Something went KABOOM! and it wasn’t a paper explosion box

As I sat on my couch last night,  with a warm buttery bowl of just-popped popcorn minding my own business, I heard a very loud KABOOM!

I turned my head to my microwave and thought, oh crap.

With my left ear ringing (the microwave is to my left of where I was sitting) I walked over and cautiously opened the door.  Truth be told, I stood behind the swinging door to the kitchen for fear of shrapnel.  It was as I suspected, the glass plate exploded and cracked.

I inherited this microwave 5 years ago from my Nonna (Italian for grandmother) when she bought a new fan-dangled microwave with a toaster in it for her newly renovated kitchen.  Yes, her microwave has a toaster in it.  More like on it. It’s to the right of the control panel. Weird. But I digress.

It is likely it was with my Nonna and Nonno (grandfather) for at least 5 years before it came to live with me, so this microwave is a bit ancient according to technology standards.  Of course you know what that means.  Replacement plates? I think not.

I do what I always do when I need help…call Mom. 

“How necessary is the glass plate in the microwave?”

“hmmm, I’ll ask your Father. 

mumble mumble mumble.

Go buy a new microwave.  You’ll never find one for that beast”.

Mom very lovingly hauled out the flyers from the paper, (from a city 6 hours away) and told me where the sales were; I was simultaneously on the internet looking for the same deals (flyers? hello, Google!).  

As I asked her if I should invest in a convection microwave and we debated the pros and cons, I saw the price to a convection microwave; $779.00! I’ll pass; I have an oven.  Thanks.

She found a few deals, I found a few deals; we debated size and features- “the EXT 560 model features a standard kitchen timer, whether you’re timing a pot on the stove, or a long-distance telephone call, you’ll love this feature”

Who times a telephone call on the microwave? 

I wailed it wasn’t fair for the glass plate to crack before the ancient beast died itself.  I hate that I’ll have to replace it when it still works.  We investigated buying a smaller plate off of EBay, but then realized the beast is probably throwing out radiation like nobody’s business, so a new microwave was in my best interest.

Of course I have to go shopping for a microwave on one of my busiest work weeks. This is like when my coffee maker died 1 day after my mom left from visiting after my leg surgery.  Hobbling around on crutches and trying to shop for a coffee maker is not fun.

I swung by Costco on my way home from a meeting and picked up this beauty.  I decided on another Sanyo, seen as the beast lasted at least 10 years, and it was only $89.99, I figured it couldn’t be all that bad.

Stainless steel inside and out.  I’m already cringing at the fingerprints.  Next trip to Costco will be for the Stainless steel cleaner.

At least I have a nice big box to make a new photo light box out of.

What can I say, I’m a ‘glass half-full’ kinda gal.

Happy Monday.

Ciao for now,

Technorati Tags: Sanyo Microwaves,popcorn,microwave glass plate

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Phase 5: Make sure you have the right drill bit

I thought it was too good to be true. Everything was coming together quite nicely.
Apparently, it was too good to be true.

I have had trouble in the past drilling into some of the walls in my apartment.

First, was the outside wall in my bedroom, while putting up curtains. I tried everything, including paying $35 for that "As Seen on TV: Mighty Putty", which did not hold and took the paint off the wall. In teeny tiny fine print it says
"do not adhere to paint".
I eventually got the curtains up using a shorter plug and screw.

Second, was the shelf in the living room behind the couch, so it looks like a sofa-table. The wall is an inside wall, but separates mine from the apartment next to me. I finally got the shelf up, however do not put anything heavier than tea lights and Christmas cards on it.

I'm positive it was during the 'sofa-table-looking-shelf' incident, I bought a concrete drill bit. For this office renovation, I was sure to buy the anchors and screws that could be used in a multitude of building materials, including concrete and brick.

The shelves on the outside walls went up with no problems. I decided to take a break and ran a few errands.

I came back and wanted to finish putting up the last two, and largest shelves, and a rail system. I started with the rail system: and couldn't drill more than 1" into the wall. I tried backing off, and drilling a bit more slowly, and nothing. I checked with the stud finder again and it wasn't picking anything where I was drilling.

A phone call home to my Millwright/Heavy Machinist Mechanic father six hours away. He thinks I must not be using a concrete drill bit, or I'm hitting a steel support bar and to move the drilling 1" to the right or left. I tried drilling a hole along the same wall, but in the closet,...no go. I must not have a concrete drill bit like I thought.

It's 5:30pm. On a Sunday. On a long weekend.

Looks like the big reveal will be delayed until the hardware stores open again on Tuesday and I can pick up a concrete drill bit. If that doesn't work, we'll have to go to plan B.

What is plan B? I haven't a clue.

Happy Sunday!

Ciao for now,

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Announcement: ♪ A Change is Gonne Come ♪

♪ It’s been a long, long time coming/but I know/

A change is gonna come/Oh yes it will. ♪

I’ve been in a little funk lately.  I think it’s prompted by so many wonderful things happening to my friends: buying houses, moving, new jobs, engagements.  I am absolutely thrilled for their happiness, but it makes me feel….static. Standing still. 

In 2001, I moved from my parents home to a University dorm, 6 hours away.

In 2002, myself and 7 others moved into a house- 19 Barrington.

In 2004, I moved into my first solo apartment for my 4th and final year of University.

In 2005, I moved to a small town 40 minutes outside of London for a job.

In 2006, I moved back to London for another job.

In 2009, I’m still here.

When I sat down to do my usual weekend card sketches, nothing was happening.  All the sketches were awesome, and I could see my cards in my head, but they never materialized.  So I tried something else.

I’m going to borrow a term from Natasha over at Thursday Sweet Treats and say that this card was “born”. 

I have no idea where this came from, I never tear paper…but I really like it.  So I kept going:

This card was inspired by Tonya’s awesome Fifth Ave Set.  I loved the way the flowers were stamped abstractly (yes, this was for a customer, hence the ‘custom order’ on the photo).

And yet another card that was born:

Sentiment reads “Take care of yourself” and I used the Whimsy roller on the inside (the paper on the front is dp) that was given to me by my friend Alison after she was done making her wedding invites. 

See a pattern in these cards?  Simple. Clean. I always thought I had a problem making simple cards, but I guess I was just looking in the wrong spot.

♪A change is gonna come ♪.

This office/craft workshop/guest/room needs to change.

That’s right kids, renovation time.

I won’t be making any cards this week, but prepping for the Office Makeover this long weekend.  I will be posting the trials and tribulations of what that means, the before, and after pictures and I’ve got something BIG planned for the end.

So please come back and visit.

Happy Monday!

Ciao for now,

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RANT: My very own real life Seinfeld episode

Technorati Tags: car rental,rant,cars,seinfeld

I had a one hour in-town meeting today at 10 am, and an out of town meeting at 2 pm.  It’s a 3 hour drive to my second meeting, one way.  I arrived at the car rental place at 9am.

This is what happened to me today:

Except:

Add in an offer for a compact car: Not safe, I don’t care what you say.

And an offer for a minivan:

Agreed to after I negotiated a reduced price for the gas that this Beast would consume.  I sat in the car to drive away and realized:

 

The seat height is not adjustable and my feet don’t touch the pedals.  I’m 5’6”.  This should not be an issue!

Back inside I go, where I have to spend another 15 minutes telling them I’m going to walk out without renting a car; I finally conceded when they arranged for me to pick up a car at another location, after my first meeting, on my way to the second meeting.   They promised me it would take no more than 2 minutes, and I would have a full tank of gas so that I can just ‘get in and go’.

Meeting #1 completed, off to pick up the 2nd rental car and give back the Beast.

So, I just got home and I called my good friend HILL to come over and serve chill.

Happy Thursday.

Ciao for now,

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Note to self

Note to self:

When mailing a letter, postage is required.

 

Happy Tuesday.

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