Friday Nite Check In

 This is a picture of the dismantled washing machine about four years ago.  I was able to repair and use it until this week..., when it developed a water leak that my limited mechanical ability was unable to stop.  I did spend most of a day trying to clean it up..., and that was almost enough to swear off hairy pets.  I have saved you the horror..., yeah the horror...,  of viewing pictures of that mess.  I put it back together..., but the clean up didn't solve the water leak.  I loaded it up in the Tundra for deposit at the dump today on my weekly trip to town..., along with a propane tank to fill and a tire off the Tacoma that had a slow air leak that needed professional mechanical skills as well.  

I am happy to report that the folks at the dump were happy to see me and take the old washer off my hands and out of my Tundra for a mere $10..., and I was happy to find out that the price of propane has not jumped up in price like that liquid gas has.  The leaky tire problem could have cost me a pretty penny ..., if I had opted for a new fancy tire pressure sensor mounted in the tire..., but I chose to live with the low tire pressure idiot light on the dashboard and had the man install an old two dollar rubber airer upper unit in the tire.  I will have to consult my mechanical nephew..., A.J. Spence..., over in Idaho to find out if there is a way to disable the damn low tire pressure idiot light.  I mean I am 74 years old and have been driving since I was 14 and this is the first time I have had deal with low tire pressure idiot lights..., so I think I just may be able to live without them for the rest of my life with a minimum of trouble.

As for that wash machine replacement..., I think I can live without a new fangled computer operated unit that costs more than the washer/dryer combination when we purchased them nearly 30 years ago.  Luckily for me, my step son Jess had a unit that was the same model as my old one that seems to be in great shape..., and he just wanted to get rid of it..., and even delivered it and helped me install it.

I wish I had as good of luck with my weed eater.  That gravel driveway eats up line pretty fast..., and that necessitated hitting that bump thingy pretty often to feed more line.  Well..., the gravel ate up the plunger mechanism.  I can still feed more line by hand..., but that is a bit of a hassle.  The company only offers the full unit for sale..., at $18.95..., they informed me via email..., and do not offer the parts I needed.  I started to fill out the order form and it said "We don't ship to PO Box addresses"..., so I assumed that it would be shipped Fed Ex or UPS..., so I entered our physical address.  I have had problems in the past with this type of address confusion because we don't have mail delivered to our physical address..., we get it at the Post Office.  I thought well of the company for noting the distinction.  That thought didn't last long..., as the shipping cost and method was generated as "shipping by USPS and costing $19.99".  I exited the order form and replied to the email asking WTF..., in more appropriated language that that..., how they could ship via USPS and not ship to a PO Box?  And stated that the $19.99 shipping charge was totally out of line.  I didn't state it in the email..., but I get 20 pound bags of cat food from Amazon via the post office and I am sure that Jeff Bezos is not paying over $19.99 for every bag he ships to me..., and that trimmer head is way, way, less weight.  I am not expecting any reply from "the company".

That's about it for this week..., except for your Friday Nite Music Video from Corb Lund...,

One, two, three, four

The consumer, they call us
We're the people that buy
While everyone else is out to sell
Some kind of merchandise
We run to the boss and tell him
We need a bit more gold
Some tax deductions later
We still wind up in a hole

Oh yes, we are the people

Running in the race
Buying up the bargains
In the old marketplace
Another sale on something
Let's buy it while it's hot
And we'll save a lot of money
Spending money we don't got
We'll save a lot of money
Spending money we don't got

The consumer, they call us
We always get a fair shake
We buy a fridge that doesn't freeze
And a stove that doesn't bake
We can't buy nothing lasting
'Less we get that raise in pay
They'd only charge us more
For the things that cost us less today
The consumer, they call us
We're fussy of what we eat
We look at the price of T-bone steak
And buy hamburg meat
And all them fancy packages
We take down from the shelf
They're always full of good fresh air
When they ain't full of nothing else

Oh yes, we are the people
Running in the race
Buying up the bargains
In the old marketplace
Another sale on something
Let's buy it while it's hot
And we'll save a lot of money
Spending money we don't got
We'll save a lot of money
Spending money we don't got

The consumer, they call us

When the man comes in the door
To give us a deal on a vacuum
When we buy a rug for the floor
And how do we pay the finance
When the monthly bills arrive?
They just send down the bailiff
To repossess the car we drive
The consumer's what they call us
We're always deep in debt
From buying drawers in discount stores
To fixing the TV set
We go to the bank for the money
And sign for another loan
Pray the Lord doesn't see us stop
At the tavern halfway home

Oh yes, we are the people
Running in the race
Buying up the bargains
In the old marketplace
Another sale on something
Let's buy it while it's hot
And we'll save a lot of money
Spending money we don't got
We'll save a lot of money
Spending money we don't got
And we'll save a lot of money
Spending money we don't got