It seems that every time I turn around, something else has gone wrong.

The gone-wrong thing with the most seniority is the latch mechanism for the storm door on our front porch. Something inside failed, probably a spring. I ordered a new mechanism last summer. The company charged our credit card, but so far I have not seen a new latch mechanism. A few months ago I checked, and they blamed the pandemic. I checked again a few weeks ago, but apparently the pandemic has hindered their ability even to respond to customers.

More recently our dryer started making a loud and terrible screech when we asked it to dry some clothes. I did a little searching online and found some suggestions. I pulled it out, which is a major job since it’s the top of a stacked unit, and it’s pushed back into a small closet off our kitchen. I opened the back and lubricated a tensioner, then I put it back together. When I turned it on, there was no screech. I wasn’t confident that a little oil would solve the problem, so I didn’t push the washer and dryer all the way back into their lair. I also ordered a complete replacement set for all its rollers. That was a good thing, since after a few loads, the front rollers began to make a new and more concerning noise. It runs, but it complains constantly and loudly. I think I hear a little screeching, too. My replacement parts have not come yet.

And, then there was the failed control board in our dishwasher. I repaired that a while ago, and it still works. Then the microwave failed, and I had to replace it. These two appliances were about four years old, not old enough to fail. But they did.

I can’t really call Leah’s back problem a failure, but I suppose in some ways it was. She had a laminectomy on December 21 to try to alleviate the nerve pain that was shooting down her left leg. She is still having pain, two months later. I don’t know how much of that is the result of her not following the post-op instructions (Don’t bend, lean, or twist!). Not all back surgeries are successful. So far, hers has not been.

The most recent problem may or may not be related to her back condition. A few days ago we were talking in the kitchen, standing on either side of the island table in the middle of the kitchen, when she took a half step backwards, and then fell like a cut tree. She sat down in the floor really hard, and ended up leaning against the kitchen cabinet under the sink. We got her back onto her feet, and she seemed OK.

Then I noticed that one of the cabinet doors was crooked. She had fallen back and hit her head on the door. It tore one hinge out of the frame, bent the other hinge, and broke part of the door frame itself. A day or so later I noticed a big, dark bruise on her bottom. The scariest part was the possibility of having done some serious harm to her back, but so far that seems not to have happened.

As it turns out, breaking the door was lucky for her. The door took most of the force of the impact, all of which would have been absorbed by her head had she hit something harder. If she had been standing one pace further back, her head might well have hit the edge of the counter top, and that could have been very serious, indeed.

I ordered two new hinges for the cabinet door last week. They came Saturday. On Monday I put the new hinges on and rehung the door. Here it is, halfway done.

I needed everything you see on the table, including the paper towel with a few blood stains. Sticking a sharp new chisel into your palm might not seem to be a likely way to injure yourself, but I managed.

I had to drill out the screw that held the bottom hinge to the cabinet frame because it broke off from the impact. Then I had to fill that hole with epoxy so I could put a new screw in.

So far the cabinet repair seems to be successful. I just wish Leah’s recovery could be that successful.