Just Don't...Ok?

  I have no problem sharing.  If you are in need, I will gladly give whatever I have.  If you are nice to me, I will be nice to you.  Simple as that.  However, I do have one pet peeve related to this.  If I loan you something, do not return it broken.  As a kid, I was always taught that it was in poor taste to ever return something is worse condition than it was borrowed.  Either "repair it or replace it" was something Pop drilled into my head.  And what every you do, NEVER, EVER try to slip it past as if nothing happened in the first place.  No problem...or, at least, there should be none.

  While what I am about to relate has nothing actually to do with borrowing but more with giving, it is still pertinent.  I share a good bit of my home-canned goods with folks.  Usually, this is done with the request "Save the jar!" as canning jars can be quite expensive when you use as many as I do.  That said, I would hope that folks understand that a broken jar is not the same thing as a "saved" jar.  Today's canning experience could have been quite tragic had I not been in the right spot at the right time.  For those not familiar with the process, the jars must be sterilized prior to filling.  Since I do not have a dishwasher, I do it the old-fashioned way...in a pot of boiling water.  Always have...always will.  It was while the jars were sterilizing that I heard a weird "plink".  My heart sank,  I knew that sound.  It had happened one time before years ago.  Sure enough several of the jars had chunks missing out of the rim.  The whole kit and caboodle had to be restarted from the get go.  It was a blessing that I heard the strange sound.

 These jars had recently been returned by someone who was gifted jams and jellies.  Although I checked for cracks and chips while washing the jars, hairline fractures are nearly impossible to see.  It took that hot water to make those fractures into full blown chips and cracks. One broken jar would have been bad but, out of 20 jars, 14 were unusable.  Dozens of glass shards were in the pot!  Just imagine what could have happened!  Lord, have mercy!!!

  This bit of breakage was caused by one thing and one thing only.  Too many folks think it is a wise move to use the back of a knife to tap open a tight jar lid.  Just don't...ok??  That is one of the stupidest moves anyone can make!  Not only are you ruining the jar, you take a huge chance of getting glass shards in the food!  Duh!  Stupid!  Dangerous!!  Just don't.  In this case, the returned metal rims proved that the knife-whacking technique had been employed.  Was this person not strong enough to loosen a jar rim that I put on myself?  I hope this is not the case.  These jars had been gifted to a young man!  I am an old lady!  If anyone cannot loosen something that I tighten, he sure better hit the gym!  I am not that strong!  So...moral of this story???  Get a grip!  Use the duck tape method.  Use the rubber band method.  Don't use the knife-whack method!  Just don't...ok??