March Fools

It has been a long time since I posted. It has been a long time since I had a story like this to tell. If you happen to read this, you can give me feedback. Perhaps Xanga is a thing of the past. But I sure like it better that In-your-Facebook.

So my Washington Washing machine died at the turn of the year. Replacing it is a long story, but I now have a front loading Maytag with ultra electronics. It weighs my laundry and measures out the water to use just the right amount so that all our precious Washington water is not wasted (like we might have a shortage).

Well, all the 'things' are added to my washer from the top, into a little drawer. The soap, bleach, and softener all go in a little drawer with compartments on the top left. SO I thought it would be convenient to leave the fabric softener on top of the machine, especially since this machine is much better balanced than the first front loader we had installed (I told you, that was a story). Convenient, yes.

Proverbs tells us that a lazy man is kin to a destroyer.

Hmm. Sometime during my 4th load of laundry today, the brand new Downey softener container- the one I bought at Costco last week and is Costco sized- the one sitting atop my washing machine....that bottle rattled OFF my Washer and plummeted to the floor of the laundry room, into a laundry basket lying there waiting for the next load to come out of the washer. It hit with an impact of unusual force. I did not see it, but can deduce this by the spray pattern of Downey which I found a bit later. (I was smelling Downey and wondering about it...). Downey- splattered on my new machine and 2 dryers. Downey on two walls, the door and in three areas of the ceiling. Downey- a cupful in the laundry basket and half a cup spread on the floor, under washer and dryers. Downey on the clean clothes atop the dryer. Downey scent overpowering the whole house.

Apparently when the bottle hit the floor, it had great internal pressure; the cap broke, but probably not all at once. It probably just split a little, forming a high pressure spray that went everywhere. It was a sight.

CK, SM Beatrice and I all set to clean-up.  Girls on the dryers wiping the ceiling. Girls on stools getting the high walls. Floor wiping. Low wall wiping. Something for everyone. It was not easy- Downey is very concentrated. Triple wiping, and then mopping the floors twice. But I think we got it.

What is left of my Downey sits atop a nice, stable shelf. We will get it up and down for each load now.

Tomorrow's joys: what will April bring this fool?

Height and depth

I climbed my first ever V2 today. I have stong suspicions that it was over- rated.... After which I failed a 5.8 on belay in a chimney. Shawnbad told me what to try to finish it, but I am skeptical. Rigeman worked it out, but he is taller than I am.

I was told this week that Alex, mohawk Alex, became a Christian recently. It makes me so happy to hear, to dwell on God redeeming us.

Ratty saves the day

...or, the misadventures of the mini-family.

There were only 4 of us that could go to the wedding reception across the sound. We had dropped off Pooh at the near Ferry to go with her Aunt and cousins for the week. The Sunday ferry  near us was backed up to China, so we got in the Kia and drove to the other ferry. Which was backed up to Russia. So we found parking near enough to the Ferry and walked and JUST made it on (we heard last call and ran.... I wonder how many persons a year die of heart attacks after 'last calls' at the ferry....) We got off the ferry and walked swiftly up the 4 hills to the bus line where we JUST caught the bus which would wind us around and end up 45 min later at the driveway of Strongbadia. But we made it! Ale met us on the bus near her home too. The bus driver (slightly patronizingly, but still very friendly) asked us 'didn't we like the bus ride?'.

Guess what? That very same bus driver picked us up 3 hours later as we left the reception. And all was well as we headed for a late ferry, till the dad noticed he had all Ale's stuff- purse, cell phone etc- in his bag. And we were heading swiftly away from Ale.

Enter the Rat. She didn't go to Strongbadia. She was at home. Outside her home, her friend's car sat, the car she was entrusted with for the week. While I called Ale to tell her the plight of het Stuff, the daddy phoned Ratty to ask her to bale us off the bus so we could give her Ale's Stuff and then .... take us to the ferry.

The bus driver heard it all. He gave me a transfer- 'just in case'- and wished us the best. Ratty was there, right behind, and she got us to the Ferry in good time. And we rolled into bed just before our Kia turned into a pumpkin.

Thanks, Ratty, you saved the day for us and for Ale. What a hero!!!!!

I can't believe that I can call her Ratty. But I am thankful!

Zebra Finch Update

The first little zebra finch is out of the nest; two more holding back, probably the later hatchers. He (we are thinking he due to stripy tail feathers, but there may be another molt and change our thoughts) came out bald! But he is flitting around, using week old feathers and sleepily checking things out. Whimsey and Xai have done an admirable job of parenting!

We have visiting birds this weekend too; a canary who sings in the evening, and two parakeets who are fairly well adjusted as far as budgies go.

Arrangement

Ale located Rockapella singing 'Where in the World is Carmen San Diego' on U Tube. I discovered a whole generation of Iflandia who 'knows not Joseph' nor Rockepella. It was an immediate success as a new song, and the kids all want to learn it and I am committed to arranging a new song along the lines (oh, if only I could get close!) of what Rockepella did.  We shall see.

I got a new A cappella  Praise CD yesterday. The arrangments are a bit uniform and disappointing due to that. Almost as if they were cranked out through the same 'a cappella ' machine for SATB. Oh well, a couple on the album might be of interest for the kids to do.  We have enjoyed singing the 8 or 9 a cappella pieces we have learned this year- mostly hymns- and want to try some more difficult arrangements. Arranging takes a lot of work and listening inwardly to think through what the sound will actually be.