More Appliance Woes…
Why do I feel compelled to write about our new appliance purchases? -sigh-
The washer I bought right out of college had been suffering from senile dementia. She was the first washer I owned. I bought her right out of college. Freed from the fetters of the laundry mat, I could leave my laundry unattended. It served as a perfect excuse for friends to waste a few hours at my place. Eight years later she began eating holes in our towels and leaving spots of bleach on our colors. Elise asked me to put her down. I reluctantly agreed.
It wasn’t long ago I agreed to invest in a larger fridge. You may recall not long before that our microwave and dishwasher were sabotaged. Our oven isn’t the one that came with the house. Frustrated with flimsy appliances, I calculated that the cost per week of my washer and dryer (disregarding utility costs) was about $2.00. Two dollars!? The laundry mat only charged $0.75 to wash a load, and the price included power and water! I concluded the in-home washer is just a dream perpetuated by the Whirlpool and Maytag to boost their bottom lines. They don’t save money! I contemplated forming a lobby to have the government subsidize the laundry appliance industry.
Elise did lots of research and we took home a new lower end, front loading Frigidaire dryer and a matching refurbished washer. The cost was on par with my original washer, but the appliances had come a long way since then. Both are so quiet we plan to replace the linen closet doors with a curtain. They weighs each load to compensate for different sizes. Each shows the estimate time remaining until the load will be complete. They also feature more features for delicate lady clothes, even though we took the model with the fewest bells and whistles. Both use less water and power, and are gentler on our clothes. The proof is in our incredibly clean less trap.
Our only complaint: both appliances have electronic inputs. Buttons break. Dials don’t. As our ill-fated luck with appliances would have it, our washer’s circuit board shorted before we could start our first load. We’ve been two weeks now without a washer.
Last weekend I had to lug our laundry to the local laundry mat. For all my trouble I will grant it was an educational experience. First, even the blue collar joint I visited featured all energy-star front loading machines. I’m certain the owner did his research and was interested in value, not style. Second, it turns out the prices have inflated a bit since my trips to the laundry mat back in Mobile. It cost me $9.00 just to wash (not dry) a week’s worth of laundry for my family. I suppose these appliances aren’t such a bad investment after all.
Community, Part 2
Elise and I have no need to watch The Wire. We prefer to gather around our bedroom window around noon and watch the drug dealers peddle their wares across the street. Our original goal was to help the police interrupt their unscrupulous transactions, but law enforcement proved too slow and our patience proved too short. I put on my best Eastwood persona and made it clear we were wise to their wicked ways. My brazen show flushed the quarry. The roaches have regrouped beyond the view of our bedroom, but probably not beyond walking distance of our house. Most of their customers are too young to drive.
The drug deals weren’t the first sign of trouble around our home. Check out this lovely piece of guerrilla art someone left just 25 feet from my home–on the same corner as our pushers run their black market pharmacy no less!
Our first instinct was to move north to a more sterile suburb. Urban planners call this “white flight”. The idea frustrated me. By no means do I live in “the hood” but I like the social, cultural and economic diversity of our neighborhood. Lord love soccer moms, but I’d like my kids to be exposed to something more. I’ve since learned that reasonably priced homes and less diverse neighborhoods suffer from the same crimes.
That is when it occurring to me that a neighborhood watch works best as a preventive measure. We had best start our own while the problem is small. This week we are canvasing the neighborhood to rally the troops. So far the idea has been well received, which is a relief because we need 124 of the 165 houses to participate if we are to secure premium services from the police. It will take a few months before our posse ramps up to it’s full momentum, so until then we are encouraging people to:
- walk, jog or bike through the streets
- foster community privately: get to know your neighbors
- foster community publically: support neighborhood events like holiday parties, chili cook offs
- arrange your home so you’ll spend time around windows that face the street
When It Rains, It Pours…
Triumph: Chris installs a hanging pot holder.
Tragedy: Now the ceiling leaks when he bathes.
Triumph: Chris’s stud finder did not locate the plumbing.
Tragedy: The tub had been cracked for some time and must be replaced.
Triumph: This project may be postponed indefinitely.
Tragedy: …but no relaxing baths until it is replaced.
Triumph: Chris and Chuck install a chain linked fence.
Tragedy: While they work Sarah discovered the living room floor is rotten.
Triumph: Later Chris learns the rot is only about 2 square feet and relatively simple to fix.
Triumph: Elise has wrung about 300,000 miles out of her little Toyota.
Tragedy: The Sheppards need more seating and cargo space.
Triumph: The Toyota swears it will hold up until we can pay cash for a replacement.
Tragedy: A week ago the interior door handle busted. In order to open the door from the inside, the driver must roll down the window and use the exterior handle.
DIY Febreeze Volcano
It takes work to combat the funky smells left by three dogs …and myself. I recalled several recipes I found through lifehacker for homemade febreeze. The stuff is pretty pricey considering it is mere perfume water. Not being one to be confined to strict instructions I began mixing the ingredients from memory:
- A bit of fabric softener
- Lots of water
- I think MythBusters confirmed that Vodka works wonders on stains and odors
- A touch of viniger
- A dash of baking soda… Holy crap!
The lessons of countless science fairs was lost on me. The bottle erupted into a geyser of gritty, sweet smelling foam. The kitchen smells great.