Never Buy a Samsung Dryer

Will this be my funniest post, no.  Will it be interesting, not nearly as others about my crazy kids, birthdays or pets.  Do I have to write it, YES.  This one is about justice.

We bought a Samsung dryer in January of 2010.  If you know Donald you know he does his homework when we make the bigger purchases.  I tend to go less expensive, he pushes me to spend more, but always finds the best deal.  This is exactly what happened with the dryer.  I took a trip to Lowe's and Home Depot, he did some research and found our dryer at Sears for the best price.  Now here is where I fault the salesperson.  A salesperson should have the facts before they sell something.  I know retail stores have ridiculous budgets, pay next to nothing and training is relegated to a rep that may or may not exist.  I will rephrase that, I guess I can't blame the salesperson if they didn't have the facts, but I am done with Sears.  I was done with them before, but they did have a good deal.  No, I am done.

Here is what we and the salesperson did not know.  I'm going to presume the salesperson didn't know because I like to give people the benefit of the doubt.   We never buy the extended warranty.  It's a total rip off, most of the time.  The two we have bought never panned out, but I do know a few people they have worked well for.  I always have faith that the things I buy will work more than 3 years.  What was I thinking?  So the dryer died last week.  Powers on, but won't work.  My handy dandy Donald took the back off and promptly diagnosed a frayed belt and proclaimed a cheap repair was to be had.

This brings me to my last appliance repair guy, found on Kudzu with good reviews.  He came to fix the last dryer we had, charged us $70 and it worked for about 3 days and then died for good.   In his defense, he warned us it could happen.  On a side note, I recommended him to a good friend and he didn't do a very good job, so he is off the list so to speak.  However, that same good friend found a good repair guy.  I was happy to have her recommendation.  Donald called the referral and he informed us that Samsung only uses authorized repair people and wished us good luck because we were gonna get reamed.

That repair guy was psychic because when we called La Mesa Appliance Repair they were more than happy to send a guy out and we did get reamed.  He walked in the door, informed me the trip charge was $69.95, and labor for the belt would be just over $130.  My husband had already taken the back off of the dryer...so he should have actually charged us half, but that's just me being snotty.  The belt was $22.  He was here 5 minutes, no lie, and he did not put the dryer back together.  It took me longer to write the check than it did for him to put the belt on.

That same week I heard Samsung shipped a bunch of laptops with keystroke tracking software.  So hopefully that and my mighty blog will deal them a blow from which they have difficulty overcoming.  HA

My Sweetheart

It's my sweetheart's birthday on April 3rd.  He's not feeling well so he went to bed, so I thought I would take this opportunity to write his birthday blog.   Donald and I have been married four years as most people know.  He is my third husband, as most people know.  He is also my favorite husband, as is most obvious by his wonderful demeanor, patience, love of our family, and so many other things.  He is a real man who understands what is truly important in this life.  I thank God for him every day.

Before we got married Donald I and ventured to the river a few times with the kids.  I will never forget the first trip we took to Parker with friends.  Donald grew up as a desert person and he rode his waverunner in the ocean.  The river was a new experience.  He had met some of the friends and many of the neighbors, but they had never been to the river with him.  Donald was literally a fish out of water when he busted out his waverunner gear.  When you are at the river, you wear a life jacket and you jump on your runner and go.  Donald, on the other hand, had booties, a rash guard, waterproof safe for paperwork, all the bells and whistles.  Everyone was good natured about it, and Donald laughed at himself.  He still takes way too much precautions in anchoring the boats, but he also has to deal with people like me, who constantly loses anchors to the bottom of the river.  I also run him over when we load the boats on the trailer, and he never gets angry.  If you read this, ask him about the time he burned the hair off his arms lighting a BBQ at the river.

Donald is an amazing Dad.  He has a capacity for love that has no boundaries.  He loves the girls at their best and at their worst all the same.  He has a strong shoulder for them to lean on and a hard line they cannot cross.  He is loving, but disciplined.  Caring, but not a door mat.  He is a young man's biggest challenge.   He is the girls' champion and advocate.  He supports all of their efforts and always go the extra mile for them.  He spends many weekends mostly devoted to their activities.   He enforces the rules with love and consequences.  He just about never raises his voice.  These girls will no doubt look back upon their childhood with respect and love towards this wonderful Father.  Not all Dads can go to bed at night with that kind of confidence.  Donald can, even if he doesn't know it.  During the years he was in school. he missed some of their activities.   He has more than made up for those years.  I hope to do the same.

Donald hates cats.  Oh wait, except the three he built an entire 14 ft high, 30 foot long catwalk for...he hates the rest of cats.  Oh wait, except the outside cats he helps feed and tame.  Yeah, the rest of cats.  Oh wait, except the cats of friends he pets.  Yeah, the rest of cats.  Oh wait, except the shelter cats he entertains when he services their account and sends me pictures of to make me jealous.  So, the rest of cats, those are the ones he hates.   So basically he likes cats.

Donald can fix anything, which is really good because I break a lot of stuff.  Years ago I put my ass through a wall (literally) and he fixed it.  He laughed his ass off, but he fixed it.  He fixes appliances, furniture, computers, walls.....The best part is, when he knows he is out of his league, he has no issue calling a professional!  He makes sure the cars are serviced, the yard is taken care of and household projects happen without me....because I screw stuff up!  I break stuff, he fixes stuff....a match made in heaven.

We have so many funny stories and inside jokes.  I cherish them.  The bathroom at Ross, lime in the eye, the Corona bottle, bacon, what??...I could go on.   Donald you are a wonderful partner and friend.  I am as lucky as anyone could be.  I think the world of you and thank God every day that you are in my life and the lives of our girls.

Relay for Life

If you know me, you know I Relay.  This is my 6th year.  My first experience with cancer was with my Paternal Grandfather.  Papa was diagnosed with Colon cancer in 1985 and he did not win his fight despite a valiant effort.  Many other extended family members fought the fight, some won, many didn't.  My Mom fought in 1991, she lost her battle ultimately, but not cancer.  Losing is losing though.  My Paternal Grandmother was diagnosed with Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma in 1996.  She fought for years and was ultimately taken as a result of pneumonia.

I Relay because of my friend Bonnie.  She inspired me and her company matches our donations.  I continue to Relay because of the losses we have suffered.  Marilyn Gilmore, you were taken so fast.   I still think of you as Mom of the Year and such a Matriarch.   Jerry, you fought so hard.  That night at Kaiser was as unbearable as any moment could be.  We drove so fast, we prayed so hard.   Veronica, I only knew you through Johanna, but I knew you well.  I knew you and Lou and the kids and I felt the world change when we lost you.  Rosa, you joined our team and we let you into our hearts.  We love your family, your boys and we miss you.  We honor you.  We love you.

If you read this, don't you feel like you must get involved?  Relay is so easy.  Join the team, raise as much or as little as you like, walk all day, or don't even show up.  The site gives you tools to fundraise.  They make it easy.

You have been touched by cancer.  Friends, family, co-workers.   This is easy.  Please join the team or donate.  http://main.acsevents.org/goto/SuzanneColeman

Update on Life

I'm so bad about keeping in touch with the ones I care about.  I tell myself I will get better when school is over.  I hope I'm right.  Life has been so crazy.  I used to think things would be easier when the kids got older....I was wrong.  Not that I am complaining.

For anyone who does not know, I have been back to school with only one month off since February of 2009 in order to earn my BA - finally.   I finished a class today, I have only three left, and I graduate in May.  I have a 3.7 GPA and I am damn proud.  Now, I sure as hell should have done this 20 years ago, but better late than never.  I am fortunate that I can accomplish all the school work I need to nights and weekends, leaving me free to work away!

So we had a great success with The Vagina Monologues.   I am fortunate enough to be on the board of Bella Luna Educational Foundation.  The second annual production of The Vagina Monologues was great.  A wonderful group of 12 women on stage sharing this amazing experience.  We raised funds for three non profits in San Diego and brought violence against women and children into light. 

My next endeavor is the Relay for Life cancer walk.  I'll be posting on Facebook soon enough.  I am sure my friends are tired of all my causes, but I live for them.

So in the house this week, we had some turmoil.  Last Saturday night we were in the ER vet with Parker for an allergic reaction to a bug bite or bee sting.  A couple days after that one of the guinea pigs (Winnie Pig) died and just days after her burial, the damn fish died.  Enough already.

We decided to end the week on a good note.  Sam has her friend Carol over, Megan has Sara Rose, Haley has Sydney and Melody, and all are sleeping now!  I have a week off of school!  We had a great dinner.  I tried a new recipe.  Megan's team won their volleyball tournament. 

I think I can relax and take a breath.  I'm sure it won't last long.