Out With the Old, In With the New

I've spent a lot of time with my new old stove since moving in. All I can ask is, Did ANY of our renters COOK? The first tenants were the sellers renting back, so I can understand them not complaining about the stove. The next year's tenants never complained about ANYTHING after we installed AC during a particularly hot summer, God Love 'Em. Round three made up for rounds one and two, but never mentioned the stove. Last year's renters were mercifully quiet from our perspective, but I can't speak for the neighbors. Sixteen year old stoves need more help than it's worth giving them. The burners were a bit unstable, but they could boil water and jam, which is what I've been doing lately. The oven was another story. Any baking at all, no matter how low the temp, would set off an unceasing beep not unlike Sputnik, and flash a digital (must have been an early digital stove) F-2 error. We loved it so much we started calling it the F-U error. One (extended middle?) finger on the cancel button at all times to try and shut it up. The roast leg of lamb ended up in the gas grill outside. The blackberry pie was ALMOST done, so I just kept the door closed. My patient husband tried the physical approach, but it would not be beaten into submission. So this week, the old gray (black) Hotpoint was replaced with a sleek new filly, a Kitchen Aid smooth topped beauty with a convection oven. My heart be still.

Of course the replacing was not without a bit of drama. The Old was a drop in. The New is freestanding. So that meant pulling Old out, wiring in a box for the plug, and cutting the counter top and baseboard to exactly 30" of space to slide NEW in. They only deliver twice a week out here to the boonies. We had time, right? NO. It'll come the next day. By noon. But my darling is great with a saw and wires, so we were just about ready when the truck came. Good thing they got lost first.

So here she is, New, in all her glory. We'll plan the remodel around her. Some things just can't wait!