January 23, 2012
Hapless Prey
Owning a kitchen appliance is like having a spouse -- you ignore the things that you don't like because it's not worth the hassle and expense to get a new one. And when you do get a new one, you're like, I can't believe I put up with so much crap for so long!
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
Billi's husband Brad has apparently gotten it into his head that they need **ALL*NEW*STAINLESS*STEEL*APPLIANCES** in their kitchen. And I thought that was hilarious for two reasons. One, their appliances are way newer -- and way better-looking -- than mine, so I can't imagine not loving them. Two, is this something that guys do? Get worked-up about kitchen appliances? Because, in an extraordinary act of table-turning, I think Husband may have to take away Brad's Man Card.
Anyhoo, when Billi told me about their impending purchases, I drooled over their current dishwasher because mine has so many things to hate about it, I can't even start. Don't put a nickel in me! My biggest problem is that it is old and filthy and impossible to clean. And you KNOW how badly that kind of shit sticks in my craw!
And Billi, having a heart of gold, offered me their old dishwasher, once their new one comes. *swoon* A quiet dishwasher without imbedded, 25-year old grime?! Sign me up! I texted Husband immediately with the proposal but never heard back from him because he was in day-long meetings or some blah-blah thing.
When I asked him about it that night, he said, "Well, if we need a new dishwasher, I'd rather just go buy a new one. Do we need a new one?"
"YES." Barely-contained joy!
"Then let's go to Abt this weekend and look for one."
Oh my God! That worked AWESOME! I totally unintentionally tricked him into thinking that getting a new dishwasher was his idea! I am unintentionally brilliant!
We arrived at Abt at 9:30 on Saturday morning, and an adorable older salesman named Will started talking with us. (Not in a pushy way -- Abt salespeople don't work on commission.) By 10:30, Husband and I had decided to get a new dishwasher, double-oven, stove top, microwave and fridge, but to space them out over the course of the next twelve to eighteen months.
By 11:00, we'd added a garbage disposal, new counter tops, new sink, and we're aiming to have to done by the end of February. Yeah, Will is good.
But also, the more we looked at the new, shiny appliances, the less we were able to ignore what's wrong with our current ones. Our fridge routinely freezes anything we put in the vegetable drawers. Of our double-oven, only one of them opens, and that one has a broken handle. Our stove top is rusting. And our microwave is probably giving me brain cancer. (I've already opined about the dishwasher.)
And NOW I understand why Brad is so jazzed about new appliances. He probably went into the store looking for a replacement handle for his oven and fell hapless prey to the shininess of it all.
So, yeah, [un-socially-acceptable overshare regarding our finances] after we pay off our credit cards with Husband's bonus, we're going to rack them up again with a new kitchen. I guess now that I've mentioned it, I'm obligated to do a Before 'n' After blog of my kitchen. Which means that I have to clean it in order to do the Before photos. Dammit. Me and my big mouth.
Comments
Ooooo! I can't wait to see your new kitchen! If anyone needed a kitchen make-over, it was you. And the reason for our new appliances is that my stove is broken... Brad found a clearance display model in stainless steel... and well, then nothing else matched! Yippie! All new appliances for me!
Posted by: Billi at January 23, 2012 10:16 AM
ugh I effin wish your blog would remember my info already, it's not like I haven't made at least 15 comments. Anywho, congrats on the new appliances.. all I need is a new red microwave and I'll be happy :)
Posted by: Stacey at January 25, 2012 05:21 PM