Dishwasher Salt

Sorry, but it is freaking cold (currently 50 degrees/10 celcius) and damp in Paris this morning and I am feeling very cranky. My joints are aching like crazy. We have hot water radiators in our apartment and the building's boiler hasn't been turned on yet. I've got my fingers crossed that we just have to wait until 1 October and not sometime later.

Our apartment building is from the 1880's, based on the dates on neighboring buildings. They are beautiful, but the french windows are single paned and really leaky around the edges.

I've never lived in a place where I couldn't control the heat. That's something new, as is the need to put salt into the dishwasher. The water in Paris is extremely hard and the dishwashers are built with a container in the bottom that has to be refilled periodically with salt. Not ordinary table salt, but this stuff:

And don't ask me how the salt works. I have no idea, I just do as I'm told.

The door on the front loading washing machine has to be left open, as does the drawer the soap tablets goes into, or else it molds. I have to put anti-calcium tabs in with the soap when I do a load.

The dryer has a reservoir that the water from the clothes goes into. It has to be emptied out as does the usual lint trap, plus there is a big "lint" catching gizmo at the bottom that I have to remember to clean wet disgustingness out of as well. I wouldn't have thought that standard appliances could have so many variations.

The cats were so sweet last night, but they were driving me nuts. Lily sleeps with us every night, with my husband when he's home and she tortures me when he isn't. My husband can sleep without moving, but I just can't stand having my tossing and turning hampered. Anyway, last night Pokey and Habibi joined us as well. Agh. Bibi makes all sorts of noise and fuss with his grooming, plus he wanted lovings. So he was walking on me and purring. Nineteen pounds of cat on you is not conducive to sleep.

Pokey in a box and Lily on top:

A couple of my orphan blocks:

All the better to say "boo" back to Kathy DB, who's in my class and working on a very fun Halloween project. She's a hoot, go check out her new blog, especially if you know the word "booger" in another language. (Huh? go read her recent post, and you'll get it.)

I've put a new section in my sidebar, linking to the first Lazy Gal Quilting Class students. Let me know if there are any broken or missing links.

Last night I finished quilting Blooming Horrors. Woohoo. My husband said "now you just have to bind it." Living with a quilter for 15 years, he's picked up a thing or two.

I bought a wide muslin fabric to use for backing on my Orphan Train quilt. I just need to get it washed and then I can get to work basting it.