Relatives who just don't get it

[Just Joe]

YES!

I had two leftover strips of BBQ brisket with my lunch sandwich today. Was so good even cold. While our dog would certainly appreciate it, I wasn't in a sharing mood and she was at home while I was at work.

[charis]

I love leftovers, but I know many people, it seems, that refuse to eat them.  I really don't get it, is it the idea that it's "leftover" gross/unappealing, or the texture, or what?  If you cut a few slices of cheese, do you throw away the rest of the block? The rest of the milk after serving some at dinner? Basically anything in the fridge that you keep for several uses is "leftover." 

I am baffled by this viewpoint.

[Kitsune]

Does it seem to anyone else that the people who refuse to eat leftovers are usually not the people doing the cooking?

This.

[mtn]

I love leftovers, but I know many people, it seems, that refuse to eat them.  I really don't get it, is it the idea that it's "leftover" gross/unappealing, or the texture, or what?  If you cut a few slices of cheese, do you throw away the rest of the block? The rest of the milk after serving some at dinner? Basically anything in the fridge that you keep for several uses is "leftover." 

I am baffled by this viewpoint.

I guess I could understand the texture thing--there are certain things that only work while fresh (french fries, smoothies, certain sandwiches, and IMHO, eggs)... But many foods are just as good, or close to it leftover. Certain foods are better!

[Paul der Krake]

I love leftovers, but I know many people, it seems, that refuse to eat them.  I really don't get it, is it the idea that it's "leftover" gross/unappealing, or the texture, or what?  If you cut a few slices of cheese, do you throw away the rest of the block? The rest of the milk after serving some at dinner? Basically anything in the fridge that you keep for several uses is "leftover." 

I am baffled by this viewpoint.

I guess I could understand the texture thing--there are certain things that only work while fresh (french fries, smoothies, certain sandwiches, and IMHO, eggs)... But many foods are just as good, or close to it leftover. Certain foods are better!

Virtually every single person I have ever heard poo-poo leftovers had a body I found unappealing.

[marielle]

I love leftovers, but I know many people, it seems, that refuse to eat them.  I really don't get it, is it the idea that it's "leftover" gross/unappealing, or the texture, or what?  If you cut a few slices of cheese, do you throw away the rest of the block? The rest of the milk after serving some at dinner? Basically anything in the fridge that you keep for several uses is "leftover." 

I am baffled by this viewpoint.

I cook all of my food on Sunday, usually 3-4 recipes. My problem is that I hate eating the same thing over and over. This usually results in my boyfriend eating some of my portions when he comes back for the weekend. Still, I don't use that as an excuse to eat out for lunch or dinner. I just eat some toast or something simple as a meal or just skip lunch altogether. I never get takeout when I'm alone--the only exceptions in the past year were Christmas and my birthday. Takeout/restaurants are purely for a social gathering or date. I'll never understand how people can eat restaurant food on a daily basis, by themselves.

[Fiscal_Hawk]

SIL is visiting. Visit is going well. But we went to a winery and had drinks and pizza.  When we were done they asked us if we wanted a to go box. We said yes.  She laughed and said for two slices?". Um, hell yes. That's lunch!

?  how would someone not be all over some leftover pizza?  Cold day old pizza for breakfast is better than any omelet or pancakes - fact.  It is not even at the level of wasting food or thriftiness this is about taste and awesomeness and pizza.

I've since learned she doesn't eat leftovers, but also doesn't think you should take them home if you have less than half the meal.
Weird.

That is odd. I figure you paid for the meal. If you don't consume it all, you should take it home and finish it at another time. Otherwise, you are wasting food and money.

[TravelJunkyQC]

SIL is visiting. Visit is going well. But we went to a winery and had drinks and pizza.  When we were done they asked us if we wanted a to go box. We said yes.  She laughed and said for two slices?". Um, hell yes. That's lunch!

?  how would someone not be all over some leftover pizza?  Cold day old pizza for breakfast is better than any omelet or pancakes - fact.  It is not even at the level of wasting food or thriftiness this is about taste and awesomeness and pizza.

I've since learned she doesn't eat leftovers, but also doesn't think you should take them home if you have less than half the meal.
Weird.

That is odd. I figure you paid for the meal. If you don't consume it all, you should take it home and finish it at another time. Otherwise, you are wasting food and money.

I've been known to take home other people's leftovers as well (only those at my table, like family or friends, who I trust not to have mouth health issues, of course). Food is food. And good food in the garbage is unacceptable to me.

[I'm a red panda]

I've taken other people's leftovers if it is something Like sushi rolls where they didn't touch it with their mouth.

I don't eat out much (and really trying not to with my current gauntlet) but if I pay for it, I eat every bite.

And all our cooked meals at home are made with lunches in mind.

[jinga nation]

I've been known to take home other people's leftovers as well (only those at my table, like family or friends, who I trust not to have mouth health issues, of course). Food is food. And good food in the garbage is unacceptable to me.

I've taken other people's leftovers if it is something Like sushi rolls where they didn't touch it with their mouth.

I don't eat out much (and really trying not to with my current gauntlet) but if I pay for it, I eat every bite.

And all our cooked meals at home are made with lunches in mind.

I was born and raised in a 3rd world country. The thought of food waste is terrifying to me. It was normal for middle-class school children to raise money for charities like "Freedom from Hunger" and collect food and clothing donations. And then go on the donation drive to distribute these.
I get a lot of stick for behavior like Iowajes' and TravelJunkyQC's.
A waste is a terrible thing to mind. It's worse than going to hell for a Mustachian.

[ysette9]

And good food in the garbage is unacceptable to me.

I was born and raised in a 3rd world country. The thought of food waste is terrifying to me

I can't imagine what it must be like to have been raised like that, but I can appreciate how it would give you a very different perspective on food and the waste that you see all around you. It isn't the same, but my grandmother grew up in England during war rationing and to this day finishes every single scrap of food on her plate, whether she is hungry or not.

We really could be better about not letting food go to waste in our fridge. Actually, the burden mostly falls upon me since my kid gets three meals a day at daycare and my husband gets three free meals a day at work (!). The thing I console myself with when tossing stuff that went bad is that at least it is going into the compost, and next year we'll go pick up a big bag of beautiful, warm, dark soil that is currently making my tomato plants go nuts in the garden.

[Cassie]

A few years ago my DH was preapproved to have an expensive procedure for cancer done at an out of network hospital for the in network price. So the insurance pays the out of network price etc and I fight with them and the hospital for a year. I did not pay the bill because I knew from working for an insurance company decades ago that once the $ was paid good luck getting it back from the hospital. So finally I go in person to the insurance company and get a supervisor to work on it. I tried to do the same at the hospital but they only allow phone calls about bills. If you go in person they lie and tell y that department is in another state I found out later.  So the insurance is motivated to get this resolved and it turns out that the hospital failed to ask the insurance company for something that was required for them to pay the in-network price and it was their responsibility.  Bottom line is the hospital is out the $ not me.  Once you pay it is all over but the crying.

[I'm a red panda]

I've gotten multiple reimbursements from my hospital.usually when they charged a copay without realizing I had met my out of pocket max.

[Gone_Hiking]

Some people seem to be more prone to drama than others...

Second or third cousins.  The wife decided to sell the home three years ago and move to be closer to her sister.  To a bigger home with a gourmet kitchen.  Shortly afterwards, she starts complaining about the mortgage costs.  She can only work part time for health reasons.  Her husband, well, can't keep a job,  bad temper and all.   But someone gave them a mortgage and now they have a nice home with a gourmet kitchen.  The wife and her sister don't meet much - we hear complaints that the sister seems to be avoiding the wife.

There is more.  Last month, the wife decided to buy a new car, a Cadillac or a Lincoln to boot.  So her husband went out and bought a new car as well.  Two days ago... the wife didn't stop on time and hit a truck stopped at a red light from the back.  Six and half thousand dollars to fix the front end where it came into an intimate contact with the truck.   They used to be just house poor.  Now they are car-poor, too.

[JLee]

Some people seem to be more prone to drama than others...

Second or third cousins.  The wife decided to sell the home three years ago and move to be closer to her sister.  To a bigger home with a gourmet kitchen.  Shortly afterwards, she starts complaining about the mortgage costs.  She can only work part time for health reasons.  Her husband, well, can't keep a job,  bad temper and all.   But someone gave them a mortgage and now they have a nice home with a gourmet kitchen.  The wife and her sister don't meet much - we hear complaints that the sister seems to be avoiding the wife.

There is more.  Last month, the wife decided to buy a new car, a Cadillac or a Lincoln to boot.  So her husband went out and bought a new car as well.  Two days ago... the wife didn't stop on time and hit a truck stopped at a red light from the back. Six and half thousand dollars to fix the front end where it came into an intimate contact with the truck.   They used to be just house poor.  Now they are car-poor, too.

Either their insurance will cover it or they paid cash for their vehicles.  Nobody will give you a loan without comprehensive/collision coverage.

[Just Joe]

I was looking at eBay the other day. Those luxury vehicles with automatic speed adjusting cruise control? They rely on a sensor in the grill of the car that costs multiple thousands of dollars. A small rear-ender could get expensive fast.

[MgoSam]

Some people seem to be more prone to drama than others...

Second or third cousins.  The wife decided to sell the home three years ago and move to be closer to her sister.  To a bigger home with a gourmet kitchen.  Shortly afterwards, she starts complaining about the mortgage costs.  She can only work part time for health reasons.  Her husband, well, can't keep a job,  bad temper and all.   But someone gave them a mortgage and now they have a nice home with a gourmet kitchen.  The wife and her sister don't meet much - we hear complaints that the sister seems to be avoiding the wife.

There is more.  Last month, the wife decided to buy a new car, a Cadillac or a Lincoln to boot.  So her husband went out and bought a new car as well.  Two days ago... the wife didn't stop on time and hit a truck stopped at a red light from the back. Six and half thousand dollars to fix the front end where it came into an intimate contact with the truck.   They used to be just house poor.  Now they are car-poor, too.

Either their insurance will cover it or they paid cash for their vehicles.  Nobody will give you a loan without comprehensive/collision coverage.

They could have paid for the damages out of pocket.

[nnls]

Some people seem to be more prone to drama than others...

Second or third cousins.  The wife decided to sell the home three years ago and move to be closer to her sister.  To a bigger home with a gourmet kitchen.  Shortly afterwards, she starts complaining about the mortgage costs.  She can only work part time for health reasons.  Her husband, well, can't keep a job,  bad temper and all.   But someone gave them a mortgage and now they have a nice home with a gourmet kitchen.  The wife and her sister don't meet much - we hear complaints that the sister seems to be avoiding the wife.

There is more.  Last month, the wife decided to buy a new car, a Cadillac or a Lincoln to boot.  So her husband went out and bought a new car as well.  Two days ago... the wife didn't stop on time and hit a truck stopped at a red light from the back. Six and half thousand dollars to fix the front end where it came into an intimate contact with the truck.   They used to be just house poor.  Now they are car-poor, too.

Either their insurance will cover it or they paid cash for their vehicles.  Nobody will give you a loan without comprehensive/collision coverage.

They could have paid for the damages out of pocket.

I use to work for an insurance company. People would call up and cancel their insurance all the time after driving their car off the lot, as they couldn't afford the premiums

[SwordGuy]

A few years ago I switched from one telephone company to another.

The phone kept working after the transfer-over day so I figured all was well.

Then I got two bills, and the old company's bill wasn't a partial month bill.

So I contacted both parties and asked them to figure it out.

Both said they were supplying the service and I should pay them.

I told them there was no way I could possibly know who was telling the truth, so they needed to work it out among themselves and let me know when they were in agreement.  Until then,  I would pay neither of them, since the only leverage I had over the situation is that they wanted my money and I still had it.

This went on for about 4 months.

At that point, I was tired of dealing with it.

I called them both up and explained to them the following facts:

1) One of them was telling the truth and, therefore, one of them was not.
2) I had 4 months of bills from the party that was billing me for services they were not providing.
3) As far as I was concerned, billing me for services they were not providing, after having 4 months to clear up any honest mistakes, was fraudulent behavior.
4) Since the fraudulent bills were sent by the US Postal service, that constituted 4 counts of mail fraud.
5) If it wasn't settled in 3 days I would be letting the United States Postal Service and the United States Prosecutor decide who was telling the truth.
6) I would also be contacting the relevant federal and state agencies, and my federal and state legislators, to apprise them of this fraudulent behavior.

The problem got solved in less than 3 days.

And people wonder why I resist getting my official invoices from companies via email...

[Gone_Hiking]

Some people seem to be more prone to drama than others...

Second or third cousins.  The wife decided to sell the home three years ago and move to be closer to her sister.  To a bigger home with a gourmet kitchen.  Shortly afterwards, she starts complaining about the mortgage costs.  She can only work part time for health reasons.  Her husband, well, can't keep a job,  bad temper and all.   But someone gave them a mortgage and now they have a nice home with a gourmet kitchen.  The wife and her sister don't meet much - we hear complaints that the sister seems to be avoiding the wife.

There is more.  Last month, the wife decided to buy a new car, a Cadillac or a Lincoln to boot.  So her husband went out and bought a new car as well.  Two days ago... the wife didn't stop on time and hit a truck stopped at a red light from the back. Six and half thousand dollars to fix the front end where it came into an intimate contact with the truck.   They used to be just house poor.  Now they are car-poor, too.

Either their insurance will cover it or they paid cash for their vehicles.  Nobody will give you a loan without comprehensive/collision coverage.

Yeah, but the insurance premium will go up.  The wife was at fault.

[I'm a red panda]

Some people seem to be more prone to drama than others...

Second or third cousins.  The wife decided to sell the home three years ago and move to be closer to her sister.  To a bigger home with a gourmet kitchen.  Shortly afterwards, she starts complaining about the mortgage costs.  She can only work part time for health reasons.  Her husband, well, can't keep a job,  bad temper and all.   But someone gave them a mortgage and now they have a nice home with a gourmet kitchen.  The wife and her sister don't meet much - we hear complaints that the sister seems to be avoiding the wife.

There is more.  Last month, the wife decided to buy a new car, a Cadillac or a Lincoln to boot.  So her husband went out and bought a new car as well.  Two days ago... the wife didn't stop on time and hit a truck stopped at a red light from the back. Six and half thousand dollars to fix the front end where it came into an intimate contact with the truck.   They used to be just house poor.  Now they are car-poor, too.

Either their insurance will cover it or they paid cash for their vehicles.  Nobody will give you a loan without comprehensive/collision coverage.

They could have paid for the damages out of pocket.

I use to work for an insurance company. People would call up and cancel their insurance all the time after driving their car off the lot, as they couldn't afford the premiums

I remember when I was in Ohio there was a company that sold policies just for this. They were like 2 week policies. I couldn't believe it was legal.  Not just collision but liability too.

[Just Joe]

When I was younger my state didn't even require insurance. Some people didn't carry it.

When I was living overseas there was a backroom operation I knew about that would print insurance papers for about the price of dinner. How you used it was your problem. Looked real but wouldn't survive a call to the insurance company of course. Police used to do spot checks on insurance and registration.Ii can't imagine taking the risk of lying.

[Nangirl17]

I was chatting with my brother yesterday who is mid-30s. He was complaining that it is non-optional that money gets taken off his paycheque each month for his pension (and matched by his employer). I made the point that he would want to save it anyway, and he objected saying that he wouldn't want to save that much - $400!!!

And in the next breath saying he wished he could retire in 10 years...
hm... cause and effect, bro. SMH

[Abo345]

Despite having a fully paid off operable vehicle, my MIL decided she needed a hybrid electric car. It would've cost about $38,000 to purchase but decided to lease the car instead. Cheaper payments! Plus she will save so much on gas!

After 3 years she has put about 8,000 miles total on the leased car, which is no surprise as she almost never leaves the house and if she does, never goes more than 3 miles away from home. She loves to brag how her gas bill for the whole year was like $50. Never mind the fact she saved a measly $500 a year in gas in her old car but paid over $3000 a year in lease payments plus higher insurance on top of that. She even decided to pay extra payments on the lease even though this does not lower the residual amount, so basically gives you a return of 0%. She just thought it would be a good idea to pay extra on the lease.

The lease is up, she can buy out the car for $20k. But instead she returns it, she needs the new model! And one with more bells and whistles!! The new fancier model is about $45k because it is all decked out. She can buy it new and loves to show off she can get 0% financing because her credit score is so good! Car payment will be $750 a month! But instead, goes with a lease again.

This, coming from the same person who constantly complains she can't afford to fly to see her kids, ever take a vacation, hire someone to work on the deferred maintenance on their house, etc...

[JLee]

Some people seem to be more prone to drama than others...

Second or third cousins.  The wife decided to sell the home three years ago and move to be closer to her sister.  To a bigger home with a gourmet kitchen.  Shortly afterwards, she starts complaining about the mortgage costs.  She can only work part time for health reasons.  Her husband, well, can't keep a job,  bad temper and all.   But someone gave them a mortgage and now they have a nice home with a gourmet kitchen.  The wife and her sister don't meet much - we hear complaints that the sister seems to be avoiding the wife.

There is more.  Last month, the wife decided to buy a new car, a Cadillac or a Lincoln to boot.  So her husband went out and bought a new car as well.  Two days ago... the wife didn't stop on time and hit a truck stopped at a red light from the back. Six and half thousand dollars to fix the front end where it came into an intimate contact with the truck.   They used to be just house poor.  Now they are car-poor, too.

Either their insurance will cover it or they paid cash for their vehicles.  Nobody will give you a loan without comprehensive/collision coverage.

They could have paid for the damages out of pocket.

I use to work for an insurance company. People would call up and cancel their insurance all the time after driving their car off the lot, as they couldn't afford the premiums

I wonder how surprised they are when their bank calls their loan...

[faithless]

Despite having a fully paid off operable vehicle, my MIL decided she needed a hybrid electric car. It would've cost about $38,000 to purchase but decided to lease the car instead. Cheaper payments! Plus she will save so much on gas!

After 3 years she has put about 8,000 miles total on the leased car, which is no surprise as she almost never leaves the house and if she does, never goes more than 3 miles away from home. She loves to brag how her gas bill for the whole year was like $50. Never mind the fact she saved a measly $500 a year in gas in her old car but paid over $3000 a year in lease payments plus higher insurance on top of that. She even decided to pay extra payments on the lease even though this does not lower the residual amount, so basically gives you a return of 0%. She just thought it would be a good idea to pay extra on the lease.

The lease is up, she can buy out the car for $20k. But instead she returns it, she needs the new model! And one with more bells and whistles!! The new fancier model is about $45k because it is all decked out. She can buy it new and loves to show off she can get 0% financing because her credit score is so good! Car payment will be $750 a month! But instead, goes with a lease again.

This, coming from the same person who constantly complains she can't afford to fly to see her kids, ever take a vacation, hire someone to work on the deferred maintenance on their house, etc...

Argh!!! This is making me mad!

[Zoot]

Relative who shall remain nameless (age roughly 70) is planning to buy a new refrigerator because the ice maker is broken, and to buy a new oven because (I can't even believe I'm typing this) the oven is "embarrassingly" dirty on the inside and she "doesn't get inside ovens."

Yes, she is buying a new oven because the oven is dirty.  She doesn't know if the oven has a self-cleaning cycle (which would mean that she would not have to "get inside" it to clean it), and doesn't want to try to find out.

DH and I offered to clean it for her next time we visit (cross-country travel involved, so likely not until Christmas), and to help her find a fridge repair service for the ice maker, but she doesn't want to wait that long.

The mind boggles.

[MgoSam]

Relative who shall remain nameless (age roughly 70) is planning to buy a new refrigerator because the ice maker is broken

LOL, my house came with the fridge and freezer and it didn't contain an ice maker. When I was looking for roommates one potential asked about that and I shrugged saying, "It came with the house, I wasn't about to go out and buy it for ice." He nodded and smiled and said, "Hell if I really want ice that bad I'll just buy a bag." He moved in not long afterwards and has been a pleasure to have as a roommate.

[cakie]

Do people not know about that fancy invention - the ice cube tray?? You can even get ones in silly shapes! I've never owned a fridge with an ice maker, even my new one bought last year doesn't have this feature?

[AlanStache]

Maybe she just really wants a fridge and oven that gets The Twitter and The Facebook so she can see pics of the grand-babies that someone never seems to get around to snail mailing :-) .  Is she just making excuses to get a new appliances?  If she wants new ones and can afford it she should go for it and skip the dumb excuse. 

Personally I see no need to own smart appliances like "Talkie Toaster the chirpy breakfast companion" but someone might if it were cold outside, since there is no kind of atmosphere, and they are all alone. 

[Just Joe]

I'll kill a talking breakfast appliance unless it was a talking coffee maker trying to calm me and make it better until the coffee was done... ;)

Some refrigerators come without an ice maker but there are screw holes and slots to easily add one. I bought one some years ago to retrofit a fridge and it was cheap as I recall. They are fridge specific of course. I had to run a water (I chose copper) line under the kitchen and tap into a copper water line but it was crazy easy and cheap too.

I did ice trays for years. I like my ice - part of my summer survival equipment. Ice+tea or ice+water. Repeat often.

[Kitsune]

You can also buy an ice maker that isn't connected to a fridge... I think I saw some for about 150.
Which... I'd rather that than add a part to my fridge  that, according to EEVRY repair person I've spoken to, is flimsy and breaks more than anything else ever.

Ok, I'd rather use trays and buy bags of ice for parties if needed. But. Yknow.

[mm1970]

I'll kill a talking breakfast appliance unless it was a talking coffee maker trying to calm me and make it better until the coffee was done... ;)

Some refrigerators come without an ice maker but there are screw holes and slots to easily add one. I bought one some years ago to retrofit a fridge and it was cheap as I recall. They are fridge specific of course. I had to run a water (I chose copper) line under the kitchen and tap into a copper water line but it was crazy easy and cheap too.

I did ice trays for years. I like my ice - part of my summer survival equipment. Ice+tea or ice+water. Repeat often.

I have ice trays at home (when we bought our fridge in 2001, didn't think we needed an ice maker).
My company fridge is essentially the same one, with an ice maker.  It broke.  Let me tell you, the morale was looking really low for a month with no ice.  And someone had taken our ice cube trays years ago.  Luckily, they replaced the ice maker.

[JLee]

I'll kill a talking breakfast appliance unless it was a talking coffee maker trying to calm me and make it better until the coffee was done... ;)

Some refrigerators come without an ice maker but there are screw holes and slots to easily add one. I bought one some years ago to retrofit a fridge and it was cheap as I recall. They are fridge specific of course. I had to run a water (I chose copper) line under the kitchen and tap into a copper water line but it was crazy easy and cheap too.

I did ice trays for years. I like my ice - part of my summer survival equipment. Ice+tea or ice+water. Repeat often.

I have ice trays at home (when we bought our fridge in 2001, didn't think we needed an ice maker).
My company fridge is essentially the same one, with an ice maker.  It broke.  Let me tell you, the morale was looking really low for a month with no ice.  And someone had taken our ice cube trays years ago.  Luckily, they replaced the ice maker.

The fridge that came with my house has an ice maker.  I like it.  It also has an integrated water filter / instant cold filtered water.

[paddedhat]

You can also buy an ice maker that isn't connected to a fridge... I think I saw some for about 150.
Which... I'd rather that than add a part to my fridge  that, according to EEVRY repair person I've spoken to, is flimsy and breaks more than anything else ever.

Ok, I'd rather use trays and buy bags of ice for parties if needed. But. Yknow.

We have a small stand alone icemaker for use in our RV.  My wife is an ice junkie, seriously. I could give a rat's ass if the the last cube on the planet melted yesterday. We have this little monument to consumerism for  two reasons. First, the RV freezer is small, so it's ice cube tray production or use the space for the normal freezer goods, not both. Second, we were at an RV show and they had a deal, with the $150 machine marked down to $99, then another 50% off.  That said, the thing makes ridiculously poor quality ice. The process involves spraying water on to the ceiling of the unit where it clings to small stainless steel probes. These freeze and provide a hollow bullet shaped "cube". The machine has to heat the probes to release the cubes. The finished product is soft, air filled, and barely at freezing. Useless as tits on a mule, IMHO.  The wife loves it :)

[Just Joe]

We have a stand alone ice maker at work. Looks like a tall college dorm room fridge. Makes good ice faster than we can use it. During the summer we're all get scoops of ice for our water. Healthier than the vending machine. 

[Spiffy]

We have a stand alone ice maker at work. Looks like a tall college dorm room fridge. Makes good ice faster than we can use it. During the summer we're all get scoops of ice for our water. Healthier than the vending machine.

I use the ice machine at work all the time. It is fine, but I would rather have the little crunchy ice bits like you get from some fast food places. The work one make big chunks. Hey, we Texans are particular about our ice. At the end of the fiscal year we spend stupid amounts of money because, you know...use it or loose it. This year I voted for a new ice maker (we don't actually get to vote, but we get to throw out ideas) but no, this year we all got new office chairs and standing desk things to raise the computer. And yes, I pointed out how stupid it was to get both of those items.

[solon]

We have a stand alone ice maker at work. Looks like a tall college dorm room fridge. Makes good ice faster than we can use it. During the summer we're all get scoops of ice for our water. Healthier than the vending machine.

I use the ice machine at work all the time. It is fine, but I would rather have the little crunchy ice bits like you get from some fast food places. The work one make big chunks. Hey, we Texans are particular about our ice. At the end of the fiscal year we spend stupid amounts of money because, you know...use it or loose it. This year I voted for a new ice maker (we don't actually get to vote, but we get to throw out ideas) but no, this year we all got new office chairs and standing desk things to raise the computer. And yes, I pointed out how stupid it was to get both of those items.

Are you kidding? I would kill for a standing desk! Count your blessings!

[dandarc]

We have a stand alone ice maker at work. Looks like a tall college dorm room fridge. Makes good ice faster than we can use it. During the summer we're all get scoops of ice for our water. Healthier than the vending machine.

I use the ice machine at work all the time. It is fine, but I would rather have the little crunchy ice bits like you get from some fast food places. The work one make big chunks. Hey, we Texans are particular about our ice. At the end of the fiscal year we spend stupid amounts of money because, you know...use it or loose it. This year I voted for a new ice maker (we don't actually get to vote, but we get to throw out ideas) but no, this year we all got new office chairs and standing desk things to raise the computer. And yes, I pointed out how stupid it was to get both of those items.

Are you kidding? I would kill for a standing desk! Count your blessings!

Standing desk + treadmill.  That's the dream.

[AlanStache]

We have a stand alone ice maker at work. Looks like a tall college dorm room fridge. Makes good ice faster than we can use it. During the summer we're all get scoops of ice for our water. Healthier than the vending machine.

I use the ice machine at work all the time. It is fine, but I would rather have the little crunchy ice bits like you get from some fast food places. The work one make big chunks. Hey, we Texans are particular about our ice. At the end of the fiscal year we spend stupid amounts of money because, you know...use it or loose it. This year I voted for a new ice maker (we don't actually get to vote, but we get to throw out ideas) but no, this year we all got new office chairs and standing desk things to raise the computer. And yes, I pointed out how stupid it was to get both of those items.

Are you kidding? I would kill for a standing desk! Count your blessings!

Standing desk + treadmill.  That's the dream.

Hand crank ones are like 400$
https://www.multitable.com/standing-desk-gallery/
Mine works well, half the time I lean on a stool like the desk is a drafting board. 

[Cassie]

In the door ice makers break frequently. Ours did at 4 years and the price to fix it was 250 so back to ice cube trays for us. The refrigerator died and we bought one that has an icemaker but not in the door. You open the freezer and the ice has fallen into a basket.  We were told these will last much longer.

[Rural]

Ours has an ice maker and we did run a water line for it when we built (when you're on a slab you get one chance to put in a drain). But we've never hooked it up as it's a pain and a trap for bacteria. Just use ice cube trays.

[Just Joe]

We have a stand alone ice maker at work. Looks like a tall college dorm room fridge. Makes good ice faster than we can use it. During the summer we're all get scoops of ice for our water. Healthier than the vending machine.

I use the ice machine at work all the time. It is fine, but I would rather have the little crunchy ice bits like you get from some fast food places. The work one make big chunks. Hey, we Texans are particular about our ice. At the end of the fiscal year we spend stupid amounts of money because, you know...use it or loose it. This year I voted for a new ice maker (we don't actually get to vote, but we get to throw out ideas) but no, this year we all got new office chairs and standing desk things to raise the computer. And yes, I pointed out how stupid it was to get both of those items.

Oh I understand the smaller ice. I prefer that too.

[Jakejake]

Relative who shall remain nameless (age roughly 70) is planning to buy a new refrigerator because the ice maker is broken, and to buy a new oven because (I can't even believe I'm typing this) the oven is "embarrassingly" dirty on the inside and she "doesn't get inside ovens."

Yes, she is buying a new oven because the oven is dirty.  She doesn't know if the oven has a self-cleaning cycle (which would mean that she would not have to "get inside" it to clean it), and doesn't want to try to find out.

DH and I offered to clean it for her next time we visit (cross-country travel involved, so likely not until Christmas), and to help her find a fridge repair service for the ice maker, but she doesn't want to wait that long.

The mind boggles.

I can understand the oven problem. It may not be that it's "embarrassingly dirty." Embarrassingly dirty could be code for she can't use it without getting smoke, and can't wait most of a year to fix it.  It may be, like mine, that it's gotten to the point where it's smoking. We've switched off the heat for the summer, but it was cold this morning and my husband turned on the oven to warm up the kitchen. That eventually set off the smoke alarm - which woke me up. I'll be cleaning the oven today. :) 

But at age 70, there could well be physical limitations that make getting down on hands and knees and scrubbing it impractical. My mom, in her 70's, has had knee operations and isn't supposed to be on her knees at all.  I can understand how, to a 70 year old, cleaning an oven might be the same as running a half marathon would be to me at the moment. Doable maybe? but not something I'd really consider because I'd be in severe pain for days afterwards.

[RetiredAt63]

Relative who shall remain nameless (age roughly 70) is planning to buy a new refrigerator because the ice maker is broken, and to buy a new oven because (I can't even believe I'm typing this) the oven is "embarrassingly" dirty on the inside and she "doesn't get inside ovens."

Yes, she is buying a new oven because the oven is dirty.  She doesn't know if the oven has a self-cleaning cycle (which would mean that she would not have to "get inside" it to clean it), and doesn't want to try to find out.

DH and I offered to clean it for her next time we visit (cross-country travel involved, so likely not until Christmas), and to help her find a fridge repair service for the ice maker, but she doesn't want to wait that long.

The mind boggles.

I can understand the oven problem. It may not be that it's "embarrassingly dirty." Embarrassingly dirty could be code for she can't use it without getting smoke, and can't wait most of a year to fix it.  It may be, like mine, that it's gotten to the point where it's smoking. We've switched off the heat for the summer, but it was cold this morning and my husband turned on the oven to warm up the kitchen. That eventually set off the smoke alarm - which woke me up. I'll be cleaning the oven today. :) 

But at age 70, there could well be physical limitations that make getting down on hands and knees and scrubbing it impractical. My mom, in her 70's, has had knee operations and isn't supposed to be on her knees at all.  I can understand how, to a 70 year old, cleaning an oven might be the same as running a half marathon would be to me at the moment. Doable maybe? but not something I'd really consider because I'd be in severe pain for days afterwards.

This, true.  I am supposed to kneel as little as possible, for as short a time as possible, osteoarthritis in both knees.  I have a self-cleaning oven that also sets off the smoke detector, so it gets cleaned spring and fall, when I can turn of the smoke detector and open lots of windows.

[Zoot]

I can understand the oven problem. It may not be that it's "embarrassingly dirty." Embarrassingly dirty could be code for she can't use it without getting smoke, and can't wait most of a year to fix it.  It may be, like mine, that it's gotten to the point where it's smoking. We've switched off the heat for the summer, but it was cold this morning and my husband turned on the oven to warm up the kitchen. That eventually set off the smoke alarm - which woke me up. I'll be cleaning the oven today. :) 

But at age 70, there could well be physical limitations that make getting down on hands and knees and scrubbing it impractical. My mom, in her 70's, has had knee operations and isn't supposed to be on her knees at all.  I can understand how, to a 70 year old, cleaning an oven might be the same as running a half marathon would be to me at the moment. Doable maybe? but not something I'd really consider because I'd be in severe pain for days afterwards.

Your giving her the benefit of the doubt speaks well of you.  :) 

In this case, though, there's no real problem with the oven--she barely uses it, and when we were visiting late last year I didn't see any real issues with it; it was mildly in need of a clean, but nothing horrible or dangerous.  I think it's may just be a bit of germ-o-phobia; she once threw out most of an entire package of perfectly good disposable cups that she brought with her to a stay in a vacation property because she was concerned about taking them back home with her because they had been "exposed" (i.e. the package had been sitting open in the kitchen of the rental for a few days).

Mobility issues are a distant "maybe"; she's fairly active and gets up and down stairs well in her condo, and sits on the floor to play with her grandchildren, but I can see that bending over for a long period of time might be a challenge. 

Even if these things were issues, though, I'm just mystified at the whole idea of replacing the oven because it's dirty--she could pay a maid service $50 or $100 or whatever a single visit would be and get the oven cleaned, instead of spending many times that on a new oven.   There's no hoarding issue where she would be embarrassed about someone coming to the condo; it's immaculate and well-cared-for.  So I'm still in "mind boggled" mode over it.  ;-)

Edited to add:  maybe she just wants a new oven because she just wants a new oven.  :) 

[RetiredAt63]

Your giving her the benefit of the doubt speaks well of you.  :) 

Thank you.

Edited to add:  maybe she just wants a new oven because she just wants a new oven.  :)

Maybe there is something about it she doesn't like, but can't really articulate what it is she doesn't like.  This may be her way to fix that. 

[Dicey]

You can also buy an ice maker that isn't connected to a fridge... I think I saw some for about 150.
Which... I'd rather that than add a part to my fridge  that, according to EEVRY repair person I've spoken to, is flimsy and breaks more than anything else ever.

Ok, I'd rather use trays and buy bags of ice for parties if needed. But. Yknow.

We have a small stand alone icemaker for use in our RV.  My wife is an ice junkie, seriously. I could give a rat's ass if the the last cube on the planet melted yesterday. We have this little monument to consumerism for  two reasons. First, the RV freezer is small, so it's ice cube tray production or use the space for the normal freezer goods, not both. Second, we were at an RV show and they had a deal, with the $150 machine marked down to $99, then another 50% off.  That said, the thing makes ridiculously poor quality ice. The process involves spraying water on to the ceiling of the unit where it clings to small stainless steel probes. These freeze and provide a hollow bullet shaped "cube". The machine has to heat the probes to release the cubes. The finished product is soft, air filled, and barely at freezing. Useless as tits on a mule, IMHO.  The wife loves it :)

We have one, too. DH got a similar deal when he had an RV. When we sold the RV, we hung on to the ice machine. It's fast and it makes great ice. It's nice for parties. Our fridge is counter depth and only has an internal icemaker (by choice). The ice storage capacity is rather small, so having an ice machine available for back-up is pretty handy. Stupidly luxurious, but handy.

[NorthernDreamer]

My SIL (my brother's wife) is pregnant with baby #2, the opposite gender of their first. I texted her today offering some hand me downs (including a Gap down-filled snow suit, Sorel boots, etc) and she declined. It just blows my mind. I would have loved to get hand me downs. It's not because they don't have space to store it. They just like new things, or are very particular with "style". Oh well, looks like I'll make a few extra dollars selling them online!

[Kitsune]

My SIL (my brother's wife) is pregnant with baby #2, the opposite gender of their first. I texted her today offering some hand me downs (including a Gap down-filled snow suit, Sorel boots, etc) and she declined. It just blows my mind. I would have loved to get hand me downs. It's not because they don't have space to store it. They just like new things, or are very particular with "style". Oh well, looks like I'll make a few extra dollars selling them online!

... I'm assuming it's not that they were smart and bought mostly gender-neutral stuff for their first, huh? Cause that's what we did, and then turned down hand-me-downs for our second, because almost all the baby clothes and all the big-ticket items (snow suits, boots, shoes, jeans) are gender-neutral enough to suit either kid. As long as the sizes line up with the seasons, we're all set.

But the people who buy everything pink and then RE-buy?? I don't get it. I don't.

Then again, my son is currently wearing a hand-me-down pink nightgown, because it makes nighttime diaper changes easier and also who cares, it's a nightgown. So...