Darn the Luck

Who would have thought that my post on grace and acceptance would come in so handy? A few posts ago I was complaining I was having problems with my oven and making banana bread.  I thought maybe it was that it was very cold, the wind was blowing against that side of the house, and so the oven was having a hard time maintaining its temperature.  (Yes that corner of the kitchen does get very cold if the wind hits it just right.)  A week later I made a roast.  Turned the oven up just a bit and it ended up wonderful. Yesterday morning I wanted to make muffins so I turned the oven on, set it, and waited.  Hmmm didn't seem very warm.  So I through the oven thermometer in it (HaHa DH always makes fun of me for not throwing stuff away, not long ago he was making fun of me for having this old cruddy looking oven thermometer!)  At 450 degrees my oven was registering 225.  Not good. 

DH decided he was going to fix it.  I pulled up articles online for stove repair, even for our model!  Which makes me wonder if this is common for these?  Of course DH has all the necessary electronic gear to test, and of course it is not a cheap or inexpensive part once all the testing was done, the part is almost $300.  So the question do we just replace the part?  Considering that the part is 1/5th the cost of a new range is it even worth it?  But then all the ranges I liked are out of stock and it will take 2-3 weeks some up to 8 weeks to order?  What the heck?  Lucky for me we have a turkey fryer, a huge roaster, and a toaster oven. 

I finished swoon block one.  I have one spot that I am not happy about but I am not taking it apart one more time. 

Remember I said I was making 2.  Well I started 2 and almost had it finished when I discovered that I was missing 2 3 1/2 by 6 1/2 blocks.  I can't find them anywhere, and I don't have enough of the very light blue to make it so guess what?  Back to the LQS tomorrow.  Also I horde my batiks and I am not using a batik for the backing....so shoot me so I will stop at Joann's and pick up some fabric for the back.  I think it will make a nice table topper which was my intention.  Dh thinks it would make a nice center medallion and to build a quilt around it. 

I usually only use my newer fancy machine for FMQ but it has a stitch that I absolutely love.  It is a darning stitch.  Dh's work pants needed to be mended and so I use that stitch to fix the hole.

It makes no sense to buy patches because wherever the patches are, it seems to tear there.  So instead of using patches, I will zig zag the  hole closed, maybe a couple of times, and then use the darning stitch.  Works great.

Today I am thankful for my sense of humor.  DH says I am the only girl he knows who would laugh about the fact that the oven broke just a few days before a major holiday.