Last night was Dale’s first night back on dialysis at the center and right now he is so weak that dialysis just kicks his butt.  He had a low grade temp and his blood pressure was high so we were up til midnight just checking his temp and praying we were not headed back to Baylor.  He feels better this morning but we will watch his temp closely.  We are hoping that it is just dialysis having this effect and that it will get better if we can get him built up some.  We need a little break here.

I have to go continue a fight with my vacuum cleaner that I started yesterday.  I tried to run the vacuum and it wouldn’t pick up.  I checked the bag and it was full so I changed it.  It still wouldn’t pick up so I figured it must be the belt.  I couldn’t find the manual at first and I of course being the person I am, googled it and put in my model number trying to find instructions and evidently Hoover considers my model too old to bother with.  I found two buttons with coin slot type ridges on them that said closed or easy access.  I turned them but still couldn’t figure it out. While trying to look underneath the thing while sitting on the floor I managed to drop the heaviest part directly on my knee.  It hurt so bad I couldn’t cry or cuss – I just laid there a minute and wished I had just thrown the thing over the fence before it attacked me. I finally found the manual and it had the cutest little picture of how to pop the front off to get to the belt.  After pushing, huffing and puffing and jerking I finally managed to get the thing off and sure enough there was the broken belt.  I wrote the part number down and headed off to Wally World to get a new belt.  I  bought several and of course six other things I thought I desperately needed (not) including a handy battery powered screw driver for my next project (hanging rope lights on our back patio) and headed back home proud and confident that I could star in my own version of Tool Time.  I replaced the belt and scornfully told my son to stop trying to be “the Man” and let me do it myself.  I managed to get the belt on the demon-possessed machine, replaced the cover, closed the little buttons, plugged it in and prepared to do battle with dirt.  A smell like burning rubber, no suction, and difficulty pushing it across the carpet and a few choice words later and there I am taking it apart again.  The second belt broke too!  I stood the thing in the corner and glared at it for awhile and by that time I needed to start supper.  I decided our relationship was in such a state that we needed a little time and space so I decided to wait til today to attack it again.  Dale suggested I open it up and turn it on without the belt to make sure the shaft is turning.  If it isn’t then it’s the motor and in all good conscience I can terminate the Hoover with prejudice.  By this afternoon I will have a clean carpet or I will be guilty of “Hoovercide”!