The Vent and Rant Thread

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by PeterT

Nooooo... But how much would a new car be? (Or even a used car??)

Well, y'know, Peter:

Who knows? I mean, I see cars that are allegedly "everyday" cars that are 40-50-60K. I mean...good GOD. I'm just not a car person. First, I buy a decent car, then I keep it for near-eternity. In my life, I can count all the cars I've had on one hand, literally. We inherited this last one (sorta). I don't love the car, but it's uber-low mileage, and it runs. It fills my car requirements; it goes, and it seals out the elements, even if it looks like a tank.

I just can't bring myself to take on CAR payments (the last car I financed was in 1985...all others, I've paid cash, even new), and I can't bring myself to dip into my ever-teeny kitty for the cash for a car. I know that there comes a "good money after bad" time, but honestly, in now the 10 years since we've had this thing, it's the first time I've had to really shell out on it, other than the normal oil-water-tires maintenance. Can't really complain about that.

I admit, though, I really DO like the uber-high-end VW sedan. The CC or whatever? I rather like the lines. But, OTOH, I just don't drive that much. It's idiotic. While everything from here is a schelp, I simply combine my schelps so that I don't put 2K miles/year on a damn car. Stupid to pay a lot of shekels for a new damn car.

Hitch

[CRussel]

@Hitch: THAT S****! In fact, it is seriously UGLY. My condolences.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by CRussel

@Hitch: THAT S****! In fact, it is seriously UGLY. My condolences.

Yeah. I can sort of "grin and bear" a few hundred bucks here and there, but 4 digits starts to make my entire stomach clench like a fist.



Hitch

[speakingtohe]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Yeah. I can sort of "grin and bear" a few hundred bucks here and there, but 4 digits starts to make my entire stomach clench like a fist.



Hitch

My stomach is clenched big time in sympathy with yours and on my ongoing balcony repairs.

Last year the condo council decided in its wisdom to do major renovations on the building.

Most of these were ongoing issues for 25 years and should have been addressed sooner. Impending legislation made them decide to do both necessary and optional work at once which hit quite a few owners hard.

I was hit harder in that I have the only glassed in balcony in the building (kind of like a space bubble when viewed from outside, but I love it)

Despite the fact that my balcony was built by an original purchaser in the building and not much chance of the beams rotting etc. they told me it had to be replaced and arbitrarily hired a contractor to do it. The contractor took 6 months to do a job they quoted at 24 man hours, during which time I had no use of my balcony or living room as glass windows and balcony furniture stored inside.

Then they decided to pay these people with the work still unfinished, and are billing me monthly to pay for incomplete work, by people I didn't hire or have any say or control over and a payment on my behalf I didn't authorize.

Plus they refer to conversations that never happened where I agreed to pay the whole cost, whereas I have emails that say they would pay part of the cost.

As you can guess I will pay them when hell freezes over or they provide me with definitive proof that my balcony needed replacing and the work is actually finished.

Helen

[badgoodDeb]

Originally Posted by speakingtohe

My stomach is clenched big time in sympathy with yours and on my ongoing balcony repairs.

Last year the condo council decided in its wisdom to do major renovations on the building.

Most of these were ongoing issues for 25 years and should have been addressed sooner. Impending legislation made them decide to do both necessary and optional work at once which hit quite a few owners hard.

I was hit harder in that I have the only glassed in balcony in the building (kind of like a space bubble when viewed from outside, but I love it)

Despite the fact that my balcony was built by an original purchaser in the building and not much chance of the beams rotting etc. they told me it had to be replaced and arbitrarily hired a contractor to do it. The contractor took 6 months to do a job they quoted at 24 man hours, during which time I had no use of my balcony or living room as glass windows and balcony furniture stored inside.

Then they decided to pay these people with the work still unfinished, and are billing me monthly to pay for incomplete work, by people I didn't hire or have any say or control over and a payment on my behalf I didn't authorize.

Plus they refer to conversations that never happened where I agreed to pay the whole cost, whereas I have emails that say they would pay part of the cost.

As you can guess I will pay them when hell freezes over or they provide me with definitive proof that my balcony needed replacing and the work is actually finished.

Helen

That sounds like time to talk to a lawyer. At the very least, to have a free (hopefully?) initial consult with a lawyer to see if you have a case. Wow.

[WT Sharpe]

I just started dinner. I took the five large pieces of chicken I bought, washed them, wrapped four of them in freezer paper and plastic wrap, then labeled them and dated them and put them in the freezer. I put the remaining one in the crock pot, added one can of broth, one can of mushroom soup, one can of water, and one bag of frozen vegetables and turned on the crock pot. After adding all the seasonings and some salt and pepper, I pealed five small cloves of garlic. For once I had little trouble pealing the garlic. The skins came off with ease. I should have known things were going too well, for when I lifted the lid of the crock pot, it slip out of my hand and shattered. Some of the glass went into the dinner, some onto the counter, some into the plate of freshly minced garlic, and the rest onto the floor. Now I not only have to change our dinner plans, but buy a new slow cooker.

Damn.

Damn. Damn.

At least I hadn't yet cut up the green pepper and onion.

[wodin]

Sounds like the perfect excuse to visit Ruth's Cris.

[cromag]

Glad you're not hurt, WT Sharpe!

You might be able to find a suitable lid at a thrift shop. Failing that, at least the newer crock pots have lighter lids! I've even seen models with plastic lids.

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by wodin

Sounds like the perfect excuse to visit Ruth's Cris.

I was planning to go to Golden Corral, but by coincidence my wife just came home for lunch and brought some pork chops that she bought at the store. She said she'll cook them tonight. Either she feels sorry for me, or doesn't trust me to cook them after seeing what I did to the crock pot.

Originally Posted by cromag

Glad you're not hurt, WT Sharpe!

You might be able to find a suitable lid at a thrift shop. Failing that, at least the newer crock pots have lighter lids! I've even seen models with plastic lids.

Thanks, cromag. A thrift shop's not a bad idea, but manual slow cookers can be purchased for so little cash these days that I think I'll just buy a new one. I've seen several 6 & 7 quart models for under $25. I had planned to go on my wife's lunch hour, but she didn't come straight home.

[badgoodDeb]

Too bad we don't live closer, Tom. I dropped the base of my crock pot a couple of months ago, leaving *only* the lid. However, it was a single person 1.5 quart crock pot, so it wouldn't have matched. Oh well. Yeah, the replacement was only $12, though its heater coil is a little more finicky. I should have gotten the exact same brand and just used the same heating unit. I didn't realize that those might be made more cheaply these days.

[PeterT]

At one point I broke the handle on my slow cooker's lid. Luckily I was able to find a replacement handle (albeit a generic one [phew typed genetic there but caught the typo in time]) and all's been fine since then.

[wodin]

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

I was planning to go to Golden Corral, but by coincidence my wife just came home for lunch and brought some pork chops that she bought at the store. She said she'll cook them tonight. Either she feels sorry for me, or doesn't trust me to cook them after seeing what I did to the crock pot. ...

How can that be a bad thing, I think this whole discussion needs to be relegated to the "Silver Lining" thread.

What? We don't have a "Silver Lining" thread?

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by badgoodDeb

Too bad we don't live closer, Tom. I dropped the base of my crock pot a couple of months ago, leaving *only* the lid. However, it was a single person 1.5 quart crock pot, so it wouldn't have matched. Oh well. Yeah, the replacement was only $12, though its heater coil is a little more finicky. I should have gotten the exact same brand and just used the same heating unit. I didn't realize that those might be made more cheaply these days.

Thanks for the thought, but it wouldn't have matched at all; it's a 5 quart model. Having just found the model number on the bottom, I just discovered it was supposed to have a tie down strap while cooking. I think I've seen that strap around somewhere and had no idea of its purpose. Doesn't look like the best thought-out design to me for keeping a lid secured, but that had nothing to do with my own clumsiness.

[speakingtohe]

Older crockpots are the best ones IMO and only to be found in thrift stores.

But if you want the best cooking gadget ever(IMO) spend the big bucks and get an electric pressure cooker.

I bought an instant Pot Smart which is a pressure cooker/slow cooker/rice cooker/steamer/etc. etc..

I have had it less than a month and I have used it at least 30 times. Best stew (10 min) beans from scratch (45 min.) fabulous meatloaf(20 min), turkey stock (30 min), cabbage rolls (12(min) meat sauce from fresh tomato's, chicken fricassee, jam, stewed fruit and applesauce (you can can in it) and these things were all as good, mostly better any I have had in years.

It keeps nutrition and flavour in better than the stovetop/oven or crockpot, although it does have a crockpot setting as well.

The one I got is possibly the best rated in it's class today and has blue tooth control which allows you to precisely set temperature for things like sous vide although I don't have an iPhone so have not had that opportunity.

It is well worth the money ($194 USD after coupon code) but a little pricey for some. Same model without Bluetooth is currently $129 with coupon code.

Way more than a crockpot costs, but the other night I had unexpected company, and to be the big showoff I put a frozen pork roast in for 25 min, added potatoes, carrots and onions for another 10 took them out added thickener and it was all delicious. Next morning I made us all soft boiled eggs in 3 minutes, which turned out perfectly, shells almost fell off, whites cooked and yolks liquid and you don't have to watch it, it beeps when it is done.

Not an angry rant but a rant nonetheless.

Helen

[wodin]

Thanks Helen, it looks great. I think I'll bet one for Susie (well really me since I do most of the microw... uh... cooking.)