HB to US

Thank you. It has been:) Went Sat and picked out a stove, dishwasher, and fridge (ours have major issues all at the same time!) Got a full fridge and a full freezer--different rooms so color matching isn't a issue as I did NOT want stainless steel--I'm not an institution or restaurant for stainless steel--personal preference. Now I only have to find a countertop microwave. Have one above the stove but lifting is a problem....so it is outta here and is replaced by a NICE size vent. Our bank LOVES us. this is the first time we put all our business to Sears....sure hope it's worth it..as we don't shop there very often. (I don't shop very often anyway---my fellas did the legwork ahead of time and Sears had the 'best deal' ) Told the fellas I NEED to start sewing as this shopping thing is getting to me.........stopped at Hancock's ((ON Topic)) but they were CLOSED by 6:15 on a Sat nite and they were a BIG store! Strange!!!!!!!!!

Butterfly (Butterfly For President)

What fun B'fly. I would leave the microwave over the stove. Even though you can't reach it the guys can and it makes for great backup on those 'all you can eat' left-over dinner nights and holidays. I'm with you on the stainless but ds left a nearly new stainless fridge here. It is an eyesore but since I am cheap we left it. Keeping that stuff un-smudged is a pain. YOu better stay in this house a good while to enjoy all your work! Taria

Butterflyw> Thank you. It has been:)

We would have but the 'buttons' aren't working very well and more importantly we need a much bigger and better fan now that 'odors' trigger DH's asthma since he came down with Valley Fever. So it's a trade-off...keeps him healthier and I don't have to 'holler for help'. Yes, they do come, but I like the independence. I can see why you're keeping the stainless steel, new and works, I would too. We hadn't planned on NEW but we don't have much choice.

I had a problem too with the planned microwave location. One upper cabinet has a special shelf beneath for the MW but it was too high for me to safely manage. Somehow (?) it is a wonderful location for delirious plants. No idea why, but I'm forever having to cut them back to keep them out of the toaster. I'm not a member of the stainless steel appliances fan club either. The butler was constantly complaining about having to polish them. He's just such a whiney-pot. Polly

Agree with you about the stainless steel - cousin had a stainless steel washer and dryer next to each other (same make, bought at same time) and they were slightly different colours.

All microwaves are countertop here - unless they are fitted into a cabinet like an oven. No over the stove ones available at all - think they must be banned. I presume its because of the safety angle (everything in UK is Health and Safety!). I wouldn't want to be lifting hot things down from a height and I'm tall. I'm changing to a really strong extractor for over the stove that actually vents to the outside - present one is one with filters that recirculates - useless.

My microwave is a Panasonic with lots of cooking options - Microwave, convection, combination of the two. Wonderful, it actually browns things like baked potatoes, and pizzas, and is better than my big oven for pizzas and bought quiches. I always microwave vegetables.

We are in the process of kitchen re-jigging. Our kitchen was installed by last owners and as we moved in so all the built in appliances died. We replaced with freestanding so replacement will be easy in the future. Also found that the built in appliances are smaller than freestanding, and I wanted big. Its only a small kitchen so every inch counts. Having a big sink instead of the tiddly little two bowl fashionable one(!) getting rid of the waste disposer which smells in the summer, moving the water softener (a necessity in this very hard water area) to under the sink where the disposer was (modern ones are much smaller), and this will free up a really big cupboard. Yippee!

99% of shops here close at 5.30 - even the big stores - called at a kitchen place on Saturday but found it closed at 4.00!!

And I just found out that most of the Hancocks here in the Valley are closing. :( Evidently only the one in Mesa will be staying around. Even the Bernina Connection department didn't know until it was announced. (BC has a "booth" area in the 19th Ave and Dunlap store... they are now looking for a location on the west-central area for their customers)

Pati, in Phx

Butterflywings wrote: ........stopped at

Oh no! Any word on how extensive the closings will be?? KJ

I just did a Google and it appears they closed 50 stores last year and announced today that they will close 30 more. Do you think we're in danger of only having TSWLTH as our only option in local markets? Oh dear. KJ

Most of our Hancocks have been gone for a long time. There is only one in a

50 mi radius that I know of.

Howdy!

Only TSWLTH? I don't think so.

Here's the news item about Hancock's:

JoAnn's closed Arlington's 2 crummy stores last year, located in 2 old, worn out shopping centers in not-so-great parts of town. They opened a HUGE new JoAnns in a new shopping center (next to a major highway) that is always busy, unlike the 2 old stores which were limping along. The new store looks remarkably like the new Michael's craft stores that have opened in the area , and they have more than 2 people in the fabric dept. at all times. Don't know how long that will last but it indicates they're willing to invest in the business. Hancock's did the same thing a couple of years ago, dumping the old, ugly, worn out stores/shopping centers for a new location w/ a pretty, new, well-lighted store. Too many over-priced cheap furnishing for sale but the fabric selection is bigger. And there are more people staffing the store.

R/Sandy

Would that be the one in Tacoma on 38th? If so, it's not even worth going to. Blech.

Jenn in Tacoma

Yes, that's the one. And although for quilt fabric, I agree with your assessment, upholstery and garment fabrics can be found if you're willing to spend the time looking.