Monday, January 19, 2015

Easing into the new year....

After a week of bitter cold, we're getting a break in the weather.  Meanwhile I've just been hanging around the house, grocery shopping, the occasional foray out for coffee or lunch with Mom.

I'm caught up with the laundry and my TV programs.  I do seem to be hanging out a lot in the kitchen lately (posts on the Chef's page) trying out new gluten-free recipes.

Had to have a tire replaced.  I found a nail through the sidewall on Christmas Day.  The placement of the puncture made it unsafe to patch/plug so I had to buy a new tire.  (Thankfully I'd bought hazard insurance with the tire so replacement cost was only $35/mount/recycle/balance, etc.) But they had to order it so they wanted to send me home on my spare tire.  I had to laugh and told them that the spare tire in the car originally came with the car (2000) and has been in there for 15 YEARS! We both agreed it was safer to drive home and come back the next day on the re-inflated punctured tire (it still could hold air).

To replace the 15 year old spare, the tire place wanted $75 for a tire to fit my car, mount it, recycle the old tire, etc. etc.  Sheesh.  So I went to my auto shop where they found a used tire (only 2 years old - tons of tread) that fit my car. They swapped it out, mounted, etc all for $30.  You gotta shop around.
 
I did get that 'care package' from HamBeens to replace the bad bag of beans I had to throw away. I don't usually buy HamBeens brand because I never use the flavor packets they provide and I'm sure that addition is what makes them more expensive than other brands.  But it's hard to find the 15-bean mix they have.    Still, they were extremely polite, concerned and quick to send me replacements.

While catching up with the laundry, I thought I heard some odd noises, so had a repair man come in and check out the situation.  He opened the 20-year-old Tappan, got it running, looked under the tub and .... "uh oh".  Damn I hate that phrase!  Turns out the transmission is failing.  He said it could go any time or last another 10  years, and he showed me the loose movement on the shaft.  $345 + labor for a new transmission.  He didn't recommend it because then I might have motor trouble, timer trouble, etc.  So we put it back together and I'll deal with it when it dies.  Que sera sera. How can I complain?  This set has never given me any grief for 20 years!!  The least I can do is let it do what it does best until the bitter end.

Otherwise, it's been a relatively uneventful slide into the new year and I'm truly happy about that!  Days drift by and I was surprised to see how long since my last post, so this one is to let you know I'm still here, if relatively inert at the moment. LOL  Hope all is well at your end.

10 comments:

  1. I have been thinking of you the past few days and was gonna email---and POOF--here you are.
    Hang on to that washer as long as you can. My 7 year old appliances are all conking out--at the same time!!!!!!!!!!--and I'm sure the NEW ones are even crappier. I wish I would have held on to the 20 year old ones. I might still be using them. The junk they produce nowadays is so bad.....I dread this replacing business. My dryer died over a month ago--I'm hanging laundry now in the library. I figure the washer is on it's last leg--I'll wait until that goes and get a set. Hopefully by then, the amount of complaints on the crap they produce will make them improve them>???? Hahahhahhaaha. God, I'm funny!!!

    Anywho, enjoy the peace. Did you know it's only a couple months until all the yardwork starts again???? (and yes--I'm looking forward to it too!)

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    1. Was hoping you would send an email. There's more space to fill. LOL He advised getting a Speed Queen replacement - only brand out there with no computer components. Price going up, though, because they are so in demand. *sigh*

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  2. We have had some similar "issues" with household things to welcome the New Year.
    Can't be helped.....but it still isn't pleasant. Sadly, the new machine will not last as long as the older model.....trust me.

    BTW, I have an Iowa friend that drove lots of miles to find a Speed Queen for the same reason. They had no dealer near. She is very happy so far. Heading over to the cooking side now.

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  3. P.S. What kind of birds are in the tree in the header picture?

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    1. That was a passing flock of Cedar Waxwings. Only the 2nd time I've ever seen those.

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  4. I am getting ready for spring but that is not going to happen for a while. I hate it when machines give up on me. We have a dishwasher that just sits as we don't want to replace it right now.

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    1. I hear you on the dishwasher. I have one that hasn't run in years, just holds glasses, jars and plastic containers. New appliances are crap and so full of computer stuff repairs are horrendous. No spring here today -- couple inches wet snow since this morning. I'll get antsy around the end of Feb....

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  5. Hi, new to your blog. Glad to be here. This post about a damaged tire, a tired washer, bad beans--you wrote it all without one complaint. I need to not complain as much. Gratitude. And I hear you about newer appliances--get the computer stuff OUT OF THEM! My washer/dryer are 20 years old, and so far so good. Will keep Speed Queen in mind though. Or a wringer washer. LOL. Take care. Stay inert--it's winter after all!

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    1. Hi Mollie, thanks for taking time to comment. Rest assured, there are posts when I do let out a gripe. Didn't realize I sorta focused on the broken bits this time, but that's what i've been dealing with. Hope you stop by again. You take care now.

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  6. Good luck with your snow, unlikely to get that much here at the house and so far, not much on the nearest fells. Drove through the Park on Wednesday and there's obviously much more on some of the central summits.

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