So, the week leading up to the 4th of July, I took a nice little vacation…okay, I didn’t go anywhere, so it’s what they call a “STAY-cation” these days. Sorry…that phrase is way over-used…maybe we should start calling it a BROKE-ation. Anyway, golf was played, meats were grilled, wine was consumed, and chores were done…mostly. While attempting to wash a load of clothes, the machine decided it didn’t want to release the dirty water back to the wild. What was wrong? Apparently, a thingamajigger inside the whatsyhoosit went kerflooey. Yeah…see, it’s that kind of mechanical knowledge that convinced me YEARS ago to ALWAYS get the extended warranty when I buy an appliance. I don’t even wait for them to ask me anymore. I say, “I’ll buy that, in white, with the extended warranty.” The warranty was an extra $110…the guy who came out to tell me what was wrong said the part would be $95…it would’ve cost me $75 just to have him walk through my door…and then there’s the labor to actually put the part in. The warranty has paid for itself! And we’ve used the warranties numerous times on our dishwasher and refrigerator. Whatever happened to building things that last? My parents’ house was built in the ’50’s. The oven & stove that were originally installed were still in working order when we had to sell the house after my mom passed away a couple years ago. Yeah…those appliances were more than SIXTY years old! Now I can’t get a washer that’ll last more than 2 years (and it wasn’t a cheap washer either). So, remember…when you buy ANY appliance ALWAYS get the extended warranty!