Yo-Yo Ma was a guest on the Steven Colbert Late Night Show a few weeks ago. I expected a mostly-serious world-class professional musician and a so-so interview, but he was surprisingly entertaining and funny. At one point during the interview, Ted and I burst out laughing.
Stephen: Is music funny?
Yo-Yo Ma. Of course. Every time I make a mistake, it’s funny.
Stephen: Are there any composers who are funny?
Yo-Yo Ma: Oh, yes. Haydn is funny. And Seiken is funny. Haydn and Seiken.
(Insert laughter here.)
I had to look up Seiken, because I’ve never heard of him. In case you’re wondering, Seiken is the artist name of Sergio Pérez Sànchez, a Madrid-based music producer and DJ. One website described him as a “restless, eclectic and multifaceted electronic music producer” so, yes, maybe funny.
After the interview, Yo-Yo Ma performed a medley of Bach’s Prelude from the 1st Cello Suite and his (Yo-Yo Ma’s) adaptation of “Over the Rainbow.” We didn’t hear any mistakes, so not funny–just amazing and beautiful to hear.
Every now and then, I find a pile of old photos–sometimes in a box I’m cleaning out, sometimes in an old computer file. I recently found these and enjoyed the memories.
While I was working at St. Charles Community College, I was active in the state organization, MAACCE (Missouri Association for Adult, Continuing, and Community Education), and attended the state conferences every year. I found some of those conference photos.
In 2004, Ted joined me at the conference. He amused himself during the meetings and workshops, then met me for dinner and the evening activities. The 2004 conference theme was Worlds to Share, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. Ted and I had a period picture taken.
#In 2005, I was elected MAACCE president-elect, which was essentially vice president. That meant it was my job to plan and to preside over the conference. Of course, I had lots of committees filled with volunteers to help, but it meant a lot of extra after-work hours for me to coordinate all those volunteers and the plans they were making, plus all the venue details (meeting, vendor, and entertainment spaces, rooms, food, session schedules, etc.). The conference was the end of my president-elect term and the point at which I became president of MAACCE. The board voted to have a Mardi Gras theme for the 2005 conference, so the newly elected president-elect and I presided as the King and Queen of Mardi Gras. We had a ride around the ballroom in a decorated vehicle, waving our scepters to the crowd.
At that same conference, my friend, Liz, offered to be a fortune teller as part of the entertainment for one evening. Here she is, telling my fortune. That was quite the Mardi Gras queen oufit I wore. It even had a hoop skirt.
Here I am at the 2010 MAACCE conference enjoying myself with no responsibilities except for the two session presentations I gave.
Another photo I found was from December 2005, when I received my doctoral degree. My grandchildren were at the ceremony to celebrate with me, although Zack looks a bit wary.
Quite a few of the photos I found by accident were of our family. When Kari was born, siblings were not yet allowed to meet the new baby in the hospital. In the photo below, you’ll see what I saw the morning after we brought Kari home from the hospital. She was the new attraction in the family! I love two-year-old Tommy on the chair so he can see into the crib.
I found some photos of Jeff’s family that made me smile. Here’s La, reading a bedtime story to Kyra, Zack, and Alex.
When we visited Jeff’s family for Alex’s baptism, the bishop took a picture of Alex with his grandparents and siblings after the service.
Later, at the house, someone (probably Jeff) took a picture of the kids with their grandparents. That was a happy time, as you can see by all the smiles.
We also celebrated Alex’s eighth birthday during that visit. Here he is with his chocolate cupcakes and caramel frosting–a family favorite.
There was a surprise batch of photos of Kari’s family too. The first one is so cute–Dean mimicking Baby Sky.
Here’s our first photo of newborn Dylan. Notice that his big brother, Sky, put some toys for him within easy reach on Grandpa’s leg.
Moving on, we have party pictures taken at Dylan’s third birthday party. Dad appeared in costume.
Apparently, Dylan recognized him because he doesn’t look the least bit frightened by the red-faced man.
Annette enjoyed the party so much, she needed a little nap to perk herself up for the next part of the fun.
In August 2005, Ted and I took a trip to Niagara Falls.
From there, we drove west and took the car ferry from Ludington, MI to Manitowoc, WI. I don’t remember how long it took the ferry to cross Lake Michigan, but I remember we had to be at the dock to leave at 4:30 a.m. This is a picture taken in Ludington, looking west across Lake Michigan.
Here are some fun photos. I haven’t seen them for years, but I laughed again when I saw them. Kathy and I found this Beethoven figure when we spent a day in Columbia, MO in 2005. We knew I’d be graduating in December 2005 (above photo) and that, because all of our family was coming for the ceremony, Thom would be there for Christmas. Thom loves Beethoven, and it seemed like the perfect gift for him. After all the gifts were opened and there was a lull in the activity, Kathy and I set up these poses for Beethoven.
Last, but not least, I saw a photo in Jeff’s blog that requires a minor correction. He did not receive this camera for his 16th birthday; it was a gift on his confirmation, when he was 14. The camera is even older than he thinks it is.
I was reading one of the books I bought at the library book fair last August and found these tucked between the pages. What a sweet little girl the previous adult reader has.
While I was doing laundry before Ted and I left home to spend Christmas with Thom’s family, I noticed water on the floor at one corner of my washer. It didn’t look like a “gusher” leak, and I only had two more loads to wash, so I put a towel on the floor to absorb the leaking water and finished the job. Afterward, Ted and I pulled the washer away from the wall to see what might be leaking. We saw this black circle on the floor. It looked like something was spinning (probably the tub) and threw out some black stuff. It wasn’t oily, and it wiped up easily, but that didn’t seem like a good sign, given that my washer and dryer were 30 years old–almost to the day! (Ted’s and my first washer and dryer–when we bought our first house–were Lady Kenmore appliances from Sears and lasted 22 years.)
I called Henry, my go-to appliance repairman (who we hardly ever need, because we buy brands he recommends), to ask if he thought the black stuff and the leak were fixable. He offered to take a look, but he thought it was probably something coming from the motor and being blown around.
For years, my washer has been missing a solenoid that shuts off the water supply when the washer is not in use. Without the solenoid, there is a constant slow drip into the washer tub. I solve the problem by flipping the handle on the water supply shut-off valve behind the top of the washer to “on” to do laundry and to “off” when I’m finished. The reason the solenoid is missing is that Henry couldn’t find the right part to replace it because solenoids now have a different number contact points than our old one. What are the odds that, 7-10 years after the solenoid part became obsolete, Henry will be able to find the parts he needs to fix the motor? Answer: Low. What are the odds, if he does find the parts, that it will cost less than $500 to repair a 30-year-old washer with a (possibly) failing motor that cost $630 new? Answer: Low. What are the odds that this is only the first in a series of failures for such an old appliance? Answer: High. Ted and I decided it’s probably smarter to buy a new washer and dryer.
Henry has constantly marveled at my old washer. One time, his son came to our house with him and asked, “Is this that old Maytag you tell me about?!” I only remember two repairs on the washer–a new hose, and a leak near the tub–and two repairs on the dryer–2 replacement thermostats–in the 30 years we’ve had these appliances. When we bought them, Maytag advertised that the Maytag repairman was “the loneliest man in town.” No one ever called him. I remember ads like the picture below (I found it online) where he sat at his desk, waiting for the phone to ring. In one ad, his dog led him to an empty dog food bowl and the repairman said, “Finally! Something I can fix!”
When we bought the washer and dryer, the store had a Maytag washer running constantly. Customers could enter a lottery in which they would win a new Maytag washer if they accurately guessed when it would stop running. Ted and I didn’t enter the lottery because we had just purchased a new Maytag washer and dryer. I don’t know how long that washer ran, but the store is out of business and my washer lasted 30 years.
We still have all the user’s manuals and the receipt from the washer and dryer. Anyone who has shopped recently knows you can no longer buy a washer and a dryer for a total of $1,240. Note the date on the receipt: 12-12-95. I noticed the leak and the black stuff on 12-19-2025.
This rack was one of my favorite features on my dryer.
The rack fit inside the dryer without touching the drum, so I could set things on it to dry without tumbling. I used it for garments that need to be laid flat to dry (e.g., sweaters) and for drying athletic shoes. (Yes, I’ve thrown athletic shoes in the washer for as long as I can remember. I laugh when I see articles about how to keep your athletic shoes from smelling bad. Wash them!)
For years–probably since front-loading home washers became popular–I’ve heard nothing but bad things about new appliances from friends, family, and Henry. Henry told me he regularly fixes new appliances that are still under warranty! For a while, it was hard to even find a top-loading washer, and I hoped that my washer would last until people figured out that front-loading is a pain, and until stores included more top-loading machines in their stock. With a front-loading washer, you can’t add an additional item to the load; you can’t remove an item you put in by mistake; and, unless you leave the door ajar to dry out the interior, it stinks.
Before buying a new washer and dryer, I did some online research, hoping to find one that would last more than five years. I checked at least five consumer sites for “best washer and dryer,” and every single one had Speed Queen as the top choice, with information indicating it is expected to last 25 years. It’s not the brand I would have guessed, but when I looked into why Speed Queen lasted so long compared to other washers/dryers, I learned that it’s because they are built for commercial use and do not use electronic panels for cycle selections–just simple knobs and dials. As a result, the mechanisms are simple and have few problems. Ok, Speed Queen it is!
The next problem was finding a retailer that carried Speed Queen. I found one–one!–that had a store within five miles of us: the Slyman Brothers. Anyone who’s lived in the St. Louis metro area during the last 50 years, like Ted and I have, will recognize the Slyman Brothers as the guys who sit on top of the Arch in their ads. Yes, those goofs! I never took them seriously because of the dopey ads, but they are apparently a very reliable–as well as memorable!–dealer, and they were pleasant to work with. Ted and I went to Slyman Brothers when we returned from our Christmas visit with Thom’s family, and they delivered the new appliances two days later.
Here goes my 30-year-old washer. It made me a little bit sad, like watching an old (inanimate) friend going to its end-of-life. It was a trusty machine, and it worked hard and well for me. Thank you, Maytag washer.
Henry repairs appliances, and he also sells used (repaired) appliances in his store. When I told him we were going to buy a new washer and dryer, he said he’d love to get his hands on my dryer, so we asked the delivery guys to leave it on the sidewalk and to deduct the dryer disposal fee from our bill. Henry’s son picked it up within an hour.
Here’s one of the delivery guys connecting whatever needs to be connected on the new appliances.
Here, they’re connecting the water line to the washer.
This is my last photo of our old Maytag washer and dryer.
Here are my third (in 56+ years) washer and dryer. Except for the updated appearance of the panels, they look and operate almost exactly like my old ones.
Of course, there are some things I’ll miss on my old washer and dryer. For example, the drying rack (above) and also the dials with timers. When I set a washer or dryer cycle on my old models, the dial would turn and I would know exactly where it was in the cycle. The new ones don’t turn during the cycle. I set them and, unless I watch the clock, I have no idea which point of the cycle they are at. On the other hand, there are things I like on the new washer and dryer. They have a larger tub/drum, so our flannel bedsheets fit better, and the dryer has a “no heat” cycle, so I can fluff our heavy down blanket (which didn’t fit in the old dryer) to redistribute the feathers without heating it.
The fact that our washer and dryer lasted 30 years is probably more surprising than the fact that the washer failed after 30 years. (The dryer still works perfectly.) Puzzling over this, Ted and I reached a possible cause. When we updated our laundry room cabinets, the carpenters took our washer and dryer out to the garage to make room for them to install the new cabinets. Then, of course, they moved them back into the laundry room. Ted and I suspect that the two moves jiggled an old, fragile part loose on the washer. (Not the carpenters’ fault.) Maybe if we’d left the laundry room with its dated appearance, the washer would still be washing clothes for us, and we’d still have the dryer too. Oh well, they had a good run at an average cost of $41.00/year.
Although we usually take our Christmas decorations down on New Year’s Day, we extended our holiday decoration season a few days to celebrate Christmas and New Year’s with our girls’ families.
Annette’s birthday was in September and Ted’s birthday was in December. Due to unforeseen circumstances, we haven’t all been together since September, so we started the gift exchange with the celebrants opening their belated birthday gifts. Here’s Annette, opening one of hers.
Dean and I both like the Ghiradelli Christmas peppermint candies, so we give each other a bag of them to enjoy. It’s a predictable gift, but ooh, yummy!
Kathy received a highly recommended book from Kari.
Ted didn’t read the gift tag, so he opened a game that Dean gave to me. (I’ll share it with Ted.) After everyone went home, I checked out the rules, and it looks like it’s easy to play. I think we’ll have fun trying it out the next time we get together.
I unwrapped another recommended book from Kari and Dean, a Barnes & Noble gift card, and a silky red scarf from Kathy and Annette.
We all laughed out loud when I showed the group this gift card from Kari and Dean. Wow! I received three B & N gift cards this Christmas! I’m looking forward to an afternoon of browsing at the bookstore!
We kept dinner simple. Theo works at a locally owned pizza restaurant, so he helped Kari and me prepare pizzas for dinner. We all like pizza, and it was an easy meal, with Christmas candy and cookies for snacks and dessert.
Here’s our dinner group, enjoying the pizzas.
While we were visiting and catching up with each other, we learned that Annette has never seen When Harry Met Sally. We all wanted to watch it, so Ted booted up our DVD, and we enjoyed margaritas from Kathy and Annette while we watched the movie. Now Annette knows why everyone loves the line, “I’ll have what she’s having.”
The following afternoon, Kathy and Annette went back home, and Kari’s family was either working or involved with other activities. We’re looking forward to our next gathering–probably to celebrate the five spring birthdays in our group.
Jeff and La were here in early November, we spent Christmas with Thom’s family, and our two girls’ families were here for New Year’s Eve and Day. We saw all of our children within seven weeks–a rarity. Now the kids are back in their own homes, and Ted and I have warm memories of this year’s holiday season.
Note: The little Lego snowman on the table was my gift from Thom this year for our traditional Christmas Lego exchange.
