Raincharm’s Weblog

So – I blogged this morning about yesterday.
Closing on how it was time to get back to work.

Well it is just past noon and I have

• moved a few folders around,
• logged on to the work site
• balanced the checkbook
• filed bills and bank statements (no, I do not bank or pay on-line)
• played around with coffee-makers

Coffee-makers.
I feel we only hoard mildly.
You can generally find paths through the house without too much trouble.
[I will confess that one of my early clean-ups this morning was to remove a table we had set up in the kitchen to help out with T-Day space requirements. In the intervening weeks it had gathered a coffee maker box, fan, easel, paints, paper and a bag of brown rice. And it’s location made it almost impossible to get into the storage shelves (brown rice on the table). It also made it difficult to reach the microwave and toaster oven.]

Since we got the Mr. Coffee out for T-Day timing we have taken to using it on the weekends. We usually use our one-cup makers for the cup or so in the early morning during the week.

I am sure they still make Mr. Coffee machines, but mine has travelled from the late 70’s in Michigan, through the decades and Colorado, to land here in our home.

Mr. Coffee, circa 1978. Looking strangely at home in our kitchen in 2010

Note that the machine is plugged in, and yet, no lights on the front are lit.
That’s what we noted. I figured the machine had finally given its last gasp.

Jokin' Joe has gone away

I thought I had seen a different coffee maker earlier in the morning. Carl pulled a white machine out of a lower cupboard. Funny, I thought it had been green.

We plugged the much newer white machine into the outlet. No lights, bells or whistles.
Hmmm. But then, why were we always going to the Mr. Coffee. Because the newer machines tended to fail. And then we failed to fix or dispose. Our hoarding generally starts with good intentions to try and fix something. (Not that we are especially handy with small electrical appliances.)

Determined to not continue this trend I went to retrieve the Mr. Coffee box from its high storage location. And what else did I find? The green newer coffee maker. Well, let’s see if we can chuck that one too. Sure enough, plug it in and no lights or sounds. Three for three. Christmas ideas?

Hoarded Coffee Makers

Since we still had coffee in the pot, just no longer warm, I poured myself a cup and headed for the microwave (which I had made accessible earlier). What – no lights sounds or spinning trays??? [The microwave is circa 1985, and doesn’t have anything that lights up.]

WAIT A MINUTE. No kitchen outlets appear to have power. GFI switch – reset. And voila.

All makers have lights. So we still have three that may function.
I don’t feel like trying to drink three pots of coffee today, so determining the workability of these pots will have to take at least a few more days. I am suspicious that the Mr. Coffee may be the source of the GFI tripping. So it may yet be ready to move on.

And, it provided a true project avoidance of grand nature.

Is it time for lunch yet?

I don’t have anything earth shattering to say today.
In fact I really don’t ever.
Unless there has been an earthquake of note.

But when I try to remember why I started blogging, it was in a large part to let my family know what I have been up to. And Carl. What he is up to that is.

Yesterday was a home day, and a work day. All long day.
But I did manage to review 3 or 4 chapters of my major, major project.
Today will be more of the same, but the focus may shift to not the major, major project.

I actually did some house clean-up centered around the kitchen. Just your basic trash, recycle, compost stuff, but it felt good to clear a path. For the next half hour it should not look like we are totally behind on that room.

And, being Sunday AM, the newspaper can be an added distraction.
But that means it has to have been delivered.
There was no little bundle of information sitting on or near our steps this AM, so I called the paper. They only give you until 10 AM to request a redelivery, and it was after 9 AM. I hope it does not cause any grief for our delivery person, and I half expect we will end up with 2 papers.

Yesterday? A few rain showers, but not too bad outside. Although I did not participate.
Today? definitely raining. I went out to look at the mushrooms that remain in the corner of the yard that Carl left for me to clear (he wants me to feel included I think). They require more attention than I can muster, and the pelting of the rain sealed the deal (to go back inside).

Yesterday the Giants beat the Phillies, so our World Series teams are set. Carl will get our decorations all together and we will be ready to start watching on Wednesday.

The Seattle Sounders played their last regular season game yesterday as well.
We wanted a win, but they lost. Some really suspect officiating on a few calls as well.
But Rey was actually rooting for a tie or loss. This will improve the chances that the Sounders will play a game in Cleveland, and he may have a chance to be one of those crazy fans that travel to see the games.

I would comment on yesterday’s college football, but all I know is that UW lost. No Big Ten news at all yet.

So off to work on not the major, major project.