I had to buy a new washer.

Actually I had to buy a new dryer. Ours won't shut off. And this is a fire hazard. I learned this was a fire hazard when I went to Best Buy yesterday to look at how much these things cost and mentioned my dryer was "on the fritz."

"Oh," said the tatooed hipper than thou employee. "What's wrong with it?"
"It won't shut off."
"Wow, that's really dangerous. It could start a fire."

Actually I kind of knew that because, A. I am not stupid, B. we discovered that when it ran all night, we could make a new duvet out of the produced lint, and C. my mother mentioned it this last weekend when she was here.

I told my mom that the dryer wouldn't shut off. She said, "Wow, that's a huge fire hazard." So I knew.

Yesterday I went to Best Buy to look at washers and dryers but was dazzled by the array of choices. I don't really like that many choices because it's overwhelming. And I needed to get my head around what one needed 14 wash cycles for anyway. And what is a steam dryer? Because isn't the dryer supposed to dry not steam?

My son had spend the night with his other grandmother the day before and when he got home last night, I was chatting with my mother-in-law about my vacation so far. Lame hardly describes it. But at any rate, she asked what I had done that day and I mentioned that I'd gone to Best Buy to look at washers and dryers. She asked why and I replied my dryer was on the fritz.

"What's wrong with it?" she asked but more accented and lilting than you're reading it.
"It won't shut off."
"Que bestia. That can be very dangerous. It's a fire hazard."

Yeah. I get that.

So last night after dinner with a former student of Ricardo's, I subscribed to Consumer Reports to investigate this whole thing. And I found the perfect washer and dryer! They were economical, front loaders, high on energy conservation. Fabulous!

And not available in my podunk, armpit region of the world.

And one wonders why I shop online?

Sooooo, I enlisted the help of The Kid today and after a lazy morning workout (how can one workout lazily? Have you seen the size of me?) and lunch, we hit the stores. First stop was Sears where they had the second choice washer and dryer and they were on sale. But, only 12 months financing and they dinged you $80 for delivery. You could freaking roll them down the hill to our house! $80! Screw that.

So we went to Lowes. They didn't have any of the models we were interested in. And they knew nothing about any of the models they were selling. And only 6 months financing. Plus I hate them.

Then it was back to Best Buy. Free delivery and set up, free haul away, and 18 months financing (which is good because holy fucking God, have you *seen* the cost of these things these days?!). Plus they can deliver them next Friday when I have off. And they were very nice to me. And the taxes from them (not small!) go to our city.

So what have I done with my break? I got an allergy shot, wrote a 70 page review packet of all the state standards k-3 for science and social studies. I worked out twice, did some laundry (but no drying unless I am in the house, because I *hear* it's a fire hazard). I bought some clothes and then returned them. How pitiful is that.

And finally, I need to call out the lurkers here. I know there are a bunch of you now. I am fine with that, but I' like a roll call or something so I know there's some interest of some kind out there. My ego is fragile, don't you know.