June 16, 2008

• I’ve learned that a washing machine is a throw away item.  That really bothers me.  Something that costs several hundred dollars (and is that large) should last awhile and if it breaks down it should be economical to fix it instead we end up adding it to our already full landfills.  Mid way through the travel laundry my washer stopped agitating and spinning.  The baby was out of bibs and it was his load that was in at the time.   Those of you that have met young Weston are aware that bibs are a very important wardrobe item for him.   I made some phone calls to local appliance repair places and I was looking at $75 just for a service call and most likely $200 to fix the problem.  The machine was probably only $300 to start with (I don’t really know since it was here when we moved in)  So I got on Craigs list and found a better one for $150.  Brian did the picking up, carrying up the stairs, and installing of said item and I am up and running again.  There is a feeling of slight panic when I realize that I can’t do laundry and the piles are getting higher.  (The only laundromats in town are in sketchy areas)  The new one is better and bigger than the old one and I was able to clean behind the machines while the move took place.  And I found two lost socks.

  Funny…while Brian went to the ladys house who listed the washer on Craigs list he had an interesting encounter.  She was a forty something woman, in a wheelchair from a surgery gone bad, and was thanking the Almighty that he was here to take the washer off her hands.  She was so thankful that Brian felt obligated to buy the thing even though it had a few dents and dings.   After Brian got the thing loaded she started coming on to him.  She asked him if he was married…as if the giant ring on his finger didn’t give him away.  He replied that he was.  ” You know… you are a really big boy, and I mean that in a good way.  You could come over anytime and help me with my physical therapy.”  NICE!  I’m afraid of what she would have said if he took his ring off and said he wasn’t married. 

  Anyway,  were up and running and the clothes are getting clean again.  I have an awesome husband who took care of the problem in under 24 hours. 

  Rosieism…I haven’t done many Rosieisms because up until now we really haven’t been able to decipher much of what she says.  When Daddy is away from home she calls him Daddy.  When he is home she calls him Daddyome.  I think it started because when Brian gets home we all say, “Daddy’s home!”  So she actually has started calling him Daddyome.  Pretty cute. 

  I went to Logan with the kids last week for the Dave and Melissa’s second reception.  I knew it would be a chance to visit with folks I don’t get to see often.  It was indeed.  Ellen Price, Carolyn Parker, Grandma Arnell, and a plethora of Uncles, Aunts and cousins.  It was also very relaxing to spend a few days reading and hanging out with my family while the kids wore themselves out with their cousins and chasing the cat. 

  On the way out we stopping in Cedar City for a short break.  I thought about getting gas then but thought I might be able to get it cheaper the farther north we went.  I had plenty to make it to at least Provo.  I was going to stop in Sandy to visit with my friend Heather who just had a baby.  That put me pretty close to empty.  I planned on filling up after that visit.  Of course, I forgot.  I’m driving along and I got through Farmington and I was in the fast lane when I lost power.  I knew what the problem was immediately.  I tried to limp along as long as possible hoping for an exit but had to pull off to the side before one showed up.  I didn’t get off the road as far as I would have liked and every time a truck passed the whole van shook.  Serra was freaking out, “I don’t want to die!”  She said about 40 prayers.  A highway patrol showed up after about 30 minutes and I already had a call into roadside assistance at that point and was waiting for them.  He pushed me off the road a bit further so I could rest a little easier and took off.  I thought that was a little weird…a woman with 3 small children on the side of the interstate and he took off.  So then a little car pulls up behind me and a young 20ish guy gets out.  I was a little concerned at first since I was expecting something more official like a tow truck type vehicle until I noticed the hue of his shirt.  Very bright orange.  No human would wear that color unless it was a uniform of some kind.  Indeed.  He gave me 2 gallons of gas, I gave him a nice tip, and he waited until I was on the road again before leaving.  The next exit was just around the slight bend in the road and less than 1/4 of a mile.  So I now know that my van gets 465 freeway miles to a  tank.  Good to know.  That adventure put me back an hour and we pulled into Logan around 10 pm.  The drive home was less eventful.

  Baby Weston has been fussy this past week and much more barfy and drooley(if that is possible).  And his first tooth explains it all.  Thursday after our return to sweltering Las Vegas I discovered his first tooth poking through on his bottom front.  He has already bitten me once with it.  How do you scold a five month old.  By the way, he is right around 20 lbs and will soon have to switch car seats.  This gets tricky because he is still an infant and yet the infant seats are only supposed to be used to 22 lbs.  Maybe I should start a line of baby gear especially for the hefty baby. 

  Yesterday for Fathers Day Brian got to stay home from his early morning meetings so he got to have “Goldenrod” for breakfast.  His gift was a digital picture frame with pictures already loaded for him.  I went back through the archives and put pictures of him with his kids and of the kids so he has something fun for his office.  He got a new tie of course, and Serra bought him a new tie tack.  And new big and tall socks.  Those are sometimes hard to find but Jaque Penne (JCPenney) now carries them.   After lunch the girls and  I made him cookies while he took a two hour nap.  When he woke up he had fresh c.c cookies and a glass of milk. Then we were off to for dinner with the Anderson folk.  Always nice. 

   I have some pictures but they haven’t processed them yet…another day perhaps. 

  • 11:43 am
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