In a flash

It will be two weeks tomorrow that a flash of lightning disrupted my little corner of the world.

The electrician determined that the fried wiring smell came from a GFI outlet in the kitchen.

He replaced it and all the kitchen outlets are working again.

I replaced the circuit board in the garage door opener and it's working again.

The appliance repairman was here to look at the washer and dryer, 

and this is where the story goes south. 

He had to order parts and will be back next Thursday to install them.

But he won't know if he needs to order more parts until the first batch, 

which will restore power to both machines, is installed. 

So best case, the washer and dryer will be resuscitated in another week;

worst case, it will be three more weeks (when he can order more parts

and get back here to install those).

When I first heard this news, I was pretty much dumbfounded.

A month without a washer and dryer? Surely I would not survive.

But after the shock wore off, I concluded it was not the end of the world.

Turns out that hand-washing clothes isn't too bad. 

It's not like I'm having to hike to the nearest stream and pound it on a rock...

...and I've got a drying rack with a view.

Shirts and jeans are being worn a day or two...okay, maybe three...longer than customary,

but nobody's around to complain except the animals, and I don't think they've noticed.

If it weren't for the fact that houseguests are arriving tonight and that I'm leaving on Tuesday

for a four-day visit to see my mom, I could get away with the used clothes concept indefinitely.

Surely you remember Ethel and Ethelette #1. Lucy certainly does. We've got all sorts of shenanigans

planned for the next four days, then Ethel will be staying on to ranchsit while I head off to Florida.

(I've warned her to bring plenty of clean clothes.)

Anyway, blogging will be erratic and sporadic, but I'll try to send a postcard now and then.