The Vacuum Cleaner Saga

Sunday was a meeting with my ladies group.  This particular Sunday, I had a new item to bring to the cabin with me.  We rent out our cabin and the previous vacuum cleaner had broken.  I brought the replacement with me to put together and put away for the next group of campers to use.

I normally get to the cabin early so that I can get everything ready before the ladies begin to arrive.  Of course, this time, I had the extra job of putting together the vacuum cleaner.  Since I was expecting a very small group due to everyone's busy summer schedules, this didn't seem to pose any real problem.

I unloaded the car, got the drinks in the fridge to start getting cold and got started on putting the new machine together.

Since the other vacuum cleaner broke after about a year, I went for the cheapest one I could find at Lowe's.  I also purchased the replacement program.  For just $12 more, I could get it replaced if it broke within 2 years.  That sounded like a better deal than replacing it for another $50 or more later.

So it's me and the vacuum cleaner box.  I was hoping this thing wasn't going to need tools.  I didn't bring any.

Thankfully, it went together quickly without any tools and I thought I would test it to be sure it would suck up the dirt and sand that often finds it's way inside.  Sand is the WORST, but it's going to happen with there are giant sandboxes for the kids to play in at the campground.  It isn't unexpected, but not all vacuum cleaners can rise to the challenge.

This one appeared to have great suction.  In fact, as I started to vacuum the floor mat, it began to suck it right up.  It took me a minute to remember where the off switch was, but I found it before the mat was halfway in the wheel and was able to yank it back out.

After that little test (ha), I decided to vacuum under the table.  You know, there are ALWAYS crumbs under a dining table so I just pushed the vacuum cleaner right under that table.

One problem.

This is my table and chairs.  Notice any potential issue?

If you guessed that the vacuum grabbed the skirt of that green chair in the front, you would be correct.  Scurrying to find the OFF button again.  Have you ever noticed how hard it is to remember where important things like off switches are when you are in a hurry or, like me, a bit panicked?

Now I am pulling the skirting out of the vacuum cleaner.  As I am, I get knocked in the head by something.  It was the vacuum cleaner!  The top of it came apart and fell on me!  Maybe vacuum cleaner assembly should require tools.

Seriously!?  I finished getting the skirt out and then I snapped the thing back together.  Hopefully tighter this time.  I'm wondering, now, if these skirted chairs could be the culprit for the broken one.  Have you ever had to rescue a large amount of fabric from your vacuum?  I was just thinking "So glad I bought that warranty."

I decided to leave the table as it was.  I think I also need to get to reupholstering the chairs sooner rather than later so others don't find themselves panic stricken when the vacuum derobes another chair.

Off to the kitchen.  There are always crumbs in the kitchen.  Especially between the stove and my yellow buffett table.  Time to use the tools!

This vacuum has a switch that you have to turn so that the tools will have suction.  I guess that is a safety feature and considering what this thing has already tried sucking up . . . maybe it's a good one.

I begin by getting those crumbs I can see.  Then I decide it is time to clean really well UNDER that buffet unit.

I may have posted this photo in a previous blog.  I'm not sure, but I wanted you to see why there is an issue with crumb collections under this thing. You see the amount of clearance under there?  It's a crumb's favorite hiding place.

I was really cleaning up.  I was on my knees, crouched over so I could look under that thing and be sure I got it ALL!  

As I was happily cleaning up the crumb collection, I felt something hit me in the head.  It was lighter this time.  I looked up and felt my hood on my jacket drop.  The vacuum cleaner was still in one piece so that wasn't it.  There was no hole in my jacket and the hood looked ok.  

I looked at the floor.  The vacuum cleaner was still running and fine black thread was blowing out of the vacuum cleaner and blowing all over my just vacuumed floor.  What WAS it?

Since my jacket did move while I was wearing it, I decided to take it off and inspect it.  I turned the vacuum off first.  Looked at the jacket and finally figured out the problem.

The string that was in my hood was missing.  Now I know what all that black thread was.  My string was now . . . well . . . very fine pieces of thread.

Now I have a new problem.  The vacuum cleaner wasn't catching this black thread into the canister.  It was blowing it out of the bottom of the machine.  I checked the connections.  They looked fine.  I decided to try using the rollers to get the threads so I turned the setting back to floor and tried again.  The threads began blowing away.

So . . . when you can't beat them . . . you come up with another solution.

I don't know if this was the best solution, but it was the one I came up with in my moment of desperation.  Those ladies were on their way and I hadn't done anything except fool with this vacuum cleaner. Time was of the essence.

My solution?

This is the back door.  You see the vacuum?  It's outside, on the back step.  It's running.  I used the hose inside the cabin to get the thread that I could reach while the vacuum it was attached to stayed OUTSIDE.

As I gathered the dirt with the hose, it sent it here:

And when I was satisfied with that . . . I loaded the vacuum back into my car and then used a broom to sweep the dirt off of the step and out into the stones.  Maybe a bird or the wind or something will enjoy them. 

I took this thing back to Lowe's for a full refund.  Now I'm still shopping for another replacement.

A Temporary Rocker Update Improves the Whole Porch

I took a break from blogging so I could get our family ready for 10 days at our cabin at Roxbury Holiness Camp.  It was a great 10 days, but now it is back to reality and the countdown to school starting for our boys.  Depressing, huh?

While I was at the cabin, I worked on a few quick projects.  Here is one of them:

A few years ago, this rocker love seat ended up in the old cabin.  It was more comfortable than the sofa that was in there so I kept it there until someone claimed it.  A year or so later, after we rebuilt the cabin, I noticed that this rocker still smelled quite strongly of mothballs so I left it on the front porch for another year.

We still haven't had anyone claim this little rocker.  While I am definitely not a fan of the fabric, I think it is an adorable little rocker.  I struggled with giving it an update.  First of all, I still felt it belonged to someone else and someday they would miss their little rocker.  Secondly, I had examined it before and found something about this rocker that had me stumped as to how to fix it.  It bothered me, though, that it didn't fit in with the rest of the furniture on the porch.  Finally, with a little coaxing from a friend (it didn't take much), I decided I could give it a quick, temporary update so it was at least an attractive item on the porch.  I've decided that if someone claims it, they can have the new, improved one.  I think it is safe to assume that most people would be okay with a fabric update in this case.

 I started by removing the back cushion.  Easy.  Look at the beautiful, curved back.  So charming.

 Under the seat cushion, instead of a smooth seat, there was this plywood screwed into the seat.   This was the issue that I knew about and was hesitant about fixing.

 As you can see from looking at the bottom, it was covering a great big hole in the seat.  I have no idea what was there.  I'm guessing it was a caned bottom maybe?  Either way, it is the other reason I hesitated on fixing it up.  I had no idea what to do about this board.  I don't have the woodworking skills to fix it so I had been stumped on this one for about year.  On this day, however, inspiration came and I came up with my temporary solution.  Amazing what a day sipping hot tea on my porch will do for my creativity at times.

 I turned the thing upside down and began removing the skirting.  I keep a couple of screwdrivers in our utility closet at the cabin and they worked really well.

 Look at this clean rocker.  Okay.  Okay.  It needs a bit of a dusting and furniture polish, but I didn't bring the wood cleaner from home so that will have to wait.  I just wanted it to stop clashing with the porch.  Let's not get too distracted here.

 Since I had no way to fix or replace the board on the seat, I replaced the cushion.  I had no choice.  We are at camp and supplies are limited.  I do, however, have quite a supply of fabrics and curtains in a bench I keep in the cabin.  I'm not done hanging curtains so they sit in the bench until I decide on what to do and get some rods hung.

 In my treasure hunt in that bench, I came across this fabric.  It is a square tablecloth.  I'm not sure what I originally had in mind for it.  I have a tendency to grab fabric at yard sales when the price is right (usually .25) and if I find it an attractive pattern.  I used it to cover the original cushion.  This means the mothball smell is still there, I know.  But, remember, it is temporary until I can spend the time I need to on it.

So, do you want to see the end result?

I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised with how well it turned out for a quick fix.  I just grabbed a couple of neutral pillows off of the futon upstairs and the pillow in the middle was another quick project that I will share later.

 Here is a picture of how it looks with the rest of the porch furniture.  I love the way the pillows ended up pulling the colors of the shutters with it.

For a temporary fix, I was a very happy camper that week.