What little thing(s) that you do are you stupidly proud of?

[Asterion]

I was just reading the thread about things we hate doing, and filling up with petrol was one of them.

Whereas, when I fill my car up with petrol I'm all LOOK AT ME, A LAYDEE, JUST HERE CASUALLY FILLING UP MY CAR LIKE A BIG BOSS GROWNUP!!!

What little everyday thing makes you ridiculously proud of yourself?

This is properly majorly lame but you know when you have towels or maybe slightly older bits of clothing that smell that musty way no matter how many times you wash them? I know how to get that out now and they smell good as new and so fresh.

I can shuffle cards the way where you sort of fan them into each other and then do that second rainbow fan to get them stacked. It makes a really satisfying noise.

For those of you that can park nicely I would be proud of that!

I can shuffle cards the way where you sort of fan them into each other and then do that second rainbow fan to get them stacked. It makes a really satisfying noise

I can do that! It gets really admiring looks and comments about a misspent youth.

I can also parallel park, and I know how to fix (some) things in the house.

I also (and I think this is a genuinely useful skill but probably really comes under 'bodging') nearly always come up with a way to plug a leak/fix a drain/repair a fence in such a way as it will last until the professionals get there. This has saved us £££ in out of hours call out fees over the years.

But I REALLY want to be able to whistle with my fingers.

My job. I work shifts and the shift that takes over from me always comment on how much has been done, how clean and tidy the place is and, most importantly, how happy staff and service users are. People have said if they want extra shifts, they try to join mine or the one after. So proud of that.

I managed to get Brit Box to stream to the TV without asking my teenagers to do it

I've been 4 stone overweight for years. I was told by my consultant that due to my atuoimmune disease I would NEVER lose the weight. I couldn't walk properly -running -no chance. I'm 6 weeks into Couch to 5K and I've lost 2 stone in 6 weeks, and I can run for 20 minutes without stopping. The next 2 stone are going before my birthday next year. I'm not going back.

Bourbon how do you get rid of that musty smell?? Please share your secret on that one!

I can get my dog to walk calmly on a loose lead past other dogs going batshit crazy. It took hours and hours and hours and hours of training (and the promise of a biscuit) but the slightly smug glow is totally worth it

Can’t whistle with my fingers though. I just spray everywhere and it’s gross. Properly jealous of that one.

@Bourbonbiscuits20 Please will you tell me the washing secret? I’ve just had to throw out one of my favourite nighties as I just couldn’t get the musty smell out of it!

I am very good at sweeping up with a broom. Years of working in kennels not gone to waste!

yy to all these. I’m proud of random stuff which is nothing to do with any effort on my part.
•skinny old dog. She’s 14 but very active and fit looking. We always get asked her age in the park and I glow with pride.
•skinny old dog (me!) I am flat chested which means even at 50+ I can pass the pencil test. In fact from the neck down I have a great body face like a bag of spanners though

I love parking to. My husband is always impressed

I can fly a kite. Probably sounds daft, we have a 1 string and a 2 string kite and my dh and dds cant get them going. If I start it for my dds they can fly the single string one. They cant understand how I can get the 2 string one going, it seems easy to me, my husband gets really jealous which is funny

I didn't drive a car prior to moving to the UK at age 25.
I took lessons in a manual car and passed my UK driving test on the first try.
I know plenty of American expats who have driven years in the US and took their tests on automatic cars in the UK and some still didn't pass it on the first try.
My English brother-in-law took two tries to pass.
I'm immensely proud of myself. In fact, I have been in the US for 15 years now and I bought a manual car because I can drive it.

I shouldn't be so smug about it but it's pretty much all I've got. Lol

@babyandI

Folding Tesco shopping bags into very neat little triangles and using the handles to keep them in place

Oooh now that's clever. I do them in little squares, but I want to try the triangle way now!

I’ve perfected the teacher death stare and the “ERM....exCUSE me? WHAT on EARTH do you think you are doing?” that makes bad behaviour in corridors evaporate into a fine mist...

I’m mega proud because I had the shit bullied out of me in school and I’m still terrified of 12 year olds. I’ve spent my whole life being told I’m too fucking nice and just being able to stare and stop bad behaviour is a huge relief. Because I haven’t got a clue what to do after “the stare”. But mine is so powerful the kids have no idea that I’m hopeless at being strict so that’s the main thing.

The stare also works in other areas of life. It’s really effective at getting people to social distance in supermarkets and getting pervy men to fuck off. With one stare I can go from being on the receiving end of awful customer service to “and let me throw you in some complimentary samples and and 30% voucher off your next purchase.” It’s great because I’m terrified of being accidentally rude and I’m shit at being assertive...so “stare” = get what I want with zero effort and without offending anyone...just perhaps scaring them into thinking I’m terrifying.

My favourite combo is the stare, blank face + “I don’t think that’s appropriate, do you?” often followed by “don’t do it again” and a powerful turn on the old killer heels. It works in so many situations, it’s truly fantastic.

I must have the best resting bitch face in the world.

Anything that involves my amazing dexterity

From typing (picked it up really quickly) to operating an adding machine (yes I'm old!) to cross stitch, knitting (only basic knowledge but I'm really fast!) to working on tills when I was super fast and accurate at taking payment and making change due to being able to quickly handle and sort coins and notes by feel alone, to when I've worked in factories and I was the best and fastest one at sorting and stacking small fiddly pieces of whatever for what was being made - screws, nails, buttons of course but also industry specific ones I learned really quickly how to sort and size.

Very odd skill to have but gives me a little kick

When baking if things like small decorative items like mini buttons or teeny flowers get mixed up I can quickly and easily separate them even in a cake mix. Messy though

Ditto small toys when Dd was little, puzzle pieces, doll shoes, Lego etc

Much admiration for those who can do whistling properly (I barely manage a basic lips only one!), parallel park easily (I manage it but it stresses me out!)

Won't be popular on mn but I'm excellent at haggling and complaining about poor service. I stay calm, don't attack personally (as per mn rules ), stick to the task at hand but I am very persistent and know the law and prior to an attempt inform myself on the current prices/terms for whatever I'm dealing with.

Ex was very impressed when on several occasions I got us massively reduced prices and/or freebies or extensions on contracts "thrown in"

Bourbon dont come here with half a tale! How do you get rid of the musty smell?

I can open beer bottles with my teeth. Although now I'm 40 I feel I'm pushing my luck and should stop it.

So start with the items already washed, half fill your bath with HOT water, add 1/4 cup of borax, 1/4 cup washing soda, and 1/2cup detergent. Add the items and soak 4-6 hours till the water cools. The water sometimes turns a gross colour and/or smells a bit which is super satisfying, it removes the build up of whatever it is in the clothes.
Then run it through the machine (don't need to add any extra detergent I don't think...been a while since I've done it!) and voila!

Thanks @Bourbonbiscuits20 - where do you buy your Borax? It’s banned in the U.K.

And what is washing soda please?

Looking forward to using this!

I can parallel park pretty well, even DH concedes I can park better than he can!

AND I can whistle using my two fingers on each hand. Really loud. My children are like the Von traps - trained to the whistle!! Very handy in the park or on the beach. I taught myself at school how to do it and can still do it now at 42!

I can write with either hand, I'm rather ridiculously proud of that even though it isn't any sort of advantage at all. I didn't even discover it until I was studying Arabic and found it difficult to write with my right hand. I was having to do the sort of contorting and paper slanting that lefties have to do with our alphabet, so on a whim I tried my left hand and my handwriting instantly improved. It turned out that I can also write perfectly legible English with my left hand, although not as quickly and comfortably as I can with my right.

Reverse parking
Well stocked fridge
When I bake cakes and they look the bomb!
When ds says thank you to someone else without prompting (he's only 2).
When I hoover more than once a week!
I also managed to renevate the bathroom and toilet by myself through lockdown. Dh wasn't fussed so I did it all including sanding walls, painting and laying floor tiles. I love it when people come round and say it looks nice now!

I can make lovely soda bread.

Reverse a horse trailer perfectly. (Took loads of practice though.)

ProudAuntie76 Washing soda is white crystals that you can add to your laundry or pre soak, its an epic de-greaser. Like lemon washing up liquid but for clothes. Find in the supermarket laundry or cleaning aisle, and corner shops.
But dont confuse it with caustic soda or you'll have no clothes.

Hanging washing on the line. I feel like I'm in some old movie and get a stupid smile on my face, I then start laughing because I realise how silly I'm being and most likely look insane to the neighbours!