Oh wow...some old friends! I remember you guys from my kitchen reno days. rhome, weren't you also considering getting your fp oven painted? I never did it, did you? And man, a family of 10...that's a tough one to manage with no washer. My old washer died and I had to go a week and a half. Didn't think I'd survive, and I'm only a family of 6. I got my W/D from a local appliance store and luckily, they had them in stock. I shopped around but kept coming back to the FP. Since I have all FP appliances in my kitchen and love them, it wasn't a hard sell :) The appliance store was quite a bit higher than Gochnauer's online, so I asked if they would price match. They told me that they couldn't match G's price as it was below MSRP or whatever that's called. I was just ready to order from G's, even though I really wanted the WD immediately, when I got a call from the app. store. They came way down on the price and threw in a 10-year parts and labor warranty (FP was already offering a 10-year motor warranty but the store made it all parts and labor). Sold! Every now and then I do a load that doesn't seem to get as clean as in my old KA top loader (spots, grass stains still there). It's probably user error or I'll have to get used to soaking or spot treating, which I didn't have to do before. I also hate the HE detergent I bought (Kirkland perfume- and dye-free liquid). It's a pain in the rear--hate the little spigot, the stuff turns to thick waxy goo in the cup and builds up, and it's messy. Plus, my clothes don't smell good. I used perfume-free detergent before I got the new washer but it still seemed like my clothes had a good clean smell after laundering. Now, they don't smell like anything, which isn't really bad but I'm not used to it. It makes me wonder whether or not they're really clean. Anyway, if you have any suggestions on detergent, I'd love to hear them. I love using the washer, though, and how easy it is to keep clean with no dials to wipe around. I love not having the agitator, too! It took me some time to get used to the idea that I didn't have to select the load size--the washer figures that out all by itself! I was a little disappointed in the Fast Spin, since I expected it to cut the drying time way down, but my clothes seem to be about like they were after the spin cycle in my old washer (not almost dry like I expected). I think it's cool that you can remove the lids so easily, though I can't think of any real reason to do so :) The dryer is my favorite! How wonderful and clever to have a lint bucket that doesn't have to be cleaned after every load and doesn't impede the drying ability even when full. Love the top-load feature. Love the sensor. I think the only major appliance I own that isn't an FP is my mw. If FP starts marketing those, I imagine I'll have to get one.

Here are my last tips for this first week of November. The tips y'all have shared are just great. Thanks for contributing. This tip for storing berries is wonderful. When get home from the grocery store, immediately rinse blueberries, strawberries and raspberries in hot water, drain and put in a glass jar when dry. Instead of a 24 hour life they can go almost a week with their flavor, texture and appearance intact. They'll keep as long as a week; it's amazing, but they last. Harold McGee To keep grapes juicy, plump, and tasty for at least twice as long do the following: As soon as you get them home from the store remove them all from the stems, wash thoroughly, and seal in a plastic container. The grapes will last for several weeks without any loss of taste or texture. Silpat Cooking Mat -use it for forming dough on, instead of a floured counter or a bread board. As long as you handle the dough with oiled hands, no bench flour is necessary and clean-up is q & e. -pour that holiday peanut brittle on it and it doesn't stick. Great for making small rounds of peanut brittle. -line a jelly roll pan with a Silpat and bake meatballs or sausage balls on it. The grease wipes off and the meatballs don't stick. Take an ear of corn and stick it into the hole of a Bundt pan, then slice the corn off into the pan. Never put tomatoes in the same drawer with your other produce. It gives off a gas that makes produce ripen too fast. If you use non-stick frying pans, never use Pam type sprays on them. The propellent eats into the coatings and ruins them. Instead, add a drop of oil and use a brush to spread it around. Microwave sliced fresh mushrooms on paper towels just until they give up their water then squeeze them just a little. Then fry them in butter and they brown nicely and quickly without that moisture you always get in the frying pan. Whenever you need oat flour, you can make your own by blending oatmeal into a fine powder in your blender or food processor. It takes approximately 1-1/2 c. of oatmeal to make about 1-cup oat flour. After buttering the bread for grilled cheese sandwiches, press the buttered side into some grated parmigiano or pecorino before grilling. It totally adds to the texture and flavor. Crispy cheesy salty bread. If you want the yolks of your deviled eggs to be perfectly centered, stir the pot a few times in the first moments they are beginning to simmer. Purchase a whole bone-in rib roast when it goes on sale the day after Thanksgiving for an obscenely cheap price. Then it can be butchered into a Christmas rib roast, several steaks, have bones for beef stock, and scraps for grinding meat. Greens - The grit problem was brilliantly solved by the Mississippi Delta Chinese families. Put greens of any kind into a net bag like stockings are washed in and put it in the washing machine for a quick rinse in cold water and a spin. Works great.

I hope you're not talking about me. I don't take online things personally, nor did I actually think of this conversation as critical. Not many of us do here. I find when someone's newly online, they don't realize people take things in the emotion they themselves are currently experiencing. Not necessarily as intended, but don't sweat it. I'm a 2-decade, online pro. :) Re: fire. as much as I hate this expression, "It is what it is." But I'm compelled to add "it's what you do with 'it' that makes a difference." Our fire started with the water softener shorting out, which burned down into the walls. Ironically, the subsequent electrical system I endured for 5 years were extension cords strung through the house, poked through the exterior wall into the garage, where they were juryrigged directly to the breakers. Yes, ex-DH, that was such a great idea. But one cord did run the 220v space heater that warmed my sorry butt for 6 years. Until I got my solar grants and put HVAC into the house. Go figure. I'm sure this explains my done once done right philosophy. We're straying, but that's what these threads are about. T_G, what's the name of your paint color? LOVE it. I'm thinking my future sun porch might need to be that color.

I would suggest yes it's too optimistic. They have large thin leaves that transpire a lot of water in sun, and on a hot day they go limp, not attractive to my eye. If they aren't given enough water, the leaves of big-leaf hydrangeas (H. macrophylla) brown around the edges, but they don't like soggy soil. So it's easiest to give them afternoon shade and morning sun which allows them enough sun to bloom but is less stressful a growing situation. Be aware that as far as I can tell, the Cityline Hydrangeas only bloom on the previous year's wood, so if there's a harsh winter or a late frost, they won't bloom at all for that year unless you have protected them. Someone may correct me as to whether they bloom on current year wood, but usually when they do, it is well-advertised, and since I haven't seen any references to reblooming, I've avoided this series since I always lose the previous year's growth.