills in new condition and never use them. Just before the visitors arrive, clean the interior flat surfaces and install the brand new shiny grills! Take them out when they have departed, and put the old ones back. Works like a charm!
I have to inform you that I couldn't care less and would never do this but I am told that the practice is followed by some obsessive compulsive cleaners.

[Stanley]

My dad always said "Don't pee before your water comes!" Later in life I heard a story about a man who got a flat tyre in the middle of the night and found he hadn't got a jack with him. He saw a light in a house across the fields and set off towards it thinking he could get help. As he was approaching the house the light went out and he thought "they aren't going to be happy at being woken up!" He worked himself up to the point that when he got there, knocked on the door and the bedroom window opened he shouted "You can keep your jack and shove it!"
I'm going to the docs this morning and suspect he might suspect something is wrong with my waterworks. However, remembering my dad and the bloke and the jack, today's tip is that sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof, don't overthink things, time for that when you find out the size of the rabbit.

[Stanley]

The conclusion is that a trace of blood in my pee could/might possibly/perhaps be an early indication of a problem in my bladder (happen) so they are sending me for a battery of tests.... Deep Joy! Only good thing is that they are guaranteed to happen inside 14 days under the new targets. I feel fine but better safe than sorry.
So today's tip is obvious, 'Keep calm and carry on!'

[Stanley]

Every house contains some documents that are really important. It's a good tip to make sure they are all in one place and in a folder or case that can be grabbed in case of any emergency. There's nothing worse than mislaying an important document!



The Onward Building at Nelson and Colne College in 1980 when it burned down one late afternoon. During the conflagration firemen were sent into the building to bring out filing cabinets and when I asked I was told that they contained teacher's notes and if they lost them they would never teach again! Noel Kershaw, the deputy principal was seen at one point sending a couple of men in wearing breathing apparatus. They came out carrying a brief case. He explained afterwards that it contained the fire insurance policies....