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[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Nothing says 'Good morning!' like a flooded washing machine AND a 2nd grader with a fever! Yaah!

Also, for those who like writing scary stories, the Spook Me sign ups are open: https://spook-me.dreamwidth.org/19681.html

Also, my brother in law is coming to visit in two weeks! I know this is a normal thing for many of you, but I've never had a visitor. And it's his first trip to the US (he's Rwandan) so I am freaking out a bit on the domestic and tour-guide fronts. The boys' father assures me it'll be okay. He survived in a refugee camp after the genocide, surely our tiny apartment is a step up from that! Given our speedy, efficient maintenance staff the washing machine MIGHT be fixed by then! sigh

Comments

[bethctg]

Oh, noooo! Not a great morning. :(

I would be freaking out about a houseguest too! *g* But I imagine the boys' father is right and he will be just fine. ♥

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

God, your icon is perfect. The day was so lousy I just want it to be over.

So the maintenance guy NEVER came. We got the clothes out of the washer and dried them a bit but the washer is still full of water and the hall is soaked. That's being poor and in a shitty apartment. Many calls and complaints to the building office but there isn't anything they can do, apparently. The maintenance guy is on contract and that's that.

And Minisculus' fever went up and down all day. Sometimes he was peppy and sometimes cranky and droopy. And he has to be fever free for 24 hours to go back to school so he's home tomorrow too at least. Poor baby.

And Minor missed the bus home and he was looking for the water bottle he lost. So I had to go pick him up.

It was one thing after another all day long.

Yeah, I mean Rwandans (like my grandparents and my parents) basically go visit other people's houses and just sit around and drink beer and soda and chat (in my grandmother's house there was a living room that hardly ever got used but for that). But I don't do that. Even as a child I remember thinking how boring and pointless that was. I want to be DOING something. I don't know how much English he speaks either. So I think he won't have a very high standard for entertainment and recreation :) And the boys have never seen DC so we're going to go down there for a weekend and do the monuments and museums. I'll say hello to K St for you! :)

[bethctg]

That is terrible! :( Our washer broke down (with my clothes in it) a couple weeks ago too, but at least I know it's gonna get fixed soon! And the poor little guy, missing his first day!

*hug hug hug*

DC is so great, right?? He'll enjoy it. I know you are thinking of my library time on K Street, but I was JUST thinking about it this morning(!!) because there was a tv drama about politicians called "K Street" back in the day, and it crossed my mind! Telepathy, O. ;)

♥ ♥
I hope tomorrow will be at least a little better.

[dr_zook]

I wasn't aware you're Rwandan as well (are you? I mean, the concept of nationalities is a fickle thing, right), how very interesting! My former best friend's parents had worked there as development assistants before they went to Haiti.

Urgh, I hope you could somehow mop up the water... what a nightmare. D:

How long will your houseguest be staying? I'm sure you'll do alright!

[debriswoman]

Wishing you all the best with repairs and preparations:-)

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

No, I'm not Rwandan (I'm white and American) but the boys' father is, and so Minor and Minisculus are technically mixed, but I think of them as just black Americans.

But the boys' father lived through the genocide and so did the rest of his family. They all chose different paths (staying, fleeing within Rwandan and across different borders, etc.) and managed to survive.

So the guy came this morning and he claims I 'put it on the wrong cycle' which I just can't believe given how many loads of laundry I've done on this machine over the last 5 years. But he drained it and left a fan to dry the floor.

It's just a week and today I bought an inflatable mattress and sheets for it. He arrives in 2 weeks. I've met when I was in Rwanda but it's been 10 years.

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

The guy came and claims it was my fault for 'putting it on the wrong cycle'! How many loads of laundry have I done on that bloody machine?! Anyway, he drained it and left a fan to dry the hall but we haven't tested it again so...who knows if it will happen again?! The boys' father is watching FC Barcelona play soccer in favour of testing it, and today was shopping day so I've had enough of drama for one day. The good news is that Minisculus (who sleep very, very late) woke up without any fever so he can go back to school tomorrow, thank you very much. I bought an inflatable mattress and sheets for our house guest. He arrives in 2 weeks.

[dr_zook]

So, you are American, but your parents and grandparents were Rwandan citizens? Very intriguing! :) (Sorry if I'm too nosy, btw.)

How can one wash clothes wrongly? I mean, the machine does the washing, and it's not like you programmed a new cycle for it, right? I understand that one can put too many clothes into it, or somehow make it run unevenly if your bedsheets are too much or something. Hm, anyway, I'm glad he came and fixed it relatively quickly! Yay!

Inflatable mattresses are excellent! It will sure come in handy when your boys will have sleep-over guests. :)

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

No, no. I think I've confused you. I'm American. And white. My family (meaning my parents, who are dead, grandparents, who are also dead, and the rest of my own family, my sister, aunts and uncles and cousins) are white and American. Brother in law here refers to the brother of my husband. So my husband and his brother are black and Rwandan (as are all his family). Our kids are mixed (technically) but there really isn't mixed in the US (at least I don't think of them like that). [edited to add: my own family has never traveled to Rwanda. When the boys' father and I married he became an American citizen. It was a long and expensive process.]

I lived in Rwanda and worked in Rwanda for about two years at the university [around 2003]. That's when he and I started dating (back in the day, a long, long time ago).

Yeah, he claims I put it on the wrong cycle but I don't know about that. But I tested it today and it worked like normal, so who knows? Maybe I did something. Anyway we have to dry the floor and the drama is over.

Yes, very handy!

[dr_zook]

It's very possible I confused myself, haha, no worries and thank you for clearing up things so patientily. :)