CRS Again

Yesterday  6:07 PM

Trish: ‘Oh!  I forgot to put the sheets in the dryer.’  She was in the kitchen making BLTs.

Mike: ‘I’ll do it.’  I stepped into the laundry room and discovered that the sheets were already in the dryer but still wet; I informed Trish.

Trish: ‘Jamie (our housekeeper) must have put them in the dryer.’

Mike: Seems odd she’d do that, not part of her job. I threw in a cling-free dryer sheet and asked, ‘What settings do you want?’  (I’m not allowed to make those decisions.)

Trish walked into the laundry room: ‘I usually put it on the ‘cotton’ setting.’

9 Days Ago

Trish: ‘There’s something wrong with the dryer.  It’s making a funny noise and smells like something’s burning.

Mike: ‘I’ll look at it.’  Which I did: the duct had become disconnected behind the machine. 

When I installed the machines 5 years ago, we wanted the washer/dryer doors to open outward like French doors, which meant the washer had to be on the left, the dryer on the right.  That way, the wet laundry could be moved laterally from washer to dryer without having to lift it up and over the open doors.  But – the plumbing, electrical and duct connections were set up to have the washer on the right, dryer on the left.

 

So, Houston, we had a problem: the dryer duct connection was behind the washer instead of the dryer, and wall clearance was too tight to use flex duct.  Instead, I had to use a telescoping rectangular metal duct and a mess of duct tape, and the install was loosey goosey.  Now that the darn thing had come lose, I decided that the only way to safely secure the duct was to move the dryer to the left side so it lined up with wall connection.  So, move it I did: now the dryer is on the left, washer on the right.

Yesterday  6:08 PM

I looked at the controls: no ‘cotton’ setting.  What the hell?  Trish and I looked at each other, me with this look of total bewilderment.  Finally, the dime drops.  Dumb shit!  You moved the dryer to the left side.  The clothes are still in washer.

We both broke out into uproarious laughter, which went on for some time.  Best laugh I had all week.

Arizona Storm

For all my friends and relatives who live up north and who have endured one of the nastiest winters in recent years, I want you to know that you are not alone.  We who spend the winter in Arizona have also suffered terribly. 

Urban

This was inspired by an artist whose work I really like: Soraya French.  I stumbled on her Dynamic Acrylics book in the library a couple years ago and have checked it out several times to study her technique.  One of her favorite subjects is nighttime city scenes, in semi-abstract style with vibrant colors.  My painting has a similar background to one of her works but is less abstract.

Urban

Acrylic on Canvas.

18" x 24"

  

Totally Nuts IV

The dirt path is bordered by thick, 4' high vegetation on both sides.  I'm riding my bike along the path, turn a corner and there's a group of 20-something guys sitting along the path, shooting the breeze.  I say 'hi', they say 'hi', I dismount, pick up my bike and weave my way through them.  Just beyond where they're sitting, their bikes are strewn along the path.  Weird bikes: all pink, all plastic, with small oval-shaped balloon wheels.

I continue riding down the path, which comes to an abrupt end at a closed door.  The door opens into a middle school.  Upon entering the building I find 3 teachers and 2 policemen standing around a table, studying and discussing some papers that are lying on the table.  I pause at the table and ask for directions to wherever it is I'm going.

All this time I'm carrying a stack of paperwork, applications for something unknown from people unknown.  I'm supposed to deliver them.  Somewhere.  One of the teachers makes a grab for the apps and I slap her hand.  Then, one of the policemen makes a grab and succeeds in getting the top sheet of paper - which is all beat to hell and ripped in half diagonally.  I grab the paper back and chide the officer, tapping him on the chest and saying, 'Serve and protect.  Serve and protect.'

I wake up.  The apps never got delivered and frankly, Charlotte, I don't give a damn.

108 & 115

A month ago I did a post titled 120 Degrees, which is the post-op goal in the bend angle on Trish's knees.  She had physical therapy today and was measured at 108 left and 115 right.  So, she's come a long way from the 65 degree angle where she started.  Those last few degrees are a bitch, however.  Major hurt!

She set aside the walker several days ago.  She now uses a cane some outside but rarely inside.  She's back doing household stuff and she started driving again this week.  She'll see her doctor in a few days to review progress and find out if her thrice-weekly therapy sessions need to be extended beyond 6 weeks.

This afternoon she checked out her kayak access ability - on the gravel, not in the water.  She got in okay but needed a helping hand getting out.  She plans to give it a go next week, accompanied by her brother, Doug.  He and wife Jan arrived last week and it's good to have them back.  They have a 5th wheel trailer they live in when they're here.  They stay at an upscale RV park north of town, where they bought a lot several years ago, and really enjoy it.  Rumor has it they party hearty at that park - as they do at most parks that have long term folks.