Minor Miracles

I hardly know where to begin; several "Good things" have happened, and if you know me, you know that I tend to think of them as miracles.

The mechanic who was to fix the washing machine did not get here until Thursday morning last week, but he tested the washing and rinsing cycles, and found it all worked well.

Then he asked if it had been cold down in the basement over the weekend. "Well, I don't recall the temperatures on Saturday when I did my laundry, but I do remember that on Sunday the outside temperature was -32 with a windchill factor making it feel like -45 Celsius."

I added that I'd dug out an old full-length suede coat with a big hood for driving to church.

The repairman said it was possible that it was so cold in the basement on Saturday already that the transmission fluid in the washing machine was too stiff to move. By that morning, Thursday, it was warm enough to allow the machine to do it's job. (Also the case this past Saturday!)

It only cost me the repairman's basic fee for a call-out - $60 cash. I felt grateful; it could have been much worse! (Like having to go buy another used washing machine!)

Secondly, I've known for many months - perhaps more than a year - that my doorbell is not working properly. The unit on wall beside the door-frame, was so corroded, that I had not had the heart to find a mechanic to fix it. I got used to the super-short "briz" when it went off.

I figured that a new doorbell would cost a lot, so I'd been putting it off.

This past weekend though, I found myself passing Home Depot, and decided to turn in there and see what doorbells cost these days. I came to a section of shelves that had quite an assortment of doorbells, and I stood there a while just examining them and trying to decide which one I might be able to install myself.

I settled on a cordless Honeywell Home, series 3 with 4 tunes to choose from. All for just over $34. (Most were double and triple that price.)

After supper, yesterday, I tackled the job, and found it quite easy to set up the internal doorbell, and tried out the different tunes, (Westminster bells, a sax player doing some jazz notes, a Ding Dong, and a Ding!)

Of course, by that time it was dark outside so I had leave the outside button until this morning. There are only two screws to put a plate into the wall, and then clip the button unit onto that. I got the top screw too close to the edge of the siding board just above it, and I was getting too chilly to undo my screw and try again. I'll do that later with my parka on. But I'm satisfied with my new doorbell.

Another good thing; I'm getting back into my work routine and beginning to feel like I'm accomplishing some things again. On my own sites, and also for my clients' sites.

Yet another blessing! The temperature these days has come up to +3 instead of -20 or -42. It is going to be in the Plus range until Sunday, and then the numbers will sink again. With a threat of snow flurries.

However, this winter yo-yo weather tells me that spring can be only weeks away now!

[Back to Archives Index ] ~~ [Back to Main RoseBouquet Page]