I said 'Fellas, what are all those wings for?', they said 'for hanging clothes out to dry'

So, by this time tomorrow, we may have a problem solved. Not all our problems solved, and probably not this one problem completely solved, but still, a problem solved, which is doing well considering the year is 2020 III.

When the repair guy diagnosed our washing machine as not worth repair he said we had two choices: get someone's used junk, or buy some newly-made junk. Ah, but what if there were a good washing machine, you know, like they used to make, something that lasts decades and has real physical buttons instead of a computer panel that can't handle detergent fumes? Something that maybe comes in harvest gold? And turns out that Speed Queen washers makes something that fits all those criteria except the color. They're expensive but if you're buying something for once in forty years that's okay.

And then while looking at second-hand washers bunny_hugger found a guy selling his. This washer's 15 years old, but that still gives like a decade before the company's claimed lifetime expires, and both Consumer Reports and online reviews say they're good for it. The catches are he's like an hour and a half away and it turns out my Prius is just about a half-inch too small to fit it. But it turns out he's willing to deliver it to us himself, provided we pay for gas. The suspicious thing is he's asking for an extremely low price --- I may have this off but I think he's asking for ``whatever you have left on your Radio Shack gift cards'' --- and he wants to deliver it tomorrow. Which is cheap and fast enough I can't swear he's not fencing a hot washer, but would you really do that through Facebook Marketplace? Also, tomorrow is the one day for the next five that I won't be around to be any help moving the new washer downstairs. bunny_hugger will be, of course, but hasn't got the muscles to move it downstairs. We may have to set it in the garage for a couple days until a strong enough friend can visit and help. Or maybe we'll get lucky and the guy will somehow be able to get the washer downstairs on his own. To cover both cases I've moved stuff around in the garage so there's plenty of space, and disconnected the old washer and moved it away from the wall so there's space for its successor. It's sitting there now, looming over the goldfish tanks like a 70s Borg Cube, and yeah, it's sad to lose it at last. Also sad that we don't know how we're going to get it upstairs, or disposed of. If someone wants a 40-something year old washing machine that doesn't work, uh, drop a comment, would you? Thanks.

Silver Bells is, believe it or not, over, at least in my photo roll. But my photos aren't done. You know what's coming up? Go on, take a guess and then you'll see ...

The State Tree, illuminated in a lovely white and gold this year. This isn't the moment of illumination; my camera was still refusing to work just then. This is from after the parade and community sing and all, when we could go up to the uncrowded tree and putter around.

Looking off from the tree (right) towards City Hall (left). City Hall's in dire need of major renovations and there's no clear answer where the money for it is going to come from.

And here's the State Capitol, looking just resplendent in the night.

Yes, I took a Dutch angle picture of the tree, looking east toward Michigan Avenue. I know how to do two things with my camera and the other one is a tracking shot which doesn't work for a tree that stands still.

A precious doe takes her own photograph of the capitol.

Trivia: A May 1921 special faculty committee concluded that to support the creative scholarship essential to a healthy college, Rutgers should establish an annual research fund, for the purchase of books and apparatus, of $1,000. The money was not forthcoming but the faculty did create a standing committee on research. Source: Rutgers: A Bicentennial History, Richard P McCormick.

Currently Reading: The Rise And Fall of the DC-10, John Godson.

PS: I know what you're really here for is to learn What's Going On In Eye Lie Popeye? Also, what is Eye Lie Popeye? October - December 2022, a special bonus story comic recap.