Although it’s a bit like programming a nuclear device, it works very well and looks hella sharp. Hanging the thing was quite possibly the worst thing I will ever do, especially since I don’t have to physically go through child birth.

Since our existing cabinet hung too low, we had to replace it with something more appropriate in size. We found an unstained cabinet at the Home Depot that looked very similar. The next step was to find some stain that matched. Since the polyurethane on our existing cabinets had yellowed with age, this didn’t turn out to be as easy as picking up a premixed can from the hardware store. We ended up going to a local paint and stain place and have them try to match the stain. It didn’t turn out perfect, but the average person probably wouldn’t notice unless we pointed it out to them.

Wanda did the staining (sweet), and once it dried our next step was to hang it. Before we could do so, I needed to install a new outlet in the upper cupboard, since the new microwave required the power cord be installed up through the bottom. The outlet turned out well, although I mismeasured where the hole should have been in the cupboard. Fortunately, it still lined up enough to work well.

Once the cupboard was hung and the outlet was installed, it was time to hang the microwave. Long story short – after messing around with paper templates, brackets, stripped and inadequate screws, misaligned holes, and instructions that seemed to be poorly translated to English, we finally got it hung. It looks very nice, and works even better. It was well worth the trouble.

We went back to Home Depot. They had some really swank models with Honda and even Subaru engines. Unfortunately, they cost a bit more than we wanted to spend. So we went to Sears to check out their selection. We ended up buying a 2550 psi Craftsman with a 6.75 HP Briggs and Stratton engine. We got a great deal on it because it was a return. It turned out to be a very sweet choice. It had all the features we wanted, excellent power, and was easy to use. After having used a gas-powered model, the electric ones clearly suck in comparison. This thing cleans the wood at a fraction of the time! Our lawnmower is also a Craftsman. So far we’ve gotten very decent value and service from Sears.

Lesson learned: Electric pressure washers suck. Pay more for gas.

Although it was a fair amount more than we were hoping to spend, we found a perfect set at Van Vreedes in Appleton, which is where we originally bought our couch set. It helped that they gave us a roughly a 12% discount for paying cash. We ended up getting a TV center, two end tables, and some lamps that matched very nicely. Although we fell in love with a
couch table they also had, we didn’t feel we could afford it at this time. We didn’t buy the coffee table because we felt it would leave the room too cluttered.

So we’re excited to get our new furniture. Hopefully our living room won’t feel so empty now.

• Link: Get Ready for Fall