Happy Days

Happy days are here again -- my refrigerator is working!  It only took a week (give or take a day) and $450.  That is for a three-year-old refrigerator, on which we have already spent $125. (on a new icemaker).  

Take this as a warning:  think long and hard before you consider buying a KitchenAid refrigerator.

As far as the car is concerned, Honda was unable to find anything wrong with the transmission.  We have gotten that assessment in writing, and will hold onto that until we decide what to do.  I'm sure it will be helpful if we want to go back to Honda and trade the car in.  (My husband's idea -- that's why he gets the big bucks, and I just blog!)  :)

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

Lest We Forget

Seven years -- short for some, a lifetime for others.  Please remember them in your prayers today.

Photo Notecards

Many of you have been kind enough to say that you enjoy my photographs, and some of you have even asked me to make up some notecards.  

Well, be careful what you wish for!  LOL  Here are my first batch, all spring flowers.   I hope to sell them in local gift and florist shops.  However, I thought I would offer them first here to you -- my favorite blogging buddies.  After all, you have given me such wonderful words of  encouragement over the past year, and really pushed me to explore photography.

My Little Red House notecards are made from 4" X 6" professional quality glossy prints, attached to heavy Strathmore photo mount acid-free cardstock, white with an embossed frame, envelope included.  Blank inside for your own message.  Each card comes individually wrapped in a clear protective sleeve.

Set of 4 assorted notecards:  $12.99, including shipping

As of this moment, I have four sets available for immediate shipping.  I will take additional orders if you do not mind waiting a while longer.  If you wish to purchase a set, please leave me a note in the comments.  Please include your email address so I may contact you to set up shipment.

I'm hoping to do a set with dishes and place settings soon, and perhaps a set of autumn scenes.  Thanks again for all your sweet words of encouragement -- they mean the world to me!   

xoxo,

Mary

Going to the Dogs

Meet Sancho (above) and Carlos (below).   They are proof that I am going to the dogs.  

Now, I am not really a dog person, although I like them well enough.  I am much more of a cat person.  But I seem to have unconsciously gathered a lot of dog prints to hang on the walls at our Little Red House.

Sancho and Carlos came home with  me from a favorite antiques shop a few years ago on my birthday.  They usually hang out with me in our tiny den.

This little puppy with his young master came from a thrift store.  I'm pretty sure that it is a print of a larger oil portrait, but I don't know the original.  Anybody recognize it?

This much larger print is titled "Deja Passe,"  and shows a rather romantic scene of a young maid staring wistfully at the handsome man who is "already passed."  It belonged to my parents, but I have no idea where they got it.

This is actually a photocopy of a book illustration.  I just could not bring myself to tear the pictures out of that old book, so I copied some of them.  Can you spy the dog at the horse's feet?

Anyway, I guess these are all proof of something I have suspected for a long time --  I'm just going to the dogs.  :)

*********

And speaking of going to the dogs, here's the latest scoop on my ongoing refrigerator saga:  The part did come in late Friday, and the repairman came on Saturday to install  it.  The refrigerator is now working.  YAY!!! 

 Unfortunately (you didn't think it was going to be that easy, did you?) the control board for the fan which cools the compressor is burned out.  They will order it this morning.  It comes from Florida, so hopefully will arrive by the middle of the week.  However, in order to keep the compressor from overheating, we must run a small fan at the back of the unit constantly.  The noise is driving me crazy, and the fridge is sticking halfway out into my small kitchen.  Aaarrrgh!

On the other hand, at least the fridge is working, and I am thankful for that.

Till the Cows Come Home

Till the cows come home...

That is apparently how long we have to wait for the part that will make our three-year-old KitchenAid refrigerator frosty again.  Cost to expedite shipment of the part?  $40.  Guarantee that it will arrive here by Friday?  None.

I have a huge headache from dealing with the inaptly named "Customer Service" department at KitchenAid.  But on the other hand, I have found that Lindt White Chocolate Truffles are really, REALLY good.

Really.

What is your chocolate of choice?

*****

Oh, and no more whining.  I promise.  :)

Still Chasing Serenity

Yesterday was one of those wasted days.  I spent most of the morning trying to reach the refrigerator repairman.  I also ferried my daughter around to various places, and ferried all the food from my now-not-functioning fridge to the backup fridge in the basement.  When I finally reached the repairman, he told me that the earliest he could come was this morning, between 8:00 and 12:00.   So today will probably one of those wasted days, too.

I also spent a little time researching my refrigerator online.  And let me tell you, when you google "KitchenAid refrigerator and problems"  you find an awful lot of trouble.  (Hmmm, probably something I should have done before we bought it, huh?)  I actually did do some research then, but I don't remember seeing anything like the stories that are up now.

This refrigerator is barely three years old, and we have already had to replace the icemaker.  And I  suspect that the needed repair is going to be major, as the fridge is not working at all right now.  Aaaarrrgh!

As far as the car is concerned, the mechanics at Honda called yesterday afternoon to say that they could not find anything wrong.  I referred them to our neighborhood mechanic, who told them that they needed to run the car for at least an hour to replicate the transmission symptoms.

They are going to try again today.  So, as I said, this will be another wasted day for me.  What fun!  But thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your cheers and support.  And yes, the chocolate helped!

Oh, by the way, the dishes have nothing whatever to do with my post today, but I just thought you might enjoy seeing them.  Happy Wednesday!

Serenity Now

Do you remember that Seinfeld episode where George's father tries to master his stress by chanting the words, "Serenity Now?" 

I think I'm there.

Over the past couple of weeks, my son's car has been acting up.  He is at school, so my daughter and I have been driving it in his absence.  Sometimes it will not move when you put it in drive, sometimes  all the dashboard warning lights go on all at once, and sometimes it just plain won't start.  It's a six-year-old Honda Accord that we bought secondhand because of Honda's reputation for reliability.  It only has 25,000 miles on it, but because it is six years old it is no longer under warranty, and we're still paying it off.

Serenity Now.

Our neighborhood mechanic thinks it needs a new transmission.  Honda had some problems with transmissions in the early 2000 models, and has extended the warranty on those cars to 8 years/80,000 miles.  Unfortunately, our car is not covered by this extended warranty.

Serenity Now.

We have read online that Honda has given some models not covered by the extended warranty a "good faith repair."  However, the car must first be given a diagnostic test by a certified Honda service provider.  Our car will be getting that test this morning.  Because the problems have been intermittent, we are  worried that the  test might not indicate a problem.  Then we will be stuck with a car that we cannot trust, but are still paying for.

Serenity Now.

We have also been having some trouble with our three-year- old KitchenAid refrigerator.  We have already had to replace the icemaker.  Now it seems to be "overheating," -- the body where the doors close sometimes gets so hot that it hurts when you touch it.  Of course, it is no longer under warranty.

Serenity Now.

The repairman said to try cleaning the coil first.  How embarrassing is that?  Well, we did vacuum the coil, and it seemed to remedy the problem for awhile.  But this weekend, it started again, and the freezer would not stay cold enough to keep the food inside frozen.  All my sugar free fudgicles melted.

Serenity Now!!!

So last night I was reduced to eating semisweet chocolate chips straight from the bag to calm my nerves. (I'm sorry, but it was an emergency.)   And this morning I am just going  to chant "Serenity Now"  until my blood pressure goes down, and I hear from the Honda dealer and the KitchenAid repairman. 

 And I may have a few more chocolate chips.