I have a serious, serious problem. It’s getting worse by the day and it’s not normal. I went off the deep end this weekend, going to three different stores looking for that perfect little something to cure my fix.
Quick little bit that I always put in here that’s unrelated to me doing dishes: I fight autism willingly because my son Jack has no choice — he is 9 and severely autistic. I’ve done the best I can to raise money over the past three years. My foundation (Operation Jack Autism Foundation) and marathon (Operation Jack Marathon) have brought in more than $150K. Click here for a quick video and brief summary about Operation Jack.
Ok, elevator pitch over. Dishes. I’ve really started to like doing dishes. And I don’t know why. This problem has been building over the past month and it got really bad this weekend.
We didn’t have a stopper for our kitchen sink and I went all over Broomfield, Colo. looking for one. I looked all over at Wal-Mart and didn’t find one. I went to Safeway and they had a few different options. I didn’t like any of them, so I left. I was trying to decide whether I should hit up Target or go to a hardware store as I continued my quest.
I came up on Home Depot, so that was my answer. They had a few different options and I saw one I liked. It was $5.98, about $3.50 more than the one at Safeway I passed up on, but I was fine with the price. This one was better. This one is all mine now.
I busted it out for the first time on Saturday night and I loved it. No more turning the water on and off while I wash dishes. I can keep the faucet on, wash while I fill the sink and power through the process of making my dishes awesome.
I even got up from the couch while watching the Notre Dame – USC game on Saturday night to spend some quality time in the kitchen (don’t worry — I was still able to see game from there).
I love that stopper. It’s my new best friend. Yesterday, my wife Tiffany left with our daughter Ava to go have lunch. A little while later, when me and the boys were done with lunch, I took those dishes, as well as the ones from breakfast, and took care of business. Then I sent Tiff this text:
Later on Sunday afternoon, Tiff did some dishes while I was out front hanging Christmas lights. I wasn’t happy about that and I let her know.
But I suspect we’ll all eat again today. And tomorrow. And I’ll get another chance to do some dishes. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’m sure I’ll get over this in no time flat. For now, though, I’m loving my stopper, my sink and my dirty dishes.
I’m Obviously Not An Engineer
Speaking of those Christmas lights I was hanging yesterday, I’m … well, I don’t even know the word. I was hanging the lights up and I think I did a better job than I ever did back when we lived in California.
For starters, I didn’t freak out when I got on the ladder. I’m deathly afraid of heights. I don’t even like standing on my tiptoes. Many times in the past, Tiff has hung the lights because she doesn’t mind getting on the ladder. But I decided I was gonna get this done and that would be that.
Armed with my staple gun, five sets of lights, my 6-foot painting ladder and my neighbor’s super-crazy-tall-get-you-up-to-20-feet-high ladder, I set out to get this done. And I did.
I got them hung up and strung out. I got a late start (thanks to Tiff) and it was dark and cold by the time I was done. But I got them done! I never looked down, I never got scared (except for once) and I didn’t break anything.
I also couldn’t find a plug when all was said and done.
Both ends of the string of lights had a female end. NO PLUG! I looked along the entire line a few times and couldn’t find it. There was one spot where two sets of lights were joined and that spot was covered in duct tape from a previous year. I was starting to think that there was a plug that was plugged into the back of an extension that had a plug on the other side.
I was starting to get convinced that I was going to have to take down all the lights before I could even turn them on, then re-connect them and re-hang them. I was not looking forward to this in the least bit.
I needed to go to the grocery store last night and on the way out of the front door before I got in my car, I decided to take one more look at the lights. I followed it very carefully from end to end. And then, right there in the dark, there it was! (Thank goodness for the flashlight app on my phone, by the way.) The plug! I found it! And it was in a spot that would make it pretty easy and reasonable to run an extension cord from!
I ran into the house and was super excited and told Tiff, “I found the plug!!!!!”
And she said, “Have you still not gone to the grocery store?”
But she was happy that I found the plug. I think. I wasn’t explaining the problem very clearly because she had asked me if I just needed another extension cord. After I went to the store and came back, I ran the cord, plugged it in and saw the glow I was wanting to see.
Let there be light!
Tiff was happy. I was happy. And I don’t have to hang Christmas lights until next year. YES!
Jack Update
If you’ve been coming here recently, you know that we’re having some troubles getting Jack into school. Here’s some backstory. I’m not going to get into a lot of details right now, because we just spent a week out of school and I need to get back in the swing of things and find out what’s going on.
But FINALLY, Jack has a lawyer. It’s a shame that we have to go to this extent to get him safely into public school, but I’ll always do what I have to do for my son and I’ll never apologize for fighting for what he deserves.
And that’s all for Monday. Do you do dishes? Do you hang Christmas lights? Will Jack be in school before January? See you back here the next time I post. Have a great day!