Wednesday September 26 2007

More Muddy Canyon

There was a beautiful full moon last night. There's a full Moon tonight (Wed., Sept. 26) and it has a special name--the "Harvest Moon," the full Moon closest to the autumnal equinox. In the days before electric lights, farmers relied on moonlight to help them gather ripening autumn crops. The bright Harvest Moon allowed their work to continue late into the night. Now, post-Edison, we appreciate the Harvest Moon more for its beauty than its utility. Moonrise happens tonight at sunset; look east and enjoy the view!And I looked through the spotting scope at Venus in the early morning hours. I could tell it was a crescent, so that was kind of neat. Northern fall has begun with a vibrant flourish of green--that is, green Northern Lights. Another solar wind stream is due on Sept. 27th or 28th.

I got up early this morning and finished my on line appliance shopping - Maytag dishwashers. I chose the stove a week or so ago, and continued to research and decide where I was going to order it from. Lots of phone calls, and going on line to read. The stove will be a Maytag with a ceramic top. That will change my whole way of cooking when I give up the Jenn-aire with the grill top. But it will sure be easier to clean. I'll go back to broiling more instead of the grill. The new stove has two ovens. The one on top is small with a broiler. I like the idea of not heating the big oven up for an hour and a half to cook two baked potatoes. The store in Jackson that was recommended wants $1 a mile coming and going to deliver it plus installation. That is 200 miles. So I will go as we first thought with our local "mercantile" store, Falers. I've procrastinated as long as I possibly can.

It is very different shopping this way, rather than going into a store and seeing what you are going to buy. But there is no store here to do that. Everything has to be ordered. It's also confusing because the prices are different levels, but the statistics for most of them say you are getting almost the very same thing in every model. I don't get it. So I marked the one about 5th from the top of the line. The store doesn't install. I called the recommended installer. So far he doesn't answer the phone, morning or afternoon, so I can make a preliminary appointment for it.

LATER;.....This afternoon I talked to Jim at Falers and ordered the stove and dishwasher. Everything seems all set. I had to change the model number of the dishwasher because the one I rather arbitrarily chose that is online, is out of date now, and I just said o.k. I'm flexible. He sold me one with a stainless steel interior rather than polymer, otherwise it should be almost the same - oh, yes except about $200 more. They are making a special consideration of delivering beyond their 15 mile limit because Joe is good friends with one of the bosses, and they will take the old stove and dishwasher away. Rather than calling a installer to come out, Joe is going to hook them up. He did the last ones and it doesn't amount to much to plug the stove in and connect the hose on the dishwasher....he says.

We're going to Rock Springs in the morning. Joe has an eye doctor appointment for new glasses. Maybe there is a place down there I can actually look at appliances, Home Depot and John Paras I suppose. I'll look into a small recirculating filter fan that will fit under our cupboard above the stove, since the old stove was a downdraft and Joe doesn't want to put another hole in the roof for an updraft. We'll cover the ends of the old downdraft vent.

This morning is lovely and sunny. It should get warm this afternoon - 66 the weather report says. Got some of the stacks of paperwork gone through and filed in the round file, and paid some bills on line.