Replace or Repair

This is a repair household that's for sure. To that end, we installed, and I use that plural loosely, a new cook top. Our old one had been used and abused. Gene dropped a cast iron dutch oven chipping the corner, everyday use furthered that chip into a series of cracks. Finally, it just looked like the whole thing was going to give way and ruin the elements below. It was truly time for a new one. We looked into replacing the whole unit with a new one. Down draft cook tops are expensive and over the last 10 years the prices have stayed pretty much the same, about $1300.00 to start in electric. I can't say any of them are worth that. It was a solution to a problem when we built the house and still holds as the best one. There is no gas out here and neither one of us was thrilled with the idea of a propane tank large or small. Electric was the easy option. Now I don't mind the old fashion calrod units myself, but near impossible to find them with the down draft option and we opted not to have a hood hanging over our island and the venting that needed to happen above. It was easier and cheaper to vent out the basement level. So, we had to stay the course set and thankfully, a replacement top is still made. I guess I'm not the only one to crumb them up. What a production getting it changed out though.

I think it took Gene about 3-4 hours and cleaning everything was just plain nasty. You would be surprised at the places grease and grime get into on that appliance. But it's all in, it looks just about like the old one, it has no cracks and it works.

The cost savings was about a thousand dollars (not including what labor would have cost us if Gene couldn't do this repair), so it was worth effort. Good job!

In weaving news the towels are done and sold. I don't know what the three of them brought but last bid was $60.00 for the fire department. I spent all of Friday weaving.

Okay, I self interrupted many times for dog walks and donkey and horse petting, but by 3:00pm, the towels were in the dryer and yesterday morning early they were serged, hemmed, well pressed and tagged for auction.

I have to retie my warp and then I can weave on this wonderful pattern at my leisure.

In farm news, the donkeys are all happy. They spend hours chin to shoulder grooming each other. They rest touching even when lying down and they share hay so nicely.

It does my heart good to see them all relaxed and happy. I am rewarded every time I go out with soft little brays of greeting and sometimes a full blast or two. The girls are quite talkative. This brings me back to their names. Star is staying star, but Lady Jane

is not. Martha at Thistle & Rose Handweaving pointed out what a tragic figure Lady Jane Grey was, and it's true. I always try to give sweet names, because I have found my animals live up to them. Imp was one and Boo wasn't the bravest horse around. To that end we have changed her name to Ladybird, and it will just have to do. :) Thank you Martha! I'm glad you pointed it out.

Robin will be bidding farewell to the furry dice next week. It's that time already! Those five months have gone by in the blink of an eye it seems. Like his sister Stella, it appears that we will be helping along some stubborn baby canines while he's under for the neuter. Nothing is ever simple.

Parting shot: Say Cheese little ham