I went this weekend and took advantage of some of the President’s Day sales at Home Depot and bought a new dishwasher. That will be delivered and installed this coming Saturday, and I can hardly wait. I saw our existing dishwasher in the store - it’s the lowest of the low-end models. No wonder our dishes aren’t coming clean. Once that shows up, I’m going to the store to buy some new glasses - these are etched from poor drying and have hardened food on the inside because of poor rinsing.

We are also considering a new barbecue grill (ours is old and nearly rusted through), an air hockey table, and one of those retractable awnings so we can actually use our back porch.

I’m loving the Roomba - in fact, it’s vacuuming right now. Ronco style

• set it and forget it. My mom is skeptical, but I’m happy with it. I figure I can set it up in a room, push the button, and go do stuff. It might take three or four times longer than a human to vacuum, but look at it this way - you’re not doing it. Who cares how long it takes? Now they need one of those that mows your lawn and I’m set.

The TV repair people haven’t called me to schedule the pickup of my TV for repair yet, and that worries me. I mean, the TV is mostly watchable - it’s not just dead sitting there - but I’d like to get this resolved ASAP. The stress of the thing is killing me.