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Rob Dempster
'Allo 'Allo Gardens! (AAG) Howick (uMngeni) Da Bin Platform & Do I mostly sit around at Home? 12 September 2026 Best viewed on a big (desktop PC) screen Click on an image to view an enlargement |
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I guess I could start and end with the platform that the kitchen pedal bin is standing on by saying, "No I do not mostly sit around at home doing nothing. Since I retired I have designed and built the platform that the kitchen Pedal Bin is standing on. (See the first image included below.)"
I could then go on to list the many other things that I have done instead of sitting around at home doing nothing. However as that in itself will hardly be constructive, I would rather relate the reason for the existence of the kitchen pedal bin platform.
When Edith and I moved into our Protea Gardens home some five years ago, the pedal bin was placed in the corner it still occupies in our kitchen. While it seemed like a good position, it immediately presented a problem for me. When I delicate;y placed my size 12 Boot on the pedal pf the bin to open the bin, the lid of the bin inevitably banged against the wall behind the bin. So a solution was required an I built the platform that the bin is standing on. The platform fixes the bin in a position relative to the wall that results in lid of the bin stopping short of the wall when the pedal is pushed down and the lid of the bin opens.
Unfortunately the solution presented a new problem that I only recently became aware of when the pedal mechanics failed. The problem was that my size 12 Boot would push te pedal further than it was meant to be pushed, i.e. the pedal was now being pushed beyond the level at which the bin was resting. It took five years of punishment before the pedal mechanism gave up the fight.
So a fix was required, and it came in the form of an extension of the platform below the pedal such that the pedal now stopped when it hit the extension. In other words, the pedal could no longer be pushed below the level at which the bin was resting.
With the Pedal Bin Platform out of the way, I would like to return end by saying something about sitting around at home and my post op recovery.
Generally the only time I sit down at home is: (i) When I either need to put my boots on, or take them off. (ii) When I am seated at the table on the porch to enjoy my breakfast, morning coffee, lunch enjoyed with a glass of wine, and afternoon coffee. (iii) When I am at my desk working on my computer. (iv) When Edith and I sit down at 7 PM in the Living Room, to enjoy an evening snack while watching the news and whatever until 9 PM.
To recover from my mini stroke I have WALKED up and down the road we live in (Pincushion) and up and down Scarlet Ribbon. At first with the Walker, then two crutches, then a crutch and a walking stick, and finally with a walking stick. That almost places me where I was when this whole business started. I have said almost, as I am yet to walk unaided, something that I mostly did before the mini stroke.
I of course also walk (with the walker) when I am helping with household chores. However I am not going to elaborate regarding that as I feel that it would be tantamount to boasting. What I would like to do in closing is to take this opportunity to thank Edith, Cheryl, Bruce and Heather. That is where the real support come from.
Some Links
- Brabantia - Pedal Bin
- My Work Bench - in our Protea Gardens garage
- My Shed - Video of the interior of our Protea Gardens garage
- List of links to my blog pages
If you have any comments, corrections, suggestions or plain criticism,
I would appreciate it if you would communicate the same to me.
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