Money Pit

Have you ever seen the movie The Money Pit, with Tom Hanks and Shelley Long?  If you own a home it's a must-see.  It's about this newly married couple who buy this big old house that they think will be wonderful and an investment and instead turns out to need a million repairs.  So they make all of these repairs, resulting in many hilarious situations and the end of their marriage.

I've been thinking about this movie a lot today.

Not that our house (or my marriage) is falling apart.  But all of our appliances seem to be dying off, one by one.  Let's review what we've replaced in the last few months:

1. Washing machine (although, in all fairness, we brought that to the house)
2. Sewer pump
3. Water softener

And now we get to add a number four: Water heater.

Yes, we were informed today that our water heater is slowly dying.  While I appreciate the fact that we still have hot water, I do not appreciate the timing.  Sheesh.  The plumber (who now recognizes my name and number - is that a bad thing?) was impressed with our current water heater.  But not in a good way.  Apparently the last homeowners put in the cheapest, worst water heater ever.  The plumber was impressed that it had lasted as long as it did.

This kills me.  It makes me mad at the last homeowners.  I know it's not really their fault, but come on!  When Lance and I buy stuff like that we try to get a good deal, but we also don't buy junk.  We try to get quality that will actually last. We are slowly learning that this last couple did not share this same concept.  The basement appliances were all cheap and stupid; the plumbing was done in an odd way; and the paint on the walls?  Don't get me started.  (It's all builder's grade and needs to be redone.  Yesterday.)  Oh, and the kitchen counters?  Awful.  I keep dreaming of getting them replaced, but all of my counter money is going to boring things like water heaters.

Oh, and the appliances that all seem to be really nice and they probably paid a lot of money for?  I hate them.  The fridge looks fine, but is terrible inside; it barely holds anything.  And anytime you put anything on the stove it leaves a black mark.  (Even when just boiling water!)  And the dishwasher?  Not so great. It's noisy and Cole keeps picking the buttons off.  Why couldn't those have been the appliances that died?  They'll probably be the ones that last forever and I'll never have an excuse to replace them.

Well, regardless of how much I dislike my kitchen appliance, I am calling a moratorium on all appliance deaths.  No more!  Our budget cannot handle it!  We would like at least three months inbetween major unexpected expenses!  No more, I say!  No more.