Code? Is that like Java? C++?

I hit a bit of a snag with the Project. The washer and dryer were delivered two days late, on Friday. They hooked up the washer and wrenched the aluminum gas line out of the dryer, kinked it all up, then told me they can't hook that up because it's aluminum. OK, the store told me they don't do copper. Copper isn't silver colored.

So I shooed them out, and proceeded to wash a king-sized comforter, two sets of sheets, and a full load of clothes while I sat on the cold cement floor and tried to get the fittings on the dryer to work. I knew the line was kinked now in three places, but I figured I could try to hook it up anyway, and then check for leaks. After that, I could get a new line and replace it once my laundry was up to date.

Life isn't always so easy, is it? After the third load of wash was done, I gave up. I refuse to be *that guy* who insists he can do it, and then ends up spending 3 times as much money plus having to pay a professional. I called the pros and said HELP!

At that point I was reminded that my house is 30 years old. The new code does not allow for that kind of flexible line anymore, and I am required by new code, if a licensed person works on it, to have a shut off valve in the same room as the appliance, not in the basement. I was good with these ideas, and we scheduled a plumber for Monday. I was told that there was a slim chance he could do the work on Monday, but likely he would give me an estimate on Monday and do the work on Tuesday. Reluctantly, I agreed to wait. The plan was for him to come Monday late morning, since I had my blood draw. I forgot to take my purse with me when I got my blood drawn and Molly got into my purse and cured herself of chapped lips with my chapstick, but that is another story.

In the meantime I had 3 loads of wet laundry, right? I figure there are several ways to humidify a house in the winter, so I hung the items all over the house. Luckily, I had no company come over. No outside clothes line in MI in winter for me, although it can be done. We just have to wait for the ice to evaporate. It's hell to hang wet clothes in 20 degrees, though, and I don't have a line outside anyway.

I bought the Fisher Paykel appliances because they are supposed to be very good, efficient, and have few moving parts to break. There is a very impressive spin cycle. It really sounds like it's ready for take off, unless I have the large comforter in there. Then it sounds like a thrasher and Molly and I hide. The problem is that it seems to overflow easily. I put in the same loads of rugs that I normally do and it leaks. My very old Maytag did not leak, and the sound was so much more soothing. I am not sure what to do about this.

The plumber came on Monday and luckily he and the dogs got along great. I didn't have to leash them and hold onto them, he was fine with them following him around and he didn't run in and out of the house, leaving doors open for escaping beagles who just want to follow the rabbit scents. The plumber chatted with me for awhile, and told me that he would have to come back to do the work. He was so nice that I didn't make an issue of the fact that he was expected late morning and came around 4 pm, which is probably why he didn't have time to do the work on Monday. He can't come today, so he will be coming on Wednesday. They aren't sure if another guy is available to assist him with feeding the lines through the floors, so I told him I need my dryer and make an excellent assistant anything. Including car mechanic, but I didn't tell him that. Small hands, you know, are great for getting that last spark plug.

As a result, I still don't have the dryer hooked up. I have 7 days from delivery to decide if I want to keep these appliances, and that means I will have 2 days to use them together to decide. I can have a leaky washer here, but if I move to the condo, it will be on a suspended floor without a drain, not on a slab, a step down, with a drain. Floods would be possible there.

I asked about the line to the stove regarding code, and he said that already has the correct pipe, and I do recall that there is a shut off valve right behind it.

My nephew was an electrician before he went into his current field, and he and I had a chat about 220 lines. He said if I don't have one to the house, forget it. It won't be worth the cost, even if he does the work. I think he is right, and I don't think I have one. I have a vague, 30-year-old recollection of refusing to pay for a 220 line when I only wanted gas appliances, and chose to put my money into a larger access pipe for water, in order to avoid any loss in water pressure. That suggestion was made by my dad, and I have never regretted it. The builder didn't even offer the upgrade, but was willing to provide and agreed it was a wise decision.

So if I get a new stove, it will be gas. I am OK with that, and am not even positive I will buy one.

I will have to decide over the next week. While I wasn't willing to do much work in the laundry room while waiting for the dryer work to be done, I did start ripping up the kitchen floor today. Yuck. But I will have to decide, once I pull that big double stove out, if I want to put it back or get a new one, and a microwave, since it's all one piece. As old as it is, I still kind of like it. It's one of the biggest, hardest projects I ever did alone, dragging that huge thing off the front porch myself, getting it installed, almost getting fried, and dragging out the old one. At the time, I was about 90 lbs, and you might recall I am only 5' tall. Child assisted with keeping me from being fried. She was, hm, 5 years old.

The toe moldings are not in good shape, I found out, and after I get through ripping them out (not a job I would recommend for someone with carpal tunnel issues) I will have to learn to use a miter box and replace them.

In the meantime, it has been over a week since I ordered the special thyroid pills for Wiz, the 19-year-old cat. I called again yesterday, and was told they aren't positive they were actually ordered. I expected a call today, but it's 2:30 pm and I haven't heard a word.

According to the Yellow Pages in Yahoo, there are a multitude of vets within 5 miles of my home. I may be checking some of them out.