IT HAD A HELL OF A RUN...

Suzan, at Old Grey Mare, is doing a once-a-month, bit on recycling ideas and I wanted to play along last week, but had nothing.  While this doesn't exactly fit the grand ideas she is trying to instill, and should certainly NEVER be tried at home, I did want to share the extended life and, sadly, the demise of one of my favorite appliances.  My 4-year old hairdryer finally bit the dust.  It actually was on its way out 4 years ago, but I have just been prolonging the inevitable.  And, it didn't technically "die", in that it was still working very well, but the fact that I finally got shocked several times over while holding it in my hand this morning, told me it was time to put it out of it's misery.

This started as a joke around here - I have been accused of filtering through hairdryers and irons like they are going out of style - not true, but "someone" in my house thinks it to be so.  My iron is now going on 2 (TWO)!  This hairdryer was only about 6 months old when it started having "issues".  Not that I can't afford to go purchase a new hairdryer, it was simply a matter of principle at that point, and it was "pointed" at my husband.  Besides, this really WAS a great hairdryer - it still, up until I dropped it in the trash this morning, put out one hell of a jet of heated air.

The automatic sensor button on the back, that keeps it running as long as your hand was on it, was the first thing to go - what ever happened to just good old off/on switches?  I put up with it turning itself off, and moving the switch back in place, for at least a year.  The plastic around the controls had broken off over time, also.

The entire body part started wobbling next - and then it just totally dislodged from the handle - and it was still working!  It was time for drastic, life saving measures.  I took it to the garage and was told, while eyes were a rollin', to "just go buy a new one, would you?!"  "No", I insisted, "this still works just fine, thank you!"  Hubby pulled out a stash of electrical tape and let me go to town.  I chose from one of several colors, taped it back in place, and even added a piece to the switch, so that it would think my hand was on it all the time when it was running, and not shut off.

That was over a year ago.  Then it started spitting fire - in the form of sparks - like a dragon!  Luckily my hair never caught fire, but logic held that I was drying wet hair, so I felt safe enough.  Mysteriously, about 9 months ago, a sticker appeared on the barrel, from one of my husband's job sites.  Yeah, he's a real cut up, he is!  It still did not deter me in my quest to see just how much life was left in this thing, and to make him recant his words regarding my "reckless appliance ways".

This morning, as I started to dry my hair, I felt a small jolt/buzz in my palm.  Thinking it was odd, but not thinking much more, I continued, only to have it do it to me three more times...at which time I convinced myself to unplug it, fast!  If I had actually dried my hand off all the way, after running it through my wet hair, it probably wouldn't have happened, so technically, it's probably my fault as I didn't heed the "Safety First" sticker.  It was just time to throw in the towel and make a new purchase.  Four years on a $15.00 investment - not a bad return, I would say!