Guess I broke a resolution for sure.

Before, when I missed a daily posting here, it was generally because I was busy, and either didn't have time, or was so busy I just forgot.   Then, toward the "end", I was running out of things to say.  I mean, I was showing/talking about progress on the shawl.  And I was talking about TV shows I'd been watching.  And I was whining about the housework I should be doing but wasn't.

And, well... with summer coming, the TV watching wasn't really happening much.  Between gorgeous summer weather finally arriving so the urge to hang around outside in the evenings playing with the doggies meant no TV, and the summer reruns meaning no new or interesting TV, I just wasn't watching anything.  Sometimes, I didn't even watch the news for up to a week at a time!!  (at least I would check the news channel that I watch's website so I know/knew what was going on in the world).  And I would still try to keep up with the Star Trek Voyager episodes I was recording.

Our PVR and remote were acting up for a while, so I was also trying to watch the movies that were recorded, so that if they changed out the box I wouldn't lose them.  Some, I know, will be on over and over and over again, but others don't come on often enough... Anyway, we got the box mostly fixed, but I think we're still going to have to get it switched out.  But, the tech that came was going on holidays, and we want the same tech back - he was great, and for some reason, even the dogs liked him (Delko doesn't like strange men - takes him a while ~usually~ to get to know and relax around men - some kind of baggage).  So, we want to make sure to get the same guy.

Speaking of techs... when I left you, I was waiting on a washing machine repair guy.  The company I called quoted me (I forget the numbers now) a base price (around $40-50) for walking in the door, $15-20 or so per 15 minutes or was it half an hour? labour, plus parts.  I thought it might be a broken belt, since the things that were supposed to turn stopped turning, and there was the smell of burning rubber and some smoke.  I thought the belt burnt.

So, the dogs took a definite dislike to this guy, and I had to use TWO baby gates to keep them upstairs, while the guy was in the basement. I stayed in the kitchen pretty much, to keep the dogs from coming down the stairs and over or under the gates (they did both!).  The guy's cell phone rang - and I could tell by what he was saying (not evesdropping, just overhearing) that he was talking to his kid.  "I'm fixing a washing machine.  What are you doing?  What is mommy doing?  That sounds like fun.  I'll be home for supper (this was close to lunch time).  I'll read you a story/play.... You get the drift.   Short sentences, homey talk, think a brother or sister was mentioned... this was going on for roughly ten minutes.... I didn't complain because I could hear tool usage and stuff. So, he was working while he talked, but still... how efficiently could it be with the distraction?

Anyway, after he got off the phone, he called up to me, asking if I had a flashlight.  (seriously?  you are a washing machine repair guy, are likely as not to be working in people's basements, or at the very least, dark corners of insides of machines...)  Anyway, when I took it down, he looked under neath the drum on the inside, and announced:  "The washing machine is working now.  It wasn't working before, but it is now.  I don't know why.  It wasn't the belt".

O.   K.

Guess who I won't be calling again???  And I starting saving up toward a new washing machine.  So far, this one is staying working, which is good, because I had to spend part of the washer money on fixing our truck... :(  New starter  motor and new solenoid switch.

So, in the next few days, I'll get you all caught up on my knitting and crochet, and my other adventures so far this summer. :)