Things I’ve Learned This Week.

Hello, good morning and …. HAPPY FRIDAY!

I don’t know about you, but Fridays give me this funny little feeling somewhere between my tummy button and my … erm … my uhm  …  chest. (phew – that was touch and go there for a minute).  It’s an odd sort of feeling,  like my body is having a quiet giggle to itself.  A cross between a giggle and a tickle – but right inside me.  In the centre of my body.  Funniest little feeling.  Nice one though.

Aww … hush up Cobs.  Get on with the post already!

Right .. you’re here to read about how I’ve had my edumacation improved this week, so without further ado, I shall plunge straight in and get on with it.

This week I learned . . . that Liechtenstein is a tiny, doubly landlocked country tucked away between Switzerland and Austria.  It owes much of its wealth to its traditional status as a tax haven, though it has in recent years taken steps to shake off its image as a tax haven and to reposition itself as a legitimate financial centre.

However …  do you know that Liechtenstein is the Worlds Leading Manufacturer in  _______.   If you don’t know the answer to that …. have a guess.  Think about the country.  Think about where it is.  Imagine what you think that Liechtenstein is the Worlds Leading Manufacturer in.  Just take a wild guess.

Vaduz Castle, overlooking the capital, is home to the Prince of Liechtenstein

Let’s see if you guessed correctly shall we?  In actual fact, Liechtenstein is the Worlds Leading Manufacturer in  —>left click on your mouse and hold the click as you drag your cursor over this blank spot here —>FALSE TEETH<—  😀   If you’re anything like me you’ll have guessed that it would be some sort of speciality Beer.  But no…  such a beautiful place with such romantic feel about it – who could have guessed that fact?  lol

If you’d like to learn a little more about this enchanting place you can read more here:  The Spectator – Liechtenstein  the link will open up in another page for you.  If when the page loads, it asks you to ‘join up’ to their site, either close that smaller window or simply click back, then click forward and the Spectators efforts to get you to sign up will disappear so that you can read.

Now then … what else have I learned this week?….  ohhhhh… I know…

I learned this week that when you have a plan,  the world laughs at you and makes other plans just to see how you handle the new stuff which life has thrown at you.

My craft room is all set up in our converted garage.  The whole thing was already converted when we bought the cottage – so it seemed to be fate that brought us to it.

It took about a year before we were able to set up the room properly so that I could craft in it.  (we had to do renovations to the cottage after we bought it).  And I love it in there.  However … I did have to make a teensy bit of room for our washing machine.  But it’s located at the other end of the room, away from where I sit, so I didn’t bother too much about it.  BUT … this week it suddenly began making the most dreadful noise when it started to spin.  BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG!  It got louder too.

So scared was I that I picked up the phone and called Mr.Cobs (he was in the cottage – our phones can call each other – so my phone in the garage can, at the press of a button, call the phone in the house.  It works!.  When Himself answered the phone I had to shout to hear myself talk….  “come to the craft room QUICK!”,   I was scared silly that the Washing Machine was going to suddenly blow up!

Well, shortening the tale … the Washing Machine has gone to Washing Machine Heaven.  So .. a new machine was found, delivery arranged, payment was made AT GREAT EXPENSE I might add!,  (I hope this new machine makes me my coffee, I’m telling you!).  Then Mr.Cobs said he’d have to get the old machine out, ready for the men to make delivery of new machine, and take old machine away with them.  And that’s where the trouble started.

It sounded like such a simple thing – remove old washing machine, make space for new one.  Oh. My. Goodmiss!  I hadn’t quite realised that there was a small(ish) Ikea unit which although not ‘in front’ of our old machine … it was enough in front, to stop the machine moving fully out of its position.  So that unit had to be moved.  Which meant that a whole load of stuff on the unit had to move, and then all the stuff which was on top of the unit had to be moved … and well, shortening the tale even further … a mess the size of a volcano happened.  I haven’t been able to work at my desk(s) all week.  I decided that since we’d got that unit out, then perhaps the best thing would be to re-site it and attach it to the sewing desk, so that the unit wouldn’t be in the way.

I won’t bore you with the jiggling which happened after that, but suffice to say … I could, at 7.30pm on Thursday night (yesterday) finally see a bit of my desk again.    So from all this I learned …  That I rather envied my Grandmother and how she told me about she used to do the washing for her growing family …. in a ‘dolly tub’ in the back garden.  BRING BACK THE DOLLY TUB!  It’s cheaper, and it doesn’t break down!

Credit: East Cleveland Image Archive

I also learned this week:  in quick, ‘bullet’ form ….

That . . .  80% of food has sugar added to it.

That . . .  Wasps must wear ‘uniforms’ by smearing themselves with wax from their nest, and then on their return, fellow wasps recognise they are from the same colony and accept them in.

That . . .  Mark Twain invented and patented the bra-strap clasp.  I kid ye not.  This really is true.

That . . .   Abulia is the word for the inability to make decisions.

A musophobist is a person who distrusts poetry.  As someone who will make up a bit of silly poetry at the drop of a hat – this was a real upset to me!

Depp means ‘twit’ in German.  This kind of upset me for a moment, because I used to have rather a soft spot for Johnny Depp …  but then I outgrew him so no longer upset.  🙂

The first commercial chewing gum appeared in 1871, after Thomas Adams had failed to make car tyres from the same ingredients.  Yes … that stopped me in my tracks too when I learned that.

The Pantone colour chart has 104 shades of grey.  So that means  *that fellow*  in  *that ’50 shades’ book*  was well below par.  (snigger)  I’m so glad that I didn’t read it.

and finally . . .

Male Ladybirds can spend up to four hours mating with a dead female before realising something is wrong.  Ok… I’m going to stand up and admit that I actually laughed.  I’m sorry.  I’m sorry to the Men Ladybirds.  I don’t think I meant to find that funny … but … well … it just kinda snuck up on me and before I knew it I was giggling like a schoolgirl.  (And each time I think of it, I start giggling all over again).  I don’t know why it tickles the heck out of me …  well, maybe I do…  but I’m not going to say.  Let’s just say that I apologise.  (and yes…. I’m giggling right now too).

I’ve learned rather a lot this week.  How I’ve managed to remember all of it so that I can share it with you, is way out of my understanding.  But I’m so glad that I did.  (Especially so the Lady(man)bird one.  LOLOL.  [now stop it Cobs.  Behave yourself!  tsk tsk.]

Well there’s only enough time for some jokes now, so I’d better get on with it….  ready?  OK.. let’s go!

Why did the bicycle fall over?  . . . Because it was two tired!

Why did the prune go out with the raisin?  . . .  They couldn’t find dates!

Did you hear about the corduroy pillow?  . . .   It made the headlines.

Why do they call them light bulbs?  …  Because they don’t weigh very much.

What’s red and looks like a bucket? . . .  A red bucket.

What’s blue and smells like red paint?  . . .  Blue paint

What’s orange and sounds like a parrot?  . . . A carrot

Why does Beethoven hate chickens? . . .  Because all they ask for is Bach Bach Bach Bach Bach.

and finally . . .

What is Beethoven up to now? . . . Decomposing.

I did say that we could talk more about Time Travelling this week … but I ran out of …..  lol.

Truth is, I think I’ve talked more than enough, so I’m going to shut up and give your brain a rest.

Also ….  My apologies to all the crafters out there, because I haven’t shared anything crafty with you this week.  Having had my craft room turned upside down hasn’t helped with any crafty endeavours  … but …  I’m filled with ideas for what I want to do, so I’ll try to be back next week with something lovely to look at.

I have a busy weekend coming ….  I’m hosting Little Cobs Birthday Party in our cottage.  I’ve been busy ordering, buying, finding and all manner of things.  So I’m really looking forward to his party on Saturday (tomorrow).  All I have to remember to do before then is find half an hour to wrap his gifts, instead of realising ten minutes before the party starts, that I haven’t wrapped them!  eeeek! 

So … what about you?  Do you have anything planned for this weekend?  Do share.  I’d love to hear about what you’re up to in your corner of the world.

Whatever you’re doing, may you find happiness and joy.  May the weather be what you’d like it to be, and may love enter your life softly, gently, and leave footprints on your heart.  Be good to each other, and . . . may your God go with you.

Brightly woven, cobwebby squidges, to you in your corner, from me in mine  ~

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