To save a buck I got down on my hands and knees.

With FaceTime rolling, I asked my uncle a series of questions:

Is this one it?

How do I get this thing to budge?

Is it okay if I rip this?

Punctuated by realizations:

Oh! So that’s how it works!

Gee, never would have figured that out for myself.

Huh, I guess that was a piece of junk.

Interjected by my uncle:

You just made it more difficult for yourself. [Laughing]

But if you learn now, you’ll know more next time around.

I can’t see the wires – can you tilt the camera up, please?

Together we were uninstalling a broken-down dishwasher. His were the eyes, the brains.

I – the manual hands and knees.

When you’re family, you can break things down into parts like that and coordinate.

Tomorrow he’s coming to my house where he will be eyes, brains, hands and feet. Speaking is optional.

He will install my new dishwasher that just arrived.

And the day after that? He will pack his suitcase.

As he was talking me through the dishwasher uninstall, I found out he’s heading out on a trip to Alaska.

To observe, capture the stars – and the Northern Lights. He’s a skilled photographer.

He tells me he’ll come home sleep deprived from staying up – night after night.

I think he’ll be just fine.

The way I see it – he’ll get a chance to use his eyes, brains, hands and feet on sparkling, shimmering stars and lights.

Meanwhile, I’ll rest my hands and brains and get gleaming dishes.

Because all things of glory come after spending time on your hands and knees.

(Photo taken the next day)