SUSAN Heaven forbid! That might get her to examining just how healthy canned is and she might choose fresh or frozen. If you open a can by hand, you might see the sodium content.
Elly’s life is difficult enough without having to manually open cans….I mean what do people expect her to do, expend more energy to care for her family, and forgo the convenience of electricity?!! I don’t think she will get a new one, as she will not be able to clean her kitchen for a week to welcome it home! On the other hand, what does that say about her friend’s kitchen, that it took a WEEK to clean? Ewww….
The strip’s dating itself… 90 percent of the food cans on the supermarket shelves today (soup, canned veggies, etc.) have pop-tops and can be opened without tools. Heck, most of the prepared food that used to be sold in cans is now sold in plastic containers anyway. Can’t remember the last time I needed a can opener…
Puddle, also… back in those days I think they considered canned veggies as healthy as frozen. I remember my parents serving me canned veggies all the time (blech).
It’s an avocado green can opener. That dates it almost as much as using one in the first place and opening that many cans in the second.
Although … there’s a muted green being promoted these days that’s almost – but not quite – avocado.
I cannot imagine using an electric can opener. It’s the waste of energy – small but real. Then the waste of MY energy keeping the &*^&%!! thing clean, because like anything that stands on the kitchen counter, it will develop a coating of kitchen velour if left out. Or else the energy involved in opening a cabinet and hoisting it up onto the counter in order to use it. And then putting it back. And counter space – imagine using precious counter space for the thing.
On the other hand I don’t have much arthritis in my hands. They hurt enough that I can see why an electric can opener is definitely a good gift for someone whose hands are wracked by arthritis.
I would think if you had to have one the kind that attach under the cabinet would be the best.. no wasted counter space and those sometimes even have other useful attachments like a radio.
My, my! Not much love for Elly here today, and I didn’t say ANY OF IT! ….yet.
The thing is 1970’s, olive green! Remember the horrible olive green refrigerators, stoves, and other appliances? Thankfully ours were all white. We did have an olive green phone, when we got our first (“Totalphone”) pushbutton one. It was shaped like the dial phones.
Now she’ll have to beg John for $5.00 to get a new can opener. He’ll throw a few zings at Elly about using a manual one, she’ll show her uvula, and scream loud enough to knock furniture over, and he’ll end up having to grudgingly part with the cash. He HATES parting with cash, that’s why she has no car to go to the store with, so she can’t spend any of HIS money.
Why are you saying these awful things MrsLuke????
We know that’s how John is, for one thing. It drives me crazy when I’m out shopping and I see women having to ask their husband for every little thing. I see it all the time. They hint beggingly for every little, inexpensive thing, which drives me crazy like, “Oh, LOOK! An apple, we haven’t had an apple in ages!???” and he says “I don’t think we need that, put it back.” The other day I saw this girl, who was really begging this guy for a new shower curtain. It wasn’t even a good one, it was $3.99! He made her put it back. How degrading! Why should she have to beg for anything? She shouldn’t have to ask for money, let alone need permission to but a lousy shower curtain. What happens when she needs something for herself? There’s no way I’d end up like that. No way! I’ll buy whatever I want.
Mrs Luke: I was in the market the other day, and there was a small family over whom the father had complete control. The mom and kid wouldn’t even put anything on the conveyor belt until he came back to the cart and told them to. (Of course, they stood there next to the belt for several minutes, holding up the rest of us.) Then he stayed in front of them to pay the cashier and they dragged their cart behind them so they were effectively trapped between him and the cart (and still blocking the people behind them from getting to the conveyor). The body language and attitude of all three of them was so obvious it was painful.
I use a can opener, albeit infrequently. I buy tuna fish in a round can, and that’s how you have to open it. Just at the moment I can’t think of anything else I need it for, but I’m sure there are one or two other things.
Other than that I avoid canned food. (1) I don’t like the taste (2) it is 900% sodium, which is not good for me.
I do all the shopping in our home so I don’t need to ask for anything…The husband however… ;)
We do not have an electric can opener here. My mom has a battery operated one and it sucks. She can never get it to work right. I’d rather do it by hand than deal with that!
Green and yellow were big in the 70’s. I grew up in a town home that was built then and the fridge/washer/stove were a horrendous yellow. :s
That was called “Harvest Gold!” It followed the “Avocado Green” era I believe. When I moved, I had my perfectly good running frig painted at an auto body shop to change the color and it was perfect for the new house.
I had a GE, harvest gold stove in my first apartment. It had a harvest gold hood/fan. It was like brand new, but it was at least 25 years old.
They also made bakeware, like Bundt pans in the appliance green, gold, burnt orange, and DARK BROWN to match the awful colored appliances. I love stainless steel.
JanCinVV, wow! Imagine what lives they live? I hope they escape.
Many kitchens in the 70’s also had terrible color counter tops in such shades of yellow, orange or green
Sadly even the Bathroom was’t immune as our Bathtub and John were avocado green …eeecc
Supposedly if you and your family go on the camping vacation, will you guys bring the electrical can opener with you to open the cans before cook the food. Bring the manual can opener. Should not bring the electrical appliances with you for camping vacation. Duh! Use the common sense and of course, for survival, too.
MrsLukeSkywalker Oooh I DESIPE that olive green in color on anything. ACK! Blech! I feel like I am throwing up whenever I see that olive green. In 1970’s, I was raised in that time, I had seen that color on frigerator or other appliances. I hate it. I barely remembered that we had that olive green carpet on the floor in livingroom at my parent’s home. I didn’t mind but that was my parent’s idea and they wanted that kind of color for carpet to put on the floor in the living room, the hall, and the stairs. If I have my own house, I do not ever want the olive green on anything in my house. The “Harvest Gold” in color was not bad, tho’ but Bright Yellow hurt my eyes! Whoa! I always want the stainless steel stove/oven with gas, d/w, and fridge so badly! Those are very easy to clean without any problem. I love Tuscan/Spanish theme in the kitchen.
I remember the Harvest Gold & Avocado Green days. I could handle the Harvest Gold, but couldn’t stand Avocado Green. What was bad is that Lime Green used to be my favorite color when I was growing up (and in my adult years, Hunter Green), but my family just thought “if it is green, she’ll like it”. I’ve started telling people my favorite color is Khaki or tan, there aren’t any really obnoxious shades of that. Maybe too dark for walls or other applications, but not obnoxious. As long as they don’t think “Rose Beige!”
I use an electric can opener that’s pretty old. My doctor told me to eat more salt, so canned foods are usually fine for me, however, I do enjoy foods cooked from scratch, so not every meal comes from cans. There’s always a manual can opener in the house, just in case of a power outage or other reason. Mom used to have one with a large crank that was mounted to the side of her upper cabinet by the sink. That wasn’t bad to use, but I haven’t found one like that, or I might switch.
I break a lot of the manual can openers. I’m left-handed, and can openers are the one thing I’ve never managed to adapt to. I have to replace the stupid thing several times a year, although I’m not sure what it is that I do that messes them up. I’ve thought about shelling out the cash for a left-handed can opener (there’s a really great on-line store called everything left-handed that lives up to its name) but I keep thinking I’ll adapt.
Burgundy2, that’s the way I took it, but since you say that wasn’t what you meant, I can see where I jumped to conclusions. Sorry about that. I’m just so used to being on the defensive all the time around here. I’m glad you brought that to my attention. Hopefully you’ll forgive me.
I also added yesterday that I really should have said personality quirks instead of disorders. That’s what I meant by that statement. They ARE a bit quirky. That’s what we all talk about.
Notinkansasanymore I’m not left handed, but I have a drawer full of manual can openers. Try Farberware. They’re nice & sturdy with plastic handles and a plastic crank that doesn’t kill your hand. They turn effortlessly. They’re nice and sharp too. I bought one and liked it, so I bought 3 more, figuring it wouldn’t last long, but it’s still going strong after 3 years. I got them at Stop & Shop. They’re like $10.00, but they go on sale for 3 for $10.00 or 50% off all the time. I have good luck with those. they work well, and don’t break. Don’t buy the KitchenAid one though. As much as I love my KitchenAid 6 qt. mixer, the expensive manual can opener that looks well made, broke after I used it twice.
Don’t forget to wash the tops of your cans before you open them. Lord only knows what touched it. Then again, I clean everything I buy as I bring it in. You should see the dirt that comes off of everything, especially food.
I had an electric can opener that worked … once … a long, long time ago! Then … it died … and I haven’t been able to find one that works worth a (darn) ever since!!! The cheap (crap) that comes from China these days just doesn’t hold up as well as the used-to-be-made-in-America stuff did!!!!!
My husband and I have been married for 21 years and from the get-go, I insisted we maintain separate bank accounts – that way, I could buy whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted it, without feeling guilty about it or having to offer an explanation about it because I was spending my money that I went out and worked for. We’ve always jointly paid for the household expenses like groceries, insurance, state/federal taxes, etc., but I never EVER wanted to be in a position where I felt like I had to ask my husband for money to buy my make-up, shampoo, clothes, books, etc.! He would never deny me anything I needed, of course, but I consider the very thought of having to ask my husband for money to buy even just the basic necessities of life to be totally humiliating and degrading! He’s my husband, my partner, my equal … not my dad, my boss, or my master. I just don’t know how or why any woman would put up with that kind of nonsense in this day and age! Just beaten down until there’s no pride or self-esteem left in them, I guess.
Thebird55. I wash the can opener with soap and water evey time I use it, because I know what you mean. It collects crud, like the ketchup and mustard tops that some people never clean off.
MrsLukeSkywalker I just have a question about your comment. Where did anyone say that Elly was going to have to ask John for the money or for permission to buy a can opener? I find that buying anything for myself, no matter how small to be a real lift.
I have to agree with you that Avocado Green was a yucky color. The dark brown didn’t do it for me either. I liked the gold or the almond color. I don’t like white or stainless steel. It feels too institutionalized for me.
Alas, my first appliances were all in Harvest Gold & Avocado and I wouldn’t own anything in those colors today. One of my friends got married during that period and actually found some things in orange and put them together with black pots and pans and we were all ecstatic.
Good advice in washing the tops of those cans – not so much for what touched it, more for what was sprayed on it to kill God knows what.
I had one electric can opener – it died and I found the really easy to use manual ones. My parents, however, had a real manual one that you actually had to move back and forth to cut the can as you went – those were very hard to use!
As for the submissive wives, etc – wasn’t that what the Men’s Movement of a few years ago was all about – the Million Man March, the Promise Keepers Movement etc. – one of their “promises” was that they were going to “take back” their place at the head of the household and that they were not asking their wives to “give it back” they were going to take it back. Won’t ever happen in our household! We make our big decisions jointly for the most part, and each of us has our independence.
gillbillvolume1 over 14 years ago
you have just entered Geta life ville .. population … You
hildigunnurr Premium Member over 14 years ago
Susan001 my thoughts exactly? What’s wrong with using your hands?
cdward over 14 years ago
That’s just pathetic.
Wolfdreamer250 over 14 years ago
Susan and hildigunnur - how did you guess that, that was where this storyline was headed.
But if it is going to be like last time, John is going to mess it up.
lewisbower over 14 years ago
SUSAN Heaven forbid! That might get her to examining just how healthy canned is and she might choose fresh or frozen. If you open a can by hand, you might see the sodium content.
NoahsMama over 14 years ago
Elly’s life is difficult enough without having to manually open cans….I mean what do people expect her to do, expend more energy to care for her family, and forgo the convenience of electricity?!! I don’t think she will get a new one, as she will not be able to clean her kitchen for a week to welcome it home! On the other hand, what does that say about her friend’s kitchen, that it took a WEEK to clean? Ewww….
bald over 14 years ago
i have used a haand operated can opener for t5he last 2 1/2 years.
my son keeps wanting to buy me an electric one, i say go ahead but give me the receipt i’ll just take it back and get the money
vldazzle over 14 years ago
I may use a can opener once in 2-3 months; the rest of the time it hangs on the side of my pantry with the other shiny red KitchenAide utensils.
Shikamoo Premium Member over 14 years ago
I empathize with cleaning the kitchen for a new appliance. It is only fitting!
puddleglum1066 over 14 years ago
The strip’s dating itself… 90 percent of the food cans on the supermarket shelves today (soup, canned veggies, etc.) have pop-tops and can be opened without tools. Heck, most of the prepared food that used to be sold in cans is now sold in plastic containers anyway. Can’t remember the last time I needed a can opener…
mirthiful over 14 years ago
Puddle, also… back in those days I think they considered canned veggies as healthy as frozen. I remember my parents serving me canned veggies all the time (blech).
diggitt over 14 years ago
It’s an avocado green can opener. That dates it almost as much as using one in the first place and opening that many cans in the second.
Although … there’s a muted green being promoted these days that’s almost – but not quite – avocado.
I cannot imagine using an electric can opener. It’s the waste of energy – small but real. Then the waste of MY energy keeping the &*^&%!! thing clean, because like anything that stands on the kitchen counter, it will develop a coating of kitchen velour if left out. Or else the energy involved in opening a cabinet and hoisting it up onto the counter in order to use it. And then putting it back. And counter space – imagine using precious counter space for the thing.
On the other hand I don’t have much arthritis in my hands. They hurt enough that I can see why an electric can opener is definitely a good gift for someone whose hands are wracked by arthritis.
gillbillvolume1 over 14 years ago
I would think if you had to have one the kind that attach under the cabinet would be the best.. no wasted counter space and those sometimes even have other useful attachments like a radio.
mrslukeskywalker over 14 years ago
My, my! Not much love for Elly here today, and I didn’t say ANY OF IT! ….yet.
The thing is 1970’s, olive green! Remember the horrible olive green refrigerators, stoves, and other appliances? Thankfully ours were all white. We did have an olive green phone, when we got our first (“Totalphone”) pushbutton one. It was shaped like the dial phones.
Now she’ll have to beg John for $5.00 to get a new can opener. He’ll throw a few zings at Elly about using a manual one, she’ll show her uvula, and scream loud enough to knock furniture over, and he’ll end up having to grudgingly part with the cash. He HATES parting with cash, that’s why she has no car to go to the store with, so she can’t spend any of HIS money.
Why are you saying these awful things MrsLuke????
We know that’s how John is, for one thing. It drives me crazy when I’m out shopping and I see women having to ask their husband for every little thing. I see it all the time. They hint beggingly for every little, inexpensive thing, which drives me crazy like, “Oh, LOOK! An apple, we haven’t had an apple in ages!???” and he says “I don’t think we need that, put it back.” The other day I saw this girl, who was really begging this guy for a new shower curtain. It wasn’t even a good one, it was $3.99! He made her put it back. How degrading! Why should she have to beg for anything? She shouldn’t have to ask for money, let alone need permission to but a lousy shower curtain. What happens when she needs something for herself? There’s no way I’d end up like that. No way! I’ll buy whatever I want.
JanLC over 14 years ago
Mrs Luke: I was in the market the other day, and there was a small family over whom the father had complete control. The mom and kid wouldn’t even put anything on the conveyor belt until he came back to the cart and told them to. (Of course, they stood there next to the belt for several minutes, holding up the rest of us.) Then he stayed in front of them to pay the cashier and they dragged their cart behind them so they were effectively trapped between him and the cart (and still blocking the people behind them from getting to the conveyor). The body language and attitude of all three of them was so obvious it was painful.
RinaFarina over 14 years ago
I use a can opener, albeit infrequently. I buy tuna fish in a round can, and that’s how you have to open it. Just at the moment I can’t think of anything else I need it for, but I’m sure there are one or two other things.
Other than that I avoid canned food. (1) I don’t like the taste (2) it is 900% sodium, which is not good for me.
AndiJ over 14 years ago
I do all the shopping in our home so I don’t need to ask for anything…The husband however… ;) We do not have an electric can opener here. My mom has a battery operated one and it sucks. She can never get it to work right. I’d rather do it by hand than deal with that! Green and yellow were big in the 70’s. I grew up in a town home that was built then and the fridge/washer/stove were a horrendous yellow. :s
Mythreesons over 14 years ago
That was called “Harvest Gold!” It followed the “Avocado Green” era I believe. When I moved, I had my perfectly good running frig painted at an auto body shop to change the color and it was perfect for the new house.
mrslukeskywalker over 14 years ago
I had a GE, harvest gold stove in my first apartment. It had a harvest gold hood/fan. It was like brand new, but it was at least 25 years old.
They also made bakeware, like Bundt pans in the appliance green, gold, burnt orange, and DARK BROWN to match the awful colored appliances. I love stainless steel.
JanCinVV, wow! Imagine what lives they live? I hope they escape.
mroberts88 over 14 years ago
Burgundy2 said, about 2 hours ago
Puddle - maybe it’s a Canadian thing - I’m in Canada and most cans still need a can opener here, except for cat food.
I prefer a hand operated can opener too. It’s the electric ones that never seemed to cut all the way around.
Here in the U.S., there are some that do need can openers, and some that dont.
gillbillvolume1 over 14 years ago
Many kitchens in the 70’s also had terrible color counter tops in such shades of yellow, orange or green Sadly even the Bathroom was’t immune as our Bathtub and John were avocado green …eeecc
Wildmustang1262 over 14 years ago
Supposedly if you and your family go on the camping vacation, will you guys bring the electrical can opener with you to open the cans before cook the food. Bring the manual can opener. Should not bring the electrical appliances with you for camping vacation. Duh! Use the common sense and of course, for survival, too.
MrsLukeSkywalker Oooh I DESIPE that olive green in color on anything. ACK! Blech! I feel like I am throwing up whenever I see that olive green. In 1970’s, I was raised in that time, I had seen that color on frigerator or other appliances. I hate it. I barely remembered that we had that olive green carpet on the floor in livingroom at my parent’s home. I didn’t mind but that was my parent’s idea and they wanted that kind of color for carpet to put on the floor in the living room, the hall, and the stairs. If I have my own house, I do not ever want the olive green on anything in my house. The “Harvest Gold” in color was not bad, tho’ but Bright Yellow hurt my eyes! Whoa! I always want the stainless steel stove/oven with gas, d/w, and fridge so badly! Those are very easy to clean without any problem. I love Tuscan/Spanish theme in the kitchen.
Smiley Rmom over 14 years ago
I remember the Harvest Gold & Avocado Green days. I could handle the Harvest Gold, but couldn’t stand Avocado Green. What was bad is that Lime Green used to be my favorite color when I was growing up (and in my adult years, Hunter Green), but my family just thought “if it is green, she’ll like it”. I’ve started telling people my favorite color is Khaki or tan, there aren’t any really obnoxious shades of that. Maybe too dark for walls or other applications, but not obnoxious. As long as they don’t think “Rose Beige!” I use an electric can opener that’s pretty old. My doctor told me to eat more salt, so canned foods are usually fine for me, however, I do enjoy foods cooked from scratch, so not every meal comes from cans. There’s always a manual can opener in the house, just in case of a power outage or other reason. Mom used to have one with a large crank that was mounted to the side of her upper cabinet by the sink. That wasn’t bad to use, but I haven’t found one like that, or I might switch.
notinksanymore over 14 years ago
I break a lot of the manual can openers. I’m left-handed, and can openers are the one thing I’ve never managed to adapt to. I have to replace the stupid thing several times a year, although I’m not sure what it is that I do that messes them up. I’ve thought about shelling out the cash for a left-handed can opener (there’s a really great on-line store called everything left-handed that lives up to its name) but I keep thinking I’ll adapt.
mrslukeskywalker over 14 years ago
Burgundy2, that’s the way I took it, but since you say that wasn’t what you meant, I can see where I jumped to conclusions. Sorry about that. I’m just so used to being on the defensive all the time around here. I’m glad you brought that to my attention. Hopefully you’ll forgive me.
I also added yesterday that I really should have said personality quirks instead of disorders. That’s what I meant by that statement. They ARE a bit quirky. That’s what we all talk about.
Notinkansasanymore I’m not left handed, but I have a drawer full of manual can openers. Try Farberware. They’re nice & sturdy with plastic handles and a plastic crank that doesn’t kill your hand. They turn effortlessly. They’re nice and sharp too. I bought one and liked it, so I bought 3 more, figuring it wouldn’t last long, but it’s still going strong after 3 years. I got them at Stop & Shop. They’re like $10.00, but they go on sale for 3 for $10.00 or 50% off all the time. I have good luck with those. they work well, and don’t break. Don’t buy the KitchenAid one though. As much as I love my KitchenAid 6 qt. mixer, the expensive manual can opener that looks well made, broke after I used it twice.
Don’t forget to wash the tops of your cans before you open them. Lord only knows what touched it. Then again, I clean everything I buy as I bring it in. You should see the dirt that comes off of everything, especially food.
Gretchen's Mom over 14 years ago
I had an electric can opener that worked … once … a long, long time ago! Then … it died … and I haven’t been able to find one that works worth a (darn) ever since!!! The cheap (crap) that comes from China these days just doesn’t hold up as well as the used-to-be-made-in-America stuff did!!!!!
My husband and I have been married for 21 years and from the get-go, I insisted we maintain separate bank accounts – that way, I could buy whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted it, without feeling guilty about it or having to offer an explanation about it because I was spending my money that I went out and worked for. We’ve always jointly paid for the household expenses like groceries, insurance, state/federal taxes, etc., but I never EVER wanted to be in a position where I felt like I had to ask my husband for money to buy my make-up, shampoo, clothes, books, etc.! He would never deny me anything I needed, of course, but I consider the very thought of having to ask my husband for money to buy even just the basic necessities of life to be totally humiliating and degrading! He’s my husband, my partner, my equal … not my dad, my boss, or my master. I just don’t know how or why any woman would put up with that kind of nonsense in this day and age! Just beaten down until there’s no pride or self-esteem left in them, I guess.
alviebird over 14 years ago
Mrs LS said,
Don’t forget to wash the tops of your cans before you open them. Lord only knows what touched it….
I thought maybe I was the only one who does that. And on that note:
Everybody go look at your can opener mechanism. I’ll bet you a quarter that it’s nasty.
mroberts88 over 14 years ago
The same goes for coke cans. Thanks alot mythbusters.
mrslukeskywalker over 14 years ago
Thebird55. I wash the can opener with soap and water evey time I use it, because I know what you mean. It collects crud, like the ketchup and mustard tops that some people never clean off.
Burgundy2, me too. : )
serenasakitty over 14 years ago
MrsLukeSkywalker I just have a question about your comment. Where did anyone say that Elly was going to have to ask John for the money or for permission to buy a can opener? I find that buying anything for myself, no matter how small to be a real lift.
I have to agree with you that Avocado Green was a yucky color. The dark brown didn’t do it for me either. I liked the gold or the almond color. I don’t like white or stainless steel. It feels too institutionalized for me.
lindz.coop Premium Member over 14 years ago
Alas, my first appliances were all in Harvest Gold & Avocado and I wouldn’t own anything in those colors today. One of my friends got married during that period and actually found some things in orange and put them together with black pots and pans and we were all ecstatic.
Good advice in washing the tops of those cans – not so much for what touched it, more for what was sprayed on it to kill God knows what.
I had one electric can opener – it died and I found the really easy to use manual ones. My parents, however, had a real manual one that you actually had to move back and forth to cut the can as you went – those were very hard to use!
As for the submissive wives, etc – wasn’t that what the Men’s Movement of a few years ago was all about – the Million Man March, the Promise Keepers Movement etc. – one of their “promises” was that they were going to “take back” their place at the head of the household and that they were not asking their wives to “give it back” they were going to take it back. Won’t ever happen in our household! We make our big decisions jointly for the most part, and each of us has our independence.
kboone4 over 14 years ago
With these imported ones from China, (lack of) quality is the same, regardless of price.