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We'd had our old Maytag washer and dryer since long before the new house was built in 1992-93. The washer could no longer advance automatically from wash to spin to rinse and on to spin again. The dryer worked fine if you didn't mind the grinding squeal. I was happy to stay completely out of the shopping, purchase, and installation of the new Electrolux units from Albert Lee Appliance that arrived on Saturday the 5th. Each unit was over $1,000. (Thank you Annie and Thomas!) The see-through front loading doors have high entertainment value for Charis. | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Mr. Reuben H. Sleight turned 6-months old in September. Before we know it, he'll be a toddler and the baby in the family will again be a Disher. While we were enjoying an eclectic dinner I'd whipped up on the 4th, Reuben grabbed a Franz KETO hamburger bun off of Cynthia's plate and casually downed half of it. It was his first solid food.
And up in Charis's room, the three older
children played a musical number to entertain Reuben. While
Grandpa Dick played the melody, the younger musicians played harmony
with a pseudo-jazz styling. To prevent social discord, each of us has his or her own harmonica. And when not in use, their
preservation is ensured by the eldest band member. All are
German made. Jonathan's is an F. A. Böhm given by Uncle
Randy. Charis's harmonica, an M. Hohner Echo that Grampy Bob
passed down from his father, played so well I found myself a
pre-1937 M. Hohner Echo which
I often call the next Disher baby "#4," when he or she is actually Disher baby #2. His/her arrival is just three months away.
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 Laurie's West Seattle Letter Sweater While doing some research for a talk I am scheduled to give, I was looking up the athletic histories of the senior Sleight kids at West Seattle High School. I was delighted to receive this item from Laurie. Like brother Randy, Laurie was a multi-sport athlete, and like brother Don she was also a ski racer. Like brother Dick, she was on the West Seattle swim team in 1972-73. And it must be admitted that she was the faster twin in the pool.
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Bit by bit, the 15'x31' gym is being emptied so that its hardwood flooring can be laid. The maple wood that has been stored for many years in the basement has finally been carried up. Nancy is investigating installers. Sleeping Beauty Charis doesn't nap every day, but when she does, she reminds me of Shadow, finding the most comfortable spot to curl up in or sprawl across.
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Every day that I go out to pick
tomatoes, I return with a full bowl of sweet ripe cherry
tomatoes. The larger Oregon Spring tomatoes have been
slower to ripen but they now regularly help top the game-day
pizzas. Whenever I need green onions, there are more than
enough. Parsley grows in abundance. Basil was
transplanted to replace the the lackluster bush beans.
Last year's peppers produced more and larger peppers that Thomas
judged highly. Green bell peppers will have to winter-over
to produce next year. Many rose cuttings are ready to find a
new home in the ground. But there have been sufficient
disapointments to encourage my, "better luck next year"
attitude. The few beans that survived critters supplied
only two meals. None of the five pumpkin plants set on
pumpkins. But the biggest result of the entire
spring and summer farming adventure is the desire to plan and
prepare for next spring.
Charis Sings It's interesting to watch grandchildren
grow and develop socially and emotionally. I admit that I
missed some of the early events in my own kids lives as I was
head down between 1987 and 1989 finishing my dissertation. One great advantage of being required
to stay home is getting to spend time with Charis. Now, I
get to see nearly every new talent (or attempted talent) in my
grandkids. Charis may confuse the Bible with a hymnbook,
but she is anxious to try new things. She's seen here
practicing, Jesus Loves Me. | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Corvin and his big brother Rowen recently moved into their brand new house in Lake Stevens, with their parents Richard and Alicia Pastrick. But all the adventure of moving in stopped to make room for a celebration of Corvin's 1st brirthday on the 27th. Corvin has some issues with his eyesight and some developmental delay, but he is greatly loved and seemed to really enjoy the party and the Sleight and Disher "cousins" that came north to help him celebrate. "Uncle" Randy and Julie Adams, who might as well be another surogate "aunt," also joined the party. Corvin had his own cake to enjoy/demolish. The rest of us had two more cakes plus cheesecake. I did not bother to check my blood sugar when we got home. (My A1c was a high 8.6 when measured earlier this month.) With five under three, the party was basically an extended play date! (Richard was kind to put my phone on their charger in the kitchen so I could watch the last of the Seahawks vs. Cowboys game on the Seahawks app on my Android phone. It was a 31-38 win for the now 3-0 Seattle Seahawks.) | |||||||||||||||||||||
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This "collage" of books was a Charis creation from start to finish. She carried them down from her bedroom and carefully made her horizontal display. When asked which one was her favorite, she picked out Cleo the Cat's Online Adventures, and then insisted Gradndpa read it to her. But turning the pages seemed more fun than letting Grandpa get to the bottom of each page. When asked to pick them up before Mommy got home, she stacked them all neatly in the center of the bottom step of the stairway. Bits and Pieces
Every time I went to QFC and saw a great price on something, only to then see it was for those with a "digital coupon," I'd pass on the item and feel bad. But I finally took the time to go online and set up a QFC account. Then first chance I got, when sent to pick up some medicine for Charis, I tested the digital coupon process, buying three pizzas. We eat two with every Seahawks game now that Annie and Thomas are permanent residents. They do enjoy the pizza, if not the football. The keys to great pizza here are, 1) added toppings, 2) Oregano, Basil, and Parsley seasonings, and 3) my special pizza pan for a crisp crust.
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[ BACK ] |
The big wind and rain storm that passed
through in the wee hours of Thursday the 24th not only took off the
flashing on the north half of our roof (again!), but a roof drain on
McKenna Hall failed so my building was shut down for inspections and
repairs. At home, Nathanael brought his family with him on
Saturday, the 26th, and he and I and put down protective roof felt 
After
a disappointing 5-5 start to the season, Husky fans were
unsettled with the team and first-year coach Don James.
Tensions only escalated after the Huskies fell behind
the Cougars (3-7) by 13 points late in the game, after
entering the contest as a double-digit favorite. The
Cougars had the ball and the lead in Husky territory
when WSU coach Jim Sweeney opted for the knockout punch
rather than settling for a field goal that likely would
have iced the game. On fourth-and-one from the UW
14-yard line, WSU quarterback John Hopkins threw a pass
over the middle that was picked off by UW safety Al
Burleson and returned 93 yards for a touchdown.
The
game was one WSU fans never would forget. For the
Huskies, it was the beginning of the program’s greatest
era to date, with Don James at the helm.