February 2022

We had a big family reunion in Atlanta.
Three nights. Ten people. Three generations. Two new boyfriends. Spats and agendas and knives. Twins are on the way.
The best part was my morning walks, where I’d wander the streets alone, as fast or as slow as I wanted. See the sights slowly.
Because the minute you hit the house, it’s all noise and confusion and people and chores and waiting and food and generally a non-stop assault on the senses.
On the plane, you mask up. So that rules out talking to your seat-mate.
At the museum, you mask up. So no commenting on the art work.
At the aquarium, you mask up. So the guides’ explanations evaporate.
In the Uber, you mask up and you sit in the middle in the back, and you don’t know wtf’s going on.
(Fuck masks. They suck for the hard of hearing.)
And then, when the masks came off, that non-stop assault on the senses would start.
It was a stressful vacation.

I’ve been informed, in no uncertain terms over the years, that you cannot gift a washing machine on a gift-giving occasion. It is forbidden.
I will live to rue the day, I’ve been informed. If I live.
Meanwhile, the old washing machine refused to die, and Mary refused to kill it, citing sentimental reasons. It just kept getting older. Then one day, one too many pillowcases got stuck under the agitator, and it pushed Mary over the edge.
Suddenly, I was informed, we need a new washing machine. Now. Bad.
“Finally,” I said to myself.
“Pick out any washer you want,” I said to Mary.
And she did. And we picked it up on Super bowl Sunday and, on Valentine’s day, she did her first load of wash in it.
It’s a marvel, she says.
Best Valentine’s day ever, she says.
So go ahead, guys. Get your gal a washing machine for her birthday. She’ll love you for it.

I have been going full bore on C3PR/2.
I took 4 big buckets of swarf to the dump, and I’ve got a growing collection of small parts made from big chunks of metal. I’m getting good at carbon fiber, and if I could only scare up two 2.5mm screws, I’d put it together. But then, that’s why God gave us mail order.
I have to say I really enjoy the building of it more than the software, and I’m having a fine time of it.