The Latch Won't Unlatch

Well, yesterday turned out to be better than I expected, weather-wise. It rained in the morning -- in fact, we had pea-sized hail, twice -- but by afternoon it was intermittently sunny and I even got to take Olga to the cemetery.

On one of our walks we passed this little shop, above. It's on the high street right near the tube station. It's a mysterious little place that's been there for years. I can't believe it makes a profit, but maybe it does -- or maybe the owner has a really good deal on the rent.

I tried to do laundry yesterday morning, threw in a load of t-shirts and random white items, and then, when the wash cycle ended, I couldn't get the machine open! It's a front-loading washer/dryer combo, and when that door is latched, it is seriously secure. I watched videos on YouTube and tried to figure out a way to get it open, even having Dave tip it at an angle so I could reach up inside and manipulate the latch with my fingers. (Obviously, we'd unplugged the machine.) Nothing worked.

We wound up calling a repairman. He'll be here this afternoon. Meanwhile, our t-shirts are stuck in damp limbo.

Another high street trash find. The two Charlies?

Last night Dave and I had our friends Gordon and Donna over for dinner. Dave made beef Wellington and potatoes duchesse, and a celeriac soup with truffles. There were going to be carrots too, but they were left unattended while we ate the soup and let's just say they got a bit overdone. (As in, charred.) We had a good laugh making the potatoes -- they're basically potato mash squeezed through a pastry tube, and you've gotta be careful about your technique or you wind up with something that looks like what Olga leaves in the back garden. I think ultimately Dave thought they were more trouble than they were worth. Plain ol' baked potatoes might have been better.