To continue the newly named, Pieces of You, series about our new home. I bring you “Digger the Dryer”. The dryer that came with the house. The one that upon first look you can determine that it is of a certain “vintage”. The font of the words written across the top swing a certain way, suggesting a typeface from another time.  I was thinking late seventies.  Dryers made during this time period have a certain robustness about them.  They heat.  A lot.  None of this fancy technology that judges moisture and blah, blah.  Energy Efficient?!  Paa-shaw…

So, when Digger was taking 140 minutes to dry a load of cloths diapers, we knew we were in trouble.   Fortunately my dad is quite handy and loves to repair these types of things.  They are “simple” machines, with a certain sparse finesse to the engineering.  All I had to do was figure out the model number and track down the part (we suspected a heating coil).

I started with the ziplock of paperwork on the shelf above the dryer.  Paperwork assembled and left by the prior owner.  And I found this.

Mr Washie, we have found your match.

Note the date written on the top of the first page?  1967 – our Dryer is 41 years old.  God Bless It.

My favorite is the illustration at the top, the hearts coming off the lady.  She clearly is in love with this machine.

I am too.

Mostly because it reminds me on page two not to put my galoshes in the dryer.

Our house was built in the late 40s. The previous owner, now in her late 80s, had lived there for ~45 years. A bit of math tells us that she and her husband moved in around 1963. We think we are only the third owner.

I believe houses have strong personalities, independent of those that own them. I believe they shape how we live and while we do exercise a considerable amount of influence in the direction and nature of our daily lives we are undeniably influenced by the soul and physical structure of our house.

I am planning on spending some blog time reflecting on our home – the corners, pieces, and character. It was important to us to find an older home with a bit of history and soul. This house fit the bill in many ways. The icing on the cake was the day we took possession and discovered that the previous owner had left us a few goodies. Jewels of a former time, if you will.

Like this.

Counter Magic. Note the old-school Wegmans price tag. I don’t even remember these tags. The cost? $2.39.

Priceless.

We are scared of the toxic plume that is Counter Magic. But man, did they know how to market a product back then, or what?

(Ben – notice the bib you made in the background?! We love it and use it!)