Monday, December 6, 2010

A Tale of Two Appliances (and a minivan)

It's good to be back to "normal". (Don't ask me to define normal.) It's been a busy/crazy few weeks but things have finally settle down, at least to a dull roar. And, it isn't just Thanksgiving and a big craft show that has had me spinning....

First of all, a couple of months ago our garbage disposal died. Actually, it was just the outlet that died. My husband hasn't replaced the outlet yet because he just hasn't had time and other more important needs have arisen. In the grand scheme of things, no garbage disposal is no big deal. That's how I grew up, after all. I only tell you this little tale of inconvenience because...

About a week before Thanksgiving, the dishwasher died. (About a year ago, if I had written that sentence, it would have meant that I was communicating to you from the grave.) Again, not a big deal because, a.) it is under warantee and, b.) for the 8 1/2 years before getting the dishwasher, I was the dishwasher. I know how to wash dishes. The Tuesday before Thanksgiving, someone came out to look at the dishwasher and submit a report to the store that we bought it from. It was well and truly broken so we would probably get a new one, said he. Unfortunately, because of Thanksgiving and Black Friday, there was know way that the issue would be resolved until the next week. Normally, no big deal. However, this year we were hosting Thanksgiving dinner at our house. Visions of dirty dishes danced in my head. "Okay", I told my self. "Buck up, Buttercup, you can wash dishes." I went to my happy place until...

That same Tuesday, the washer began it's slow decline. It was dying, but not dead. I could do teeny, tiny loads but that was it. So, I began doing laundry everyday, in little loads, just to keep up. I was also worried that each load could be my last. Oh, the humanity! We then began the financially, painful search for a new washer. We found one, on Black Friday, and bought it. It's a beautiful, front loader. I loooove it! Now to move it to the basement of this old house and install it. No big deal, until...

The Monday after Thanksgiving, my husband did an oil change on our automobiles. He then got into my minivan to start it and... nothing. That's right, now my car wasn't working. Not a tragedy in that I also have an Explorer Sport to drive and Dave has another car to drive himself. Except that I carpool with another family for school in the mornings. My two kids and her two kids cannot fit into an Explorer Sport. So my dad, bless him, came to my house every morning to watch Asher so that I could take the kids to school.

Ready for some happy endings?

On Thursday night, Dave and my dad moved the gigantic, new washer down to the basement and installed it. Watching them move that beast was painful but it's down there now (and never coming back up!). It works and I loooove it!!!

On Saturday morning, after much research, my husband suspected that the minivan needed a new starter. Ouch! He began to take the engine apart to get to the starter when, what to his wondering eyes should appear but... a loose wire. Bingo, bango, the minivan is up and running!

On Sunday morning, my hero installed my beautiful, new dishwasher. There was, of course, a minor hiccup or two, but those ceased to phase us at this point.

And, while all of this occurred, I was frantically preparing for this big art and craft show and wondering how I was going to transport everything without my van. However, I have the worlds greatest parents and a downright magical husband. Everything worked out just right, just right!

This is a short, expletive-free tale of my past couple of weeks. I'm glad to be done with the shows for the year. I've had a happy day with Asher, grocery shopping and doing some much-needed housework. I even got to treat myself to some gift-wrapping while watching "Christmas Vacation". A good day!

Tomorrow, I'll fill you in on my thoughts regarding my art, my business and what I'd like to do with both.

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