Plug Ins

We bought a new coffee maker a couple of months ago. Our old one finally pooped out on us. Seems we don’t have very good luck with appliances. Especially coffee makers. Oh, and toasters. Seems like we had one toaster that lasted fifteen years and have had fifteen toasters that have lasted one year each.
I don’t know if it’s the quality of coffee makers and toasters these days that has gotten us onto this merry go round. We don’t abuse our possessions, particularly ones that are used on a daily basis. So what other explanation could it be other than poor craftsmanship? And just where does one get these machines repaired these days? Oh yeah, almost forgot, today all that stuff is disposable. Something went wrong? Throw it away and go buy a new one.
The new coffee maker is one in a very long line of coffee makers. The last one we actually broke on the first day we owned it. But we made do rather than face the hassles of returning it. You know, finding the receipt, repacking the damn thing and driving to the store. But as we all know, that’s actually the easy part. Once there, the quest for a parking spot is daunting. Almost as daunting as standing in line to face the clerk. The one that would rather be somewhere else. Anywhere else rather than facing us dissatisfied customers.
Despite our misuse, the coffee maker did its job. Making coffee. Every morning. Sometimes a second pot later on. But it too succumbed to old age and like the incontinent senior, wet all over our kitchen counter. We knew it was time for a new one. Fortunately for me, the wife was heading to Target that day so it fell on her. Whew. I’m not very good at those things and stores like Curnow’s just don’t exist. Not around here anyway. Besides, I generally equate price with quality and bring home the high end stuff only to get a lecture.
So the wife brings home the cheapest coffee maker known to mankind. I mean cheap. McDonalds cheap. It doesn’t even have an automatic shut off. Yikes. Why we could burn down the house just forgetting to turn the damn thing off before we go shopping. But I didn’t say anything for fear that she’d make me take it back and face all that nonsense. In marriage, you have to choose your battles wisely. And sparingly.
I don’t want to jinx it, but that coffee pot has worked beautifully. Brews the coffee and keeps it hot. Just the way I like it. As it turns out, that automatic turn off is actually not such a good thing for us. I’m up by 4AM and turning on the coffee is one of the first things I do. So two hours later the coffee pot would turn itself off. If I didn’t notice, there was cold coffee for the wife. Not a good thing.
I’m proud to report that so far the pot has not been inadvertently left turned on. I usually take the last cup and have remembered to turn it off. Not bad for an old fart. Now if I can just remember where in the hell I left the spare keys to my truck. Hmm, maybe I can remember over a cup of coffee and toast…