27. Dishwasher? Yes, please.

     Since we moved to Norway, we have been without a dishwasher.
For the first few days, it was odd and more than a little boring to have to wash dishes/cutlery/glasses by hand for a family of 5 once or twice a day.

    I've gotten used to it by now and it takes no time at all. I even like going through some writing-prep work while performing the task. Cleaning is often useful for that, writing-prep, I mean. You start going over previous events in your story, start setting goals for the day, be it wordcount, events, deaths, saves, and dialogue.

    Now, on the other hand, it's time to add a dishwasher to the servants of the house. It will join the washing machine - in charge of laundry and a big freezer chest - in charge of frozen food along with her sister, the fridge.
     Finding a dishwasher was easy enough. We got online and after a bit of searching and googling reviews, we found one.
Unfortunately, it was sold out. So, the Hubs (we aren't married but that's what I'm calling him anyway) decides to pop over to IKEA and buys us a dishwasher there.
    When he told me this, my only answer was: "Please, tell me we don't have to assemble it!"
He assured me that was no the case and I figured, how bad can it be.
Que the music.

      The Hubs comes home after having to go a long way around his usual route which was closed for some reason. He's already tired and hungry so we have dinner before we start installing the new dishwasher.
The Hubs also got us an awesome cherry tomato plant.
     The kids go to bed shortly after dinner and as I'm reading to them, I can hear the Hubs moving our fridge around since he's being moved next to the freezer chest. I heard as he took the dishwasher out of its wrapping.
It was followed by a lot of cussing. All I could think it was 'oh no, it has to be assembled! I knew it!'

    When I emerged from the kids bedroom, I saw the problem. The dishwasher had no front and this was driving Hubs crazy. I didn't really care if it looked like a steel blob if it could do it's job right.
Turns out, when you opened the thing, it slammed shut of its own accord at unsafe speeds. It would be impossible to load the machine without having one of my kids sit on the door while I did it.
 

   The Hubs tried various things to make  the door relax but eventually finds out this was a flaw.
Not listening to me when I told him to take a breath and we would go back tomorrow and get the front or get them to fix it for you. He wants to take the offending thing back right now!
    He puts it back into the packing, cutting his finger in the process and we then carry it back to the car.
He makes it back to IKEA in time and after bringing it back where they gave it to him, he was told he had to take it around back.
    By this point, Hubs is really done with this and just wants his money back. He finds the correct place, he takes a number and sees there are 13 other people ahead of him. The numbers went like this:
277 - 278 - 279 - 284 - 290 - 281.
 

    Hubs is confused but finally gets his number called.
He tells the nice lady at the desk that he needs to return this dishwasher. The lady nods, takes a look at the disheveled packaging, and then asks:
    "Is it broken?"
Hubs could have told her about the obviously faulty door but nooooooo. This is what he said:
    "No, my wife told me to return it."

The lady blinks at him, smiles in understanding and gives him his money back!!
The Hubs walked out laughing at blaming me for this. But at least he was happy again and got his money back.

At least the Cherry Tomatoes are delish!

The hunt for a dishwasher continues.

(Sidenote: we love IKEA and they always give us great service.)

Post nr. 5. I drive to Oslo for the first time.

Today, I drove to my sister's place in Oslo. I live about 50 minutes (by car) outside of the capital and I have never driven there myself before. That's right, I make my man drive while I nod off. I mean, take care of the kids! You believe me, right?
Que awkward silence.

       Today's visit wasn't planned, not as such, but when my sister Snaps me a picture of a cake and asks me over, I'm going!!
Waited for my son to finish school and he joined me in picking up his two sisters from kindergarten early.
     
       Of course, I figured, since we weren't traveling at the height of traffic, we would be fine! I had my TomTom (GPS, which we've made to sound like Sean Connery. Mostly so I can argue with it when I feel it's not taking me to the right place. Where are you taking me, Sean?)
       Now, there's one trick to get to my sister without trouble and it is to skip a famous Interchange called.....
Sinsen!

       Many times have I been warned, do not go there! It's too crowded, too loud and too complicated!!!
So naturally, I've been told to ignore my GPS, my Sean, at one place so I can avoid going through the horrible Sinsen.
Now, here's where you need to know something about me. Something shameful and un-womanly! My sense of direction is only so-so, especially when I'm driving. I've gone this way quite a few times but I still wasn't sure exactly where to turn. (Sometimes, I can't even tell you where I park.)
       So, in my effort to avoid the dreaded Sinsen I take a different lane then the one Sean tells me too.

I ended up stuck in touch-and-go traffic heading for Göteborg! Seriously, it took me about 20 minutes just to get out of the lane and into a small district so I could turn around.
(This is not the actual photo of the traffic I got myself into but it gives you an idea. Also, image about 30 trucks in there too.)
The kids were surprisingly calm about this delay. Well, one of them fell asleep and was none the wiser. The girls complained about the lane (going the other way) was much faster than ours. I tried to explain this to them but, in their opinion, they were right, I was wrong.
        My car is not an automatic, so MAN, was my left foot tired. I learned my lesson, though, and found the right place to skip Sinsen.
Thankfully, I ended up where I was supposed to be, sans a small detour.
The cake and the company made it so worth it! Mmmmmm cake.

        The travellers came home much too late to make dinner, so mom, covered in Bubble Soap and various food products, made Pizza Sandwiches and managed a chilly dessert as well. Afterwards, my son read to my two daughters, while a proud mama listened in.
It's an hour since my son went to bed, I'm wrapped in a blanket, armed with Peanut butter (crunchy, since I am starting to believe they simply don't have smooth here in Norway) and apples about to watch a show before I pass out!

So, to you, I bid a good night :)