Who knows?

When did major appliances become disposable goods? It's happened to us several times, but it still annoys me. I could probably look back in my archives and find out when we bought our last clothes dryer, but it would probably just depress me, because it was just a few years ago. Bob thinks five. I think less. But who knows? Time seems to fly lately.

Anyway, for the past couple of weeks or so, every time I did laundry, it seemed like it was taking too long to dry. I would think, oh, the lint filter must be full or something, but usually not. I didn't think much about it past that.

Then on Friday Bob said that he was doing laundry, and came back at the end of the drying cycle to find that his clothes were still wet. And a couple of nights before, the dryer had been making strange clicking sounds that sounded, to him, like a bad bearing. Getting anything repaired anymore is a gamble.

It costs $70 for a service call, whether they actually fix anything or not. $70 just to come look. And assuming it's something fixable, maybe another $100? More, probably. And no guarantee how long it will last. So, just like last time, we decided calling a repairman was just too big of a risk, and we went to Sears last night and bought a new dryer. $400. And of course, when we got home we checked the load of clothes that we'd left in the dryer, and they were fine, nice a dry.

But we figured it was just a matter of time, and Bob went ahead and installed the new one. The old one is sitting in the living room waiting for the day a couple of weeks from now when the city will pick up large items for free. I'm thinking we should put a note on it that it still works, sort of, but I'm guessing that someone will take it home, for parts if nothing else, rather than just dumping it in a land fill. But who knows?

A couple of people wrote today to check on me, since I hadn't written in a week. It made me feel like it makes me feel when my dad calls--if Dad calls, and not Mom, I know that means it's been way too long since I've called.

Everything's fine. Well, apart from the large appliance expenditure that we hadn't planned on making. And the usual stuff--last night I managed to walk through a pile of cat vomit without noticing it (I was still wearing my shoes, thank goodness) and tracked it through the house. Lovely stuff like that.

Let's see, what else . . . I'm working on a new site for someone, and configuring a bulletin board system for someone else, both of which are interesting projects that I'm enjoying, but both of which take a lot of time. And we're really busy at work, which is good, too, but the combination doesn't leave a lot of time for other stuff, especially taking into account that I don't have that much time anyway.

But that's okay. Being busy is good.

Today I got up, spent a few hours working on the computer, then realized I had something I had to take to the post office, and it was about twenty minutes before they closed. So I grabbed up my stuff and rushed over there, then rushed to the library to return some stuff and get a couple of books that I had held, then rushed to the gym to work out, and then just stopped.

I did have to rush to get to the post office, but everything else today was optional, and there was certainly no reason to rush through a workout. So I took my time, walked for a half hour on the treadmill, did my weight routine, then did something I seldom take the time for--sat in the whirlpool, then the sauna, then got in the pool to cool off. And I didn't even look at the clock.

I don't normally do it, because it takes so long. When I go after work, I get there, change my clothes, work out, then I'd have to change into a swimsuit, then change back, and man, it just seems like too much changing and too much time, when all I want to do is go home. But on Saturdays at least, I think I'll make that my routine, and just take the time. And it really isn't all that much time, it's just all the clothes changing that makes it feel like it.

I don't even like to try things on in stores, it just seems so time consuming. After the gym I went to Kohl's to look at shorts, since it's going to be shorts weather very soon, and all my work shorts are falling off me. I have workout ones, but I needed longer, jeans ones. I ended up buying some that are just like my jeans--same brand, same style, same size--they're fine, although I did just buy one pair--I'll go back and get another pair tomorrow. Because I do have to go back--I also bought a pair of blue gingham seersucker capri pants that are a little too tight, so I'm going to take them back.

They were kind of an impulse purchase, anyway. Not really work attire, I guess. But they were cute.