January 23, getting ready for GRT. Anybody got a washing machine?

Things are fairly quiet for the moment- the retreaters finished their second six-week lerung last wednesday, January 18.  We have shifted the delivery cycle to every two weeks during lerungs as an experiment, and we are hoping that the retreatants like it- it seems to be most beneficial for a lot of reasons-- We invade the Tsam half as much as we used to, since we're going in every two weeks instead of every week....and it also gives caretakers a break for 4-5 days during the "off" week where we can focus on other things-- and it also appears to be cheaper too- so far it looks like the retreatants are ordering less food for a two-week delivery than they used to over two weeks with deliveries every week.   These are very positive things for the retreat and the sanity of the caretakers.

The deliveries on Wednesday January 18 were fairly heavy, but not too huge.  No packages went in to the Tsam on that day as it was still the last day of lerung, and that's the S.O.P. for lerungs- no packages.   This wednesday's delivery will probably be big-  it's a 'break' month now and packages will be going in.   Orit and I just stopped by the post office in Bowie and our lovely postmaster (mistress?) Marisela told us that there is a huge load of packages for the retreat PO boxes.   One of us will need to drive back down there tomorrow with a pickup truck and pick up the packages. 

We're keeping our fingers crossed that the weather stays fairly mild for the GRT events- we will be holding two teachings in a large tent inside the Tsam each day for four days- February 2-5, and we hope it won't be too cold for people.   The teachings go from 2:30 to 7:30pm and so it could get cold in there.   So far the temperatures are mild, but anything can happen this time of year on the mountain- last year this time we had the coldest temperatures in over 100 years in this area and everything froze.   We had a sort of disaster with the water system- many many pipes broke from freezing and it was a mess for a whilte.   Also we expect to have people camping here during the GRT so for their good we're hoping that temps don't go too low.  

Does anybody out there have a good used washing machine they'd like to donate to DM?  The washing machine we have in the campground has evolved into a "dirtying" machine....if You want Your clothes to be dirtier than they are now it's a very reliable machine to use. :) ...but not if You want to clean Your clothes.  Not sure what the problem is but clothes come out with an exciting variety of black streaks and weird white spots or cloudy stains, maybe from soap that never moved.  We can't use it any more...we've ruined too many things in it.   It held up for some time, but it's no longer a washing machine.  Ah, gross impermanence.  Willcox laundromat is not a good option for us either as the last couple times we used it we had a similar experience- it seems that just before we used the washers (according to the nice and apologetic lady minding the mat) a very oily gentleman -who must work on an oilwell or an auto-repair shop or just likes rolling around in motor oil- had just washed all of his clothes.  So we got a sort of petroleum tie-dye effect on a lot of our own clothes.  it's not a good look.

If You have a lovely used washing machine that You believe actually renders clothes cleaner than they were when they went in, please e-mail me at scott.vacek@diamondmountain.org.    Thanks!

Have a lovely day....

scott and orit