I’ve had one of those weeks really. The best part of it has been taken up with the melodrama of my mother’s cooker… her old one was quite an elderly beast, nearing the end of its natural lifespan. However, the crisis came somewhat sooner than expected when it began tripping the main fuse in my mother’s house whenever she switched the oven on.
She looked at me accusingly…
“What? I didn’t do it!”
“Don’t be stupid, Samantha, I want to know what did!”
She was obviously assuming that I had somehow acquired a degree in Electrical Engineering from somewhere… by process of careful elimination, though, I was able to ascertain that it was definitely the cooker that was tripping the fuse, and nothing else, like the washing machine, for example, or a blown lightbulb.
My mother pooh-poohed my tentative diagnosis, so the council was called to check the house wiring. The electrician that arrived confirmed my suspicions that in fact an element in the oven had blown which was causing the rest of the electric to switch off via the circuit breaker for safety reasons (oh yeah I know what I’m talking about!) and that my mother would have to buy a new cooker. My heart sank.
Buying white goods with my mother has its own particular set of pleasures since she hails from the school of thought that you should be able to get the all-singing all-dancing latest model and still have change left from a hundred quid. Ha.
Having ascertained that there was no possible way my mother could cram an Aga into the space in her kitchen designed for a reasonable sized electric cooker, we managed to select a suitable model for a reasonable price from a certain shop who shall remain nameless (think of a Greek hero looking for a golden fleece and you’re halfway there…)
Delivery was arranged for as soon as possible, which happened to be ten days away but Mother has a microwave and we would be able to manage..( “Couldn’t you get them to bring it sooner, Samantha..?” HOW? When they have to bring it straight from the warehouse and don’t happen to have one already knocking about under the desk…)
The great day arrived… as did the cooker. Faulty. I’m not joking. Aside from anything else, it was just a fraction too wide to fit in the allotted space, so we had to remove the fitted cupboard. But once in situ, the oven made a noise like a particularly bad-tempered tank and yes – you guessed it – blew the electric.
I was a little annoyed, but putting my newly acquired and completely hypothetical electrical knowledge to the test, I was able to deduce that it was in fact a faulty oven, rather than a problem with the actual wiring of the house. I duly made the ‘phone call to arrange a replacement product for the following day. (Why? Why did she have to wait ten days for the first one and yet they could arrange another one for the next day..? Hmm..)
The next day came. According to my mother, the delivery men were a lot more careful the second time, even taking the outer packaging off for her. Once again, we gathered, the court assembled, waiting for its king… the cupboard had been fully removed, the floor cleaned, the relevant wires connected up and the cooker just needed to be pushed gently into position…
My mother leant forward and tenderly removed an errant piece of cellotape from the front of the gleaming appliance… and… the door fell off. Seriously. I couldn’t make it up if I TRIED.
“Samantha!”
“What?! I didn’t do it!!”
And now we are waiting… for another replacement… another delivery. Me? Oh…I’m hiding. My phone’s switched off…shhh….
Yes. I know. The pictures have absolutely no relevance to the text… Just made me feel better to look t something pretty…
I think I would choose a different make to be honest Samantha.
Two brand new cookers with serious faults like those had, suggests a manufacturer who has shoddy workmanship and parts.
If your next one from them is working at the time of installation, I’d be concerned about how long it will continue to work before something goes wrong with it.
Sadly, white goods today aren’t made to last like they used to be. They seem to have a five year range and then KAPUT! [sigh]. It’s a way of parting us from our money, I fear.
Very good luck with your new cooker.
~ Cobs. x
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, after the third cooker of the same brand, the shop lady suggest my mother try another one, and so far, so good. Just for future reference… don’t buy Bush cookers! Hopefully my mother and this cooker will live happily ever after…! 😺💕 xxx
LikeLiked by 1 person
I pray that the cooker continues to live a long and happy life and give your Mum great results with her cooking and baking.
Do let her know I’m available as a taster for anything she makes. I don’t charge. It’s a duty I undertake as a volunteer. 😀 😀 😀
(actually laughing here) ~ Cobs. xxx
LikeLiked by 1 person
I shall add my prayers to yours and keep showing Mum the instruction booklet lol! Hopefully normal cake baking services will be resumed soon! 😺💕 xxx
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, goodness. Can. Rays of laughter and the resultant tears be considered empathetic? I sincerely hope so! I feel for you, my dear, and absolutely love how you describe your mum. It’s obvious you two have a good relationship. Treasure it. And good luck with the next cooker…. 💖
LikeLiked by 1 person
Would you believe that wasn’t the end of the story…the next replacement also had a faulty door…I made the phone call (first name terms with the lady on the other end of the line) delivery was arranged…well. You know how it goes…!😸💕xxx
LikeLike
Adventures of a cooker! Crikey!!! 2 replacements?? Talk about odd luck or the merchant you bought from is not good. At least they will replace it, no questions asked! Cheer up!! All solved! Enjoy your weekend🤗🤗💕💕🐾🐾💐⚘
LikeLiked by 1 person
You too…Hope you are having a peaceful and restful weekend 😺💕xxx
LikeLike
Thanks Samantha😚💕💕🐾🐾
LikeLiked by 1 person
🍵🍵😺😺🍪🍪💕💕
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hahah this made me chuckle (though I know I shouldn’t, I can feel the frustration of the whole debacle!!) I actually just ordered a hob for my folks and had it fitted by the lovely guys from AO two days ago. It went okay, until they had to start chopping away at the side of the worktops to get it to fit and then commenting on how the oven itself underneath was never even fitted or secured in properly..! These things are set to try us… I really hope things go better with the next oven attempt, fingers crossed! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
So far so good, I know for sure (fingers crossed) that if I need to buy any more white goods, I will try AO – they seem to have a good reputation. Lol… yes we had to remove a worktop too! Then if the next one didn’t work, I was all set to make her a fire pit in the garden! 😺 x
LikeLiked by 1 person
I found AO to be brilliant in all honestly, v.good communication through emails and confirmations, turned up on time with ample notice, etc. However, a definitely think a fire pit in the garden is a much easier & cheaper option!! x
LikeLiked by 1 person
Heheh…going to show my mother your comment…lot less stressful too! 😸
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oooh…the Anglophile in me always wanted an Aga cooker so I could be like Barbara Pym! Some upscale stores actually have them in the US but they are pricey!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes Aga’s always look very impressive but I understand there is a knack to cooking with them. I will stick to my reliable Zanussi and hope Mum gets to grips with her new cooker! 😺 xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well I know I shouldn’t laugh at other people’s misfortune but sorry – I can’t help it! Yikes – I would like to be a fly on the wall when the next one arrives!! xx
LikeLiked by 2 people
Would you believe the fourth one worked and it was a different make all together! Honestly… I couldn’t make it up if I tried! 😺💕 xx
LikeLike
Wow ! I didn’t realize Sears was worldwide – I thought only us ‘Muricans got the pleasure of their “service!”
LikeLiked by 1 person
Found this in Spam..apologies!
I would have serious doubts about ever getting anything from that particular outlet again…fingers crossed, the cooker has behaved! 😸
LikeLike
I’m so sorry, I laughed out loud reading this. I feel your pain as it’s usually this kind of thing that happens in our house. I can totally empathise. Fingers crossed you get sorted soon and thank for giving me an ‘it’s not just me’ moment.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are very welcome and likewise, it’s lovely to know that it’s not just me either! However, I did make sure Mother filled the guarantee in and sent it off… not tempting fate! Thank you for your comment 😺
LikeLiked by 1 person
Funny on (digital) paper, but good heavens, in real life it must be a terrible hassle. I think this company should pay for your mother to have an Aga, since they have amply proved that their own product is rubbish!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh dear – such a carry on…my own cooker is a Zanussi and I bless it every day at the moment for its steadfast reliability! So far so good at the moment with mother’s…!😸
LikeLiked by 1 person
the stoves do not seem to be aware that the retrograde is over do they?
LikeLiked by 1 person
True!
LikeLike
MOL…I think the jasper is still working…MOL 😀 Maybe it’s an interaction between your mother and the stove..sss…MOL 😀 The pictures are very beautiful, we loved that you lightened it all up, Samantha 😀 Three Pawkisses for a third time lucky 😉 ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha ha ha! The stoves are so scared of my mother they all broke down…hmm…never considered that! 😸💕xxx
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a nightmare! Hope your mother now has a fully functional cooker with no parts that fall off!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fourth time lucky…ridiculous!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow, a brand of cooker that comes with fully functioning Murphy’s Law! Hope your mother has a really working one now in her kitchen. 😅
LikeLiked by 1 person
Finally..lol!! Fingers crossed the washing machine stays healthy…😱
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haha, yeah, fingers crossed! 😆
LikeLiked by 1 person
At least they’re not trying to “fix” the first one your mother bought. That’s the worst.
LikeLiked by 1 person
True, yes, and so far so good, this one is behaving…!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh dear — a Catastrophic Cooker Crisis!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lol..to be followed by the Woeful Washer Wakeup…my mother text me this afternoon to say it had blown up!! Would you believe it….😢😢😢
LikeLiked by 1 person
No way!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha ha – oh yes, apparently the bearings had gone, but luckily it was still under guarantee from the shop so she could get it fixed…I’m not talking about any of the white goods in her house ever again! 😱🔌
LikeLiked by 1 person