I spent a lot of time in the kitchen, although less time than I used to, back in the days when the kids were in school and it felt like at least fifty percent of my one wild and precious life was spent procuring, preparing, and cleaning up after said procurement and preparation of food.
It’s not fifty percent in this season of life, but it’s still a hefty chunk of the day, and it’s because of this that I am a devotee of small kitchen appliances. As it should be abundantly clear by now, the coffee maker is the number one small appliance in my house – let’s not have a murder! – and the Vitamix, used multiple times a day by multiple people, is a close second. Tied for third are my stand mixer and air fryer, the latter being a dark horse. I did not expect such an item to take a place of importance in my life, but here we are. The last in this list is my food processor, which gets used three or four times a month, and of which I have burned through several over the past fifteen years or so. What can I say, I used to test a lot of recipes for YMC, RIP all my recipes.
If you have been keeping track, you will no doubt remember the Vitamix debacle of last June, which was resolved much more happily than anyone, least of all me, expected. And of course we all know about my recent coffee maker woes, which have also been happily resolved, luckily for my family and anyone who comes into contact with me. We also all know that things happen in threes, and so it should not surprise anyone that another one, as they say, bit the dust, and that one was the stand mixer.
Now listen. This is only a minor grievance. This run of small appliance deaths is not, truly, a tragedy. It’s not even tragedy-adjacent. It’s not like having one of the big three – fridge, stove, washing machine – die. It’s a mild inconvenience at worst.
Deep down, I knew it was coming. I have had this mixer at least since the kids were in early elementary school, possibly even preschool. I have put it through its paces at least twice a week for fifteen years or more. And three or four weeks ago, as I was mixing up some banana muffins, I heard a little snap.
Well, a broken whisk isn’t the end of the world, is it? I figured I could probably buy a new attachment, if indeed this model of stand mixer still exists. In any case, it still worked. Maybe not as efficiently as before the whisk snapped, but it still got the job done.
Then, last week, I was AGAIN making banana muffins with the broken whisk attachment, and when I unplugged the mixer the electric ground stayed behind in the plug outlet. I stared at it for a few minutes, looked at the broken plug in my hand, and then stared into space. Yikes! I might be able to work with a semi-broken attachment, but I am not willing to get electrocuted. My husband suggested getting the plug replaced, but I felt that was only a delay of the inevitable.
Well, as he said last year at this time, when I had the Great Closet Crisis of 2024, it is the best time for something like this to happen. I have said it before and I will say it again: it is WEIRD that Black Friday is a thing in Canada. Do not get me wrong, I am also HAPPY that Black Friday is a thing in Canada, but it’s still weird. Weirder still is that Black Friday is now code for “the entire month of November.” Soon it will be Black Friday on the day after Canadian Thanksgiving. And then it will be Black Friday In July, and after that it will just be Black Friday every day of the year. If every day is Black Friday, then is any day Black Friday? It’s a question for the shopping philosophers.
Weird or not, I gratefully purchased myself a discounted stand mixer, which arrived on Saturday, with plenty of time for holiday baking. That hasn’t been started yet, because there was a bigger project this weekend at the Boyhouse.
The tree is up! The season has shifted to full-on festive, and it’s all holiday music, all the time around here.
Weekly Reading
I have had no fewer than twelve library books out over the past couple of weeks. Every time I take some back, more holds have arrived. But I’m diligently working on the stack!
It’s A Love Story. This book is about the stories we tell ourselves ABOUT ourselves, and how we let those stories define us, for better or worse. There are some nice themes about family and open and honest communication, and about self-fulfilling prophecies, but it took me about a quarter of the book to get invested. I found the main character hard to like, but there was a nice redemption arc and, as it should, everything works out nicely in the end.
The Enchanted April. What a charming, delightful book! This book, written post-WWI, follows four women from London who rent an Italian castle for the month of April. The women are mostly unknown to each other, and seem to be unsuitable companions, but everything works out in the most charming way. This book was written in 1922 and spurred a tourism craze to the Italy! Many thanks to my friend Pearl for the recommendation (HI PEARL).
Everyone Is Lying To You. Thrillers aren’t my usual thing, but I enjoyed this page-turner about a tradwife, homesteading influencer whose husband is brutally murdered. Who did it and why? It’s a compelling story about a very weird side of the internet. It’s also an interesting commentary on the idea of comparing your life to those of influencers, and what really goes on behind the scenes. A good November diversion!
Here we are in the very last week of November! Where did the month go? I hope you all had a lovely weekend and are feeling less salty than Rexie, who isn’t a fan of having his bed moved, even if the “moving” is a total of three feet away. xo
Poor Rex, having to move his home a few feet away. How very dare you, Nicole! 😉 I love his festive kerchief, though!
RIP to your mixer! I am relieved it died when you can get a good deal on a new one. Buying a new one was certainly the right choice v replacing the plug. That is just a bridge too far! And think of the cost per use for that dang thing – it’s pennies probably! I agree on the whole Black Friday thing, though. It just keeps inching further and further back. I bought some Athleta goods in early November when they had a “Black Friday” sale. It was 11/7. So I guess it’s black November now, and will then be black fall.
I had never heard of that 2nd book but will check it out – it sounds like a delightful read! And how fun that it sparked tourism to Italy! I just finished “Mornings in Jenin” which is a gut punch of a read since it’s about a Palestinian family. And then I thought how it’s just probably conveying the tip of the iceberg of what that population has been through and how there’s no end in sight to the suffering most likely… Now I’m reading a memoir about living with a chronic disease. I am going to need to like borrow one of Paul’s graphic novels after this to lighten things up a bit.
Oooh I want to read Mornings in Jenin – I think I told you about Arabic for Beginners, which I loved. I mean, maybe not yet. Maybe read like a Christmas rom-com or something first!
I also am glad it died now and not, say, in January. I haven’t used it yet but I will soon!
YAY! Your tree is up! And, yes- I keep seeing ads saying “It’s Black Friday!” I guess Black Friday doesn’t mean the day after Thanksgiving anymore??? I’m wondering if anything extra special will happen on that day, as in “Okay, now it’s REALLY Black Friday!” Anyway- I’m glad you got your new mixer! I don’t have a stand mixer- sometimes I want one, but I don’t think I bake enough to justify it, and I don’t know where I would store it. The next month is the main time I’ll really be wishing I had one though.
Ha ha… poor Rex. He’ll be happy when he sees all the presents under the tree for him on CHristmas Day though (I mean… right? He’ll get lots of presents??? He has a stocking, right?!)
Jenny, sorry to horrify and disappoint you, but no! Rex has neither a stocking nor gifts. He has a big basket of toys that he has little-to-no interest in, and his digestive system is wayyyyy too sensitive for any treats that are out of the ordinary. I mean, basically every day is Christmas for Rex so I don’t feel too bad.
Well, it sounds like the mixer had a good run. Thirteen years ago, when my mom was downsizing in order to move West, she gave away her mixer and she mentioned to me that she had just done it while we were visiting her. I went to the secondhand shop where she donated it to see if I could find it because I wanted to have the mixer of my childhood– it was from the 70s and still worked! It had already sold but I wonder if I’d gotten it if it would still work.
Poor Rex, having to endure such disruption. We are going to be home for Christmas this year, which is kind of unusual, and we have some trepidation about the cats and the tree (if we get one). They are a little over a year and a half and still very mischievous. And Willow is an expert climber. Everyone else wants to get one but I just keep picturing the tree overturned and the ornaments all over the floor. We’ve already decided only to use non-breakable ones if we do have a tree.
Oh wow! From the 70s! That reminds me of my MIL’s chest freezer, from 1962 that still works. I mean, it probably uses more electricity than the entire street combined, but still. It works!
POOR REX INDEED. How he suffers!
Having only had dogs, I would be very worried about a tree with cats! But yes, non-breakable ornaments would be the best decision.
HI NICOLE, and thank you for the shoutout about Enchanted April. Unlike you, I try to keep small appliances to a minimum, and apart from my coffee maker and small blender for morning smoothies, my small appliances don’t get much of a work-out. My food processor (mixer? what are they calling them these days?), is ancient and I’ve had it since I got married eons ago. It doesn’t get used very often, it’s also a Braun, I guess I was into a lot of Braun appliances in those days.
My new coffee maker is a Braun, may it last forever!
I mainly use my food processor to make hummus these days, which happens frequently. I use it for other things too, but that’s the main thing.
My daughter and I were just discussing Black Friday yesterday, and she wanted to know what it used to be like, when people would get up super early on the day after Thanksgiving and trample each other for a cabbage patch doll or whatever. Mostly what she wanted to know was whether the deals were REALLY that good, and if she could have saved on important items like makeup and clothing. I told her that I never participated, so I wasn’t sure, but I suspected that mostly it was televisions and things like that, and that stores would bring you in by only have 3 at that price or something. Anyway, we also joked that Black Friday would probably converge with Independence Day sometime soon.
Congratulations on your new mixer! I have never owned a stand mixer. Our blender broke in a very innocuous way a couple of years ago (RIP blender, wedding gift from 1993, sorry we didn’t use you much) and I foolishly thought I could just replace the broken part. NOPE. Same with our Cuisinart (also a wedding gift, also could not get parts for it). This aspect of small appliance ownership has me salty. WHY CAN’T THEY MAKE THE PARTS FOR MY 30+ YEAR OLD MACHINE FOREVER???
We never had Black Friday here until relatively recently, so I would read stories IN THE ACTUAL PAPER about people getting stampeded to death over a big TV or something, and it was all quite wild.
Wait, you’ve never had a stand mixer? And don’t leave me hanging, did you get a new blender???
I thought for sure Rex was exhausted from decorating the entire tree himself, judging by the photo.
I’ve had my fire engine red stand mixer almost forever and now I’m worried. I’ve never heard of either of those malfunctions. I am, however, on my third Cuisinart food processor. It must be all my pesto making and cheese grating. I hate the stuff at the grocery stores.
Hahaha right? He looks EXHAUSTED.
I also have a Cuisinart food processor – all my past ones have been Cuisinart as well, except for one, which I cannot remember the brand. I mainly use it to make hummus, but I have also used it for pesto!
I’m definitely checking out The Enchanted April and the Jo Piazza books! Thanks for the recs.
You’re welcome! I hope you enjoy them!
I can’t believe that I still haven’t gotten around to Enchanted April! Soon!
RIP old stand mixer/welcome new Black Friday stand mixer! Stay strong Rex! Your bed will be back in its rightful place soon enough.
Oooh if you read it let me know what you think! I found it delightful!
Out of the appliances you mentioned, I only own a coffee maker! Well, I do have a small food processor, but it is from the 1980’s and I use it maybe 4 times/year, so it still works. I feel as though I spend 75% of my life in the kitchen, though more so now than when my kids were little, just because we eat healthier now.
My husband is the Black Friday online shopper. I have zero interest in any of it. Unfortunately, that means we have a few useless appliances that he purchased for $10, such as a quesadilla maker.
Bijoux, I had you pegged as a Vitamix gal! I stand corrected!
You’re right, food prep is so time consuming! And I’m trying to imagine a quesadilla maker – I guess it must be a little like a panini press?
I’m an anti smoothie person (I need more fiber and less sugar in my life!), so I don’t use blender type appliances. I know I’m in the minority. Yes, the quesadilla maker is just a mini press. We use it once a year 🙄
Ahh! I understand. Maybe you’d like my smoothie though, it has no added sugar and a ton of fibre – it’s six cups of spinach, a cup of cashew milk, two tbsp almond butter, a sprinkle of cinnamon, and a frozen banana. I guess the banana does have sugar, but I don’t count fruit sugar! Lol!
Well, the bad news is that I can’t eat spinach, almonds, OR cashews due to their high oxalate content. I have a kidney stone and I don’t want it to get larger nor do I want to accumulate anymore. The last 5 years have been rough, finding foods I CAN eat, despite all my health conditions.
Yikes! I’m so sorry! I had no idea. That sounds really hard Bijoux!
Your Christmas tree looks so pretty! And yes I did notice the little gnome happily hanging out with your other ornaments! ❤️But poor Rex does not look happy at all. Even so, he’s the cutest and bestest boy ever! I’m glad you didn’t get electrocuted by your mixer! Yikes!
Hahaha Michelle, ME TOO. My friend Elise (HI ELISE) told me she had the same problem I had with an in-laws’ coffee maker and while she cleaned up the water, SHE GOT ELECTROCUTED! I feel like I’ve had a couple of near misses!
Yes, your gnome has a spot of honour on the tree! Last year he was with Bob Ross. This year he’s with a narwhal and, strangely, Darth Vader.
I have never owned a food processor or an air fryer. I am not fully living the Kitchen Life, I guess.
Our stand mixer died slowly until I started using a hand mixer that I took from my mom’s house and my husband stared on in horror. The stand mixer wasn’t DEAD DEAD, but it was hard to change speeds and the highest speed was not fast enough. He immediately ordered me another stand mixer and now I use it all the time. Cookies are SO EASY now. SO EASY. What a wonder of modernity.
It IS a wonder of modernity! Once you go Stand Mixer, you can never go back.
Hi Rexy!!!! I love your festive bandana!!!!
Okay, obviously Rex doesn’t read your blog comments (or DOES HE?!) but he is so cute I want to fluff his soft fur.
Nicole, I had NO IDEA that a WHISK could BREAK. I am shocked. My stand mixer has been mixing along — with original whisk — since 2009, and it gets a little wobblier and noisier every time I use it. I also think I ruined my food processor with a date pit, but I guess we’ll find out when I try to blend up the gingersnaps for this week’s cheesecake. I do not want to buy a new mixer or a new food processor, but I WILL if I MUST.
Your tree looks so pretty! My tree — which is still safe in its bag in the basement — is causing me extreme angst this year. Or perhaps I should say the cat is giving me extreme tree angst this year.
Suzanne, when he is all trimmed up like this his fur feels like actual velvet. It’s very addicting to pet!
Oooh I wondered about your food processor. I have burned out my fair share of them. We put our appliances through their paces, that’s for sure!!!
I have heard that cats climb up the trees and yikes. The worst that can happen is that Rex’s tail can wag off some of the lower ornaments. We usually make sure the more breakable ones are higher up.
I LOVED The Enchanted April; definitely a feel-good book to rival all feel-good books and now I realllly want to watch the movie!
I really need to buckle down and order some things on my holiday list now that the Black Friday deals are live. I find it all hopelessly confusing. Is this the best deal? Will it go down in price even more? When does Black Friday start? Like you said, it seems to be a month now. Is Cyber Monday still a thing? I want to crawl into a cave and hide out until all the deals are over but I am too frugal for that. Gah! (I don’t know why I find this so stressful, but I do.)
I’m so glad you got a stand mixer replacement!
I have to tell you that my husband read this post and wanted me to tell the readers that Black Friday deals improve the closer you get to Black Friday, and the best deals are ACTUAL Black Friday and Cyber Monday. LET THE RECORD SHOW.
How dare that loyal stand mixer give up mid–banana-muffin?! I need closure – what became of those muffins??
I’ve become so allergic to Black Friday that every “Special Offer!” in my inbox gets deleted on sight. I’m too frugal to start impulse-buying nonsense. But if I actually needed a mixer? Then yes, I’d be combing through every ad like a bargain detective. This round definitely worked in your favour, Nicole!
Catrina, let me set your mind at ease immediately. The muffins were already mixed, I was unplugging it to take off the attachment and remove the bowl (am paranoid about leaving appliances plugged in lest they attack). So the muffins were just fine!
Rex is so cute. Funny how upset he is about his bed moving a few feet. How convenient to have the stand mixer to give up right near Black Friday. I had one for years, it quit, I used a hand mixer for years and finally replaced the big guy a couple of years ago. I do love it however I don’t like how it’s impossible to scrape the sides of the bowl while mixing. Or are the newer ones better??
Well, Pat, I will let you know soon because…my new one has an attachment that also has a spatula side! Supposedly to keep the sides scraped. I will report back after my first use!
Yay new mixer! My Kitchen Aid is the same age as Cooper and going strong (one trip to the small appliance repair store a few years go and 2 new whisks)
Oooh my new one is a Kitchen Aid, may it last just as long!
Things do break down, unfortunately or fortunately because then we have a reason to get an update, newer and better version? I was just telling my portuguese teacher that the blouse I was wearing is 15 years old, still standing strong and too pity to throw it away. But if it breaks…
Your christmas tree looks soooo nice! we will get ours up next week.
Coco, I love when clothes last like that! I have a few pieces that I’ve had for such a long time, it makes it feel worthwhile to spend money on quality.
I’ve had similar issues with my appliances and it always feels sad and like they need replacing right away. My last red Kitchen Aid Mixer lasted more than 18 years and was bought at Linens and Things! Remember that place? Recently the peg fell out where it locks in place and would jump all over the place so it had to go. I bought the exact same one, so I hope it lasts another 18! Also, the Black Friday emails drive me crazy! Way, way too many. I kind of miss when we just had Boxing Day and could watch the Black Friday frenzy go on in only the US.
LINENS AND THINGS!!! Yes I do remember! I also bought a Kitchen Aid, but it’s blue, and I tried it today. Worked like a charm!
Dogs are so funny, the littlest thing out of place and they get funny. I used to spend so much time in the kitchen, but the last time I made a cake was for Ethan’s engagement party. The preparation certainly brought back memories of making lots of dishes for various parties. Congratulations on your new mixer. I can’t remember how old mine is, although I could probably estimate by finding the oldest photo of it. I know my food processor is nearly 28 years old because it was a wedding present. It has got a lot of use, but it is still going strong, altohugh looking a little worse for wear.
28 years old!!! That is super impressive. I just tried out my new mixer this morning, and it worked great! I do bake a lot, although we’ll see what happens when my younger son moves out. Probably I will be baking a lot less!
Yay for Black Friday and a new mixer! I’d argue you’ve gotten enough use out of the old one. Which one did you get? And how did you get the ground out of the outlet?
I am so happy to see your tree is up! I’ll get on that next weekend! I am looking forward to the twinkle lights!
I mean, you’re right. I did get a lot of use out of the last one! I bought a Kitchen Aid and it’s really pretty, as well as functional.
In terms of getting the ground out of the outlet, my husband flipped the braker off and then used a big glove and a pair of pliers to remove it while I stood there, wringing my hands.
I feel like I was meant to find this post tonight! I, too, have had to replace a few small appliances lately (electric kettle, toaster). My daughter and I were making a cookie dough in my stand mixer tonight and, even though the recipe noted it as “thick”, I simply didn’t realize how thick it would be and all of a sudden we smelled burning from the mixer. Sigh, I guess motors only last so long. I’m hoping it rallies for this holiday season and we can replace it sometime in 2026…. Thankfully, as my daughter made sure to validate on multiple taste tests, the cookie dough’s flavor was unaffected, haha!
OH NO. I have had that burning smell before, but in a) food processor and b) Vitamix. You’re right, motors only last for so long (even after you’re gone, you were meant for me and I was meant for youuuuuuu) (sorry singing now)
I don’t know if the Jo Piazza book is something I would enjoy – I’m not much into thrillers – but I did very much enjoy Piazza’s podcast Under the Influence, where she talked about mommy influencers. It was a fascinating deep dive into content creators and what not. Have you listened to it? I’m wondering if the book was inspired by her podcast?
You know what, I have been meaning to listen to that! She is a good podcaster! And this is a perfect time, since so many pods go on hiatus for the holidays. Thanks Diane!
My stand mixer has been going since 2005! Hard to believe it’s been that long. It was the first Christmas in this house- twenty years ago this year. ❤️
I love your tree! We’re putting ours up on ….Black Friday! That’s the only thing we do on that day. 🤣
2005!!! Twenty years! That’s really incredible (what kind do you have?)
KitchenAid. She’s been well-loved. 💜
Yes, the coffee maker is absolutely number #1. I don’t tend to have many small kitchen appliances. I don’t have an air fryer, or a mixer. I only use Immersion blender a few times a year. Though, that may change. Darling Daughter has made a really good soup, that is probably going on my list of regular items. In general I think the older appliances hold up longer then the newer stuff, but sometimes you have to bite the bullet and buy a new something. Good luck. The tree looks very pretty. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.
I think it’s one of those things where the more small appliances you have, the more you use! I get a ton of use out of my air fryer, for example, but I lived a perfectly fine and full life before I had one!
Enchanted April! I have never read the book, but I watched the movie with people I really like on a lovely cottage weekend once, so that’s one good memory, and we went to a community theatre production of it because my friend’s dad was in it and then it turned out he was playing the husband of a MUCH YOUNGER hot woman and we had to restrain our laughter for much of the play (which was actually very good.)
I like my air fryer, but I am SO happy for what it’s done for my dad, who has back issues that make cooking hard (and he generally does a lot of it) – the air fryer sitting on the counter is perfect for him.
Allison, the air fryer has made cooking chicken so much less gross for me. I just pop it in and there it goes. It was a real game changer! I always said that when R retired I would retire from cooking meat, but because we have this that hasn’t happened. I guess I just don’t feel the need for it anymore!
A theatre production of Enchanted April! I love the theatre and I hardly ever get to go.
My friend Bri works in retail digital marketing and yes, they start preparing for Black Friday IN THE SUMMER and then everything gets crazy in about October through mid-December. It’s not just a day anymore – it’s a whole SEASON.
I’m glad you were able to get a replacement for your stand mixer. Now that I have one, I don’t know how I ever lived without one!
Why was the beginning of It’s a Love Story so confusing? LOL. That’s why I had a hard time getting invested. Who are these people and why do I care that she’s so mad at the guy???
Stephany, ME TOO. I actually considered DNFing. As it was it was fine.
I feel vindicated, it IS a whole season!
You’re lucky I don’t have the time or energy to actually call PETA about this disruption in Rex’s life. For Christmas? Get your priorities straight, could ya?
I was joking the other day that Black Friday starts just after Halloween, except for TODAY whereas it’s all CYBER Monday. I’m over it all!
Your mixer had a good long run my friend and your tree (even if it ruined Rex’s life) is lovely!!
Hahaha and he’s going to be disrupted all over again when the tree comes down and we move his bed BACK. It’s like he moves into Acceptance, only to get yanked back.
Nicole – I decided to try the Clever Coffee Dripper, a kind of fancy pour-over option. I have not tried it yet but will be sure to report back. 🙂 I’m glad you were able to purchase a replacement quickly – and on sale, too. Whew. Crisis averted.
oooh definitely report back!!
