Jeneric Jeneralities ~ by JenIG

Yesterday my husband said those dreaded words that make every wife cringe and every child cry.  “Sorry, my love, but I can’t fix the washing machine, you’re going to have to bag up all the clothes and go to …. The Laundromat”

 

Oh horror of horrors, oh gloomy deathblow that (smelly) blankets the hearer with sorrow and anguish!  So I put it off on Monday.  And then I put it off on Tuesday, and then I couldn’t take a shower on Wednesday for the want of a clean towel and fresh underoos.  And then guess what?  My brilliant, industrious, hard-working, husband fixed the *edit… WASHER (not the dryer which wasn’t broken)* on Wednesday night.  Which just goes to show that it *does* pay to procrastinate.

 

Earlier on Wednesday – the same Wednesday which I did not shower – my husband took me car shopping.  All Day.  Ok, I don’t want to go so far as to say that I hate car salesmen, but I totally ‘opposite-of-love’ them. And yes I’ve read 1st John chapter 2.  Fine, I take it back.  I don’t ‘opposite-of-love’ them, but it would suit me just fine to never ever ever have to spend another full day on a lot (or a series of lots) with them.  Think Uncle Rico … but sweatier.  Plus, to top it off, it was FREEZING out there!

 

Alas, despite the charmers that they tried to match us up with, we have not yet purchased the next IgTransporter.  Did I mention I hate to shop for cars?  Did I mention that it’s even worse when your greasy hair is slicked against your head and your clammy armpits smell like burning tires?  The whole day was grimey.

 

In other news, it finally has become down-right cold.  Cold enough, in fact, to fire up the woodstove.  There is nothing more cozy than a woodstove.  My sons (and emmiko) have been diligently dragging dead trees to the deck and then chopping them up with their hatchets.  That is HARD work.  I have been surprised with their perseverance and productivity.  Although, really, I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised.  Little boys and a tomboy with hatchets?  I guess I should be more surprised that they bother to come in at all.  Hopefully we will not have to turn the heater on at all this winter. 

 

Lastly, and this will probably interest about four of you, I made a great discovery at the library.  It is a book called Miss Miles, written by Mary Taylor in 1870, who was a life long friend of Charlotte Bronte. I had never even heard of her!  I am in book nerd heaven.  It is really really good so far.  Ok, wake up.  I’m done.

 

November 8th, 2007 - Posted in Uncategorized | | 0 Comments

No Responses to ' Good Thing Grease Doesn't Freeze '

Subscribe to comments with RSS

  1. tnmomtomanyblessings said,

    on November 8th, 2007 at 11:25 am

    Untitled Comment

    Glad the dryer is fixed.. sorry there is no sight of new transportation yet.. that will come in time I am sure.

    We'll keep praying!

    See you tomorrow!

    Maria

  2. drewsfamilytx said,

    on November 8th, 2007 at 11:36 am

    Untitled Comment

    I feel your dirty clothes pain. We've been washerless for a week. That is a long time in clothes years. But alas, a new machine will be delivered tomorrow! And I only have to wait during a 2 hours span instead of a 4 hour span.

    We also finally have water again. It sure beats the desperation of the other evening when I pulled out a plastic bin, the water hose and even boiled two pots of water (it IS cold outside at night). Then I merrily washed my hair and even sorta kinda took a semi-quasi bath. And the only reason I say merrily is because a primitive bath is better than 3 days o' greasy hair and grime!

    Anyhoo, have you thought about buying an auto from eBay or Craigslist? Assuming you're talking about used. Once you figure out the car you want, you can compare the eBay or Craigslist price to the Bluebook value… or Edmunds.com is also a good site.

    OR you can put those hatchet wielding kids to good use and have them build you a cart. And then attach it to your goats. It'll be an IgChariot!

  3. foxvalleyfamily said,

    on November 8th, 2007 at 12:25 pm

    Untitled Comment

    I really despise car shopping, too. Dh's work van is starting to rust out on the bottom, but I just pray it holds out for awhile because I really don't want to go car shopping!

    I am bummed to hear that it is so cold there already….

    (We are actually thinking of coming down sometime in the next couple of weeks to check out jobs/housing.) I had really hoped that we would be escaping the cold. At least it doesn't get as bitter cold, though. Anything is an improvement compared to the 'frozen tundra' here!

    Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

    Michelle

  4. jess4him said,

    on November 8th, 2007 at 12:52 pm

    Untitled Comment

    Washer? or dryer? or both…

    and I totally get the "slick greased hair" thing. I have that too- runs in the fam i guess.. but you're the lucky one with the naturally STRAIGHT hair. I got the fun wavy hair which, if i don't shower and tame it EACH morning, looks like I'm sporting the flock of seagulls doo. uck. you really are the beautiful one. I'm just the lucky-married-to-an-alaskan one.

  5. jess4him said,

    on November 8th, 2007 at 12:55 pm

    Untitled Comment

    ps

    comment on MY blog once in a while, will ya??!

    and glad to hear you're using your fireplace. we have a gas one and it was "accidentilly" left on all night last night. Woke up at 3am and thought our house was burning down I was so hot. Didn't realize why til this morning.. it was almost 80 degrees in our house and we were under DOWN comforters. GEEZ!

  6. Anonymous said,

    on November 8th, 2007 at 2:03 pm

    Untitled Comment

    Hey… my brilliant, shy, spankin' clean, Christian, honest, wonderful, educated, 145 IQ, shy, wise man came home from his Accounting job three years ago and said he wanted to work a part time job selling cars so we could get a good deal. I laughed and said I'd eat my shoe if he got hired as a used car salesman. It was Carmax… a no haggle dealership with non-traditional-no-pressure-clean-smelling, intelligent sales people. Nine out of ten of their cars they buy don't even meet quality standards to be sold on their lot, so they sell them via auction to all the "other guys" who vacuum them out and throw them on their lot.

    Long story short… he is one of the best in the company… and it's on the list as one of the top 100 companies to work for in the USA. It should take no longer than two hours TOPS from the time you go in there to the time you walk out with a great used car. You'll never go anywhere else after that experience!

    They have three locations around TN… go check 'em out! Here's the website where you can "walk" their lot and see what is for sale… oh, and if they don't have it there, they'll bring one from any other location in the country. http://www.carmax.com

    sweet.

    And yeah, my hubbster quit his Acct. job and is now moving on up in Carmax. Seriously. I'm still picking shoe out of my teeth.

  7. Anonymous said,

    on November 8th, 2007 at 2:12 pm

    Untitled Comment

    Oh… and DON'T buy a car on ebay or craigslist because there are tons of cars still coming through that were flood cars from New Orleans. A friend of mine did this and her new-to-her "good deal for a Honda van" was frame-damaged and the transmission died a little over two months later.Also, if you buy somewhere else, look in the door jamb for a little red maple leaf. If it's there, then it's a Canadian vehicle which means the odometer has been tampered with and turned into miles versus kilometers, thus compromising the title.

    just a little fuel for the noggin.

    I hope you find a good one!

  8. JenIG said,

    on November 8th, 2007 at 2:24 pm

    Untitled Comment

    yep, carmax is awesome. we got our van there and we LOVED everything about it, the warranty, and carmax. the only problem is, tho, is that they don't sell anything in our price range ($2400) — geoff went in and asked them about it. and it was funny because he came home and said, "I wouldn't mind working for Carmax". no joke!

  9. Ryann said,

    on November 8th, 2007 at 2:26 pm

    Untitled Comment

    Juss,

    Are you complaining about showering ONCE a day??? I shower TWICE a day SIX days a week! I can't stand being greasy at all. But for no reason, I love camping and I (for the most part) don't mind being greasy then. Odd, no? Well, actually, half of my 'not minding it' is because I know that everyone else doesn't think I'm gross because they're usually grosser than me. But I myself don't like being greasy.

    I caught the dryer and washer in Mom's post, too. Mom, do you need a dryer to have clean clothes? Well, I guess in the winter you do–unless you don't mind frozen clothes….I had to wear frozen shoes last year because I slipped and fell in the pond, but I never thought of putting my shoes in the dryer until (literally) just now. 😀

    Momma, can I have some ginger ale? That sounds really good right now…..

  10. JenIG said,

    on November 8th, 2007 at 2:33 pm

    Untitled Comment

    Jess and Ryann… ok, i just read my post SIX times and FINALLY saw what you were talking about. i had no idea that i put 'dryer'. i did, indeed, mean to put 'washer'. i have *no* attention-to-detail skills.

  11. Ryann said,

    on November 8th, 2007 at 2:40 pm

    Untitled Comment

    Oh yeah, I forgot to say in my last comment-

    I cringed every time I heard someone complaining about having no clean clothes to wear. I had a strong feeling I was going to be blamed for it. Do you wonder why?

    Just kidding. 😀

    I am so glad the washer is finally working (sorta). I was tired of wearing the same clothes over and over. I had to hand wash one pair of my socks. If I don't have socks then the world comes to an end. You know I don't like going bear-foot around the house because my feet freeze. And I don't like sandals, either.

    At least Dippy didn't care if his clothes were dirty. In fact, he put NO thought what-so-ever in to it. And as for James, well, his clothes were never dirty in the first place…

  12. Anonymous said,

    on November 8th, 2007 at 3:30 pm

    FYI:See's Candy

    I know how much you and your family love See's Candy so I thought I would pass it along that there will be a See's Candy shop set up in Hamilton Place Mall in Chattanooga over the holidays. Closer than going to California that is for sure 🙂

  13. skdenfeld said,

    on November 8th, 2007 at 3:38 pm

    <i>Untitled Comment</i>

    Ewww. Sounds like one of those days where all you can do is think about being anywhere other than where you are. I'm glad the procrastination tactic worked, it is often a favorite of mine too.

    Edited by skdenfeld on Nov. 8, 2007 at 3:46 PM

  14. momtofive said,

    on November 8th, 2007 at 3:57 pm

    Untitled Comment

    Procrastination pays off….too funny. Car shopping….too scary. Winter…too cold (I'm a desert rat from California). Kids working happily together…too awesome.

  15. Anonymous said,

    on November 8th, 2007 at 7:34 pm

    Car Shopping

    Karen won't go car shopping with me anymore, not since one of my rounds of negotiating. But the last two times I got the car I wanted at the price I wanted. Send me an email if you want some of my tips on negotiating a car purchase.

    Regards,

    Shawn Abigail

    sabigail.blogspot.com

    s_abigail@sympatico.ca (remove the underscore)

  16. MamaMahnken said,

    on November 8th, 2007 at 7:43 pm

    Untitled Comment

    The one time we actually bought a car off the lot, I totally hated the experience (it's ok biblically to hate an experience right? my feelings are not for any one person…). Last week (or whenever) when I first read that you needed a new car, I was already to give you ours, thinking, well hey we don't need two ('cause we don't). But then I thought, maybe I ought to discuss it with DH before handing over our vehicle, LOL 🙂

    And, since I didn't see anyone else mention it, I guess I'm the first of the four who is interested in your book reccommendation – I even wrote it down on napkin – and I'm totally going to go look it up right now and see if they have it at MY library. It's ok, you're not alone in your bibliophilia 🙂 Blessings, Veronica

  17. srostollan said,

    on November 8th, 2007 at 7:58 pm

    Yikes!!

    There are just way too many word pictures going on here. I may have trouble sleeping tonight!!

    Stephanie@inspired

  18. moreofhim said,

    on November 8th, 2007 at 11:09 pm

    Untitled Comment

    What a wonderful hubby to get the washer working! Yippee! Oh, I do dread going to any laundromat. I used to own one and dreaded going! LOLOL I'm with you on the car salesman thing. I about laughed my head off when you said "Uncle Rico" – you must be a Napoleon Dynamite fan, too! Hope you find a great vehicle soon!!

    God bless you ~ Julie

  19. AussieinAmerica said,

    on November 9th, 2007 at 12:48 am

    Untitled Comment

    Glad your washing machine is fixed!!

    Stacy

  20. skdenfeld said,

    on November 9th, 2007 at 12:09 pm

    Untitled Comment

    Okay Jen, the Alyssa Milano comment was too funny because that was the only time in my life that anyone has ever suggested I looked like her. For you to say it too was just a little wiered. BTW, happy new car day.

  21. CTdittmar said,

    on November 9th, 2007 at 12:42 pm

    someday….

    …I hope to get to fire up a wood-stove too! Though with every day still bringing warmth and humidity here in HI, it's hard to even imagine these fall/winter activities! I don't like car-shopping either. We were so delighted when we saw our neighbors have two large capacity SUV's in their driveway one day. Knowing they only had 2 kids, I walked right over and asked if we could buy their old one. They said yes, proposed a fair price and it was done! The nicest car-buy I've ever experienced. I'll pray you guys find something soon!

  22. www.oatmealkiss.blogspot.com said,

    on November 9th, 2007 at 12:52 pm

    thanks

    Thanks for sharing about that book! I am so excited to read it! I found it on Amazon for 65 cents! WOO-HOO!

    Liberty

    http://www.oatmealkiss.blogspot.com

  23. briannash said,

    on November 9th, 2007 at 6:46 pm

    Untitled Comment

    Just wondering if you could plug the contest I'm having on your blog. Information on it is at teh link below.

    http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/briannash/422408/

    Thanks in advance,

    – Brian

  24. tnmomtomanyblessings said,

    on November 10th, 2007 at 6:41 am

    Untitled Comment

    That sure was a bigum trunk.

    We're so happy for your family. : )

    Love,

    Maria

  25. domesticangel said,

    on November 11th, 2007 at 8:38 pm

    Untitled Comment

    Ah, to share book nerd heaven with a fellow bookaholoic!!! I will be looking THAT one up at our local library. And SOOOO true, your words about not only visiting the local 'washateria'. I would rather have my teeth pulled sans novacaine than lug smelly clothes miles away just for the purpose of cleaning them. Never mind that I will drag BAGS of clothes from the thrift shop HOME….different thing altogether. And car salesmen??? You are channeling me, only in a much younger body in a different state! I have said the EXACT SAME WORDS regarding my feelings for that breed….only I did NOT recant upon remembering I John….I am so bad!!!!

    Denise aka The Domestic Angel

Leave a reply