Two nights ago (Saturday and why do these things always happen on a weekend?), I noticed that the dishwasher door was at an angle. A plumber working on a clogged drain had adjusted the washer and I thought it had vibrated out of that adjustment, so I pushed the door straight. I warped the hinges (a little knowledge is a dangerous thing) and the electronics won’t mate any more and I have been handwashing dishes ever since while waiting for an appliance repair outfit to show up, ostensibly this morning. Already they are late.

I told Ed to ease up on his profligate use of dishware -- he drinks Coke throughout the day and takes a fresh glass each time. He has been cooperating. (He cooperates all by himself when I am out of town.)

The initial clean-up of dirty dishes took me 90 minutes. Our dishwasher is not a luxury. It gives me time to have a life.

Last night Ed had chills and fever so he woke me up at 1 a.m. and I got him an extra blanket and the heating pad and resettled myself. Then, galumph, Chewy vaults onto my pillow and settles near my head, purring. He loves me. Oh, joy. He doesn’t do this a lot. Anyway, I became aware of an incredible stench and realized that Chewy was not … clean. So I got up and got sanit wipes and wiped his tush and Ed said “What is all that growling?” And I said something like, “You don’t want to know.” So after he was wiped, Chewy left in a huff, and that worked for me but, of course, it took me another hour to get back to sleep. This morning I found shit tracks all over the place and I have spent my time cleaning them up while waiting for the appliance guy.

Some of the crap got into the plastic weave of the cat mat under the kittie pans. This needs to be scrubbed out. So I asked Ed to find me the scrub brush and he said, "It's in the garage ... it's ... oh, never mind, you'll never find it because you don't know how to find things." And I said, "That is because 'It's behind the thing where the thing is,' doesn't do it for me."

Meanwhile, no walk this morning because Ed, who anticipates being out of it, wants me to deal with the fellow. Actually, although he wants me to be available, I know he will step in because he is, after all, a guy, and, you know, guys should be in charge. Fine. Except I am missing my walk.

xx, Teal