As many of you know, I love baking. There was always something sweet in the house when I was growing up and as an adult I keep a similar household. If we finish a batch of cookies or a pan of bars, Rick will comment, "There's nothing sweet in the house." I have him trained. My co-workers reap the benefits as well; I take goodies in at least once a month, whether they're something I made for a special occasion (like advancement meetings last month) or if there's too much of something for Rick and I to finish on our own. Sometimes I bake standard favorites, but just as often I try a new recipe. I love baking. I can't say the same for cooking, but baking has always been one of my first loves and favorite hobbies.
Years ago ,before either of us were married, my sister called and excitedly said she had great news. "What is one of the best reasons to get married?" she asked. Without hesitation I said, "To get a KitchenAid mixer!" She had gotten one from her mother-in-law, and I also didn't have to wait for marriage for my beautiful mixer. Mine was a Christmas gift from my parents the year I moved back from Hawaii. It's beautiful: silver in color with a tilt head (which I find superior to the drop bowl model) and a handle on the stainless steel bowl. It makes my kitchen feel homey sitting on the counter top, and our dog gets excited any time I turn it on. As sad as it is to love an inanimate object and value your possessions, my KitchenAid mixer is by far my favorite appliance.
Last year, I noticed that my mixer was leaking oil near the head. My mom and grandma, both who have had their KitchenAid mixers for over 25 years, said they couldn't remember theirs ever leaking oil. Since my mixer is less than 5 years old, I called the company and asked if this was a problem. Last year when I called, they said that as long as it had leaked less than a quarter of a cup it wasn't a problem. But it kept leaking. Not so much as to taint anything I was baking, but enough that I needed to wipe the gear head off before every use. Lately it seems to have gotten worse.
I called KitchenAid yesterday and the representative asked me how often I used the mixer. I replied, not much, maybe once a week or once every other week. She responded by telling me that this was a lot of use and the typical user may use their mixer once a month. Huh. I thought that my mixer was neglected because I don't use it every week. The representative said I could ship the unit to Ohio and then they would take a look at it; shipping and looking at the mixer would cost $60, and whatever they found wrong with it would be added to that price. I asked for a local vendor and was given a repair facility in Des Moines. Excellent. I gave them a call and it seemed like a pretty relaxed place and seemed to know exactly what the problem was with me describing the issue and it would cost about $50 to repair. Excellent. I had an incident with a computer hinge a few years ago that cost almost as much as a new laptop to repair, so I just went for a new computer. I'm hoping this is an easy fix.
Today I dropped off my mixer. I had some difficulty finding the place (in fact, I walked into the place saying I was lost and asking for directions, but luckily I had arrived), and it was not at all what I expected to find in a repair facility associated with such a reputable company. I brought in my mixer, set it on the folding table they had set up in what was otherwise essentially a garage-looking warehouse, and wrote my name and phone number on a blank piece of paper that the gentleman folded and put it in his pocket. I commented on the fact that I had difficulty finding the place and he noted that their sign had blown down, but I still wondered why there wasn't any identification on the door. As I write this, I'm thinking that maybe I left it with some random man in a random building and I may never see it again. I did see a shelf with half a dozen KitchenAid mixers and the man quoted me the same price he had on the phone and that it would be just a few days, so I'm sure it's legitimate.
As I drove away from that shady establishment, I felt a little sad and a little guilty that I left my mixer there. When I got home, the bare spot on the counter looked bigger than it should. The bowl sits in the corner, small and lonely, and I have a strange urge to bake something now that the mixer is gone. If this is how I feel when I take my mixer to get repaired, I can't imagine the wreck I will be as I drop my kid off at day care.
I hope it's an easy fix. Otherwise, I may have to invest in the professional model with a higher wattage. Who knew my hobby might warrant a professional model. I also hope it's done before the weekend... the pumpkin cookies are going quickly and I'll need to make something else sweet.
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