Good News stories

[Padraig]

But can you genuflect bending only one knee?

In all the talk about 'taking a knee', far from disparaging the Flag it is an alternative way of showing respect. That's what we were taught as Catholics when told as boys how to behave properly when at services. Traditionally it was the right knee. Two knees was kneeling and we did a lot of that too.

[Serial_Apologist]

In all the talk about 'taking a knee', far from disparaging the Flag it is an alternative way of showing respect. That's what we were taught as Catholics when told as boys how to behave properly when at services. Traditionally it was the right knee. Two knees was kneeling and we did a lot of that too.

Too much kneeling on one knee, you end up getting amkneesia.

[Leinster Lass]

Too much kneeling on one knee, you end up getting amkneesia.

I'd forgotten that that actually happened to two of my friends, Pat and Ella.

[french frank]

I'd forgotten that that actually happened to two of my friends, Pat and Ella.

Then you noticed their knees and it reminded you?

[Serial_Apologist]

Then you noticed their knees and it reminded you?

[cloughie]

Our village Christmas lights were switched on this evening - no countdown or ceremony but good to see. Many of the villages in the area decided not to do any lights this year because of Covid, including the very popular Mousehole ones.

[teamsaint]

Our village Christmas lights were switched on this evening - no countdown or ceremony but good to see. Many of the villages in the area decided not to do any lights this year because of Covid, including the very popular Mousehole ones.

Why did many of them decide not to have lights?

[Old Grumpy]

Why did many of them decide not to have lights?

No lights, no crowds?

Excuse to save money?

Not putting workers at unnecessary risk?

Dunno, but could perhaps be one of the above.


Just put our lights out today at Grumpy Towers. Probably about 2.5 weeks earlier than usual, but must admit it does cheer the place up!

[teamsaint]

No lights, no crowds?

Excuse to save money?

Not putting workers at unnecessary risk?

Dunno, but could perhaps be one of the above.


Just put our lights out today at Grumpy Towers. Probably about 2.5 weeks earlier than usual, but must admit it does cheer the place up!

Yep, more lights than ever round here, even more welcome than usualy this year.

[Old Grumpy]

Yep, more lights than ever round here, even more welcome than usualy this year.

Perhaps should have been phrased "put our lights up", rather than "put our lights out"!

[cloughie]

Why did many of them decide not to have lights?

The reasons given by OG except the excuse to save money - though fundraising activities would be more limitied in the Covid scenario. The cheerup factor was a major one in ours going ahead - though we have not as many lights as usual and have worked on what we had that were readily available.

[Pulcinella]

Here's a relief: the answer to all your lockdown Christmas present dilemmas.
From a list of 10 brilliant homemade Christmas gift ideas on the Guardian's website.
However, I have no idea how to 'pop out' the ball, and, in true DIY instruction style, there seems to be something missing: how and when do I pop it back in?


Headache oil

Pop the ball out of a used essential oil roll-on container (or buy new ones cheaply at etsy.com), and sterilise it as you would a jam jar: wash in hot soapy water, and rinse but don’t dry. Place on a baking tray in an oven heated to 160C/gas mark 3 for 10 minutes. Soak the ball in boiled water for a few minutes.

Mix 20 drops of peppermint oil (for relieving stress and easing headaches) with two drops of camomile oil (which promotes sleep and reduces anxiety) and two of lavender oil (for calming and easing tension), and top up with coconut oil (try nealsyardremedies.com).

Place an attractive coloured sticker on the bottle, then tie on a dried leaf or flower with twine. On the bottom of each container, on another sticker, write the product’s name, ingredients and how to use it (roll it on your temples and relax).

[oddoneout]

Here's a relief: the answer to all your lockdown Christmas present dilemmas.
From a list of 10 brilliant homemade Christmas gift ideas on the Guardian's website.
However, I have no idea how to 'pop out' the ball, and, in true DIY instruction style, there seems to be something missing: how and when do I pop it back in?


Headache oil

Pop the ball out of a used essential oil roll-on container (or buy new ones cheaply at etsy.com), and sterilise it as you would a jam jar: wash in hot soapy water, and rinse but don’t dry. Place on a baking tray in an oven heated to 160C/gas mark 3 for 10 minutes. Soak the ball in boiled water for a few minutes.

Mix 20 drops of peppermint oil (for relieving stress and easing headaches) with two drops of camomile oil (which promotes sleep and reduces anxiety) and two of lavender oil (for calming and easing tension), and top up with coconut oil (try nealsyardremedies.com).

Place an attractive coloured sticker on the bottle, then tie on a dried leaf or flower with twine. On the bottom of each container, on another sticker, write the product’s name, ingredients and how to use it (roll it on your temples and relax).

I saw that too and reckoned you would need a headache remedy after battling through the instructions. It's been decades since I had any close contact with such containers (I didn't favour such application methods but other family members did) but the balls were plastic so the idea of putting one in the oven made me cringe.

[Pulcinella]

I saw that too and reckoned you would need a headache remedy after battling through the instructions. It's been decades since I had any close contact with such containers (I didn't favour such application methods but other family members did) but the balls were plastic so the idea of putting one in the oven made me cringe.

The ball doesn't go in the oven though, merely in 'boiled water' for a few minutes.
No clue given as to the temperature of the water: so just the fact that it's been boiled is good enough?

As you say, headache providing rather than curing!

[oddoneout]

The ball doesn't go in the oven though, merely in 'boiled water' for a few minutes.
No clue given as to the temperature of the water: so just the fact that it's been boiled is good enough?

As you say, headache providing rather than curing!

Having re-read the original several times I think you are right about the ball - but the sentence actually says "pop the ball out....and sterilise it" then gives the wash and put in the oven sterilising instructions without clarifying that 'it' is the bottle not the ball - although the bottles are usually plastic as well. I don't know if the original instructions from which the Guardian article summarised are any clearer.
When making jam etc putting jars in the oven is as much about getting them thoroughly dry after washing and making sure they don't crack from thermal shock when the hot contents are added as sterilising. Getting the container dry would be important for the repurposing idea but using the oven is a dubious suggestion to my mind. I wonder if the buy new ones mentioned are glass?