That Never Happens!

Over summer break, I visited the dentist for my twice-yearly cleaning.  This visit also happened to be the X-ray/check up visit.  While most of my silver fillings had been replaced with the white porcelain 5 or more years ago, I still had two silver fillings left during that appointment.  They've been noted on my chart to watch for years, and if any changes were observed, it would be time to replace those as well.
Upon the check up portion of the summer visit, the dentist noticed some cracking around the silver fillings and a treatment plan of removing the silver and crowning both teeth was recommended.  While I am not really a fan of the dentist (an irrational fear at best), it wasn't surprising this needed to be done.  I think I was 10 or 11 the last time I had a cavity filled - after 4+ years of braces changed the angle of my teeth I never had cavities again - so this silver was OLD.  Crowns are VERY expensive.  Luckily I have pretty good dental insurance and hadn't used any of the allotted treatment amount this year, so I went ahead and made the appointment for this past week.
My favorite of all the dentists in the office was assigned to my treatment, which was a relief.  Even though I spent about two hours hanging upside down in a chair, my mouth stuffed with instruments and cotton and hands and a thing jammed in to keep my jaw open, I did not feel even one tinge of pain the entire time, not even from the numbing shots.  Hence the favorite dentist!
About half way through the appointment, he stopped working and told me that I actually didn't need two crowns.  While one was still needed, the other was actually in pretty good shape and could just be refilled with porcelain.
It is my opinion that dentists tend to be "upsellers" when it comes to treatment.  I always expect to leave the office with a "recommendation" for something that needs to be done that costs a lot of money.  So leaving the office having had LESS treatment than was originally estimated is unheard of. Quite a pleasant surprise actually.

It Rained Today!

It rained for about 11 seconds 4 hours this morning.  This video was released as well today, and it's pretty funny.

And, just like that, the rain was over.  Always more anticipation than actual rain.  I will admit, I'm not quite as blasé about earthquakes, but I also don't usually feel them.

Hard to Open

In my quest for water efficiency, a new shower head is a must.  All of the models have various settings, but not all of them have a "pause" setting.  That's needed to reduce the water coming out of the head when the water doesn't need to be running, like while shampooing.  This weekend, I have installed my THIRD such shower head.  The first one, about two months ago, sprang a leak in the hose within two weeks after installing.  I got about two months out of the second one before the button that paused the water stopped working.  Here's hoping the third time IS a charm.
When shopping for the new fixtures. There are two options - inexpensive plastic painted to look like metal and easy to install or very expensive metal and difficult to install.  Since I'm not really in the position for the expensive/hard to install models, I have opted for the former.  I think I've always had that level of shower head in my bathrooms, and they've always lasted quite some time.
The three fixtures purchased were each a different brand, but they all had one thing in common...they were all packed in that thick plastic, hard-to-open blister packaging.

Man, I hate that stuff!  I think it is quite possible to cut off an arm with the packing itself, not to mention a few fingers or a hand using the scissors.  It was easier to install the fixture than it was to get it out of the package.  Which begs the question, in the year 2015 when I can essentially run my life using my iPhone, why hasn't this packaging become easier to open?!?!

Laboring on Labor Day

My washer and dryer have been on their last leg for quite some time.  I bought them from the previous owners of my house - they didn't have to take them, I didn't have to buy new ones.  The machines were old, I'd had them myself for ten years.  A couple of years ago, the washer started leaking onto the garage floor.  The repairman said everything looked fine, but it might have been a balance thing.  I kept using it, watching to keep things spread around.  But I realized that when using a the small or medium load setting, there was no leaking.  It was only when the super-size load was chosen that it leaked.  So I managed - there aren't many super-sized loads in this house.  Then the dryer started acting up.  The drum began "eating" anything that dangled - I have about 6 pairs of drawstring workout pants that no longer have a drawstring - and there were what seemed to be hotspots which would leave a burn mark on certain colors and fabrics.   Again, I managed by hanging most things to dry, turning things inside out or tying dangly things down.  I REALLY didn't want to have to buy a new set.
I read an article this summer that said this time of year is the best to buy certain appliances and with the Labor Day sales announced this past week, I started to do some research.  The amount of water saved with a new high efficiency washer makes the cost of the machine just about paid for over time.  And the more I researched, the thought of having appliances that don't leak or burn clothes was pretty appealing.
So this weekend, I broke down and bought these bad boys at Lowes.  They were delivered yesterday evening.

They're too pretty to be stuck in the garage.  And now I'm almost giddy when I'm doing laundry.  I'm almost sure the old ones were older than my last car, probably 15 years old, so I'm having the same reaction to the newness of them as I did with my new car.  There are so many bells and whistles, and they literally look like something out of the Jetsons.  I've done 5-6 loads of laundry thus far, and they work like a charm.  There is a see-through opening on the door of the washer where all of a wash cycle can be viewed.  The high efficiency machines work so differently than the old ones.  They are fascinating and seem like there's no way they are cleaning anything.  But so far, everything has come out fresh and clean and almost dry.  I look forward to seeing the change in my water bill the next month.

The only drawback?  The drum inside the washer is enormous so it's very difficult for me to grab a lone sock or unmentionable sitting on the bottom without almost falling inside.  I may need to put a small stool nearby for such an occasion.  

Teacher Talk

As I've touched on before, it's been a very busy and frustrating start of the school year.  Between several new-this-year programs we've had to implement without the needed materials and a school constantly under construction (which means things aren't working or are breaking or people are in the way and THE NOISE) my team and I are pretty much at our limit with things going wrong this year.  There is a sense of urgency in the classroom, and there always has been for teachers, but due to new standards and testing the urgency isn't just coming from within ourselves but many outside forces.  The frustrating part is that many of those we work with on a regular basis outside of the classroom don't have that same sense of urgency. Instead of our support systems catering to us and our needs in the classroom (ya know, the reason why we have school) the teachers and the kids are left to make it work when someone else drops the ball.  And dropping the ball seems to be the theme of this year's school year.  It's been challenging to say the least.
Yesterday, my grade level team and I walked across the street to grab a bite of lunch before starting our regular Friday afternoon meeting.  The frustrations of this new year came to a head and lunch simply turned into a bitch session.  We complained and lamented about everything.  It is hard to be around a lot of negativity so we try not to have bitch sessions very often, but venting was necessary.  And that we did.
After lunch, we cleaned up and headed back outside.  That was when we were stopped by a man who walked outside at the same time.  He said that he had been sitting across from us at lunch and couldn't help but overhear our conversation.  All four of us admitted later that we were worried he was going to tell us to we were a little too tightly wound and needed to take it down a notch and stop complaining.  But he didn't.  He said he appreciated hearing our compassion and concern for the kids and wanted to thank us.  We all breathed a collective sigh of relief that he wasn't there to reprimand us and expressed our appreciation.
And we were appreciative.  There seem to be ebbs and flows with teacher bashing, and with the 2016 presidential election approaching (ugh!) the rhetoric about how greedy and awful teachers are has been flowing.  After feeling unsupported by those who are supposed to support us early in the new year, this man's words were so meaningful.
This has been making the rounds among the teacher set.

A Spring Cleaning Tip...On the Last Day of August

Using a dishwasher in Southern California is somewhat of a catch 22.   While the dishwasher can save a lot of time, due to our very hard water, it can also make extra work when washing dishes.  Often, the hard water leaves spots and rings on the dishes that end up having to be washed and/or dried again.  Most of the time, it is easier for me to wash and dry the used dishes as they're used and just put them away.  But there are weeks that I get busy and turn to the dishwasher.  The start of the new school year was one of those times, and I noticed that my dishes were coming out exceptionally grungier than before.  I was faced with not just spots or rings but also actual pieces of what looked to be soap or even chalky lime build up.  It didn't seem the Jet Dry was doing its job, and when I tried the Lemi-Shine which is supposed to clear up issues of hard water in the dishwasher AND on the dishes, nothing really changed.  I'm already in the market for a new washer and dryer as mine are on their last legs, so I wondered if a dishwasher would need to be added to the list of needed appliances.
While killing time at a meeting last week, I scrolled through the Holy Grail of Ideas my Pinterest account and decided to search my dishwasher issue.  Now that was eye opening!  So, apparently dishwashers have a filter.  I had no idea!  Now some have garbage disposals built in and others don't.  Mine doesn't, so this info is based on one without as I don't know if it applies to those with disposals. Anyhow, almost everything I read said that if dishes were coming up covered in grunge, cleaning the filter was the first step.  Having no idea where my dishwasher filter nor my dishwasher user manual were, I YouTubed it and found a good video.

This is not my Frigidaire, but it gave me the gist.  And it was THAT easy to find it.  Once I found it and pulled all the pieces out I WAS SHOCKED and had to pull on some rubber gloves to not touch the grossness inside.  I decided against taking any pictures because I didn't think about it it was just too gross - food, dust, dog hair, paper, who knows what, it was all inside my dishwasher filter!  According to my research, all of this debris can keep the water from cleaning off the dishes and therefore leaving gunk all over them.  After dumping out what I could of the above into the trash, the sink was filled up with hot water and dish soap, and all the pieces were left to soak overnight.
The next morning, after pulling the gloves back on, I grabbed my scrub brush and loosened all the nasty bits that were left in the pieces.  Once they were clean, I filled up the sink with water again and a cup of white vinegar and let them soak again for about 20 minutes.  The vinegar is supposed to deodorize the pieces.  I didn't smell them before or after, but figured that step couldn't hurt.
After watching the second part of the video, the pieces were successfully put back into place, the dishes loaded back into the dishwasher, and the cleaning cycle was started.
Even before the load finished I was already thrilled!  About 6 months ago a friend of mine came over and replaced the garbage disposal in my sink because it had stopped working.  The first time I ran the dishwasher after he left, water poured out of the air gap piece into the sink.  When I inquired, he told me that always happens.  Funnily enough, it wasn't happening BEFORE the disposal repair, but beggars can't be choosers.  So I resealed the sink to keep the water that was pouring out from pouring into the cupboard under my sink.
But I digress, absolutely NO WATER came out of the air gap piece during this first wash after cleaning the dishwasher filter.  Already a success!
The success continued when cleaning out the dishwasher after the cycle, things were as clean as a whistle.  There was still a spot or two, but nothing like I was getting over the last couple of months.  Truly a successful DIY!!!
I sent the info to my closest friends and family as a tip.  Each and every person responded with surprise.  No one else had ever heard of such a tip either.  Use as you wish!

Saturday 9

This week's Saturday 9 partners with one of my favorite bands, Coldplay.  The song is here, and while it's a good one, I prefer this one and this one and this one.  Happy Saturday!

1) The song refers to the singing of choirs. Have you ever been in a choir or a vocal group?  I have not.  Singing in the car is one thing,  but no one wants me in their choir. 

2) Chris Martin sings of when he "ruled the world." If you were in charge and had infinite power, what would you change right away? Oh, there are so many things!  I'd stop summer (and its over 100 degree heat) right this minute and make it fall.  When I'm driving, I want everyone else to get out of my way, and if I were in charge they'd have to.  Oh, and if people didn't use their turn signal when they should, their driver's license would be revoked!  And I'd have Donald Trump's mouth sewn shut and donate all his money to education.  And that's all just from barely thinking about it.  I could go on and on.  

3) Chris used to be married to actress Gwyneth Paltrow. USA Today, The Washington Post and The Daily Telegraph have all run articles about how Gwyneth seems to annoy so very many people. What celebrity gets on your nerves?  Ya know, I find it weird how much HATRED people have for her.  I guess people think she's out of touch, but what celebrity/public figure isn't, really?  I'm not a fan of celebrities who are celebrities for no reason.  The Kardashians, the Hiltons, whoever.  If you're only famous for being infamous, it shouldn't count.  

4) Coldplay's first big hit was, "Yellow." What color are you wearing right now?  black top/bright blue bottoms

5) Sam remembers when she used to hear this song everywhere and can't believe that was 7 years ago! When is the last time you had a similar "my, how time flies!" moment? All the FREAKING time.  Just today my grade level team and I were walking to lunch after school and occurred to us that this is my 4th year at my current school.  In some ways it feels like I've never been anywhere else, but it's also crazy to think that move was 4 years ago!!!

6) In 2008, when "Viva la Vida" was popular, John Grisham's latest legal thriller, The Appeal, was jumping off bookshelves. What have you read this summer?  Just Tuesday night I finished The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry.  It was a wonderful book, but I cried and cried and cried at the ending.  Finishing just before 11PM, I was a mess afterwards and couldn't fall asleep.  I'd still highly recommend it, but maybe plan on finishing it during the day time, on the weekend.  I've also read a couple of Sarah Vowell and Liane Moriarty books.  The Goldfinch was started over summer break, but it's a lot to trudge through.  I've got to have it finished for October, so took a little break for The Storied Life...

7) Thinking of books: Let's say a biographer has taken the task of writing your biography. What would you title your life story?  Why Does She Have a Biography:  A Not so Exciting Story :)

8) 2008 is also the year Paul Newman died of cancer. Name a Newman movie.  Cool Hand Luke

9) Random question: Do you like garlic?  On a scale of 1-10 I rate garlic 100!