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Wednesday, January 18, 2023

Love/Love, Love/Hate, Hate/Hate and the BL Method

I find myself faced with very complex relationships in this house.  Relationships with objects.  Most of my angst is caused by the kitchen appliances.  I have always (or 99% of the time) had a gas oven/stove.  I am comfortable with gas.  I know when the heat is on, I know how high the heat is, I know when it's off.  My new-to-me electric stove is showing itself to be a challenge.  This kitchen was "modern" in the late 70s/early 80s, with a separate range top and built-in oven.  My mother cooked thousands of meals in it.  My sister cooked hundreds.  I struggle to get through the day.

My relationship with the oven is what one would refer to as a "love/hate" relationship.  I love the fact that I don't have to bend down and haul out bakeware.  However, it is a miniscule oven.  None of my baking sheets fit.  Then, again, it is self-cleaning.

My range top is a whole other kettle of eels.  The heating indicators on the knobs have worn completely off, so I need to guess at the temperature I am setting the burners.  The burners are not flat.  The stovetop is black and shows everything.  I am learning to cook on it via the BL Method.  Burn and Learn.  Needless to say, it has a four-star hate/hate rating.

Another appliance that gets my spleen in a state is the washing machine.  It's brand new and must have been designed by people with exceptionally long arms and an unending source of patience.  I have neither.  BUT I have a dryer.  This is very convenient in the winter and it's nice to have soft bath towels again, but I will be hanging my clothes outside, come spring.  To heck with the HOA.

All of the hate/hates fall to the wayside, however, because of the garage.  I have an actual garage with doors that open and close and with space to park my car.  It makes me incredibly giddy every time I tuck the car away.  I choose to turn a blind eye to the chaos that is next to it.  And in the basement room.  And in the den.  And in the spare room.

Coming up in the ongoing saga that is my new life:  Covid, Covid rebound (it's a thing - who knew?), Lyme's, RSV, the State of NY, real estate agents, and lawyers.  Oy.

16 comments:

AnnieK said...

Always a hoot reading your blog. 'kettle of eels' 'gets my spleen' did bring a chuckle or two. CARRY ON !!!!

Michelle said...

Oh dear; then next chapters seem to indicate we've gone from comedy to horror story. I'm here with that familiar "I can't bear to watch(read) but I can't look away!" Hugs (from a distance, because, you know, contagions)!!

Debra She Who Seeks said...

I hope you make friends eventually with your electric stovetop. I've never had a gas stovetop, nor did my mother. She was always scared about the open flame, fires, and kid's fingers, etc. She passed her aversion on to me.

jaz@octoberfarm said...

well, at least the government won't bust down your doors to take your stove away! ha!

Leigh said...

I'm always pleased to see a post from you Susan and am glad you haven't given up on your blog (or us)! I've mostly had electric stoves so I guess that's what I'm used to. I really prefer cooking on a wood cookstove! Absolutely lovely.

Looking forward to your ongoing saga!

carol said...

you can buy new knobs that have the heat indicator on them

Unknown said...

A reacher stick with closable end helps greatly in getting clothes out of the deep tub of a washer.

gz said...

Love the "kettle of eels"!
We have The Room of Doom...but things do escape and spread around, don't they!

Pirate also has Long Covid...or as it should be called, Post Viral Syndrome after Covid 19....it sucks!!

Joanne Noragon said...

My move to independent living, with a shared laundry room, has been interesting. How so I didn't appreciate until another tall, slender residents stopped and asked me now the tiny little women manage the laundry. Well, I said, I often must climb into the dryer to rescue a static captive on the back wall. Added an even shorter resident, "I can't even reach the bottom of the washer without a stool."
As for the electric stove, I use it for a catchall. Those fine cooks better keep up with the lovely meals.

Steve Reed said...

A garage seems so luxurious to me. (Then again, so does owning a car!) It sounds like getting a new range should be your first order of business!

Susan said...

It's odd how appliances work perfectly well for decades and then, at the touch of a different hand, fall apart. I suffered without a garage for several winters on the prairies. I understand garage joy.

Retired Knitter said...

Just catching up on my blog reading. I have slipped off the radar big time in all ways that are possible.

When I moved into this condo I, too, had a bunch of stuff to learn and I hated it. It seemed like everything I touched needed the instruction booklet and I didn’t want to both with that - just wash my clothes or cook my dinner or bump up the heat a bit on the thermostdat. It wasn’t that I was opposed to learning new things, but learning new things all at once were just too much. I can feel your pain.

ElaineChicago said...

I’m so happy to hear that you and all the pets are ok. Wow…..do you have great views!!

ellen abbott said...

Growing up our house had electric stove and over, stove top separate, built in oven. Once I began my independent life I always had a gas stove, and loved it for the same reasons, until we moved into this house which has an electric stove. I still struggle with knowing which settings to use since I can't see the heat and I have markings on my knobs!

www.self-sufficientsam.blogspot.com said...

I hope you feel better soon. I was just going to write you and see if you had settled in yet....obviously not. I have the same love/hate relationship with this house. I've never had an attached garage or openers but I do here and it is so nice! But yes, I was used to gas and I have electric here and I will never like it. Everything here is old, including me but I replaced all the important stuff like roof, HVAC and more but no money left to hire painting or flooring so it's pretty sad. I've painted a bit and years ago I did it all but not so much anymore. It's hard to deal with anything when you don't feel good. Take care, sweetie!

Debby said...

For some reason, HOA strikes me as a worse scourge than Covid, RSV, and Lyme's combined.