stranded

Another busy day. I'm really glad we ended up moving on a long weekend because there's just so much to do. By the time I must report to work on Tuesday there's no chance we'll be finished unpacking but at least the major things will be done. I hope.

This morning we went to the hardware store to get all the things we needed to hook up the washer and dryer, which turned out to be a lot more complicated than we thought. The thing is that when you bring new appliances into a twenty year old house, they aren't totally compatible. So we needed hoses and rubber washers and other things that Shawn, thank goodness, seemed to have control of. Getting the washer and dryer running was definitely a priority because the pups have washable potty pads that continue to pile up when you stop doing laundry. (Blech.) So, miracle of miracles, the washer and dryer are now doing their thing.

The dishwasher remains in its cardboard carton, and I suspect it may stay there awhile. Shawn and his father took one look at the old dishwasher with the front pried off and realised they didn't know what they were doing. So we need a plumber to hook that up. We'll be doing dishes the good old fashioned way for a long time, I suspect.

The fridge, of course, is still blocking the eating area, and I see no end to that weirdness any time in the near future. We also need the plumber to hook up a waterline to the fridge so the water dispenser and ice cube maker will work. Last night the fridge made all kinds of weird cracking noises as it grew colder and contracted. Too bad it didn't shrink about three more inches - then it might have fit into its designated spot. Hehe.

Later in the morning we drove to the pet food store and stocked up on the raw food that the babies have come to love, and looked for another doggy/baby gate to keep the pups corralled in the part of the house where there are no boxes or sharp scary things they can be hurt by as we unpack. Unfortunately we were unable to find the gate we were looking for and will have to order online, an experience which has become extremely frustrating since we moved because our VISA address doesn't match our shipping address (at least not until they correct it) and this gives the illusion of using a "borrowed" card.

With these things sorted out, we went back to the inlaws' place to have another look at our poor dead car and see if it had managed to heal itself overnight. It hadn't, but Shawn decided to try and boost the battery just in case that was the problem, and we nearly danced for joy when that did the trick. Turned out Shawn had left some iPod connection thing hooked up for a week and it had drained the battery. Not having to worry about that particular headache right now was very cheering.

The grocery store was next on the list of Things to Do, and we got a few things to get us through the next few days as well as pounds of baking soda based carpet deodorizers and some room freshener things that say they have the approval of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation as a safe alternative to chemical fresheners. I hope they are effective. Since then I've spent the rest of the day washing the walls and cupboards with vinegar and water in hopes that it might reduce some of the cigarette smell... and if the lady's lungs are anything like the colour of the water that came off my sponge, I am very concerned about her health. (I don't suppose she cares much at eighty-two, however.)

Shortly we are going back to the inlaws' place for dinner and a movie, which again is a pleasant diversion from unpacking and cleaning. I didn't think I'd like visiting with family so often, but so far I am really enjoying it. Weird.

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