Craigslist Find of the Century!

So.  Several months ago the element in our bargain-basement, bottom-of-the-line circa 1975 oven went out.  This puppy was old and sad and banana yellow and so cheap it didn't even have a window in the door.  Even in this proud moment where we painted the walls and put in new counter tops:

So...bisque.  Also, it was electric.  With one large burner.  You could grow old before your pasta water came to a boil.

So.  Oven dies.  The manfriend and I talk it over and decide to start the Craigslist hunt for a new one.  Manfriend would like a Garland.  Retailing at a cool $6000, and beloved by chefs everywhere from Julia Child on up.  We both opine that a Viking would do.  Those only retail for $5000.  Y'know.  Like you do.

I noodle on Craigslist for a couple weeks.  Nothing even remotely decent comes up.  The mother-in-law starts sending me pictures of new stoves from appliance stores.  But of course, new stoves look flashy and still cost an arm and a leg.  Sigh.  We will never find the perfect thing.

One day apropos of nothing, I'm surfing on Craigslist for something for work.  I decide to just type in "gas range" and see.  VIKING STOVE $300??!?  WHAAA?

TRUTH.  Observe:

OMGEEZY!

I have no idea why this lady was selling this for $300.  I have no idea how I got so lucky to be the first person to email her.  I have no idea why she still let me pay $300 even though other people were offering $600.  All I know is that we won the stove lottery and that lady is rad. 

This beaut probably could have sold on Craigslist for $3000.  It was the perfect size, didn't need to change the cabinets a bit.  We got an online permit (thank you City of Seattle for being tech savvy), the husband did the gas plumbing in a cold, furnace-less weekend while I was out of town (thank you husband for being so handy!) and it was a done deal.

One burner has an ignition clicker that will stick occasionally.  The oven knob needs to be fixed.  But you can have hot tea in 30 seconds, there is a window in the door, multiple burners are strong enough to burn your eyebrows off with, there is even convection!  Not to mention, NO BANANA.

Shall we do a before and after??  Oh yes please. 

Before:

And after:

The legit-ness of our kitchen just went up a billion percent.  Thank you Craigslist gods!  Anyone else have any good finds lately??

The Effervescence of Spring!

I know I do a "spring has sprung!" post every year but every year in Seattle the spring is surprising.  After the long wet doldrums of January and February, that first sunny day with bright yellow daffodils and coral-pink tulips is a shock to the system.  

 

I'm sure everyone on my Instagram feed is sick to death of my cherry blossom photos but I just can't get over them.  Ever.

They are so..exuberant!  The ones on the University of Washington campus are fairly famous, for good reason:

It's a giant crowded party under the trees, but I don't begrudge anyone this little slice of paradise.  I prefer Green Lake myself:

White ones:

And pink ones:

And tulip trees:

Ahhh spring, I'm so glad you're here!

Seattle had a few sunny days last week, which I tried to take full advantage of.  One day I went on a midday run with some friends down to the Seattle Sculpture Park.

So glorious.  That's water in the background and mountains behind that.  Moments like that make me think "I actually get to LIVE here!"  Yay!

Easter was another gloriously sunny day.  Easter gets a separate post because the photos are so amazing.  The Easter Bunny really outdid himself this year, so here's just a little teaser:

 Hope your spring is being glorious wherever you are.