(Every time David Attenborough came on the screen, he asked me, "This is the man you saw?")

Yes, yes it is. And we love him maybe slightly less than (Ryan's) Daddy. But only that tiny bit.

Echidnas are awesome. I should think about re-upping my Zoo membership now that I'm within three hours.

I need some advice folks. My upstairs neighbors are moving, and are selling their HE stacked washer & dryer. The w/d in my unit is a bit wanky. Works fine. But to fit it n the closet, it's not properly assembled, so the dryer feels like it could fall over at any time. Mine is a Maytag, gas dryer and at least 10 years old. Work. but can't dig up any manuals for them. The neighbors units are about a year old, Whirlpool. Electric dryer. HE units. The reviews for them are average. Some great reviews, some super poor reviews. I couldn't find Consumer Reports review for them, but the Whirlpool line with close model numbers had review numbers in the 70's. They are selling the pair for $700, which is rather good price.

Should I buy? or pass?

I'm skimming a bit. Might reply to other, big issues later.

Don't you know we're all supposed to be terrified all the time?

I love you.

This was after I said, "Just black tea," and she said, "OK, but first I'm going to show you this."

Dear God, I feel your pain. I truly do. I have no idea why people insist on giving me information I never asked for.

Zen, I don't think that was stalking. I'm not on any dating site and never have been, but giving the information he gave it seems perfectly logical to find out who is he. It's not like you searched for his address/office and now gonna camp there until he'll answer, right? You just verified his AFK identity.

omnis, I say ask your neighbors on their w/d, and then decide. Either way, sticking with a dryer that could fall over at any time doesn't sound very promising.

omnis, I have a Whirlpool HE washer/dryer set (not stackable, side-by-side) and they are great and I love them. YAppliancesMV, of course, but considering what you have now and what a good price you'd be getting the new ones for? Do it.

Thanks for verifying that I'm not a crazy stalker, y'all!

It's not like you searched for his address/office and now gonna camp there until he'll answer, right?

Nope. That's way too much work!

Fun fact: I met Lord (Richard) Attenborough many years ago when I was interning at a theatrical foundation in London that he was funding. I had no idea who he was until after meeting with him and the foundation director over tea, and totally talked him into paying for my monthly tube pass. In retrospect, I am shocked and amazed that I had the balls to even speak in his presence, much less barter for transit fare.

eta: and he was so pleasant that I had no idea he was super famous and awesome, because famous people tend to behave in a certain way, ya know?

omnis, I would hesitate to trade a gas dryer for electric. Would you need to pay someone to move their appliances to your place and haul yours away?

smonster - it was a good day. Except for a minor hiccup late in the afternoon that made me realize I am sliding towards depression. Tomorrow I'm calling and seeing if there's anyway I can see my shrink before mid September.

I'm sorry things are so fraught with z.

So, I ended up on the news last night but not for any fun reason that would make it worthy of linking.

I'm struck by how increasingly poignant this story is.

The victim was coming home from a birthday party at that pub I mentioned. Goodness knows, I've walked down those blocks specifically because they are so well-lit. He must have taken a short cut across the park, where he was struck. It's so weird because, years ago, the high hedges and obscuring trees were trimmed down. There are no blind spots there.

As is this neighborhood's way, the mommy mafia are organizing to help the family. They may be insufferable in their high-handed (and entitled) machinations, but they are really, really good at this. I'll contribute something to their fund.

It turns out that I did know the victim...in the casual, smiling as you pass on the street, sort of way.

I can't imagine what life is going to be like for his wife and child.

"The echidna is my favourite animal."

A genetic predisposition, or just clarity about the rightness of this choice? Tough to say.

Today we watched some Life of Mammals. (Every time David Attenborough came on the screen, he asked me, "This is the man you saw?") When we got into the echidna footage, he told me (entirely unprompted, I swear), "The echidna is my favourite animal."

Apple. Tree. Same general vacinity.