life after the apocalypse – Page 18

Circuit Detectors and other Secrets of the Trade

Thursday. Sunny for the moment, though I’m told that will change.

Breakfast was cottage cheese and pineapple, since I haven’t been to the grocery, and I had a can of pineapple. Lunch? God, She knows.

I have one estimate in from a contractor, which I need to review, oh, after the plumber comes and does his thing. And! he has just called to assure me that he’s on the way.

The cats are locked in Steve’s Wing. Union Rep Talizea Kennebec informs me that they will be Writing Me Up for repeated, cruel and unjustified confinements, and that I can expect a personal call from the committeecat. Well. I always enjoy chatting with the committeecat. While I’m at it, let me just say that I’m very impressed with the … ardor with which Tali has taken to her role as Union Rep. She is stern, but fair, and she hardly ever falls asleep before the second of the triplicate copies is complete.

Also on today’s schedule is reassembling the ice maker to see if it has thawed and is now working, or if, in fact, I need a Whole New Ice Maker, which I suspect will Cost the Earth. Possibly, I will do without, if I’m not doing harm to the rest of the unit by depriving it of an expected component. I did learn yesterday that mine is one of “oldies” that doesn’t have a computer board, so — yay?

And — plumbers have arrived.

To be continued.
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I have not yet learned any new words, and to their credit, the plumbers — one certified, one ‘prentice — both understood the reference to the escape of the magic smoke.

Balancing the lack of new words, I have seen a New Device! A Circuit Detector. Which works like a Geiger Counter and was in the case extremely useful, because the switch in the box labeled DISHWASHER, did not in fact turn off the juice to the dishwasher. The switch labeled DISPOSAL does that. Naturally.

Also! The plumbers have taken charge of the old dishwasher so Josh and his crew do not have to make an extra trip today, and so I have informed the home office.

The new machine now goes in.

To be continued. This is exciting.
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While we’re waiting for the installation lesson to finish (including the instruction, “Now, this is against the Man Code, but our contract says that we will install appliances according to manufacturer’s instructions. That means you need to read this booklet.” And also the story about how we make sure the wires are grounded before we push the machine into its slot, in which the master acknowledged having done a short cut at one point, because it had been a while since he’d done something stupid, and he decided he was too busy to check the grounding, the wire sparked, and “yeah, my arm kinda tingled.”)

While we’re waiting, I say, I will note that (1) The Fey Duology preorders are up to 10 books, from Apple, and (2) If anyone would like to review Liaden Universe® Constellation 6, especially on Amazon, I’d take it kindly. If it gets enough reviews, Amazon will even exert itself to promote the title (I know; but I don’t make the rules), and that might mean new readers. (2a) While you’re there, if you’re taken with the urge to review any other Liaden book, no matter how old, that will let people know that the title is still live, and that they can buy and read it, too.

Spanish Aunts.
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And the plumbers withdraw, having checked their work and turned on everything they had turned off. I have made a note to alter the tab in the electrical box from DISPOSAL to DISHWASHER.

This dishwasher is going to take some getting used to. The old dishwasher had a panel on the front. The controls for this one are on the top of the door, so you set everything, then close the door.

Well. Now I will let the cats out of Durance Vile, and put the house back together, including all the Stuff that came out from under the sink.
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Thinking more on the icemaker: If it doesn’t work, I’ll just turn it off, and dump the cubes I make with the ice cub trays into the ice-catch, since the ice cube delivery system on the door still works. Since there is an off-switch, I’m guessing that the rest of the fridge will keep on doing its thing. Which is to say, the lack of an active ice maker in the loop will not function like the lack of cyan when I want to print something in black-and-white.

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I was reminded yesterday, when I mentioned embroidering jeans, that I had failed of sharing a picture of my completed Flower Power shirt. I herewith amend that error:

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Closing for the day

Below is a transcript of the rest of my morning.

Thanks to everyone who mentioned that I might look on ebay for another pair of The Best Jeans on the Planet. I went back to Land’s End to find out what they are Actually Called, and! Between yesterday and today, something changed. There was “low stock” on 14 Talls of Women’s Lightweight Denim High Rise Relaxed Straight Pull On Pocket Jeans in DARK WASH. Done! Two pairs on order (the sale’s still on, BTW; it goes over today). This is Very Good, since I’m getting tired of pleating my on-hand jeans with a belt. Also? At least one pair of these jeans is so going to have flowers embroidered on them.
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Josh from Dave’s Appliance has just called to let me know that he plans to be in the driveway in half an hour.

I have locked the cats in Steve’s Wing, for Josh’s protection.
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Pffft! And the new dishwasher is here, and so is the old dishwasher, because the delivery guys can only take the old dishwasher away after it’s been disconnected. They cannot themselves disconnect the existing machine.

So! Tomorrow, Houle’s will come and uninstall, then install, then Josh will come back to pick up the old machine.

In the meantime, I have a dishwasher sitting in my office.
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For my next trick, I called GE and talked to a tech about the ice maker not functioning. We left it that I would take the icemaker out and let it defrost on the kitchen counter for a day. I was offerered a youtube video to show me how to do this. So I got the screw out, but the ice maker is still attached by a piece of plastic pipe and at this point I don’t know whether to be chuffed that I managed to unscrew the damned screw or furious that I can’t just call a repair guy and have him come fix it.

Jeebus, I hate this timeline.
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OK. Youtube it is. I got the icemaker out. I lost the little spacer for the screw, because of course I did, but, hey! I took an icemaker out of a refrigerator, working live, because nobody told me to unplug the thing, which I couldn’t’ve done anyway, and I now have a disassembled icemaker in my sink and a dishwasher in my office.

Are we having fun yet?

EDITED TO ADD: I found the spacer, and yanno what? I? am done, so very, very done, for the day.

Everybody stay safe; we’ll try again tomorrow.

Kept comin’ up with love, but it’s so slashed and torn

Wednesday. Dim and chilly. The weatherbeans say it will be MUCH COOLER (caps original) than yesterday, with rain.

Went to bed late-ish last night, and slept in this morning.

Breakfast was oatmeal, semi-sweet bits, and almond butter. Drinking my second cup of tea. Lunch will … depend on details surrounding the arrival of the dishwasher, the window of delivery being between noon and 2.

After I finish this letter to the internets, I expect I’ll be doing dishes, putting them away and clearing the counter over the dishwasher. I will be very interested to see how they’re gonna get the dishwasher installed. It is a very tiny kitchen. OTOH, there’s a dishwasher right there, so the concept is proven. One of the things I always look forward to in these scenarios is the opportunity to learn new words.

Last night after I came home from needlework, I colored for a bit, and listened to Sea Wrack and Changewind, by Sharon Lee, narrated by Alex Picard. Good stories. Good narration. Five stars and a chocolate brownie to author and narrator.

In addition to clearing the work area, I need to call — Agren, I guess — to see if they can send a guy to look at the fridge, which persists in not making ice. Also, I need to explore setting up a Zelle? account.

Well. That’s looking like a busy day right there.

What’s your day looking like?

The problem with buying stuff on sale is that by the time you realize these are the best jeans on the planet, they’re sold out.

With! bonus cat census.

Today’s blog post title brought to you by Queen and David Bowie, “Under Pressure“

Celebration Tuesday!

Tuesday. Cinco de Mayo. We have a lot going on today, people, even before the mariachi guys get started.

First! Today is Book Day! for A Liaden Universe® Constellation Volume Six! You may find it at your favorite bookstore in trade paperback and ebook editions. Here’s the Amazon link.

Second! The Fey Duology ebook is propogating through the D2D network and is now available for preorder from several vendors including Apple, Barnes&Noble, Bookshop, Kobo, Smashwords, and others. Here’s the Universal Link

Third! Platform Decay (Murderbot 8) landed in my TBR pile right around midnight. I won’t be able to get to it for a while, so no spoilers, please.

. . . I think that’s enough to get us started. Don’t want to get Celebration Fatigue when the day’s not even fairly started.

What’re you doing on Cinco de Mayo?

We were never gonna get old

Fey Duology publication update!

The ebook is percolating through the system and should seen be available for preorder at all the usual vendors except Amazon. Don’t yell at me; there are Reasons, which mostly have to do with Amazon’s complete non-understanding of the concept of “rights reverted to the author.” The price for the ebook, including two dark fantasy novels under one cover will be $12. It will publish on June 1.

I will be talking to Baen next, to see if they’ll list the electronic omnibus in Pinbeam Book catalog on their site. Watch the skies.

There will be a trade paper edition…eventually. It will cost a whopping $35. Thirty-two-fifty goes to paper, distribution, and the bookstores’ piece of the action. I’m sorry it costs so much. I brought in a Well-regarded Consultant, but he couldn’t figure out how to bring the price down, either, though he did point out that the cover price on the two Baen hardcovers was $24.99 each.

The reason we have an “eventually” in the trade paper equation is that I’ve ordered a physical proof copy, because I’m Just That Picky, and the book will not go on sale until I’ve OK’d the proof.

. . . and that’s the news at 3:25.

Oh. Here’s a picture of the Well-regarded Consultant, consulting:

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The dishes are done, the contractor has been and gone, promising a quote rsn, I updated the Adventures in the Liaden Universe catalog page on pinbeambooks.com, and there was something else I was supposed to be doing, but I’m damned if I can remember what it was, which is MY message from the Universe to knock off for the day.

So! Knocking off for the day. *waves*

Everybody stay safe. I’ll check in tomorrow.

This evening’s post brought to you by Southside Johnny, who I had never heard of until Steve introduced me to his music. “It’s Been A Long Time” is a fair enough description of our life together… Money got made, baby; money got spent. We were never gonna get old.

I set a course for winds of fortune

Monday. Dim, damp, and cooler than the temperature on the thermometer would leave you to believe.

Car service concluded. I had forgotten that I had a Free oil change and tire rotation on the books as an apology for last year’s narrowly-averted tragedy. I was also verbally apologized to several times for that mistake, and the tech not only asserted that he had tightened the oil cap correctly, but he demonstrated that this was so to the manager.

While I was in the Big City, I retired several errands, and! as a Special Bonus, I have a gift of homemade lasagna for lunch.

I’m home now (and will be unless I Get A Call, which I don’t expect) and have eaten the last cookie. Why does this keep happening? WHO IS EATING MY COOKIES?

Ahem.

While I was driving to and fro, I heard a clip from an interview with a member of Kansas, who was describing the first time the band played “Wayward Son.” One comment made me laugh out loud: “We all loved that song. We loved it so much we never thought it would be a hit single!”

Spoken like an artist.

Now that I am home, and absent a phone call, I’m going to take another whack at getting The Fey Duology up for preorder.

How’s Monday morning treating everybody?

Today’s blog post title brought to you by Kansas, “Carry On Wayward Son“

Quittin’ time

Well, look. Quittin’ time already.

I have not completed the layout of The Fey Duology. Most of this is because I’m picky, and D2D has A System.

Now, I know that D2D has A System, and I know that I can’t bend it to my will, and I also know that my skillset is limited. None of this stops me from fussing and getting frustrated and trying to bend the system to my will, anyway.

So, where we are right now is that I think I’ve worked my way into the proper pitch of frustration, and the next time I look at this project, which may be tomorrow or may be Tuesday, I’ll say, “Oh, D2D, you heartbreaker, you.” and hit the publish button.

For those who are interested in such things, it does look as if there will be a trade paperback edition. It will be ugly (ref “frustration” above), but it will exist.

Speaking of frustration, Tali is in the middle of her fifteenth tantrum in the last fifteen minutes. She demands to see the committeecat right! now!, and by Bast, I am going to be written up like nobody’s ever been written up in the history of ever for wrongly withholding Happy Hour.

Really, she’s in quite a state. Rookie actually left the room, rather than try to compete. Thank ghod they didn’t think of joining forces, or I’d be writing this from the deck.

Tomorrow, first thing, I need to take the car in for service, and do another couple errands while I’m in Augusta, so I may not be visible until after noon.

Everybody have a good evening. Stay safe.

Not Mother’s Day

Sunday. Rainy and chill.

Woke up naturally at a little after six and decided I was Up. Wished Tali a Happy Mother’s Day*, and threw a spring for her. Rook brought me his ball and I threw that for him. After I’d found pants and a sweater, and brewed the morning’s first cuppa to have with the Happy Lite, Firefly jumped up into my lap and gave me all the cuddles.

Breakfast was leftover mashed potatoes, leftover corn, leftover sausage, onions, parmesan cheese, and an egg all scrambled together. Whatever it was, it was good.

Threw in a load of laundry when I woke up, because I could, and I’ll have to shift it to the dryer in a couple minutes.

Regarding the morning cuppa. I had been drinking Russian Caravan tea for my first cup, which I liked very much, but then it was gone, so I moved on to the next envelope (these teas having been part of a Holiday Gift of Tea), which happened to be Lapsang Souchong, and I liked that even more. I ordered in more of both sorts, but while I was waiting, I opened the smaller envelope of Darjeeling. I’ve never much cared for Darjeeling, but, tastes change.

I can now report that, whatever it is that makes those first cups of Russian Caravan and Lapsang Souchong so satisfying, Darjeeling has it not. Perhaps it has a place as an afternoon tea, but I tend to switch over to non-caffeinated teas in the afternoon in the interests of getting some sleep on the overnight.

. . . and that’s my Tea Report.

Lunch will be soup, in honor of the rain, rain, rain, and I’m on my way to Steve’s office to get some work done. After I detour to the laundry room and switch the wet clothes to the dryer.

What’re you doing today?

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*No, today is not Mother’s Day, which I am now sufficiently caffeinated to realize. In my own defense, the number and urgency of internet communications I’ve been receiving on the topic of Mother’s Day led to me to believe it must be upon us. Steve and I did not celebrate Mother’s Day; he would send flowers to his mother, but otherwise, it was just another Sunday in May.

Art for the artless

I mentioned that today I bought a coloring book. In particular, I bought Urban Anna’s From Paris With Love, featuring 21 shopfronts to color in. What attracted me to this is that the complete artwork is on the page facing the page to be colored, where the colorist is free to either ignore or emulate. For my first attempt, I have decided to emulate, and I’ve spent the last, oh, hour? going through the . . . hundreds of colored pencils in this house in order to arrive at the closest approximation I can manage of the colors used by the artist.

Yes, this is fun; I have a Weird Brain. I believe I may be learning something about color, though I don’t really have a clue what that might be — my brain rarely shares stuff with me. But as of this moment I have a key listing 20 colors, that ends with the following note: “color list incomplete.” Because, yanno, I have enough colors to get started coloring, and I can get back to matching later.

Ah. And my brain has just now informed me that no, I never AM going to match the color of the stucco wall because the original work was done on pebbly art paper and the book is printed on smooth paper. Well, there.

Anyhow, tonight, I intend to serve up Coon Cat Happy Hour, pour a glass of wine, and color. I’ve never done such a thing, but maybe I’ll put on a movie down low, so there will be voices in the background. That seems like a Thing that ought to be tried.

Tomorrow! I will do my very best to get the Fae Duology uploaded, formatted, and tagged with a preorder date.

Everybody have a good evening. Stay safe. I’ll check in tomorrow.

Below is my coloring project:

Social Saturday

Saturday. Rainy and cool.

Just back from the TJ Maxx members party. I’m old enough to remember going with my Flapper Grandmother (as distinct from my Church Grandmother) to the big department store galas in downtown Baltimore.

This? Was not that. For the Big Department Stores (for students of history, that would have been: Hecht Company, Hochchild Kohn, Hutzler’s, and Stewart’s, with Hecht’s being the Lesser and Hochchild’s being the Greater. My personal favorite was Stewart’s. But I digress.)

For the Big Department Store events, I say, one Dressed. Not in evening wear, but in what my grandmother styled as Afternoon Clothes. For me at that time, it was the pickiest, scratchiest dress in my closet, white anklets, and the good patent leather shoes. For my grandmother, the Season had to be taken into account, but I remember her most often in a flowered frock, with matching hat, purse, and shoes. I’ve never seen a woman before or since who loved a flowered frock quite so much.

There was a catered tea, and fashion shows, and cooking demonstrations, and nicely dressed sales people pleased to Direct You, or even take you to this or that visiting expert — it was quite lovely. Almost worth the scratchy dress.

TJ Maxx’s event was not that, though I noted several members dressed in suits. I was in grey jeans, a nice purple fleece pullover, and the hard black shoes, because — raining.

I did get a Free Gift — an insulated lunch bag which will actually be useful. I did not win a door prize. The group was friendly; I was given a quick rundown on what I could expect from the person ahead of me in the line to sign up for the drawing, which was both useful and very kind of her.

I went with the expectation of not buying anything, but! This morning, I discovered that the refrigerator (the sole appliance that came with the house that is still (fingers crossed) functioning) has stopped making ice cubes. So I did need ice cube trays, and I bought a great pair of Oxo ice cube trays with slide-on lids, so I can stack them on a shelf.

It’s a matter for the philosophers, if I actually needed the bath towel, the illustrated guide to the Victorian Language of the Flowers (which replaces one that I had, but apparently gave away), the coloring book, or the embroidery kit (embroider and assemble a canvas bag! How can anybody resist that?). I can, however, make a good case for the dryer vent brush, the sink stones, and the adjustable chair sliders. Oh, and the hairbrush. One does, after all, need to groom oneself.

All of the above, in fact, demonstrate the danger of this particular event — there were so few of us in the store, I felt no pressure to rush or to get out of peoples’ way. I could just moon about in my preferred style, Stare at Stuff, pick it up, establish a relationship with it, and part friends. (It comes to me that the Mooning About Thing is why I love to visit museums, though of course, I’m not allowed to touch stuff.)

So, in sum — a nice hourish outing. I’m home, have greeted the cats, put my purchases away and eaten a cookie. I’m now free to do what seems good to me until 2ish, when I expect a contractor to arrive.

How’s your Saturday starting out?

Dressed to shop:

P.S. The Big Question on Facebook was “What are sink stones?” These are sink stones. They are not the actual sink stones I bought, because — TJ Maxx, but they’re of the family.