Miscellany, Monday, Pentecost holiday

That washing machine has been running for two hours, and it's not done yet. Truly amazing. It also alternates between a gentle hum, total quiet, and banging around. And there's this stupid "safety" feature that some idiot dreamed up: when it's finally done, you have to turn it off (press the on/off button) and wait two minutes before it'll let you open the door. Clearly designed for something other than efficiency.

The good news is that you can get detergent AND softener over here now in little squishy pellets, sort of like the dishwasher pellets we finally got in the US (several years after they were introduced and immediately cornered the market over here). The other good news is that you just throw these things into the washing machine tub along with the clothes, none of this messing with which compartment in the drawer you put what into (I ALWAYS had to look that up in the instruction manual).

Weather good. The two month drought broke (they complain about drought over here, and I'm tempted to explain what happens in Texas...). It's chilly at night and really pleasant during the day. Rained last night. Clear as a bell right now.

Gotta get organized for trip to Riviera on Sunday. Finally managed to organize a place to stay.

Also finally found the little red book with the "good" wine written down in it (e.g., the stuff that we're supposed to hang onto, since I can't ever remember these things). If I can control the urge to go anywhere today, I might actually get some of this paperwork under control, and (that'll be the day!) get somewhere on some of my book projects...stay tuned...

Cheers, Bonne Pentecote, as they say over here...

Lillie