I don't like storms

Knowing storms were predicted for our area yesterday — a cold front hitting the high heat (92 degrees) we had yesterday — I did a couple of errands after church and headed home to spend the rest of the day inside. First, however, I moved my potted plants from the front of my home to my covered patio in the back - insurance against any potential high winds and hail. I had everything on the patio tucked closely to my home.

At 8 pm, warnings started appearing at the bottom of the TV screen. Skies were getting dark. Trees were swaying. At 8:25 I powered down my computer, grabbed by flashlight, and headed out to the patio to have a look. I sat in one of the chairs and watched as the wind took the trees back and forth. A big piece of paper appeared on the lawn and danced around a bit. And then it began to rain. It was light at first, but was followed by flashes of lightning, bigger gales of wind, and heavier rain. I went inside to check on things. Suddenly the power went out - for about 10 - 12 seconds, but enough to cause all of my digital clocks to flash. I returned to the patio, where the rain was coming down in torrents. I watched as backdoor neighbors turned on lights to look out. This heavy rain lasted about 25 minutes.

Back inside, I began to set the time on the appliances - only to find out the fuse on my microwave had blown. It's an "over the range microwave," which means it has to be totally removed from it's site to change the fuse, and (get this!) to change the light bulb. No kidding! For the repair man to even cross my threshold, the cost: $90. Next, add labor and parts. For a seven year old appliance: No, thanks.

Try this experiment. Put a pad of paper on your counter and make a hash mark each time you use your microwave in a 24 hour period. You may be surprised to see how "dependent" we are on this machine that wasn't even around in most homes when my first born came into this world.

Solution to my problem: A new one is being delivered and installed on Wednesday.