Off to NYC again this morning for an hour or so of coaching. Of course, an hour of coaching involves about 4 hours of travel roundtrip, so it makes for a full day. I will only have time to meet Don for a minute or two to get the recycling tickets that he still had in his car and surprise him with some homemade chocolate chip cookies and cloud biscuits. Yes, I was busy baking yesterday.
Yesterday, a guy came to put a new timer in our washer/dryer and, as he was getting ready to leave, he asked me about the stove. He wanted to know if it was really old or just new, made to look old. Next thing I knew, I was showing him all of Stella’s features and he took a picture of her, saying she was the coolest thing he’d seen all day. He was a young man, but a young man who appreciates old things. We had a great conversation.
Stella may have been blushing, I’m not sure. She has a fan club.
He also gave me a tip about our washer/dryer combination. The company is still making them, he said, but the new models aren’t nearly as solid as our 12 year old one. Why, I wonder? Cheaper parts? Labor? I don’t know. Anyway, he told me it would be worth it to pay for repairs on this one, rather than to buy the newer version. Good to know!
It continues to be hot and humid here – I think it will be 86 today. What the ????
So far, the air conditioning has been running every day this week.
More of the wildflowers that are blooming all over the property. They really are beautiful.
Yesterday’s morning glory.
I have to run. I overslept this morning – a rare, rare occasion – and I’ve got to get moving.
Happy Thursday.
good morning.
sounds like you all are busy as ever. that’s a good thing … life is to be lived and all that … but glad you have time for fun, too – especially time with your husband and baking with stella. :)
kathy in iowa
Busy, busy, but I’m happy to be working. And going to a miniature show will be fun!
We have an old Maytag stacked washer/dryer. It was here when we moved in 12 years ago, so it’s older than that. My repairman said the same thing: As long as parts are available, keep it.
Good advice and I’m so glad he shared it with me! Good repairmen!
The temps here have skyrocketed! Today will be 90, don’t even want to know the humidity 😕
Safe travels.
Thank you, Debbie!
I think your repair man is correct. Every time we move and by new appliances the new ones are more expensive and more cheaply constructed. Shame! I’m glad you’re enjoying baking with Stella. I’m constantly in the kitchen and still enjoying it.
Buy. Pfft!
xo
Yes. I haven’t made cookies in a long time but Don kept mentioning them, so I decided to go for it!
It seems like you have bonded very nicely with Stella….I saw your pics on Instagram…love the color of your mixer. I think baking is a good thing to do these days…or cooking in general. Getting back to basics…keeping our minds occupied with more productive activities. It is hot and humid here, too….very unfall like! ;)
I got that mixer about 15 years ago – I still like that yellow!
I agree… the new appliances may be more energy efficient, but the older ones are built more sturdily. I’m still using the dryer my in-laws gifted my husband and me as a house warming present for our first house together, 31 years ago! The matching washer gave out only a few years ago. They’re now different colors but they’re behind closed doors so I don’t care. A friend has gone through three high-end dishwashers in ten years. I have my reliable basic from Sears. I like my appliances with very little bells and whistles… I think that saves on maintenance costs.
I bet Don will love the joint Claudia-Stella baking projects!
It’s ridiculous. Witness my lawnmower, which is probably about 4 years old. We had to replace it. Sigh.
Don loved the biscuits and the cookies!
Oh, what fun…and I bet Stella was as happy as you were just baking away yesterday!! It is nice to be useful and to be needed, no matter what our age!
I just was out doing some things in the yard and am exhausted from just that 30-40 minutes. It is SO humid. 90* for tomorrow, the first day of Fall, and through the weekend. Crazy! But knowing what is ahead…. I will take the 90’s over THAT for as long as we can prolong the inevitable!
Have fun meeting up with Don, and we can’t wait to hear what he says about his goodie surprises!
So humid! NYC was miserable!
Count me in as a member of the Stella Fan Club!
You are an official member, Vicki!
In the high 80’s here today but the humidity seems better. Of course Stella has a fan club! She really is a stunning stove. Going through my Mom’s paperwork and trying to get it organized. Time to take over that chore for sure. I need a file cabinet of some type so will hit the Habitat for Humanity thrift shop. Later!
You’re a good daughter, Linda!
That’s a terrific little story about your appliance repair guy. I’ll bet one of the reasons he was so taken with Stella was because he so rarely gets to work on something of her “era.” That was nice of him to give you that tip too. In addition to just being a good person, making friends with repairmen and other experts can often yield to getting useful advice and tips like that. And I remember how heartbroken my Mom was when her gas dryer finally conked on her. That dryer was delivered the same day my mother came home from the hospital with my first baby brother – and he was over 30 at the time the dryer quit. We truly do not get that kind of lasting quality in products any more. Personally I believe most things are made to only last so long, so we’re forced to buy another one. Corporations are thinking “why make a light bulb that will last 10 years? – it will only delay our next sale!” I could go on and on – but [1] it’s not MY blog and [2] I’ll only aggravate myself. Hey, have a wonderful last full day of Summer down there in the glorious Hudson Valley! Peace.
#Resist
It’s planned obsolescence. They want the money that you have to spend because, like my lawnmower, it breaks after 4 or 5 years. Ridiculous. It makes me mad, too, Janet!
You sure are one busy lady. That was a good tip you received concerning the washer/dryer. Our air-conditioner has been running everyday this week,too.
Marilyn
A little too busy, but better than being bored. I do want to start painting the rest of the kitchen, though, and don’t have any spare time yet in which to tackle it.
I am always so happy to talk with a young person who loves the old things…it makes me feel good that they have respect and admiration for vintage items and I love knowing that there will still be people out collecting and caring for these things after I am gone…Now about this weather….I am as shocked as the rest of you that I am having to turn on the A.C. again!….Enjoy those goodies Don!
This young man was such a nice guy and so fun to talk to. I really enjoyed chatting with him about Stella and appliances and life.