h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Day 1

So today we bought a new oven for £30. The old oven's door fell off. Plus, the temperature indicators have rubbed off which has made baking quite the adventure.

We bought it at a car boot sale. Once we bought everything at car boot sales (or just found it on the street - it's amazing what people throw out in London). These days we do not have the time - you need to be very dedicated to do that because, obviously, you can't predict when what you want will turn up. For example, it has taken us about a month to find this oven.

The oven actually works. Which is nice. It took us a little while to figure out how - why would you want an oven which has a setting for the fan without heat I would actually quite like to know.

We weren't too bothered if it didn't though, because the door of this oven fits the old oven. No they aren't the same model. Or make. But aesthetic concerns are really not a priority.

But since the new one is a bit cleaner than the old one, and, y'know, has all its own temperature markers, we will give it a good scrubbing and make some scones. If that works, we will keep it.

I foresee a wildly exciting last day of half term tomorrow.

I do believe the fan without the heat is to help defrost, say, a large gateaux, away from the cat's tongue or children's fingers. You just shove the frozen article in the oven and shut the door.

Well done on upgrading your appliances this way, it is shocking how much we get rid of purely on aesthetic grounds. Eg my dishwasher is a nice hardly-used one, which a friend sold me cheap, on account of it not 'matching' her new kitchen.

Three posts, and things are already heating up!

I love not matching appliances.

My dryer is silver, the washing machine is white, fridge freezers (don't ask) and cooker are also white (ish) and my dishwasher is black. All of this in a green kitchen.

Mmh, scones!

Many makes are churned out in the same factories to the same design and then sold with different stickers on, so it's not suprising the door fits.

Any scones left?

I can't believe you got an oven for £30, I never find bargains like that, in fact I truly believe that people see me coming and slap £50 on the original price!

Now of course I've need to go and check if I have a fan that works without the oven. I know the fan continues after I turn it off.



Yes I do. On both ovens (not showing off, they were here when I moved in, 12 years ago) there is a light only option and the fan comes on as well. Actually in one the light is broken, the bulb snapped inside the socket about 5 years ago. But the fan comes on. I've never though of using the fan for defrosting but that seems very sensible.

Reddit

I last used my oven about twenty years ago. Nowadays I just use the burners on the top, and use a toaster oven for any baking I do. No, I don't roast turkeys or big slabs of beef. When my mother's stove degenerated, she replaced it with a two-burner electric hot plate. She died last year, and my father doesn't do any cooking unless absolutely necessary, so that's all he needs now that he's alone in the house.

The fan only option is definitely for defrosting - it says so in my manual (yes, I read them, then keep them somewhere close to hand should they be needed).

Re the scones - you don't appear to be sharing...

Deb

Of course there aren't any left--Sol *does* have 2 young children, after all

Actually, there appear to be 2 scones left.

Oven definitely works. In fact, I am slightly alarmed to find it heats up so much quicker than the old one that my suspicion that the old one's door never fitted properly is confirmed. That's my eco-friendly credentials thoroughly blown.

Defrosting, huh. Yay for h2g2!

They wanted 35 GBP for it originally. However, carboot sale rules in our family are that you never buy anything for the asking price.

Day 2

I am watching the Formula One highlights from the Texas Grand Prix.

Do not get me started on the way the BBC sold off half the races to Sky.

Do get me started on the inappropriate titles.

I've been thinking for a while that having titles which seem to stress dramatic accidents is a bit iffy. It's not what modern F1 is about. It really shouldn't have been what historic F1 was about either, given quite how many of the drivers died back in the day.

But after the accident a couple of races ago that left a driver in a coma, it seems particularly crass.

Anyway.

[Amy P]

Deb

Maybe if they limit the teams to using recycled materials only they would not only be gweener but also heavier and slower, therefore less accidents to promote, and the fan would stay on after the race and cool the whole thing down more efficiently, go team formula scone!

If someone walked in front with a red flag, it would solve all the problems.

Come to think of it, why not have a runner with a red flag? Team Hamilton/Farah would clean up.