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FReeper Family Table - Worth Every Penny
FReepers | July 22, 2005 | Gabz

Posted on 07/22/2005 7:42:40 AM PDT by Gabz

Today's topic was to have been the first topic for me when I took the apron strings from Grellis - but it had slipped my memory.......so now I have returned to it!

GRELLIS wrote: BizzeeMom suggested "Worth Every Penny," discussing items which our families constantly put to good use. I think it is a great idea--there are a lot of things other families have probably invested in (which would never occur to me) that are worth their weight in gold.

Let's have some fun guys and gals!


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Education; Food; Gardening; Hobbies; Humor; Miscellaneous; Outdoors; Pets/Animals
KEYWORDS: dads; family; grandmas; grandpas; kids; momeysavingtips; moms
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To: Gabz
Hey Gabz.

What happened to you? I've been very out of the loop lately.

My wife broke her hip back in May but the Dr.s first found it was broken on June 11. June 12th she had it replaced and still can't put weight on it. Dr. wants it healed up real well before it's stressed. Which means she'll have to hobble down to the beach next week on her walker. (Even with a broken hip We are not missing vacation.) She's actually doing really well all around. Just can't put weight on the leg. So what's your story?

Things worth every penny. I'd have to say the deck. We had an 8 by 12 limestone patio that was all broken up and mostly useless. When my wife was pregnant with my daughter (now 4 1/2) she insisted that we replace it. So we put on a 12 x 32 foot deck. I've been kicking myself for almost 4 years now for not doing it earlier. We live out there (when it's not too hot that is).

Replacement windows. We live on a busy street and with the old windows it seemed that people were driving through our living room and the wind blew right through our bedroom. Now we sometimes forget the traffic is just out there and there are no more drafts in the bedrooms. Paying for themselves already on heating and cooling bills.

The griddle. We make lots and lots of pancakes.

The worst thing we ever bought was an electric chicken frier. They demonstrated it at one of those cookware sales parties. Liquid core so it heats very evenly. I don't think we've ever plugged the thing in. Would have been better buying a new frying pan every month at Walmart.

21 posted on 07/22/2005 9:22:37 AM PDT by John O (God Save America (Please))
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To: Gabz

If you are talking about a stand mixer rather than a food processor, I will heartily endorse!


22 posted on 07/22/2005 9:23:58 AM PDT by LuLuLuLu
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To: Gabz

Just read your tag line. Broken ankle? Owie. The wife had one of them back in 96 or so. Not fun at all. Are you casted? She was casted up to her upper thigh due to the manner of break (broke both balls off the ends of her leg bones). Although she tells me the hip hurt much worse than the ankle did.


23 posted on 07/22/2005 9:25:27 AM PDT by John O (God Save America (Please))
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To: Gabz

Bump for later, Gabz. Gotta tend to Dad this afternoon. How's the ankle, Klutzy? ;)


24 posted on 07/22/2005 9:25:37 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (Save The Earth. It's The Only Planet With Chocolate.)
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To: Gabz
I would DIE for one of those Kitchen-Aids..

I bought the wife one for xmas a few years back. I think she's used it twice. She hasn't been baking much since the daughter was born. Bummer. It looks really good on the counter though.

25 posted on 07/22/2005 9:26:58 AM PDT by John O (God Save America (Please))
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To: John O

Oh, your poor wife.......it took them that long to determine her hip was broken?

I'm glad you're not going to miss your vacation - it will probably be the best thing in the world for her.

My story is basially from the annals of "You can't make this sh!t up"....I failed to turn the dining room light on 2 weeks ago this evening, and tripped over my protable sewing machine and broke my ankle.

Your deck sounds wonderful. Building one was one of the first things my husband did after we moved here 2 years ago. I currently can't use it, because it is 12 feet in the air and maneuvering the steps is currently out of the question.

I envy you the replacement windows....that's not until next year for us, though. New roof and vinyl siding are this year's projects. We've got all the materials, now it's just a matter of finding the time to do it.

absolutley nothing beats an electric griddle for pancakes.


26 posted on 07/22/2005 9:48:47 AM PDT by Gabz ((Chincoteague, VA) USSG Warning: Portable sewing machines are known to cause broken ankles)
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To: LuLuLuLu
If you are talking about a stand mixer rather than a food processor

I know I was.......I would love one of those Kitchen Aid ones with all the attachments, like a meat grinder and sausage maker :)

I would go crazy without my food processor, though.

27 posted on 07/22/2005 9:50:43 AM PDT by Gabz ((Chincoteague, VA) USSG Warning: Portable sewing machines are known to cause broken ankles)
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To: John O

YIKES........my ankle break is no where near that bad. I did need surgery to have a plate put into it, but for the moment it is only "splinted", I'll get a cast put on next Tuesday when the stitches come out.

If breaking her hip was more painful than the ankle, I can not even imagine the pain....childbirth was no where near as painful as what I have been experiencing the past 2 weeks.


28 posted on 07/22/2005 9:57:28 AM PDT by Gabz ((Chincoteague, VA) USSG Warning: Portable sewing machines are known to cause broken ankles)
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To: John O

John, I will gladly send you some recipies :) Baking isn't hard at all.


29 posted on 07/22/2005 9:58:24 AM PDT by LuLuLuLu
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

LOL!!!!

Just thought I'd ping you - seemed like your kind of thread! Talk to you later, hope Dad's doing OK.


30 posted on 07/22/2005 9:59:31 AM PDT by Gabz ((Chincoteague, VA) USSG Warning: Portable sewing machines are known to cause broken ankles)
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To: DUDLEY
Do you mean the KitchenAid stand mixer? If so, the very best prices you can find are through the Betty Crocker catalogues. When it comes to mixers, or any appliance you'll use a lot, make sure that it will suit your needs five years from now. We went with the KA Professional 6. It's not cheao, but through Betty Crocker it was less than smaller, less powerful models at ANY retailer. It also came with freebie attachments. There are some differences between what is available at the BC website and what is available through the catalogue--I seem to remember that the cat prices were better.

Not everyone is going to need a Pro6, but with three boys getting bigger all the time, we'll never have to replace it.

31 posted on 07/22/2005 9:59:41 AM PDT by grellis (Funkle Queen)
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To: John O
It looks really good on the counter though.

LOL!!!!!!! That comment strikes me funny!

32 posted on 07/22/2005 10:00:58 AM PDT by Gabz ((Chincoteague, VA) USSG Warning: Portable sewing machines are known to cause broken ankles)
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To: Gabz
Hope that ankle heals fast. They got you in a plaster cast or an air cast?

New roof and vinyl siding are this year's projects.

We did the roof the year before last. It was a blessing from heaven. Literally.

My roof is rather large (37 squares? with lots of angles) and it had cedar shingles under three layers of asphalt and really needed to be replaced. You could stand in the attic and see the sky in places. But, alas, I had no money and was living in fear of the cost.

Then God sent a huge hailstorm through the area and a friend of mine had his insurance company replace his roof due to hail damage. So we figured, what the hey, the worst they can do is say no. So we called and had them come out and look at it. The adjuster stood and looked and shook his head and said. Roof needs replacing, gutters too, garage roof too. Saved me thousands of dollars (about 12) and I got my new roof. God is so good to me.

33 posted on 07/22/2005 10:03:22 AM PDT by John O (God Save America (Please))
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To: John O
Your poor wife! I hope she mends fully and quickly.

I completely agree with you an the replacement windows. Several of our windows still had original glass--over 100 years old. We may as well have left the screens in all winter long, they were that bad. Replacing them wasn't cheap but we immediately saw the difference in our energy bills. They are virtually soundproof which is great until there is a storm. We can no longer hear the tornado siren if it goes off. I don't have to listen to my neighbors, though! We've been planning to add a deck to the back for the past few years but things keep coming up. This year it was a new furnace. Worth every penny, certainly, but you can't grill on a furnace.

34 posted on 07/22/2005 10:07:29 AM PDT by grellis (Funkle Queen)
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To: Gabz
It looks really good on the counter though.

LOL!!!!!!! That comment strikes me funny!

Did I mention that we've been remodelling for 17 years now? We redid the kitchen about 6 years ago and the wife wanted everything to look good.

The old kitchen was done in 1950's yellow and black plastic tile for walls and yellow formica countertops with painted white cabinets. (really ugly)

The new kitchen is in cherry cabinets (lots and lots of cabinets) with deep blue (cobaltish) tile countertops and backsplashes. Anything that didn't match appliance wise was banished to the cabinets or pantry except for when it was in use. The mixer is the dark blue one and it almost matches the tiles exactly.

My wife is extremely gifted in decorating and everything has to look good and function well for her.

35 posted on 07/22/2005 10:10:09 AM PDT by John O (God Save America (Please))
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To: John O; All
God is so good to me.

Your insurance adjuster was, too! We had a TREE land on our roof and the insurance company wouldn't hand out one thin dime. Paid for a new one out of pocket and we've been with Farm Bureau ever since.

Good insurance is worth every penny! Live and learn.

36 posted on 07/22/2005 10:12:57 AM PDT by grellis (Funkle Queen)
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To: grellis
Our windows were virtually brand new. Only 90 years old at replacment. Like the new ones much better. They even open!

This year it was a new furnace. Worth every penny, certainly, but you can't grill on a furnace.

We did that at the same time we started the kitchen remodel. Kind of had to. The old one blew up. Had fire department over and everything. The pilot light went out and when it reignited the accumulated gas cracked the firebox in two. But it gave us the chance to add central air and we got a pretty good deal so I guess it goes on the good stuff pile

37 posted on 07/22/2005 10:15:03 AM PDT by John O (God Save America (Please))
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To: grellis
We had a TREE land on our roof and the insurance company wouldn't hand out one thin dime. Paid for a new one out of pocket and we've been with Farm Bureau ever since.

How did they avoid paying for that? That's the whole reason you get insurance in the first place.

That hail storm was good for all the roofers in the area too. They were very busy for about two years after it. Long waiting lists

38 posted on 07/22/2005 10:18:05 AM PDT by John O (God Save America (Please))
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To: John O
Hope that ankle heals fast. They got you in a plaster cast or an air cast?

I sure hope it heals fast, also. Right now they call what I have a "splint".......it's like a half plaster cast. It starts under my toes and comes up around my my ankle and then up the calf to behind the knee and is wrapped in ace bandages.

I have no idea what I am going to wind up with on Tuesday.

As to your roof.....I would agree the hailstorm was a gift from God. considering how much we all pay in homeowners insurance year after year, and rarely ever use it...I would have done exactly the same thing were I in your shoes.

39 posted on 07/22/2005 10:19:36 AM PDT by Gabz ((Chincoteague, VA) USSG Warning: Portable sewing machines are known to cause broken ankles)
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To: John O

17 years???????????????? YIKES!

Every room in our house is panelled.......including the kitchen. Instead of removing the panelling in there I put up paintable textured wallpaper and painted it banana yellow. We then put in a wood floor and I painted the trim around that fire engine red and the windows green. Eventually the cabinets will also be green and red with a green counter top....I'm keeping the 1950's chocolate brown porcelain sink - because the color works well with the rest of the chili pepper color scheme.

Eventually we would like the house to be sort of beach meets desert in motif.


40 posted on 07/22/2005 10:29:59 AM PDT by Gabz ((Chincoteague, VA) USSG Warning: Portable sewing machines are known to cause broken ankles)
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