Saturday, May 21, 2011

The Great Oreck Intervention

Wooohooo!
 I’m here today to report a miracle.

My vacuum cleaner worked.
Quietly.

This may seem like a small matter to you, but it’s obviously a big deal to me. You see, for months, my vacuum cleaner has sounded like a lawn mower sucking gravel from a concrete floor.

I had been living with it because it was still  working… somewhat.
Plus, I’m too cheap to buy a new one.
Plus, I was ashamed to confess to the husband that I might possibly have killed another electric appliance.

We bought this particular upright because of my back problems.  We wanted something powerful yet lightweight, something that I could use every day if I wanted to.  Not that I wanted to.  

The Oreck XL seemed to fit the bill.



And you know how Mr. Oreck man says
 that it’s powerful enough to lift a bowling ball?

It isn’t.

It is, however, powerful enough to suck the fringe off a rug, a cloth off a table, and a curtain off a rod. Don’t ask me how I know this. Let’s just say that little sucker is the reason we can’t have small pets.

This phenomenon makes it a poor choice for those of us who like to retreat to our happy spot while doing the household chores.  One careless pass too close to the window and happy thoughts are interrupted by a high pitched squeal and the smell of burning rubber.  

I’m sure someone can relate.

I don’t know how you handle this, but I usually scream for a minute before turning off the machine and extracting the offending object from around the beater bars. If you unwrap gently and slowly, no one is the wiser.

Angry little tugs, however, can make the belt slip a little.  Very angry tugs can snap it completely. I’m not exactly sure what putting both feet on the beater bar while yanking out an entire spool of pink satin ribbon does, but the result sounds like a lawn mower sucking gravel off a concrete floor.

You can see why I had been reluctant to mention this recent episode to the husband.  I just suffered in silence. Too bad I couldn’t say the same for the Oreck.

Until yesterday.

Because yesterday, after months of gravel grinding, I plugged him in, and he ran as quietly and efficiently as when he was brand new. I’m almost positive that I could push him around easier too. I was so delighted that I cleaned the entire house.

Now, clearly the man of the house didn’t fix the Oreck; he’s been out of town all week. Plus, I hadn’t told him that the Oreck was in need of fixing.  I certainly didn’t fix it. My specialty is breaking.

But fixed it is.

I’m putting this in the electronic miracle category and calling it an act of Divine Oreck Intervention. I had a little service of thanksgiving, too.

And then I started thinking about my Divine Oreck Intervention…
And about the whirly swirly gremlin living in my computer.

I’ve been living with Della the demon possessed laptop for just about as long as I’ve been living with the protesting Oreck, yet it was the Oreck who got the faith healing.

Maybe God is much more interested in my cleaning than my blogging.
Just sayin’…

Have you ever had a divine appliance intervention?


27 comments:

Barbara F. said...

Debbie, I have had vigorous vaccuuming gremlins reside in my upright and canister models. My Dirt Devil is really possessed at times! I always wanted an Oreck or a Dyson. Then I gave up on carpeting, and have laminate floors! Just an area rug in the living room and carpeting on the stairs. xo,

Unknown said...

First the fridge, now the vacuum cleaner. God is clearly interested in healing your appliances. ;)

I had a roommate that would pray for her car...it worked -- a lot.

Canadagirl said...

Oh I know the sound well of something being devoured by the vacuum, lol. But I haven't for a long while b/c when we built our house we purposefully didn't put in rugs. [o= I am so happy that you had some intervention on this one. May you have many hours of happy cleaning with it. I do pray the same grace will be bestowed on your computer soon. ((HUGS))

Blessings and ((HUGS))!
-Mary

Tami said...

I am so glad that I finally caught up on your posts-reading your blog makes me smile a lot.

I haven't had any appliances healed, but I did have a vacuum cleaner that stunk so bad when it ran, I had to spray lysol all around after I used it. I finally got a new one not too long ago.

http://bitsandpieces-sonja.blogspot.com/ said...

HA! Just last week (or maybe it the week or 2 before that??)... that burning rubber smell and having to carefully remove the fringe of the rug from the innards of my Oreck!! :)

You crack me up!

Mevely317 said...

OMG, Debbie .... I can SO relate! Me thinks you should share this with the marketing folks at Oreck. When they pick themselves off the floor and wipe their eyes, yours might be their next award-winning ad campaign! Yea!

Janettessage.blogspot.com said...

Oh laughing...my boys will "YELL, MOM!!!, CAN'T YOU TELL THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THAT VACUUM CLEANER???'...then I yell back, "FIX IT" We do have a family tale about me vacuuming up one of their hands....it wasn't that extreme, but to hear them tell it I was sucking up the whole child. LOL

Oh I have had God come to my rescue more than once...usually when I have lifted the roof of my car and prayed for help over my engine....somehow it has always worked and God got us home safely for someone else to handle.

As funny as it sounds, I think He intervenes more than we give Him credit for....

Babs said...

I had to laugh because I have an Orek. I love it because with a tri-level, it gets dragged up and down a lot and is very light weight. Thank goodness it isn't "possesed"... although I do have a camera that is...it makes a growling noise sometimes on auto focus and the photo you click is NOT what you get. lol
Thanks for the giggle and hope you have a great weekend,
Babs

Denise said...

My closest encounter of the electrical kind was with a pendant light over the island. About four years ago, we (the Professional Princess, her then boyfriend and I) installed new pendants. One would not work. We went out of town for a few days and when we returned, behold, it worked. It has been fine since, until last week. It currently goes on and off at whim. I suppose I'll get my SIL to check it this week when he comes home.

Funny post. I love your wit.

Sharon said...

Oh my gosh - I'm cracking up here so much!!

I have several thoughts - first of all, is Mr. Oreck still sucking? Maybe he's quiet because he isn't sucking anymore. Well, I mean sucking as in picking up dirt - not sucking in the other way - that he stinks. I once sucked up a necklace accidentally. I was so worried about it getting wrecked that I instinctually stuck my fingers up into the rollers - while it was still on. OUCH! And once, right before I got married, some of my long hair got caught up in the shredder. Fortunately, reverse worked and I didn't have to walk down the aisle with a random two-level bisection of my hair.

Have I ever had a random appliance miracle? I'm sure I have - but I just can't remember. The bad stuff is what sticks in my mind...

...like how Eddie the Explorer's front door isn't working anymore. And how I'm having to imitate a contortionist climbing over the console to get in and out of the car.

Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey - here I come!!

Chatty Crone said...

That sounds like a horrible horrible machine. Did you call the company and complain I hope. Glad you got to clean today.

Ms.Daisy said...

Debbie,
This week the "Check Engine Soon" light came on in my car and stayed on for two days while I chewed my fingernails wondering what was wrong THIS time...then magically it went out. Did the bulb burn out, did it heal itself or is something more sinister going on in there? Dunno, but I am so glad the Oreck is working quietly again for you...sometimes it's just the little things.

~Jean

Christine said...

Yes, my divine appliance intervention came after I kicked it!

Gayle said...

Oh, my word! I can relate to this post on SO many levels. God knows, I've sucked up my share of curtains and rugs, and me and my vac don't always get along. PLUS, I've had a miraculous appliance intervention! I blogged about it here:
http://gayle-solitarymoments.blogspot.com/2010/06/dead-raised.html

Hallelujah for you!

Annesphamily said...

I would love to have an Oreck! I have ad bad luck with vacumn cleaners. Great informative post! Happy weekend! Anne

no spring chicken said...

Praise God for divine electronic intervention. If this were not so I would still be living with a blender that sounded like a turbo jet engine at take off!

Blessings, Debbie

xinex said...

I can definitely relate to that, Debbie. Mine always has hair rolled around the rollers. But I am happy for you that your vacuum cleaner is now functioning well again. Now, if God could only do the same thing for your computer!...Christine

Kim@stuffcould.... said...

A Miracle! I agree. My van is still running and that is a miracle. I should blog about that?? well after it gets another repair....

Joan Hall said...

Debbie, when I come to your blog, I always leave with a smile on my face and joy in my heart. :) I've destroyed a few things with my vaccuum. (Once I sucked a telephone cord up in it. The cord lost that battle.) :)

About two years ago the check engine light came on in my van. My husband took it to Auto Zone for a free analysis - it wasn't anything major so I waited a while. After a while I became accustomed to the "ding" that sounded once after I started the engine. Then one day, no light, no ding, and everything is running smoothly. (Unless the warning light is malfunctioning!)

corners of my life said...

I just love electronic miracles. Am waiting on one for my food processor. Shredding up a bar of Fels Naptha for laundry soap almost did it in.

Sue said...

Debbie you are to much.I have Got one just like this too, Maybe Mr Oreck, realized that if he didn't straighten up and fly right that he was going to end up on the trash pile, so he got his act together.
Enjoy your day,
Sue

Tanna said...

Debbie, my sides are hurting from laughing so hard!! LOL! Reading this post is the most fun I've had in days!! LOL! You are a wonderful storyteller! blessings to you, dear one!

FrouFrouBritches said...

Oh, Debbie! How I love reading the happenings on your blog! Hubby thinks I'm nuts because I am quietly reading and suddenly bursting into a loud roar of laughter. I can just picture you with both feet on that Oreck yanking on the pink ribbon. HA! Sounds like something I would do. I've sucked so many things up our vaccumm.

I'm so happy for your divine appliance intervention. Our air conditioner has been messed up for several weeks and we thought died last week while packing for our weekend trip. No air since Thursday morning. Then when we got back from our trip, it was running again. Weird! But a huge blessing!

Joywriter said...

I have NEEDED divine appliance intervention, but my faith has failed me! I confess all at...
1. "Uppity Appliances" -- Dec. 17, and
2. "Dances With Washers" -- April 19
Debbie, you're doing fine, just don't run over the cord with that thing.

Angel said...

LOVE this!!! Praise God for miracles!

Denise at Forest Manor said...

Debbie,

I love this!! I'm laughing out loud as usual while reading this to my husband. We also have an Oreck, and it's about to be on the way to the shop for repairs as soon as I can get there with it. I'm hoping it will fall under the service warranty, but I'm afraid I may have to pay for the repairs.

I read this post and your Sandbagging post a couple of weeks ago, but I'm just now getting around to commenting. I must do better about that.

Hugs,

Denise

Shirley said...

I've had an Oreck XL for a number of years. I wouldn't have anything else now. Couldn't go back to those heavy ones!! You are so right, they are powerful little machines!!!!

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