Monday, August 5, 2013
Now We're Cookin'
Something fun happened recently. I actually received a check
for royalties on a book I wrote. I mean, I'd gotten a couple advance checks,
but this one means people are buying the book I wrote. Color me excited!
Now I know what you're thinking. All those classic
questions. "Did you celebrate with champagne? A fancy dinner out? Did you
buy yourself a piece of jewelry to celebrate, or maybe a new car?? (Okay, that
last one is a bit fanciful, but a girl can dream.)
 |
| This is my stove! |
The answer is, I DID buy myself something. A new range.
*crickets*
Stay with me here. The stove I have now came with the house.
I didn't have the money to replace all the appliances, so that went on the
"someday" list. And then the burners started to go. One was actually
burnt out when I moved in. Months later, the other large burner went. That left
me with the two small burners only. Then earlier this year, the small one in
front sizzled out.
Regardless of the fact I'm not a great cook, or even enjoy
cooking, even *I* can't stand to live with only one working burner. And a tiny
one at that! So my celebration present is a new range. I didn't splurge. In
fact, I think I got the cheapest one on the floor. But it has four working
burners, a working broiler (that's another thing burnt out on the current one),
and is a nice pretty white. Whoever came up with the idea of this beige/biscuit
color for appliances should be flogged!
Now here's how this plays into the writing. More burners
means I can make more things at once. No more waiting until the pasta is done
to heat up the sauce. Or putting the Stove Top on after the chicken is done. This
means less time cooking and more time for writing.
Now, if only I could do all the laundry at the same time and
teach the cats to scoop their own litter box.
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14 comments:
Well I'd love a new fridge, the one where the freezer is at the bottom with vertical doors on top with all those buttons for ice and water, nice and spacious inside... As for the more over the top, I'd prefer to travel to Europe and spend a month or 2 visiting as many cities as I can, enjoy the great food and people...I'm happy you got your stove top, makes your life easier and better for us so you can write more stories ;)
Lorelei, I almost bought a fridge, too. They had a white side-by-side with water and ice in the door that was marked way down because it had some dents. I really considered it, but if I'm going to buy my first new appliances, I kind of want them not to have dents in them.
The Europe trip is definitely on my list. My daughter already knows that once she's off to college, I'm off to Europe. :)
I'm not sure. Maybe a trip. *LOL* But that's not as practical as a fridge. *LOL* Or a stove.
OH. I'd buy a limitless pass to my favorite waxing place...I know that sounds dumber than a box of hammers, but I love how smooth I feel after a wax and how great my eyebrows look. I already try not to think about the fact that hey, I'm spending a nice chunk of change on this just for upkeep. So I'd probably spend extra money on "pampering treatments" in the form of waxes, massages, hair styling, et al, on myself.
I didn't even think of the pampering stuff. I sure could use a deep tissue massage right about now. But I might as well wait until I finish this book before booking one. The knots will just come right back!
I'm going to step away from the waxing topic. Not a fan. LOL!
On the fantasy side, I'd buy my dream car, a Mini Cooper! Preferably a blue one.
Practical side...our fridge, a GE Profile (piece of shit, don't ever buy one), has been a lemony lemon from day one. A while back, the fridge compartment stopped working. Fortunately, I'm married to a super-duper-uber handman. He went online, found a place that sells new motherboards, and a few days later, it was working again.
Now the freezer seems to be losing its mind. Oy. Plus, the ice maker flings ice every where; in the freezer, on the floor.
Technically, the acting class I signed up for is a splurge, but it also falls under self-improvement. Hee.
An acting class sounds fun, except I'm not very good at pretending things. I don't think I'd do well, but I can see you attacking it with aplomb. :)
You definitely need a new fridge! Mine doesn't even have an ice maker. I'm constantly filling the 2 ice trays. Since the current fridge works fine though, there are other things higher on the list.
Like floors.
I'd buy a new laptop, one with a 17" screen or maybe maid service for as many months as the money would cover. I would consider hiring a professional organizer to declutter my home, but I'm sure the first thing to go would be some of my books. Since that would make me cry, I eliminated that choice.
You'd be in charge, Janga! You tell the organizer to work around the books, and to actually organize in a way to make the books fit perfect. With room for more!
That maid service thing is on my list. If someone would come clean my bathrooms every couple weeks, I'd be ecstatic. But there's no sense in bring in a maid service until there are actual floor for them to clean. Sigh.
I have severe stage fright, can't stand to be the center of attention, so the acting class is going to be utter terror. That's the point. Get out of the habits that are crippling me.
>>Like floors.
Actually, the next project will be new carpet, in the living room and hall, because ours is more than 15 years old and repulsive . I suspect my hero will be able to squeeze out a few more years of life from the stoopid fridge.
The greyhound, who likes eating ice, enjoys the freezer's nasty habit of propelling ice cubes.
I would love to put down carpet and be done with it, but my cat thinks every surface is for her scratching purposes. I can't clip her nails (for fear of death) or catch her to take her to get them clipped. So I'm afraid I'm going to have to get something other than carpet.
Maybe they have one that would stand up to her treatment.
Major kudos to you on the acting classes then. At least taking a class is better than taking the giant leap into a play right away.
Oh...Well, I'm heading to Vegas tomorrow and whenever I head to Vegas I dally with this fantasy of popping some quarters into a slot machine and walking away with a pile of money...
What would I do with said pile of money? Pay off the credit cards. Then...for me...I'd hire a yard crew/landscaper and get the jungle tamed.
For/for me? Hire someone to lose my weight. If I had enough money, I could do that...right?
Pat! I took acting classes in college to work on the same issues. It's a fascinating journey...highly recommend it!
Hurray for your new stove, Ter!!
When I first read your question, I thought I'd buy myself a new dining room set. I've been coveting one for years and years. The one we have now was a hand me down and I don't like it at all but went along with taking it to fill the space in my new dining room. Now after reading everyone else's spa treament and maid service comments I think I'll jump on that bandwagon. LOL
When we moved in to this house over a decade ago we needed a new fridge, washer and dryer. I talked the DH into getting the front loader washer/dryer combo and an ice/water dispensing fridge by saying I'd take the discounted ones with the dings in them. In my case, though, the appliances are situated in such a way that the dings are not noticeable.
I definitely agree with the GE comment. Every GE appliance that came with the house has had to be replaced. And everyone I've ever spoke to about their appliances has had trouble with them. I'm not a fan of their products.
My new stove is Whirlpool. Not sure what my washer and dryer are. They also came with the place, and have been fine. Really, all the other appliances are fine.
Don't blame you for wanting to pick out your own dining room set. Almost everything I've ever owned has been a hand-me-down. I long for the day I can pick out my own brand new stuff.
I'm sorry, I'm rather giggling about the demon-possessed Fridge that shoots out ice cubes and the HRH Greyhound who gratefully eats them as his due. I think the Universe is just fulfilling his wishes rather than a lemony lemon of an appliance. *LOL*
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