What Could be Better...

...than listening to Josh Groban serenade me in Spanish (which I thought was Italian until a few seconds ago) as I blog?

Having my dishes being washed for me, that's what!

At this very moment, the little white machine in the kitchen is churning happily away as I sit and relax with my little MacBook. About a week ago, the dishwasher fairy (ok, the dishwasher husband) installed a DishDrawer (DD) in our tiny kitchen. That little word "installed" sounds like an easy process - but nothing could be further from the truth! Because we live in a nearly 100-year-old house, the kitchens are slightly less deep than those in current / modern houses. Therefore, my incredibly handy husband performed the following feats for the "installation":

1) Removed the cupboard door next to the sink.

2) Removed and reinstalled the shelf in aforementioned cupboard at a lower height.

3) Cut out plaster and lathe in the back of the cupboard.

4) Notched out studs in wall behind plaster and lathe for flush mounting of DD.

5) Ran new water lines for DD.

6) Ran drain line for DD.

7) Installed new electrical for DD.

8) Inserted wonderful DD.

9) Allowed me to fill and run the first (and subsequent) load of dishes.

Portions of this project were performed as I attempted to fight off a nasty cold / sinus thing, and I may be forgetting a few steps. However, it takes a lot of work to install a DD and I am VERY thankful to my wonderful man for making my kitchen duties much less time consuming!

Isn't he a great guy?

The Follies of Laundry

I like organizing. This is why the sorting-of-the-laundry provides such joy for me.
Place dark, normal wash items in sorter next to white items next to dark, gentle wash items. Towels in a basket and sheets straight in the washing machine.

However, this organizing gift seems to diasppear the moment the clothes are clean. I like the process of hanging clothes (two quick slides and - poof - done!) but the folding? Not so much.

This may stem from the fact that growing up there was no real time to fold all ten loads of clothes every day. And so, we would have to "FOLD" every week. And when I say fold, I mean three hours, of at least three people folding, sorting, matching, etc.

With two of us, this task is much less daunting, however, I think my psyche still recoils when the clean laundry appears in the dryer. You'd think that with the ease of modern machinery, I'd be able to push past my fears, fold the few items and put them away!

With this analysis now complete, guess what I'm off to do?

A Two-Day Work Week

Folks, it is spring break! And guess where I am? At the library at school! Really, truly.

However, I am nearing the end of my working hours for this week. Because my boss is truly one of the nicest people in the world, she generously allowed me to cram all my hours into Monday and today. That means, tomorrow, I will be sleeping in, catching up on my for-fun reading, spending time at the park with Two Dogs, and hopefully finishing some of the lurking projects that have needed attention for the past three months.

I may actually post a little more than normal, but we'll see...

For now, enjoy this picture of Nala longing for the out-of-doors. And don't feel too bad for her - she'll be enjoying our gorgeous weather very soon! If you look closely, you can see the reflection of our street in her eyes.

How To: Give Yourself a Break

Step #1: Be aware of the concept of time and how much of it you have each week.

Step #2: Plan a day every week to do nothing – no appointments and no projects! Do only activities that restore or rejuvenate you: a nap, walking dogs, exercising, reading, sitting and staring, or absolutely nothing.

Step #3: Keep that day sacred! Don’t allow things like cell phones, email or your to-do list come between you and the day.

Step #4: Enjoy being with your spouse, kids or pets.

Step #5: Wake up the following day with more energy and joy than you’ve had for a long time!

To-Do List: Friday, March 6, 2009

• Get 60-day evaluation with Nikki
• Send a picture of me (yikes) along with my information for the OPC Scholarship
• Walk dogs
• Work out with DVD trainer
• Help Eric on his Lincoln project
• Get laundry downstairs (at least) and (hopefully) in sorting bins
• Contact Eric's sister for dog-watching services
• Wonder where my week went...

How To: Waste 20 Minutes in a Parking Lot

This is the first in the series, "How To:... / How NOT To:... Education and prevention is my goal.

Preparation:
#1: Snowy ground is a must for this project. Also, if a slight warm-up leading to slight melting conditions has transpired, all the better.

#2: You must own a small, front-wheel drive car with four-year-old tires. This is not optional!

#3: Find a parking lot that conforms to the following conditions: a) is unplowed, b) has snow-packed ruts from previous parkers, and c) contains piles of five-inch deep of melting, squishy and all-around wet snow. (The need for this final element will come into play later in the activity.)

#4: Park the car from step #2 in a parking spot next to a curb. It's also best if you don't realize the curb actually exists.

#5: Leave your car in said spot for over two hours. At night. In freezing weather.

Here's where the project gets interesting:

#6: Return to your car. It must be dark for this part to work correctly. Being completely unprepared for winter weather is also acceptable at this stage. (i.e. Flats with cutouts instead of sturdy winter boots would be ideal.)

#7: Enter vehicle, remove shoes, shake out wet snow (remember, you have cutouts in the sides of your footwear) and start your engine. Remember, it must be night for best results.

#8: Back up two inches, then watch snow spray up from under the front of your car.

#9: Go forward 12 inches.

Repeat steps #8 and #9 a minimum of 15 times, knowing that the next time you repeat, you will successfully leave your spot.

#10: Realize that steps #8 and #9 do not work.

#11: Look around your car for a shoveling implement. Find old Starbucks cup, windshield scraper, an empty purse and cell phone charger.

#12: Decide on windshield scraper as best option.

#13: Step out of car, into snow drift (remember footwear from step #6).

#14: Remove snow from behind each tire. Wonder why the asphalt looks so shiny. Then dismiss thought.

Repeat steps #7, #8 and #9 about 30 times. Get increasingly frustrated.

#15: Switch radio over to soothing classical music station. Take seven deep breaths.

Repeat steps #13 and #14.

#16: Realize, on closer inspection, that "shiny asphalt" should have registered as ice in brain.

#17: Come close to tears.

#18: See a couple of freshmen (one girl and one boy) making out across the way.

#19: Interrupt passionate rendezvous with whiney pleas for help and effusive apologies for the interruption.

#20: Try not to laugh as scrawny (boy) freshman pushes and pushes and almost falls on his face after the tires hit pavement and car bolts backwards.

#21: Be as grateful as possible to your scrawny savior and wonder at freshmen's ability to pick right back up where they left off.

#22: Realize you almost backed into a giant red truck on exiting the parking spot.

#23: Drive away slowly, vowing to never again park in snow. (But, vow to continue wearing impractical shoes at every opportunity.)

Now you know how to spend a few extra minutes in a parking lot near you.

Glad to be of service!