Life has "calmed down" for a bit, as we now have a better idea of when we'll be moving, and where. The when is six to nine months, and the where is San Diego, Norfolk, or Jacksonville. Pablo just finished up a major stage of training, and is now in the next round (one more to go after that!). A huge bonus of life in the Navy is that you're almost always guaranteed a beautiful coastal duty station. I'm rooting for San Diego or Norfolk -- mostly because I'm ready to spend time in a state other than Florida after 14(!) years here.
In other news, I am basking in the glow of a new washing machine, after our inherited 16-year-old machine started leaking copious amounts of water last Tuesday (my main laundry day, of course). After giving it a shot ourselves, we decided to call a repairmen. He gave us a diagnosis of "get a new machine."
We did our research on the Lowe's website and headed to the store. And there, in the scratch-and-dent section, was my washer. Top-loader (check!), full agitator (check!), auto & manual size options (bonus!), stainless steel basket (another bonus!). A little fancier than I'd anticipated, but cheaper than the more basic models we'd looked at. Apparently it had been returned because it didn't spin, but the repairman at Lowe's couldn't find any problems. It's new and shiny and huge. I like it. A lot. And then the associate knocked an extra $50 off the price without our asking (NOTE: bring cute children when appliance shopping), and that plus the military discount took the price down to about half of the original price.
So after four days without a washer, I finally had my new beauty hooked up and ready to go. I like laundry. Don't hate me, but I really do enjoy it! But never, ever before had I been so happy to do laundry. Thank goodness for the extra large capacity (even bigger than my old large capacity washer), because the dirty laundry had really piled up in those few days! I was definitely scraping the bottom of the wardrobe barrel. Did I mention I also decided to potty train a toddler while my washer was broken? I know, even I am astonished by my brilliance...
And really, doing laundry is even more of a pleasure now. The new washer does all kinds of things (spinning slowly while it fills with water so that all of the clothes get wet, for instance) that are just so great. My only dilemma is that there is a separate cycle for jeans and towels, and goodness, what am I supposed to do if I need to wash both together? *wink* Oh, and for the record, it does spin.
My littles keep getting bigger. I have to squeeze Rosa's chubby thighs multiples times per day to reassure myself that there is a little baby left in my rambunctious toddler. On our walk the other day, Little Man excitedly said, "I'm a good tripper!" It's true. He has the scrapes and boo-boos to prove it.
Ballet flats and leggings are pretty standard for me right now. I like versatile and comfortable. It's getting hot for walks, but I'm trying. Sort of.
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| Cari's comment made me realize that I didn't mention that I was wearing more than just ballet flats and leggings. *wink* I pair my leggings with knee-length dresses that could possibly show more skin than I'd be comfortable with if a strong wind or a child were to "intervene." Just FYI. |
The rain is still pattering down softly outside my window, after quite a downpour last night, and the littles are just waking up. I think it's time for day to begin.
The selection of washers these days amazes me. We bought a front loader on Saturday. Sears Outlet half off!
ReplyDeleteLoree,
DeleteApparently this is washer buying season! :-) Fortunately, our budget eliminated most of the selection -- but even so there were quite a few to choose from.
Enjoy your new machine! :-)
Blessings,
Shannon
I love these sorts of blog posts Shannon, thanks for sharing a little glimpse into your life. I find laundry satisfying...what I hate is putting everything back into drawers etc, so I guess, as that is an integral part of doing laundry, that perhaps I don't really like laundry ;-)
ReplyDeleteI hope your move goes well, when it happens. Norfolk (I had to google it) and San Diego both look interesting places to live, and it will lovely to be near the sea - you've sort of got to be to be in the navy I suppose! How many different states have you lived in? It's so different over here - even if we made a move to the other end of the country, say the north of Scotland, the climate, landscape and culture wouldn't be that different, whereas I suppose in the US you can go from tropical to temperate by moving a few states up!
Love Rachel xxxx
Rachel,
DeleteI don't mind putting things back *too* terribly -- but perhaps that's because I hang all of my husband's and my clothes, and don't really bother to fold the rest. :-)
Thanks for the good wishes for the move! I am looking forward to moving again -- thus far I've lived in four different states (Lousiana, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Florida twice, once in Key West and now in Northern Florida, which are VERY different!), and in Buckinghamshire on your side of the pond. I rather enjoyed the ease of traveling in Britain when we visited a few years back, because nothing was really all that far away -- and I loved the roadsigns that would say simply, "The North" or "The East." You don't really see that over here. :-)
Blessings,
Shannon
Oh, dear. Four days. Unfortunately, ours went out after I was out of town, but before I did laundry. Our new one is getting delievered on Saturday, but that makes about four weeks without a washer. I'm discovering how very many clothes I have. I think it's time to make a thrift store run!
ReplyDeleteAmy,
DeleteYikes! Four weeks? I tried going to a laundromat the last day before we got our washer fixed, but it turned out to be a pet grooming salon instead. Oops. :-) Not having a washing machine certainly increases one's creativity when it comes to clothes. I also found it helped me weed out clothes I really don't wear, because some garments remained unworn even when I in rather desperate straits!
Hope you enjoy the new washer. :-)
Blessings,
Shannon
Our washing machine oddly was acting up and then decided to fix itself! Thank goodness. They are very expensive! I do know that next time I will go back to a top loader. I do not care for the front.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you wear with your leggings? A skirt?
<3 Cari
Cari,
DeleteWhat a blessing that your machine sorted itself out! Yes, they are horribly expensive. I insisted on a top-loader, partly because I've heard they're much easier with cloth diapers. And the machine we got is apparently one of the few that still lets you pick your load size (though it does have an automatic fill option). I've heard many machines now just don't use enough water to clean clothes, under the guise of high efficiency.
Oh, and I probably should have clarified the rest of my clothing choice! I was focusing on what was visible in the picture. I wear leggings under dresses -- usually knee-length dresses which I'd feel comfortably modest in standing up, but which might make me nervous when children and activity are added into the mix. :-)
Blessings,
Shannon
Shannon, this was such a lovely little peek into the snippets of life that sometimes go unnoticed. I am excited at your prospects of a new station, and hope for your sake that this new assignment will take your little family on an adventure away from Fl. There is always a time and place for new experiences!
ReplyDeleteAlso, I really do find the Bronte sisters an interesting bunch...while I personally really enjoyed Jane Eyre, I can't stand Wuthering Heights and am so glad to find someone who shares this sentiment. I think I am drawn to the gritty nature of their work more so than, say, Austen.
Katrina,
DeleteThank you for your sweet words! We are certainly excited about our prospects -- though your comment reminds me that we'll miss so much that we'll leave behind (such as your family :-).
You know, I claim to be indifferent to Jane Eyre, and yet I've read it at least three times.... *wink* Yay for another Wuthering Heights "nonfan!" And yes, the Bronte sisters were quite remarkable. Have you seen any of the science fiction they wrote as children? It's astonishingly creative! Especially since they lived such a secluded life. I have a book of letters that they wrote to one another, which I started long ago. I'm tempted to give it another go now. And I think I'd like to re-read The Tenant of Wildfell Hall again, as it's been several years.
I suppose I'd better stop before this turns into a post in and of itself! :-)
Blessings,
Shannon