Snöskyffel and Aglet

I think these should be a pair of Scandinavian cartoon dogs - the Nordic equivalent of the Antipodean Bluey and Bingo. In fact Snöskyffel is the name of the cute red metal shoe horn from IKEA and Aglet is the correct English word for the sheath at the end of as shoelace, which stops it unravelling and makes it easier to thread through the holes.

I have been thinking about both recently, because summer approaches and I am wearing both my white plimsolls and my new trainers on warm dry days. I get frustrated if my laces come undone when I am out - finding somewhere to balance whilst I retie them is not always easy. I do not want to kneel on the path, there is never a convenient ledge or step when you want one, and I do not want to roll inelegantly into a heap on the pavement like a distressed hedgehog. I decided to try the 'no bow' system, turning the shoes into slip ons.[Ignore the fact that this video is for gents!]

But when I push my foot in, the back of the shoe rolls over. The shoehorn is brilliant at assisting my heel into place. The aglets are inside, invisible, and my feet are comfy. And my shoes have been converted into slipons. I am sure many of you knew the word aglet already - I have posted this video of the aglet song before...