Keep It Simple

Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler. ~Albert Einstein

My washing machine is broken. The one we bought eight months ago. It wasn't cheap, and we've been stupidly careful with it. It's all electronic (which I HATE, but you can't get simple stuff anymore -- my last washer/dryer set lasted me 14 years and was one of the least expensive models they sell). We were warned it can fry its circuits in a thunderstorm and we should make sure it's unplugged. Since we get storms regularly, I just unplug it whenever I'm not using it.

It was acting a little funky for a while, but decided to stop working altogether on Saturday (luckily, I was able to get out the clothes that were in it -- the door was locked and didn't want to open but it had just enough life left that I messed with it a bit and got it to release).

The problem is this: it's HOT here. DH and DD have been going to the lake constantly (Fri, Sat and now today). We're sweaty and "lakey" and generally icky. We're having what Judy called "two shower days". We don't have AC in the house and not only can we not wear anything more than once, there are times we'll end up changing mid-day.

We're running out of clothes.

The repairman doesn't come until tomorrow. And -- what if, even then, he can't fix it? What if he needs parts or something? I do not want to go to the Laundromat. OTOH, it's end of season out there -- I could go on a shopping spree and get summer clothes wicked cheap.

Hmmmmm............. an excuse to shop?

Still, why isn't anything built to last anymore? My DH and I have been mulling about replacing my 4Runner. It has 260,000 miles on it, so it's getting up there. BUT... there's nothing wrong with it. It runs like a champ. Makes it hard to get rid of, yanno? And the stuff they build now? All the electronic doo-dads that make stuff so nifty? It's more stuff to break AND it's expensive to fix.

It was the same thing for me at the cell phone place. I haven't replaced mine in three years, so it was time. Here's the thing: I don't text, I don't access my email, I don't play games, I don't download ringtones... I USE IT FOR PHONE CALLS. I know, I know... shocking. The problem was, 90% of the phones they had for sale have little mini-keyboards on them now. I just want a phone with a numerical keypad. It's easy, simple, basic. I want to open it up and dial a phone number. It's a cell PHONE not a cell COMPUTER.

**sigh**

I miss simpler times.

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Monday Morning Meme and Much More!

When buying a used car, punch the buttons on the radio. If all the stations are rock and roll, there's a good chance the transmission is shot. ~Larry Lujack
First off...

LASR is having a poll for the Best Book of 2008. In the running are all books and stories that rated a "best book" (except one category which had none -- we used five books for that). Please click here to vote!

And next...

I'm in the author spotlight at LASR. The woman who was supposed to be received some very bad news regarding a furry family member and wasn't able to participate, so Judy asked me to jump in at the last minute. If you've ever wondered where I got the ideas for some of my books and stories, then check out the spotlight. As an added bonus, just for playing you're eligible to win ANY of my eBooks.

Now, onto the Monday Morning Meme:



1. When was the last time you vacuumed out your car? How often do you wash your car? Do you wash it, or do you run it through a car wash service? How much money do you generally spend to wash your car?

It's probably been a month or two since I vacuumed. I tend to do it more frequently in the warmer months because, after all, who wants to be out in the garage when it's 15 degrees?? It's in desperate need though, and bothering me enough that I'll probably brave the cold to take care of it very soon. My vehicle is washed when it needs it. In the summer, we wash it in the driveway, but in the winter I use a car wash. My DH will wash HIS car in the driveway in the middle of a snowstorm, but I'm just not up for that!! I typically use the wash where you spray it off yourself ... so $2.75, but now and then I just don't feel like it and will run it through the "touch free" wash up the road for $8. Yes, I'm a crazy woman... :-)

2. What kind of car do you drive? What color is it? Do you like your car? How long have you had it? Is it reliable? Would you recommend it to a friend? If money were no object, what car would you buy for your family? Now, which car would you buy for yourself? Do you have an opinion about people who drive expensive cars? (Jealous? Disgusted? Curious?)

I drive a 1992 Toyota 4Runner. It's (unfortunately) red ... but when you buy used, you don't get a lot of color choices, lol. We opted to worry about how it ran, not what color it was. It's VERY reliable and I love it. We bought it with 175,000 miles on it (yes, really) and it now has about 250,000 miles and still runs like a champ. DH is starting to make noises about replacing it, though (when the noises start, it usually takes a year or two), and I'm sad. I love my truck. We'll probably replace it with another 4Runner -- but the main issue for me is this: I prefer to drive a manual transmission, and they stopped putting them in the Runners after 1992 or 1993. I do NOT like automatics, especially when driving in the snow. But, sadly, I may not have choice. So, would I recommend it? Absolutely. And -- my truck gets as good, if not better, gas mileage than most cars, so how can I complain?

As far as expensive cars? If people want to throw their money away, I suppose it's their business. If I had all the money in the world, I wouldn't buy a Jag ... I'd probably still buy Toyota. Maybe I'd splurge and go for a Lexus, lol. But that's about it.

3. What’s the biggest thing on your mind right this moment? Why is this issue so important to you at this time?

The biggest issue on my mind right now is how to fix things so my mom and I live closer again. I worry because her move to California didn't work out like she'd planned and she is, for all intents and purposes, alone. While she's certainly not infirm or on death's-door, she's still 75 y.o. and I worry. We are trying to work things out logistically, but in the meantime, I worry constantly. And, I miss her.

4. Have you ever cried when hearing about the death of a celebrity? If so, who? And if so, why? Who was the last celebrity you remember feeling sorry for? Why? Pick one celebrity you would miss if he/she were to die. Why this person?

I balled like a baby when Karen Carpenter died. Yes, I really did. When I found out, I shut myself in my room and played all my Carpenters albums and sobbed. The last person whose death made me cry was probably Steve Irwin's, though. That was awfully tragic, and I was especially sad because he left behind his wife and two babies.

A celebrity I would miss if he/she were to die? That's tough... I think, anymore, I miss the "greats" who die. We don't really have movie stars like we used to: the Jimmy Stewarts and John Waynes, the Katherine Hepburns and Bette Davis's, do we?

I suppose I'd be VERY sad if one of my fave authors died. Yo, Nora, take care of yourself, you hear?

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