Broken Water Pik

Day 319: Broken Water Pik

The stuff project has made me suspicious of single-purpose appliances, especially ones that use an external power source and that have a perfectly sensible alternative. In June, I was sorely tempted to use part of the Sur la Table birthday gift certificate from my parents to purchase a machine that turns tap water into soda. I used all my self-control to focus on cooking classes, an excellent non-stick frying pan and a couple of really good knives instead. Iced tea is a perfectly good cold beverage, and if I really want soda, I can just buy a bottle (and recycle it when it's empty). This way, I won't be giving away a soda machine in a couple of years, and I can cut a tomato without losing the seeds.

Over the years, we've resisted the urge to buy gas powered yard equipment. We've turned up our noses at our neighbors' power mowers and leaf blowers, with their stink of gas, noisiness and lack of personal grit. Working up a sweat while doing yard work is healthier, more environmentally friendly and provides visible evidence of our moral superiority.

Our days of moral rectitude are over. Rich went out earlier this season and bought a bright red 21 inch Toro snowblower with a 35-foot throwing capacity, a four horsepower engine and the capacity to clear nine inches of snowfall in an eight-car driveway. Woohoo! Yesterday, twelve inches of snow fell, and he and I each spent about a half-hour removing 100% of the snow from our driveway and sidewalks, including the entire driveway apron. In past years, all four of us would have spent a good four hours clearing off the snow - or more likely, two of us would have spent seven hours, and two of us would have spent an hour each, max - and we still would have had to catapult the snow mountain at the base of the driveway like Tough Mudders climbing a greased wall.

Yes, it was loud and it stank. But it was fun, and it was fast. Me and my Fusion slid out of the driveway this morning like butter.

Go power tools!

We may just stay in Michigan after all.