New tests

I forgot to mention we survived another Test of Marriage last week. We've had several this year. They include:

1. The Test of Prolonged Unemployment
2. The Test of a Spouse in a Job He Loathes
3. The Test of Vacationing with the Inlaws
4. The Test of Spending Lots of Money On Sealift
5. The Test of Being Apart for Seven Weeks.
6. The Test of Unpacking a Sealift
7. The Test of Putting Together a Large IKEA Item

And now we have...The Test of Unpacking and Moving a Washing Machine

For those of you sticking with my assorted ramblings, our old washing machine up and died back in August. In retrospect, we figure the thing was probably about 10 years old, so it was due. However, as there were no washing machine in town except for one that was around $1,700 (for that much it needed to also perform sexual favours. It didn't) so we quickly did some scrambling. We managed to get Ishop4U to pick one up and deliver it to TSC, who in turn boxed it up and managed to get it on what appears to be the last sealift boat of the season. Last week, it finally arrived.

Which is lovely. The guys at the laundromat are nice and all, but dropping $4 or so for one load in a washing machine is a touch much. And unlike the last time, we were prepared when the crate arrived having decided to go out and buy an expensive cutting tool for the metal band holding it together and a pry bar to open it up. So no more grovelling to the neighbours and looking like idiots. On this, at least.

What we didn't take into account was how to get a 260 pound washing machine up a set of stairs, into our house and installed properly.

Ooops.

The final tally was a bruised knee (Cathy), a bruised wrist (Cathy), a strained back (Cathy), a cut on the back of a leg (Craig), frayed tempers (Craig and Cathy), and one scratch (the side of the washing machine). You knew it was a stressful experience when Cathy was snapping at her dad when she called with a question (Dan, to his credit, was laughing at it when I called him back).

On the upside, we have a lovely, energy efficient washing machine and our marriage has survived yet another test.

The next test will likely be The Test of Handing Out Halloween Candy. We haven't done it together since 2003, so this should should be interesting, what with 100+ kids expected and Boo likely to lose his mind every time someone knocks on the door.

Last Five
1. You look so fine - Garbage*
2. Earthquake - The Von Bondies
3. Only ones who know - Arctic Monkeys
4. Every time you say goodbye - (live) - Allison Krauss
5. I'm impressed - They Might Be Giants