Odd things I've learned today.

[gill216]

1. There is a right way, and an upside down way, to peel an orange I have 12 in various states of undress proving this. (Thanks to my son!)
2. There is a right way, and a wrong way, to put knives in a knife block. One way will blunt them, the other way won't. Thanks Hannah- (said son's OH!) now I have to sharpen all the knives that have become blunt in the process of proving the point (I love her to bits so I'll let her off with this one)

Any one care to add any gems to this list? They have to be proven to be correct though

[Laura]

If you put a toddler in a vest, T-shirt, two hooded jumpers, jeans, an all-in-one puddle suit, and wellies, and send him out to play in a muddy garden, he will not be able to move efficiently, therefore will fall over (headfirst into a flowerbed) and will not be impressed.

[Bunnylump]

And did you know that if you drink too much wine you end up falling in the flowerbed as well. Like I did.

[giraffe]

If you spend two and a half hours cooking dinner the family will demolish it in 10 minutes and you will wonder why you bothered.

[Bunnylump]

Random but true. I found out today that old drey carts for breweries have solid brass hubs in the middle of the cartwheels, carefully engineered with a left hand and a right hand thread to put them together*. B-I-L was given one which has been rotting in someone's garden, and he's trying to do it up. He's contacted the brewery (he knows which one it is because the brewery's name is embossed in said brass fittings) and it seems they might want to buy it from him for their museum after he's restored it.

* Yes I know that most of you are thinking "so what?" But I like finding out how things work and what they are made of.

Oh yeah, and back on the fruit theme... did you know that you can slice a banana while it is still inside its skin? All you do is to get a long thin needle, then poke it through on one of the "corners" of the banana and move it side to side inside the banana. It's a brilliant trick to play on someone. They open the banana and find it ready sliced.

[MBH]

I've done the banana slicing trick before - it's very effective

What I learned today (Saturday) is that I CAN enjoy exercise so long as it has a Latin American beat.

I did Salsa-cise and Latin Aerobics with new instructor at the local gym. His name is George, but as he is Chilean it is "Jorje" and he as far from an effeminate male dancer as you can get. He's built like a bull - but boy, can he move

At no point during the two sessions (an hour each) did I look at the clock to see "Is it nearly finished", and the fact I was the only other man in the room didn't bother me at all. In the Salsa based one he even did some partner work (exchanging partners time after time) so I got to dance with 6 different women.

Afterwards I applied myself to some NVQ work I've previously failed to get through (showing mental alertness), and then dashed home to get sorted out for my evening shift at the bar - where I didn't get the usual 10pm drowsiness (showing physical stamina). Or in other words, I got the supposed 'benefits' of exercise that I have never had from doing exercise in the past.

I'm knackered now, and my legs know they have been doing 'something', but unlike other exercise I don't feel bad at all.

[Bunnylump]

At no point during the two sessions (an hour each) did I look at the clock to see "Is it nearly finished"

so I got to dance with 6 different women

...Naturally, these two statements are entirely UNCONNECTED... Seriously, glad you enjoyed yourself. It sounds like you had fun. Although that sounds like my kind of hell...trying to be co-ordinated and trying to go in the right direction all at the same time? Nightmare!