(Bonding over hardware)

For months the free dryer from Matt and Jess (see Shower of Sparks post) had been acting up, getting hot under the collar and in the sheets - in fact, burning hot.

How hot was it?

It was so hot that the smoke detector would go off from the heat when we'd open the door.

It was so hot that Trish's sheets (for Heartspeak Massage) would come out too hot to handle and with brown scorch marks. More like Heat-speck massage.

It was so hot that we feared leaving the dryer running if we had to do an errand. In fact, we feared leaving the dryer running longer than 15 minutes at a time.

Ever adaptable, we'd run it for 15 minutes, quickly open the door so it would stop and shut it before the alarm went off. Repeat if clothes still damp.

Since I knew that Grampa Dave had experience salvaging major appliances I kept "Fix Dryer" on his agenda for the holiday visit. Eventually, the day came when we tore the thing apart and found a burnt-out thermostat.

See the itty-bitty numbers? This is the L145-15F, an outflow thermostat for a GE clothes dryer.

Harold's appliance in Lacey had one in stock. They also sell fast-ons, which help join wire to tabs by way of goofy loopys (the technical term).

These have fancy blue insulators as well.

Grampa Dave suspected that the other thermostat was also broken. It was supposed to control the heat going in. L145-15F controlled the heat going out. However, Harold didn't have one in stock, and it was more expensive, so we opted to replace the obviously busted one and order the other one later.

By the time we had all the parts spread across the narrow hallway it was nap time (for Orion, Trish, Grampa Dave and Grama Julie). I told dad, "We've done the hard part. I think I'm going to put it back together while you guys sleep. He said, "I have complete confidence in your abilities."

Awww, Dad!

First, I spent an hour in the boy store (Ace Hardware) trying to choose a selection of nuts and bolts that we thought I needed. After I'd selected them, I happened to run into a co-worker who was buying Christmas lights for next year with her husband. Wasn't I proud to be repairing my own dryer for the fraction of the cost of a new one? Yes, I was. See me beaming as I brandished the new thermostat and matching hardware.

After I'd reassembled the parts, (and realized that I hadn't needed the nuts and bolts after all,) everyone returned from their naps. Before I threw the switch to give it a whirl, Grampa Dave handed Grama Julie the fire extinguisher. Some vote of confidence!

Then, of course, the sparks flew. With the stinky plastic smoke too.

I popped open the door and found the problem: the wiring hadn't been carefully tucked out of the way of the drum. [ahem, by me.] One rotation and it sheared. See the bubble pop. Dad complimented my quick troubleshooting. Nice save, Pop.

Trish smelled the smoke, and we gave her the verdict. "Now, it's dead."

Good. She wanted a new one anyway, so we went to Sears and let her pick one out. Meanwhile, Orion climbed on the riding lawn mowers and practiced pool. Not too many toys left in Sears these days.

Then we went to The Rock [next to Martin 16 cinemas] for their Pizza and a Movie special. We had the Sweet Emotions: spinach, caramelized onions, and mushrooms... not my first choice, but I was eager to get to the show on time, so I didn't argue.

Orion had a kid's cheese pizza, of course. And Root Beer. (We were continuing the pizza theme, started with the Poetry of Pizza show and continued by the dinner at Apollo's)

We noticed the roof leaking on our table and brought it to the manager's attention. He said that it would be fixed next week. I'm sure Grampa Dave's hat will be dry by then.

Then we saw The Water Horse, missing the first 10 minutes. [Now we're reading the book from the library.]

Here's the installed dryer. It arrived after Grampa Dave and Grama Julie had returned to Michigan.

To note: the light inside to help you find that missing sock, the metal vent tubing they used because the plastic is not 'to code', how the color matches the washer, the fancy drying table, suitable for sweaters, hats, apples and jerky.