Wednesday, January 02, 2008
A Devious Plan
Last summer when my sister in law, Cheryl, came for a visit we went shopping for a new refrigerator. The one I had was falling apart so it was time to take action. I was amazed at all the pretty new appliances and really wanted to purchase a new oven and dishwasher at the same time.
However, when my checkbook was consulted it was found that I would just have to settle for the new fridge. Which I love and am very thankful for.
While shopping I did find an oven that I would have cut off my right arm for. I had been coveting a very pricey (over $3,000.00) one on line and knew in my heart I could never spend that kind of money on a stove. Unless I won the lottery or something.
The one I found was almost half the cost of the other one and had the big chunky knobs I love plus all the fun settings as well. I put this oven on my wish list knowing I could probably purchase it some day.
Some day has come a little sooner than expected.
Let me explain.
Christmas day is always spent at our home with friends and family. I usually cook an overabundance of food but this year I decided to spend more time playing with my kids and less time in the kitchen. I planned a nice menu and was able to make many of the items ahead of time.
Early afternoon as guests arrived we preheated the oven and started placing all the side dishes in to heat up. Within about 20 minutes big billows of smoke started spewing from my oven and when the door was opened flames came flying out.
Someone ran for the fire extinguisher, others insisted we call 911. I ran for my baking soda (pretty sure this was a grease fire) and threw it on the flames. This subdued the flames, and when water was thrown on, the flames finally laid down.
I quickly realized, to my horror, that all my wonderful side dishes now had a layer of baking soda as their topping. The one year I did not make an over abundance of food had to be the year of the great oven explosion.
Go figure.
In order to keep the mood light I off handily remarked that I didn't like that oven anyway and already had the new one picked out.
Good thing, stated one of the guests, as all the protective coating on the bottom of your oven is now gone.
Sadness filled my heart. I knew I didn't have enough money to buy the oven I really wanted. I felt silly for feeling this way when others have real problems, however, I just couldn't shake my desire for this particular oven.
The day after Christmas my sister in law arrived for a welcome visit. Off we went again to shop for appliances. This was becoming a habit.
Hubby had told me to just get the one I wanted. I knew I really shouldn't though. We have more adoption costs coming up and I knew money was going to be getting really tight for a while.
I walked into the store and saw off to the side some open boxed items. I saw from the distance a stove that looked like the one I had been dreaming about. Upon closer inspection I found that IT WAS THE ONE I WANTED and it was HALF PRICE.
It seems this particular beauty had been delivered to another family and was discovered to have a small dent inside the warming drawer. Their was also a small dimple at the very bottom of the oven that I could barely see. For this reason they had returned it for another. I must admit, I couldn't blame them. For those prices the oven should be gold plated and perfect.
However, at half off I could really not care less about the small dent inside the drawer. Everything else was perfect.
The sales man told me this stove had been sitting their for five months and had been marked down several times. It was now below their cost. He really couldn't understand why no one had bought it before.
I know it might sound silly, but at that moment I felt like God was giving me a special gift. The desire of my heart at a price I could afford.
This morning the newest member of our family arrived.
Isn't she a beauty.
I have studied the instruction book front and back and can't wait to cook my first meal on her. God is good.
and....
just to clarify. No honey, I did not set the oven on fire on purpose. I am just not smart enough to have thought of a wonderfully brilliant devious plot like that.
Thanks for my new oven. I really love love love it.
However, when my checkbook was consulted it was found that I would just have to settle for the new fridge. Which I love and am very thankful for.
While shopping I did find an oven that I would have cut off my right arm for. I had been coveting a very pricey (over $3,000.00) one on line and knew in my heart I could never spend that kind of money on a stove. Unless I won the lottery or something.
The one I found was almost half the cost of the other one and had the big chunky knobs I love plus all the fun settings as well. I put this oven on my wish list knowing I could probably purchase it some day.
Some day has come a little sooner than expected.
Let me explain.
Christmas day is always spent at our home with friends and family. I usually cook an overabundance of food but this year I decided to spend more time playing with my kids and less time in the kitchen. I planned a nice menu and was able to make many of the items ahead of time.
Early afternoon as guests arrived we preheated the oven and started placing all the side dishes in to heat up. Within about 20 minutes big billows of smoke started spewing from my oven and when the door was opened flames came flying out.
Someone ran for the fire extinguisher, others insisted we call 911. I ran for my baking soda (pretty sure this was a grease fire) and threw it on the flames. This subdued the flames, and when water was thrown on, the flames finally laid down.
I quickly realized, to my horror, that all my wonderful side dishes now had a layer of baking soda as their topping. The one year I did not make an over abundance of food had to be the year of the great oven explosion.
Go figure.
In order to keep the mood light I off handily remarked that I didn't like that oven anyway and already had the new one picked out.
Good thing, stated one of the guests, as all the protective coating on the bottom of your oven is now gone.
Sadness filled my heart. I knew I didn't have enough money to buy the oven I really wanted. I felt silly for feeling this way when others have real problems, however, I just couldn't shake my desire for this particular oven.
The day after Christmas my sister in law arrived for a welcome visit. Off we went again to shop for appliances. This was becoming a habit.
Hubby had told me to just get the one I wanted. I knew I really shouldn't though. We have more adoption costs coming up and I knew money was going to be getting really tight for a while.
I walked into the store and saw off to the side some open boxed items. I saw from the distance a stove that looked like the one I had been dreaming about. Upon closer inspection I found that IT WAS THE ONE I WANTED and it was HALF PRICE.
It seems this particular beauty had been delivered to another family and was discovered to have a small dent inside the warming drawer. Their was also a small dimple at the very bottom of the oven that I could barely see. For this reason they had returned it for another. I must admit, I couldn't blame them. For those prices the oven should be gold plated and perfect.
However, at half off I could really not care less about the small dent inside the drawer. Everything else was perfect.
The sales man told me this stove had been sitting their for five months and had been marked down several times. It was now below their cost. He really couldn't understand why no one had bought it before.
I know it might sound silly, but at that moment I felt like God was giving me a special gift. The desire of my heart at a price I could afford.
This morning the newest member of our family arrived.
Isn't she a beauty.
I have studied the instruction book front and back and can't wait to cook my first meal on her. God is good.
and....
just to clarify. No honey, I did not set the oven on fire on purpose. I am just not smart enough to have thought of a wonderfully brilliant devious plot like that.
Thanks for my new oven. I really love love love it.
11 Comments:
Wow! Great deal! And great oven! Congrats on getting the oven of your dreams!
I love this story!!! God has blessed us in that way before and although I felt silly, I totally believed He worked a deal on our behalf!! Congrats on the new stove and Happy New Year!!!
By the way, what on earth did you all eat on Christmas?
That is so wonderful that you were able to get the exact one that you had wanted! I think that Heavenly Father really does look out for us. Hopefully you guys still had enough things to eat after all your food had been ruined! At least it makes for a memorable Christmas.
Congrats!! I just started reading your blog.. We are also adopting from Ethiopia, and we also live in California..
Tanya
What a great story! My sister's oven also caught on fire two days before Christmas. They did call 911 because the fire didn't go out, and they live in an apartment so the next day (Christmas eve) they got a new nicer oven.
I'm so glad you got a nice new one! How much fun!
Oh how I LOVE a bargain!!! Good timing!!! That probably wouldn't happen again!
Awww..... what a great story! I love it! It sounds like everything worked out just perfect! :) Yay!! And I can truly relate to adoption expenses too... ugh! But again, everything works out just perfect there too! :)
I am so glad for you! I am sure you will enjoy it! I feel the same way right now about my camera. I just ordered my first digital SLR. I had been wanting one, but my old camera was fine. Then, my old camera fell of the counter and broke on the same day my in-laws gave me a nice sum of money for Christmas! I wouldn't have done it on purpose, but I am glad it happened! Enjoy your stove!
Sorry to hear about the dramatic demise of your old oven, but how wonderful to find the one you wanted at half price! What a GREAT deal!
Oh, that's purty. All our appliances are only about 2 years old but, slowly, the kids are destroying them all and that includes the over-the-stove microwave! (don't ask me how.)
This exactly has happened to me, well almost! If that stove has a griddle in the middle, it's the twin of the one I have sitting out in the barn, which my husband has not had the time to convert to propane to put in our new/old house. Had a fire on the stove top the other day (Not on purpose!) and now, darn! It's up to the top of the list! Congrats on the new stove! God is good!
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