NWI INGO General Post Part 20 - Raccons 4 Life!

[Bill2905]

I swear the Hodgkins, IL UPS hub is a damn black hole. Any package I have that goes there gets stuck for days. Have a package that was scheduled for delivery on the 9th(Thurs) which arrived there on the 8th. It's still there, and I can't make a claim with Amazon until the 14th

My recent shipment of primers from MidwayUSA went into a UPS black hole after I was notified of shipment and given a tracking number. When I checked the status each day, it would tell me to check back tomorrow. I finally called Midway and they told me UPS was running up to 25 days on Haz Mat shipments. They did finally surface and I received them in 21 days.

 

[Bill2905]

I've worked with enough Illinois people to know they're the problem.

I wasn't aware that anyone in Illinois worked...

 

[Bill2905]

After 10yrs and putting $200 into our washer and dryer in the last year we went out and bought a speed queen washer and gas dryer to replace the kenmore electric dryer and washer.

We went through too many washers and dryers over a period of 15 years. They kept having electronics failures. We will generally fix them once and replace if they break again unless it's a small cost item. On the advice of the repairman who we became way too familiar with, we purchased a Speed Queen commercial grade washer and a Maytag Centennial dryer from Blink Appliance in Lynwood. Both are equipped with old school electromechanical controls, not circuit boards, plus they were made in the USA. They are clunky and noisy, just like my mom's machines were when I was a kid. We are hoping that they will give us some longer life. At some point in the near future, these types of machines will no longer exist as manufacturers are forced to build more energy and water efficient units.

 

[CheeseRat]

We went through too many washers and dryers over a period of 15 years. They kept having electronics failures. We will generally fix them once and replace if they break again unless it's a small cost item. On the advice of the repairman who we became way too familiar with, we purchased a Speed Queen commercial grade washer and a Maytag Centennial dryer from Blink Appliance in Lynwood. Both are equipped with old school electromechanical controls, not circuit boards, plus they were made in the USA. They are clunky and noisy, just like my mom's machines were when I was a kid. We are hoping that they will give us some longer life. At some point in the near future, these types of machines will no longer exist as manufacturers are forced to build more energy and water efficient units.

Old or old style equipment is the kind of stuff you invest money on repairing, if needed. Most everything built now is throw aways. Same in the billion dollar industry we all live near or work at. It's really unreal how delicate some of the stuff is. Smaller, sleeker, more computery but fragile. I'm hoping to hang on to what came with the house for a while, but I took a snapshot of this for later. Thx

 

[Snapdragon]

One of the biggest mistakes I made when we moved into this house 12 years ago was replace the washer and dryer. I had a 7-8-year old 'middle of the road' Maytag set. No computers, nothing fancy, but always got the clothes clean. Saw a sale at Lowe's on Samsung and decided to splurge on a fancy set (front loader, steam, etc). Bought a $2000 set on sale for $1300 and sold my old Maytags to a friend for a couple hundred bucks. Ended up hating those Samsungs. Front loader washer was a PITA and always stunk, steam settings didn't work, had to do repairs on the electronics of both the washer and dryer. And one of the things I hated the most was that I could not hear when the load was done. There was a little electronic tune similar to the sound of one of those stuffed animals where you press on it's paw and get music. Couldn't even hear it in the next room, so my clothes sat in the dryer and got wrinkled after the tumbling stopped. When the washer broke down for a second time, I got rid of them and bought the simplest Whirlpool set I could find. Top load, simpler controls, nice loud buzzer when the dryer stops. Still electronic, but hopefully more reliable.

 

[KLB]

Dang, I guess we are lucky. Our front load washer and dryer are close to 10 now I think.

For the stink, you just don't close the door when it is wet. I also use borax in my wash, which helps eliminate odor a lot.

 

[Snapdragon]

Dang, I guess we are lucky. Our front load washer and dryer are close to 10 now I think.

For the stink, you just don't close the door when it is wet. I also use borax in my wash, which helps eliminate odor a lot.

Yeah, I figured that out, but it was a huge pain in the ass. Not worth having the front load feature (to me) if I have to constantly dry out under that gasket every time I use it, and then leave it open. It's a tradeoff. Now I have short girl problems with the top loader. I need a stool to reach down to the bottom.

 

[tv1217]

I can't believe it's 2021 and we still have to remind communists that they're not people.

 

[melensdad]

I can't believe it's 2021 and we still have to remind communists that they're not people.

QFT

 

[Bill2905]

My wife is drawn to tourist traps like a moth to a night time flame. I agreed to drive over to Johnson's in Hobart this afternoon to check out the sunflower field and get some produce items. I love sunflowers and used to grow them 8-10 feet high every summer. I gave it up a few years ago when the suburban squirrels around here started destroying them.

Anyway, I took this photo. It's not something you can see everywhere. The field was also buzzing with honey bees and bumble bees.

 

[actaeon277]

After 10yrs and putting $200 into our washer and dryer in the last year we went out and bought a speed queen washer and gas dryer to replace the kenmore electric dryer and washer.

200 in 10 years ain't too bad.
My stuff is 30 years old. I'll fix them. They seem to have less problems than the newer stuff.

Though, I have heard good stuff on the speed queen stuff.

 

[actaeon277]

This guy should live in Indiana, he would fit in on INGO

View attachment 157778

I wish I took pics of the guy in Griffith who painted his garage, something about "lying thieving politicians".
Griffith took him to court, and he WON.

Then he added to his sign.

 

[1775usmarine]

200 in 10 years ain't too bad.
My stuff is 30 years old. I'll fix them. They seem to have less problems than the newer stuff.

Though, I have heard good stuff on the speed queen stuff.

Yeah but now anything else that breaks is aproaching the cost of a new set or parts are no longer available. We're hoping to get at least 10yrs and cut our nipsco bill by going to gas.

Our first apartment was electric only and when we moved into the house 2 yrs later there was no point to change but with a house of 4 now electric is no longer viable for us.

 

[actaeon277]

Well, Monday I'm calling to make an appointment to start the process of my retirement.
I've got questions to ask, and forms to file.
I'm shooting for last day of work Dec 30. 5 weeks vacation. Then never go back.

Depends what comes of the meeting.

Course, after taking the stairs cause the elevator ALWAYS breaks on a weekend, I want to leave TONIGHT.

 

[actaeon277]

Yeah but now anything else that breaks is aproaching the cost of a new set or parts are no longer available. We're hoping to get at least 10yrs and cut our nipsco bill by going to gas.

Our first apartment was electric only and when we moved into the house 2 yrs later there was no point to change but with a house of 4 now electric is no longer viable for us.

The electric I can see getting rid of.
But parts are out there. If you do the work yourself.
Paying a repairman, that's what kills you.

 

[1775usmarine]

The electric I can see getting rid of.
But parts are out there. If you do the work yourself.
Paying a repairman, that's what kills you.

Yeah I did the repairs myself but 10yrs is a good run for what was the cheapest Kenmore's we bought.

 

[actaeon277]

Yeah I did the repairs myself but 10yrs is a good run for what was the cheapest Kenmore's we bought.

I've got almost 30 on a fridge, stove, dryer, and washer.
I'm gonna run them till they explode.

 

[marvin02]

Well, Monday I'm calling to make an appointment to start the process of my retirement.

Set meetings with both the company and the union. When I retired the benefits people at the union hall (Local 1010) were way more helpful discussing options. YMMV. Good luck.

 

[marvin02]

I've got almost 30 on a fridge, stove, dryer, and washer.
I'm gonna run them till they explode.

Hopefully they go with a fizzle, not a bang.

 

[actaeon277]

Set meetings with both the company and the union. When I retired the benefits people at the union hall (Local 1010) were way more helpful discussing options. YMMV. Good luck.

The meeting I'm setting will be with the union, to get everything straight, and get walked through the process.