"Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing. " -Helen Keller

Sunday, May 23, 2010

There are some good guys left out there...

On Thursday, our oven died. We knew we were going to have to replace it soon. It's had a host of problems but we were trying to make it last as long as we could. Thursday was the end of that. Marty and I were making a mulberry pie (we have 3 mulberry trees in our yard)...
All around the mulberry bush
The monkey chased the weasel;
The monkey thought 'twas all in fun,
Pop! goes the weasel.

A penny for a spool of thread,
A penny for a needle—
That's the way the money goes,
Pop! goes the weasel.
Oops, sorry, got off track there. We were making a mulberry pie and had it ready to pop in the oven. I turned the oven on to pre-heat it and NOTHING happened. The burners on the stove top worked but the oven was dead. So, on Friday, I hopped on Craig's List and started looking. I lucked out and found someone who is in business selling used appliances and found a GE range for only $80. I was seriously stoked because it was in great shape and it was cheap.

Once I got it home, I switched the power cord from our old oven to the new-to-us oven. The burners worked, the oven was getting power. Everything appeared to be in great shape. So, I preheated the oven and popped the mulberry pie in to bake. It was suppose to bake 15 minutes at 400 and then we were suppose to reduce the temperature. After only 10 minutes in, the top crust of the pie was burnt. So, I bought an oven thermometer and off to the Google Appliance Repair School I went. After following the instructions to try and reset the temperature controls, I realized that nothing I was doing was having any effect. Even if I set the dial to only 250, within 20 minutes the temperature in the oven was almost 600. The thermostat was busted...and, thermostats on older ovens are PRICEY.

At this point, I honestly expected to be out 80 bucks and still have no oven. But, we had the guy's phone # and I figured we had nothing to lose by contacting him. My jaw hit the floor when he said he would be happy to exchange the oven for us. I guess the reason he was willing to make good is he does this as a business and isn't just a random individual Craig's List seller. So, tomorrow I'm off to get our next new-to-us oven. Hopefully this one will be in complete working order.

It's really nice to know there are some good guys left out there.

14 comments:

battynurse said...

Wow. That's fabulous.
The last time I bought an appliance on Craigslist it didn't work even though they told me it did. I wanted so bad to write in big letters across it broken and take it back and dump it in their driveway during the night.

areyoukiddingme said...

We've been very lucky with Craigslist. You get to meet such interesting people! Good luck with your new oven.

JJ said...

It IS nice to know that there are decent people out there! Happy cooking/baking with the new oven!

Jem said...

That's very heartening. Often stores don't really care.

Happy ICLW

http://ambivalentwomb.blogspot.com/

..Soo.See.. said...

Whoa! Glad it worked out, hope this next one is fab! And too bad about the pie!

Shelly- Mom Files said...

girl you are really lucky and I agree there are a few good guys left in the world! Can't wait for you to get your "new" oven. I would not be able to survive without mine!

Jana said...

I had no idea a mulberry pie could actually be made. that's awesome. I thought it was just a rhyme. :) hope you enjoy your "new to you" oven.

Mrs. Gamgee said...

Nice! It's great that there are still honest people out there!

I hope the new-to-you oven works well! I can't imagine you without a working oven.

Sandy said...

I think it's good to be reminded that there are good and genuine people out there (it's so easy to be cynical!).

Kir said...

I'm glad about the oven..but I have to be honest, all I could think about was MULBERRY PIE. Is that wrong????

I am glad he's making good...hmmm....Mulberry Pie...there I go again. :)

AnotherDreamer said...

Wow, that's great that he's willing to switch it! Hope the new one works better :)

junebug said...

Sorry about the oven but yeah that you get a new to you oven. I'm glad he was able/willing to exchange it. I've always had good luck on Craigs buying and selling.
ICLW

Prudence said...

It's so great to know that there are good people out there. Good luck w/your new stove, I'm off to check Craig's list for some cabinets!

Quiet Dreams said...

Wow! Great story! So glad the guy was decent and you have a working oven! (Because it would be a tragedy for the world to be without your cooking--which always looks dee-lish in the pics!)