Day 9: What's that?

Charlie's favourite phrase is, "What's that?" It is a multifunctional phrase: beyond the literal, it is used to distract, especially during nappy changes; to subtly suggest she wants what I have (usually chocolate related); and as an exclamation of fear or awe, see dishwasher and washing machine comments below.

However, here, I ask the question as often as she does. What's that funny set of boxes at the end of our street? Ah ha, it's our post box. Here the post, sorry, mail, is delivered to a set of boxes for each street. The estate agent secretary was very informative, if incredulous at my query, "yeah, you have a slot in your door, right?"

So while I trudge through the snow, 300 yards to check my empty mail box, I can also take out my trash. There are no rubbish bins; no door to door collection. Somewhere on every street are giant bear proof bins. What's that? It's the overpowering smell of rancid nappy (Charlie's constitution hasn't quite adjusted yet), which have to be kept inside until the next static charged expedition into the cold.

My favourite outdoor what's that has to be the crossing lights. Most of the time, traffic simply gives way to pedestrians, but at busier roads there are crossings with various different beeps. Until 3 days ago, the local ones played jingle bells and said ho ho ho when it was time to cross.

We have plenty of what's that in the house, so I thought I'd let you play too  with my top 8.

Number 1. This is our heating system, which automatically comes on with an earthquake rumble every 20 minutes or so and blows dry hot air through the house. On the plus side, it heats the floors, and dries our clothes and shoes almost instantly, but the drawbacks include a sensation of seasickness from the trembling floor, and a growing fear we are being slowly dessicated.
Number 2. A bit like spot the ball. It's a rabbit. Enjoying playing spot the tracks in the snow. So far, rabbit, dog, human, magpie. No bears yet.
Number 3. Probably what the **** is that! It's our enormous washer dryer, which can even put static electricity into cotton sheets. If we put metal objects in close proximity, they buzz (the sheets, not the machines that is). It can rival the heating noise, although the dishwasher is even louder, and finishes with a buzzer sound from a gameshow - we keep thinking it's the door bell.
Number 4. See comment above. The husband's choice of charity shop mugs...
Number 5. Our snowman, because it really is the wrong kind of snow. It's just powder, but Charlie insisted.
Number 6. Makeshift clothes horse. I really am petrified of shrinking my synthetics any further, or supercharging them in #3 so I light the entire street in an X-men style explosion.
Number 7. I thought this was a really weird tankard, but it is a hand squeezy seive. Genius. I want one.
Number 8. Not to be confused with #1. Look closer. There's a plug which pulls out. Daren't plug it in just yet. But the Devil makes work for idle hands, so one stormy day...