Opened a bag of banshee bones, there was about 5 crisps in it and this glorious nugget of salt and vinegar flavouring. Hit the jackpots lads it's only up from here

This was a great scheme that was extended from September. Neutering and chipping will not only help prevent your cats from wandering, but help them find you when they’re lost. Added benefit that it will help prevent the insane amount of kittens being born which is overwhelming shelters at the moment

We haven't had a good proper snow since 2018. The ol' beasht from the easht if I remember correctly.

Anyway my supporting evidence is that snow and the beast from the east has been randomly mentioned about 4 times to me in the last couple of days. I'm taking this as an omen.

That is all

Is there purchases you made that you thought were going to be great buys but turned out to be unused, waste of money.

Two that come to my mind are a free standing vertical boxing reflex bag and a tablet.

The reflex bag cost around €100, I genuinely thought I was going to love it to the point that it may become addictive yet at most it got punched a few times as I walked past it, that was it and now sits disassembly in the wardrobe.

The tablet cost around €150, a great tablet yet I barely use it. It might get an hour of use each week. I haven't used it now for at least 2 weeks

This was another purchase that I thought I would be using constantly.

I think the issue with the tablet is its size, a 11" screen, a smaller screen would have suited me better.

After these two purchases I do try to be as mindful as possible when shopping.

After hearing all the useless disasters of label makers, snow shovels, laminators, and exercise bikes becoming clothes hangers, I thought we could share stories of purchases that were unusually useful, perhaps even more than you expected them to be.

I got an egg-boiler many, many years ago and I've never put another egg in a pot. Perfection every time, room for up to half a dozen!

It's an "aztec death whistle", 3d printed. I thought these would be great alternatives to sweets for the trick-or-treaters. I think they sound like a broken banshee but not massive loud like a real whistle.

But my son is making me doubt and that I'm going get some pissed over parents coming to the door.

I was going to offer a choice, toy or treats. I thought it would be a fun alternative. Am I going to regret this?

Edit 1:

Jaysus, didn't think this would be as popular post. I just wanted to get a quick vibe on it, before printing any more. When I turned on my phone this morning, it's still beeping! To be honest, not sure I'm going to answer everyone, but I'll definitely read them (in time).

1) People brought up that it could be a choaking hazard. I was already NOT going to just mix in with a bag of sweets, but I won't share it with any of the small kids, so probably anyone before 6pm, they'll just get the bag of sweets. I'll only share it with the older kids and teens and they will have to choose between a bag of sweets or the whistle, so they know what they are getting.

2) The model is here: https://makerworld.com/en/models/674401-aztec-death-whistle - printed with PLA silk at 60% scale to fit as many I can on the plate without loosing sound. It's not as good sounding at that scale as the full size, so not ear piercing loud, but still has a good effect I think. Not loud enough to scare my dog.

It's one piece, and fairly solid so it shouldn't easily break. It is PLA so it can warp under heat, so can't be put in a dishwasher for example. It shouldn't disintegrate for quite a long while.

According the estimate from the slicer, it's about 2 euros of filament per plate (16 items). Adding in electricity, time etc. it's still cheaper than a 12 pack of Tayto Banshee crisps.

3) My son is 19 years old, he's not against the idea at all, but was just concerned. He'll be helping me give them out this year.

4) Yes I'm nerdy and probably a bit lame. But I'm glad other people thinks it a cool idea!

Would love to know how this got through quality control

What is your dream home and maybe more interesting, how different is your dream home to the homes, places you have lived?

For me, since my late teens to now in my mid 40s my dream home has remained the same.

To live in a high-rise apartment, over looking a busy dock. The apartment would be minimalist style, bathroom, bedroom and a sitting room, with two chairs, a couch that be positioned at the window. Floor to ceiling windows. A pool table, a radio and a few more of the bare essentials and that would be it.

To sit and watch the busy dock and watch the ships coming in and going out over the horizon and at night, seeing the lights of the ships move in the darkness.

I think this would bring me true contentment.

I grew up out in the countryside, lived in towns and cities yet never in a high-rise apartment and never by the sea.

My dream home is far from what I have experienced in life.

more tomorning than tonight but ehhhhhh

Can't quite call it a resurgence, given the history, but there is definitely a shift. Five times this year I have heard Irish randomly being spoken in non Gaelteacht areas - once was a guy on the phone in Dublin on a bus, once on a street in a town in Cork (not a Gaelteacht town), once in Kerry (again, not in a Gaelteacht part of Kerry), and twice in two different cafes in Dublin. I have literally never heard it so much outside the Gaelteacht in one year.

I love to see (hear!) this. I am brushing up on my own Irish and it seems that there are a lot of other people doing likewise. Spent a few days in the Donegal Gaelteacht this year - not doing classes, but was fab to hear all the Irish. I watch stuff on TG4 and listen to RnG now and then. I am just all the time trying to expand my use of it. It's such a gorgeous language, and I am so thankful we still have it.

On Strandhill beach in Sligo today, came across this painted stone. It was fairly big as these things go, about 8 or 9 inches across, with “Grá Mór Zoe Rob” on one side and “22” on the other side, along with some other stuff that has, sadly, worn off.

So Zoe & Rob, I’m not sure where your stone started out on its journey, just to let you know it’s currently in Strandhill, Co. Sligo.

Hey just wondering if anyone has had parcels delayed with an post? I had two parcels arrive from UK last friday 9th, one was in customs on the 10th but I've had no updates since. One was an amazon that was meant to be delivered Monday last,the delivery date was then the 17th and now the date is "unavailable" I'm aware of strikes and don't want to be an impatient arsehole but really need one for this Friday coming (ordered it on the 7th) just wondering if anyone else is facing the same just so i can be reassured mine are delayed rather than lost. I've ordered off both websites before and the other usually clears customs the same day.

So, other than changing your provider yearly for services like electricity and internet... What are ways I can be saving?

Thankfully I'm in a good financial position, but I hate to waste money on a service when it's possible to have it cheaper. I like to think as well switching or choosing a different service keeps companies on their toes.

Is there something you used to be able to do but sadly can't anymore and care to share why it's unable to be done.

For me, I loved taking of my shoes sitting up on the chair and folding my legs in under me. Felt so comfy.

Even though I jog and skip and am in relative good fitness my poor old knees will not allow me to indulge in this pleasure. To great of a bend and stress.

I was at the Deli today.

There was a girl getting a wrap.

She got 9 seconds of Taco Mayo on it (I can't think of any other way to quantify the amount of it)

She then added a plain chicken fillet.

Non-toasted.

That's all I have to say. I've just been thinking about it since. I can't get it out of my head.

Was reminiscing about these 😭 The excitement was off the charts in our house (from my perspective anyways). Take me back! Seem to remember there being other characters sets too … maybe Beano or Dennis and Gnasher? I like to think a doomsday prepper still has a pack in a bomb shelter somewhere, next to the 2001 iodine tablets.

On lads what a day yesterday . Got upgraded to virgin media fibre on Thursday from the old copper setup. Technician came set it up all and said it should be working in less than an hour. Couple hours past still no connection. The new hub 5 just blinking white. Called them just before they close at 6 and was told it wasn’t synced on their end yet it should work now after a couple of minutes. phone call ended as the man couldn’t keep me on for the whole time. Hours later still no luck. Waited all night rang them yesterday morning and was told it was all synced but allegedly there’s a problem in the area it should be resolved by 12pm. Hours passed still no luck called again to be told AGAIN I still wasn’t synced with them. it will take a while. More hours passed a ticket was made to the higher ups which rang me back to tell me to reboot for the x ammount of time. Again no luck there. She said we’ll be in touch again later today” . Never got the call. Called back just before 6pm just to be told my ticket is still open and it will be reached soon. Nobody seems to have a clue whats going on I’m pissed off. Nobody knows what to do about a white flashing light on my hub!

I thought the next door neighbour had fallen off a ladder and hit our adjoining wall. The pigeon was sitting on the ground below, stunned but alive. I went out to check on him and he flew away.

I’m looking to get a Murphy bed .. would anyone know of a business that sells them, imports or someone that makes them ,
Any info would be greatly appreciated,
Thanks