c/ask-a-neighbor

Three hours to change a light fixture, what is wrong with me

I thought swapping out a dining room light would be a 30 minute job tops. Got the old one down fine, but the new bracket didn't line up with the junction box holes at all. Spent an hour driving to the hardware store for a different mounting plate, then another hour figuring out the wiring because the colors were faded. Then I dropped a screw into the drywall gap and had to fish it out with a magnet. Three hours total for something that should have been a quick swap. Has anyone else had a simple home project turn into a whole afternoon ordeal?

Just tried planting tomatoes in the shade on purpose and got way more fruit

I have this spot along my fence that only gets about 4 hours of direct sun a day. Everyone says tomatoes need full sun so I always ignored it. But last spring I got a late start and had extra seedlings so I stuck 3 of them back there just to see what would happen. By August those plants were loaded with tomatoes while my full sun ones were dropping flowers in the heat. The fruits were a bit smaller but there were way more of them and they tasted just as good. I learned that in my yard afternoon shade actually helps during those 95 degree stretches. Has anyone else had better luck with plants in less sun than the directions say?

Spent $150 on a meal delivery service and got nothing but bland mush for a week

Signed up for one of those meal prep companies thinking it'd save time and taste good. Everything came pre-portioned but the chicken was like rubber and the veggies were soggy. I could've bought groceries for three weeks with that cash. Anyone else try one of these and just end up ordering pizza by Thursday?

My sister swore I'd regret buying that cheap can opener from Dollar Tree

She told me last month that any can opener under $5 is just gonna break after a week. I figured $1.25 was worth the gamble for a backup. Thing has opened 30 cans so far without any issues, still sharp and no wobble. Now I'm wondering if I just got lucky or if she's been buying fancy ones for no reason. Has anyone else had a cheap tool outlast the expensive one?

Last Wednesday was an absolute disaster from start to finish.

I was installing a fence in a backyard near Memphis and hit a hidden sprinkler line with the post hole digger, then my auger broke down 20 minutes later. Has anyone else had a single day where everything just went wrong and you had to call it quits early?

Visited a diner in Nashville that only takes cash and it's 2024

Stopped at this place called The Pancake Pantry last week and the line was out the door, but they wouldn't take my card. Anyone else run into a strictly cash business lately and just walk away?

My basil plant went from scraggly to massive in 3 weeks

I bought a sad little basil plant from the grocery store for $3 and stuck it on my kitchen windowsill. after moving it to a bigger pot and giving it 6 hours of direct sun on the patio, it grew like crazy. the trick was pinching off the top leaves every few days to make it bush out. has anyone else had a plant suddenly take off after changing just one thing?

Got yelled at by a crossing guard at Lincoln Elementary last Tuesday

I was just trying to drop my kid off at school like I've done for the past two years. The crossing guard lady screamed at me for stopping two feet past the crosswalk line. I didn't even realize I was doing it wrong. Now I park an extra block away and walk my kid to the gate every morning. Has anyone else had a run-in with a school crossing guard that changed your whole drop-off routine?

Had the worst day at the station last Tuesday then it turned into the best one

Unpopular opinion: Paper planners beat digital calendars every time

I used to swear by Google Calendar for years. Switched back to a physical planner last March after my phone died during a shift change and I missed two appointments. Anyone else find the old way just works better for keeping track?

My backyard compost bin attracted a raccoon family last week

I set up a compost bin in my backyard in Portland about 3 months ago. Last week I went out to turn it and found a mama raccoon and three babies living right next to it. They had dug a tunnel under my fence and made a den in some old leaves I had piled up. I tried shooing them away but they just stared at me like I was the intruder. Anyone else had wildlife decide your garden projects are their new home?

PSA: I wasted $60 on a meal kit subscription

Signed up for HelloFresh last month cause of a coupon. Got three meals and half the ingredients were wilted and the portions were tiny. Anyone else get burned by those delivery services?

Just realized I was cracking eggs on the edge of the bowl my whole life

I always cracked eggs on the rim of the bowl. Every time. Got shell bits in there constantly. My mom does it that way so I just copied her for like 28 years. Then my roommate last month stopped me mid-crack and said 'hit it on the counter instead.' Flat surface. No shell fragments. Less mess. I felt like a complete idiot. Why does everyone act like the bowl edge is the only way? Anyone else get taught some kitchen trick that's actually terrible?

Shoutout to washing dishes by hand vs. using a dishwasher... I switched back after 10 years

Used to swear by the dishwasher for everything, but after my last one broke 6 months ago, I started hand-washing and realized I save about $15 a month on electricity and my plates actually feel cleaner, plus I don't have to pre-rinse anymore, so which side are you on for everyday dishes?

Blew $60 on a fancy ice cube tray that still gave me cloudy ice

I bought this expensive silicone tray that claimed crystal clear cubes, but after 3 tries they came out looking like dirty snow. Has anyone found a hack that actually works without buying a whole ice machine?

Why does everyone load the dishwasher wrong at my house

I've watched three different people put dirty plates in without rinsing them first. Then they stack bowls on top of each other so the water never gets inside. Last week I pulled out a casserole dish with dried cheese still stuck to it from Tuesday. How hard is it to just scrape your plate off before putting it in there?

My sister told me to put salt in my coffee, said it cuts the bitterness

I tried it this morning with a pinch of sea salt in my dark roast, and honestly it worked. The bitter edge was gone but I could still taste the coffee. Has anyone else tried this or is my sister just weird?

Turns out my grandpa's trick for cleaning grill grates actually works better than store stuff

Ngl, I've been scrubbing my Weber kettle with those wire brushes for years and got tired of replacing them every season. My grandpa told me to just ball up some aluminum foil, grab it with tongs, and scrub the hot grates after cooking. I tried it last weekend and I'm not kidding, it stripped off all that baked-on gunk in like 2 minutes flat. No more buying $10 brushes that rust out in 3 months. Has anyone else found a random household item that beats the store bought version of something?

I used to call my mom for every recipe, now I just google it on my phone while standing in the aisle

Back in 2015 I'd be at the grocery store calling my mom to ask if I needed baking soda or powder for cookies. Now I just pull up a recipe on my phone and get the answer in 10 seconds. It's faster but I kind of miss the 15 minute chats about nothing while she talked me through it. Anyone else find themselves doing that less and less?

Had a terrible day at the hardware store last Tuesday

I went to grab some 2x4s for a simple shelf project and the guy measuring cuts was gone for 20 minutes, then they didn't have the right screws in stock. Has anyone else had a simple errand turn into a whole afternoon just because one thing went wrong?

Talked to a retired plumber at my nephew's cookout and he said something that made me rethink how I load the dishwasher.

He told me that spinning arm gets blocked by tall pots in the bottom rack all the time and that's why my glasses come out cloudy, so has anyone else had better luck running a rinse cycle before loading everything in?

Had a plumber try to tell me dishwashers need a garbage disposal - that's just wrong

Last month my tenant in Cincinnati called about a backed-up kitchen sink. I get there and her dad had already called a plumber who quoted her $600 to install a garbage disposal. Said it was necessary for the dishwasher to drain right. That's complete nonsense. I've been running a plumbing crew for 12 years and half the houses I work on don't have disposals. The dishwasher just needs a proper high loop or air gap in the drain line. I showed her how the existing setup just had a clog in the p-trap from food scraps she should have scraped into the trash. Cleared it with a snake in 20 minutes. Charged her $85 for the service call. Why do people push expensive unnecessary upgrades when a simple fix does the job? Anyone else run into tradesmen trying to upsell you on stuff you don't need?

That $5 thrift store knife I scoffed at is now my go-to kitchen tool

I picked up this old carbon steel chef's knife at a Goodwill in Portland for 5 bucks last year. Figured it'd be dull junk, but after 20 minutes on a whetstone it took a razor edge. Used it every day for 8 months straight now and it holds an edge better than my 60 dollar stainless one. Anybody else find a random piece of gear that surprised you like that?

Was convinced meal prepping was a waste of time until I tried it for 3 weeks straight.

I always thought it was just for fitness influencers until my coworker Lisa showed me her Sunday routine and I gave it a shot. Now I save about $50 a week on lunch and actually eat vegetables. Has anyone else been surprised by something they swore they'd never do?

10 years ago I picked a gas stove over induction and I'm still second guessing it

When we redid the kitchen in 2014, I went with gas because that's what my mom always had, but now with all the health stuff coming out about gas stoves I'm wondering if I made the wrong call. Has anyone here switched from gas to induction and actually liked it?