Thursday, January 22, 2009

Home Appliances

A Full Weekend

My dishwasher quit working, oh, maybe 2 years ago. It was practically new. I never got around to fixing it because I live alone and only generate a sink full of dishes about every three days. The oven quit working about a year ago. The range still worked and I have a backup oven in the kitchen in in my garage so I never got around to fixing it. Besides I have two microwaves. The motor in my treadmill failed about the same time as the oven. I saw that as an opportunity to quit exercising and get even fatter so I never got around to fixing it. The rear bearing in the Subaru still needs replacing but I can't afford to fix it right now. Monday, my clothes washer just quit. Now that's a problem. I can't figure a way to ignore this one. Unless, I take my laundry to my mother's house on my weekend visits and do it there. That will work! No, wait, my son-in-law is staying with me. I'm NOT going to do his laundry. Damn! I guess I have to fix the stupid washing machine.

Actually my S-in-L and I have replaced the control board and a fuse in the dishwasher. But it still doesn't work. Also I have a new motor for the treadmill but have been avoiding installing it because "it's too hard...," and I'd then lose my excuse for not using the darn thing. We haven't looked at the oven yet.

*Edit* Oh yeah, the vacuum cleaner burned up this week too. They burn up trying to get Husky hair out of rugs. I wonder if in the long run it would be cheaper to buy new rugs than vacuum cleaners.
*EDIT2* Washing machine fixed. Broken switch on the lid. Duct taped it into on position until I get a new one.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Google Street View

Waiting for daylight...

We started into work this morning. The temps were
in the 40s and the roads were wet but clear of ice.
About half way there a phone call alerted us to the
schools, buses and what have you still being closed.
My brother called his work and discovered his building
wasn't open either, so we turned around and returned
home. Once home, I called my work and found out my
facility was open. I'll probably go to work later this
morning after the traffic dies down.

Meanwhile I got the idea to look at my workplace from
Google Street view. Here it is...














The fire truck parked in front told me that the
Google probably drove by when we were having
a fire drill. If so my coworkers and I would
be standing in our parking lot. I negotiated around
to the back of the building and there we all were.
I'm in the group marked with the arrow, immortalized
by Google Street View.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

That Was One Scary Commute

And a weather update...

A 1500 mile Pineapple express warm front slammed into the Alaska mainland yesterday. It blasted the Arctic cold front off the Alaska map, pushing it off to the east where it has begun sinking into the midwest, (sorry Minnesota!)

The temperatures rose around 50 degrees with high winds. Last night it was freezing rain on top of the ice and snow packed roads. For some reason my brother and I came to work anyway. We lost count of the number of vehicles in the ditch on the way to Anchorage but the radio says more than 150 in the area. All the schools, people-mover buses and military bases are closed. My company sent us an e-mail telling us that the office wouldn't be open until 10 am. Of course you'd have to be at work to get the email and I had already been at my desk for 2 hours.

The roads were obviously horrible all the way in. But when we got to Anchorage itself they became scary. Inches of wet black ice completely covered the pavement. All along the road the semi-trucks were pulled off to the side of the road putting on chains. Any paved road with a hill was impassible.

We're going to head out and try to make it home in one piece in a couple of hours. Hopefully the rain and traffic has worn down the ice a bit. There is a good chance I'll be staying home tomorrow.

Friday, January 2, 2009

Another Year

Maybe it'll get better in 2009

Kate and I always spent New Years Eve together. I don't recall that we ever went out to a party or celebration, neither of us were into loud parties or being around drunk people. That's why our social lives were family get togethers, quiet dinners for two at Evangelo's Restaurant or making dinner at home and watching movies from the couch. I spent New Years Eve alone except for a sleeping old husky next to the recliner and a frightened husky panting and pacing. Shadow is terrified of firecrackers. My neighbors loudly celebrate New Years and the 4th every year. I went to bed at 11 but at midnight was joined but a shaking 75 lb husky attempting to crawl under me in the bed. We were awake until the explosions stopped at 1 am. The -23 F temperatures must have driven them indoors early. Usually they stay up at least until 2 am frightening my dog.

Weather update: The Thermometers are still OFL and we are going to get a little wind for couple of days. Wind chill tonight of -38 F.