Wednesday, January 22, 2014

WEDNESDAY HODGEPODGE

As we continue to assimilate to our new home little problems arise. Yesterday it was time to hook up the washer and dryer.  I did the washing machine fairly easily but SWMBO said she'd take care of the dryer.  In Phoenix I had a devil of a time getting the vent tube connected.  So she went behind the machine to work on it and she said "you had better go into the other room until I get this done."  So she went at it and from time to time, I would hear a muffled string of profanity and then a loud scream.  Alarmed by the latter I stepped in and inquired if she was okay.  "YES!", she yelled, "Just leave me alone with this damned thing!"

I did.

Finally she gave up.  The vent tubing is round and the outlet to the outdoors is oval.  Plus the tubing seemed to be the same diameter as the dryer evacuation vent.  She commanded me to check at a hardware store for a piece of tubing just a half inch larger.  And if I could find something to deal with that circular vs. oval problem that would be good too.

At the hardware store I was quickly told that all tubing is the same size.  But they did have a converter thing that was oval on one end and circular on the other.  I bought it.  SWMBO went at it again. More screaming ensued.  She finally got the converter piece attached to the wall outlet and the tubing onto the other end of it.  Massive amounts of duct tape made it seemingly secure.  But she was having trouble getting the other end of the tubing onto the dryer.  And besides, it seemed too long to coil up neatly behind the dryer.  I finally told her to get out and I'd fix it.  That involved moving the washer so I could get behind it, jamming the tubing down and cramming the dryer up against it.  It ain't neat but I think it will work.



So, on to other problems.

We subscribe to DIRECTV and moved our equipment up here from Phoenix and one of the company's technicians installed it the day after we moved in.  But we are in a smaller house than the one in which we lived in Phoenix.  So instead of hooking up four television sets, we only needed three.  Yesterday I called the company's office and after about 40 minutes on the phone got the fourth connector taken off our account.  This morning we had no television on any of the sets.  So I called them back and spent another 20-30 minutes on the phone with them and everything is back to working.  Of course, DIRECTV is in a contract dispute with The Weather Channel and it doesn't appear right now.  But I suspect that will be taken care of in time.

Anyway to know what the weather is doing, all I have to do is step outside and look at the sky.  Today it's a bit gray.



It even looks like it could rain but there's none in the forecast.

By the way, once the sun is back out and the weather warms a bit I suspect this is where we'll be spending much of our time.


Our covered back patio, just large enough for a table, four chairs and a barbecue grill.  I predict they will all be used in time.

Finally, it is time once again for some remarkable music.  I am indebted to my friend and former colleague, Big Jeff, for making me aware of this man.  Tommy Emmanuel is an Australian virtuoso of the style of guitar playing known as finger-picking.  This is a great example of his talent. Enjoy.






19 comments:

  1. I can easily imagine you and SWMBO enjoying a cocktail on your patio, you sporting an apron while you grill something wonderful. By the way, I'm impressed SWMBO even tried to fix the dryer.

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    1. I usually forget the apron and, frankly, haven't done much grilling.

      SWMBO is the daughter of a man who made his living building or fixing everything in sight. It's in the genes.

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  2. We have a dryer that doesn't have to be vented. It collects the excess water in a small container that we empty when some acumulates. Don't know if that is a German thing or not. But sure saves a lot of trouble.

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    1. SWMBO says you have to have a vent in the U.S. because of the danger of lint build-up and fires.

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  3. I should have mentioned, Tommy is super.

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  4. The guy at the hardware store probably could have shortened that up for you. But then that would have made the job too easy. (say that with a Nort Dakotah accent then.

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    1. Yah, SWMBO said she thought of doing that but no . . . .

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  5. Understand that dryer vent battle, we went through something similar. Good for both of you and your perseverance, which also earns you both a stiff drink! Your patio looks great and I can see you guys enjoying it. The music video is great. BTW, we've seen Byron Berline here in Cambria at the Painted Sky.

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    1. Stiff drinks were consumed. Painted Sky gets some good talent.

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  6. Lint fires are a problem, with those kinks you may still have a lint build up issue.

    Thanks for the guitar dude...wow! He picks faster than blue grass virtuoso Doc Watson. Going to forward that to a friend..

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  7. I doff mine cap and bend my knee to the Lady Swimbo. Ne'er did such ardent screaming win the day. In other words, "Cor blimey! Wha' a woman!"

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  8. Like Joe said, what appear to be kinks in the vent might prove to be a problem. Just keep an eye on them. And that patio looks SO inviting! I'm sure y'all wil enjoy it. :)

    S

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  9. Dude, sorry but as hinted at above, the dryer vent is a problem. It's probably even a code violation. These aluminum vents are designed to be cut and fit to size normally, though that's not easy, either. In this case, if the vent is straight out the back wall, you might have been better off with lengths of rigid venting.

    But rest assured that everybody curses when doing duct work.

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  10. That 's a great looking patio and the fanciest dryer hook up I've ever seen.

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