A Not So Good Day

I am punished for bragging about my microwave lasting so long. It went belly up overnight. Karma?

From my Good Day post: "Maybe I can save up enough to replace the ancient tin shower stall next year...that is IF the 38 year old GE microwave oven, which was a gift from my husband and some of our kids as my 1985 Christmas present will keep functioning. I use the microwave oven at least twice a day! Yes I do! It is a real survivor."

Yes, this morning I filled my cup with cold water, a Constant Comment tea bag, put it in the microwave and set the timer to 3 minutes. punched the buttons. NADA! I opened and closed the door several times, reset the timer, checked the plug and the circuit breaker, talked to it.....NADA. It just DIED!

I found a replacement on the internet and have it ordered to arrive April 3. I HOPE! One page showed it was out of stock but a message to the supplier says, "Hi Reed, This should be shipping tomorrow morning with arrival on April 4."

I will show it to you after arrival. It is a bit 'different' and smaller too!

My friend (I couldn't do without her help) came to the rescue later today and took away the deceased for the recycling center. I hope it had a nice ride.

Juiced

How many of you still make orange juice at home with real oranges? Not too many, I suspect. Our daughter brought over seven oranges that she said were too sour for her, knowing I had an old juicer. Yes I do!  I bought it on January 26, 1996 at Wal*Mart and it cost $14.96. How do I know this? Of course I kept the sales slip with the manual in the box. Once in a while I pull it out of its hiding place and use this juicer. Of course I also have an old glass juice reamer, but I use that mostly for fresh lemon juice.

Everyone washes fresh fruit, right? Well I do, anyway - always. After slicing, I use the electric appliance and within a few minutes I have fresh orange juice. These made just over a pint. It is just fine in taste and texture.

I remember my mother always juiced oranges on her Sunbeam Mixmaster that had attachments.

please click on image to view larger 

Miscellaneous

This was an unusual conclusion. I always save the appliance paperwork when we purchase something, large or small. The cap on the water tank of our Sunbeam humidifier cracked and the valve was failing. I dug out the paperwork and saw it was purchased in 2014 at Walmart. I made a note of the model and serial#. There was a chart for identification of parts but the cap wasn't pointed out so I called the number for customer service assistance, feeling sure that I could just order a cap or even a new tank with cap included.

After my explanation to the representative, she had me look on the metal prong of the plug to tell her the numbers that were there. I was then told that the appliance was obsolete! No parts were available! What?!!!!!!  I had just purchased 9 more filters!

I really expressed my frustration about this, but politely and firmly. Finally she told me that she would consider my problem and give me a "one-time customer accommodation." A new replacement Sunbeam humidifier (value $36) will be sent out immediately with no shipping, tax or costs of any sort. The unit does not come with wick filters, though. I will have to order them. The ones I have won't fit. (Maybe we can cut them down and use them anyway, we'll see.....) For the new model they measure 4-1/2" x 20" x 1". The 9 old model filters measure 6-3/8" x 20-1/2 x 1".  Ya think??

Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. Sometimes you win AND lose at the same time. The new one is black, not my choice, but....

We learned three things. First, the numbers on the plug prongs tell the true age of the appliance to those who know how to decipher them. Secondly, you can be appeased, even if only with restrictions. Thirdly, things today are meant to be thrown out when replacement parts can't be ordered after just a few years and it is expected that you will have to buy new.

Here is the one we have. It is listed $46.00 but it is "out of stock" wherever I find it on the internet.

Here is the new free replacement model.  

Still Goin' Perfectly

Last night we had waffles with real maple syrup for supper. The batch I always make is enough for the Mister to have 4 of these squares and two for me. As you can see, my appliance only makes 2 at a time. That is just FINE because they always come out perfectly!

I used the socket on the light over the kitchen sink and made them on the drainboard this time. There was no overflow and no cleanup but I was prepared.

I would hate to tell you how many waffle makers I have thrown away in frustration because the waffles always stuck and were destroyed when I tried to pry them from the grid. My guess is about 4! Yes, really! When I finally found one that didn't make them stick, I have used it for many years. I do keep instruction booklets and receipts and found that this GE Removable Grid Waffle/Sandwich Griddle Maker was purchased at Walmart April 18, 2002! Cost was $29.87 + tax. Got my money's worth there! (I don't ever use the sandwich grids.)

Click on link below to review previous story.

Previous Blog about Waffles

Pete and Repeat Dazey

Well the pumpkin/cranberry bread slices (22) are all sealed and ready to share. I was going to tell you all about the gadget I use and then realized I have already done Dazey.   ;D

I described my old vintage (1976) appliance last year in the April 29 blog. I also went on a search for the pouches in October 2015 and found them!

If you would like to refresh the information you may click on the links at the bottom of this post. Sometimes old folks repeat themselves! Please bear with me.

I must say, OLD appliances have wonderful LONG cords! It matters here.

The search for Dazey pouches

Pouches found and used

Coffee Maker Monster

 Whew! Again!        NEVER again now!

The other night we had a short power loss. The short ones usually happen when nobody is looking.

I knew it happened because the complete silence and darkness woke me up - at about 1:30 am. I listened and heard my live in companion (ha ha) mulling around and then going back to bed. I know this because I heard his door shut. He must not have been worried about a long time blackout or freezing water pipes. Those issues are his department. The next thing that woke me again was a sound of gurgling. What? Soon the Mister was out and up and back in the kitchen area. Shortly after, the gurgling stopped so I went back to sleep. 

In the morning the power was back full swing and I asked him what the funny sound I heard was.  He told me that, apparently, after the power returned, it started the coffee maker brewing our morning waker-upper.  You see, I put in the grounds and the water before going to bed and it's ready to go in the morning. He hadn't turned it on with the on/off switch but it was plugged in.

Oh! Oh! That's not good! What if it had not been filled with water? 

Then the break of the cake was that it did it again yesterday when we had a very short power loss and it was empty! It started by itself. This I know, because I heard a noise that made me go and look. The hot plate was hot. The pot was in the dish drainer. there was no water in the reservoir. The switch was OFF!

NOW it is in the trash can. Today we went to buy a new coffee maker. I have been wanting an electric percolator for a long time and found one at a favorite hardware store. It was a two to four cupper. GREAT. Stainless steel!  The maker monster, now in the trash, was one I bought 10 years ago when I was taking care of my mother because I just couldn't take instant coffee and her drip coffee was way too weak for my taste. Ten years isn't a very long time for a quality appliance to last, but at least we didn't have a fire!

This beauty has to be plugged in to start and unplugged to stop. Farberware has the right idea!

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The little Cuisinart was a wolf in sheep's clothing pretending to be safe.

Soon I'll be telling you all about our favorite hardware store. It is a story all by itself.