Tuesday, back in the groove late post

Had left overs for dinner.I think we will have the last of the Swedish meatballs I have in the freezer tonight.  I know mom likes those.  Took out a quiche and a big ham bone.  Will ask Hub's what kind of soup he wants.

     Look at the side bar, I am down below $5,000 on the car and the sewer loans!  By June I will drop in to the 70's on the house.  I want the car paid off before Christmas next year.  Studio wise I am hoping with costumes and the recital I will be able to get through the summer and pay off the studio lock then it will just have to be the CC balances and I will be debt free on the studio.  We have not done any fund raisers but I will get into that later.  I am just more positive.  Hope I stay that way;)

     Mom is still mom I am really worried about her memory it is so bad.  Have to get costumes ordered for dance studio, but need parents to pay their fees.  Did the payroll for the studio and made deposits.  So far need about $1700.00 more dollars to get costumes ordered.  I am not too worried about them.  My ballet Mistress bless her heart has them all compiled for me, she is such a blessing.

     Our neighbor across the street (the one who fixes our cars) is a Korean War veteran.  He lost one leg from the knee down and half of his other foot many years ago.  He just broke his remaining 1/2 a foot very badly and his wife is total care.  I will be taking dinner in for a while I think.  But mom loves to cook and this will keep her busy, I will just have to keep an eye one her.  What a mess.  Keeps me in perspective, when I think I have it tough.



story cont:

     Nels could hear the boys playing in the courtyard as he came in the front hall with the wagon and the three little girls.  Ruth and Violet climbed down and Audra was squirming to get out of the her seat, where she had been strapped in to keep her from falling.  She could also hear the commotion in the back yard and as Nels put her down she ran on her chubby little legs toward the back door.  Out in the bright sunshine the yard was full of children and a quiet washer.  Old Gustaf was sitting on the brick wall watching the children. No one knew how much he could really see, you could tell he was enjoying the sun and the  noise of the play.

      Mrs. Gustafson was running a shirt through the wringer of the machine.  She was smiling.  Her hair had become loose around her reddened face and she pushed the loose strands back with her forearm.  The courtyard was crossed with two long lines of wet clothing.  Shirts, knickers, pants, towels, aprons and dungarees.  'This is the last of it, she said to Nels with a huge smile.  I have finished what would have taken me all day on Saturday and I have saved my poor hands much scrubbing."

     There was still a large wet coverlet in a wooden tub next to the washing machine and a smaller metal tub full of wrung out clothing.  Nels realized that the coverlet would not go through the smaller wringer on the  machine.  He helped Mrs. Gustafson to wring out the heavy cotton blanket, each holding an end and twisting and twisting.  It was hard work.  They both hung the coverlet over a third clothesline and it sagged under the weight.  Nels went over to the edge of the building where the lines were attached and ratcheted the lever that tightened the line.  Nels explained that he had requested  Mr. Erickson get him a larger winger.  He was going to fix this to the edge of the shed.  This wringer would accommodate the larger sheets and blankets, eliminating the heavy lifting and twisting.  A crank handle would pull the cloth through with much less work and get the clothes much dryer than when wrung by hand.  " Such a savings of time." exclaimed Mrs. Gustafson.

       Nels went to pick up Audra to take her up the stairs, instructing the other boys to bring Ruth and Violet up when they came.  She shrieked her protest loudly.  She wanted to stay running in the sunshine with the other children.  "Leave her, " said Mrs. Gustafson.  "I will watch out for her and see that they all come upstairs".  The Gustafson's flat was at the back of the building and she could holler out a window to the courtyard.  Nels thanked her and went into see the Strom's.

      In less than 24 hours he had fixed four washers.  Three had been delivered and one was in the yard.  He planned to work on the three remaining washers in the shed this evening if he could.  Now that it was not so crowded he could work by lantern light in the shed itself.   Helping to carry the washers back and forth and up and down the stairs had made his muscles sore.  Even though he pulled and pushed a cart everyday and carried Audra up and down six flights this moving of washers was hard work.  In this short amount of time he was sure that another place would have to found to store work on washers.   Nels was physically tired from his success.   Still he was happy.  He had more than fulfilled Mr. Erickson's expectations and soon the building would have three working wash machines.  Three machines should be enough  for 10 families. Maybe he could get one of the building women to take on their laundry and save himself the expense and time of delivery and pickup.  First he had to get all of the machines running if he could and then he would talk it over with Millie.

cont:

Have a great and productive day!

Kim