Barking Dogs and Lawn Mowers

We got a lot done at the new house this weekend, and the beautiful weather really helped. Highs in the low 70's and blue skies will inspire anyone to do something outside, and it certainly did us. It also inspired all of our neighbors to do the same as we heard a lot of lawn mowers and weed eaters roaring, and of course, all the neighborhood dogs were chiming in as well.

Lawrence asked a couple of fellas from his apartment complex to help us out on Saturday, so the two of them came over early and started ripping down all the old, rusty and leaking gutters surrounding the house, and then replaced all the rotten wood. They did an excellent job, and it was desperately needed. On Sunday, Lawrence painted all the newly installed outside trim, and I helped a little. Very little. I don't think Lawrence expects much out of me, and I haven't disappointed him. I do what I can, but me and manual labor don't get along.

The front hedges needed trimming so Lawrence could reach the new trim to paint it. The shrubs were so tall they reached the roof. After the shrubs got their Brazilian, they looked like a bunch of dead sticks coming out of the ground. Lawrence assured me they will grow back. We'll see. I did most of the bagging all the limbs and debris. I guess I'm good for something.

The next major project was finishing the laundry room and installing the new LG washer and dryer. The room's walls were stripped and sanded, then textured, then painted. We installed a new light fixture to top it all off, and we were then ready for the toys! First was the dryer. New gas line, new exhaust vent, and a quick balance of the feet and it was ready. Next, the washer. New hot and cold water feeds, drain pipe installed, and balancing of the feet and we were ready. Lawrence agreed to be the first user of the machines (guinea pig), so he loaded a few items in, set the many fancy digital controls, and the machine came to life. We immediately thought there was something wrong as we didn't see any water in the front-loading window. I sat there on the floor and watched that damn machine for an hour because it was acting very unusual. After some research, we found out that was normal for this new type of machine. It uses very little water or detergent, and is very energy efficient. It's the strangest washing machine I've ever seen, and being direct drive with no belts or pulleys, it's very quiet. It also has a final spin speed of 1200rpm! When it was all over, the clothes looked and smelled clean, and they were almost dry with that kind of spin speed. Off to the dryer and more fancy digital controls, and 30 minutes later, success! Lawrence was pleased, but we're both still puzzled by that darn washer. It's just that strange.

We planned on getting Lawrence a new bicycle this weekend so he could travel back and forth between the apartment and the house, a distance of about one mile, but we never got around to it. We only have one car, and can't afford a second car at the moment, so the bicycle will have to do. Besides, it's good exercise. We were just too busy with so many projects to work on, so maybe next weekend. By that time, hopefully our very sore backs, blistered hands and every other aching appendage will be back to normal just in time to be abused again.