I wanted it soooo bad.

I had a very busy day on Thursday so I couldn't do my usual routine of checking Craig's List while having my morning coffee, meetings stood in the way.

So, after my last morning meeting & realizing that I didn't have lunch, I went to an Estate Sale near my office & then stopped at the grocery store on the way back to work, to purchase lunch.

After I got back to the office & while eating my lunch I hopped on Craig's List & started typing in my search list. When I got to the 'Ds',  I saw a (rarely used) nine tray Excalibur Dehydrator for $75 & it had just been posted late the night before!!!! I immediately called the seller & left a message. Wish I had checked 1st thing in the morning, dang it.

After lunch, went to several meetings (I hate Thursdays) & had still not heard back from the seller.

Before I left for the day (around 4:30p), I decided to check Craig's List to see if it was still listed. Image my surprise when I checked the listing .... Oh my ... the seller had left a message ... on the posting ... that he had accidentally deleted the lady's message that called around lunchtime ..... & to please call him back if I was still interested!

I immediately called ... so excited .... & told him that I thought that I was the person he had posted the note to .... & that I thought he was close by ..... & that I could come after work! He stopped me then & said ....

"Well, let me tell you what happened ... about 5 minutes after I posted the note, I got a call, thinking it was you. But, it wasn't you, it was some other guy also very interested. I told him if I didn't hear back from you in the next couple of hours, I would call him back. And, since I didn't hear back from you (until now), I just called him about 15 minutes ago .... & he's on his way to pick it up."

My stomach dropped & I thought, OH WELL .... HELL, another opportunity lost. And, to add insult to injury, he got another call while I was on the phone w/him. I said - "That is probably from the "other" guy ... Thank You ... call me if he doesn't show ... Goodbye".

I fretted all the way home but just told myself that I would eventually find what I wanted ... at a good price ... eventually ... maybe ... probably not.

You see, I am NOT a lucky person. But I had done almost everything right this time - whine whine. Why did he have to delete my message, why? why? I tell you, if there are 100 people at an event & 99 prizes are to be given away. Guess who will NOT win. Yep, moi. That actually happened once except the ratio was about 100 people & 75 prizes. But, the point is ... I . never . win.

Fast forward to 3 hours later ...... I get a call from the seller that the other guy NEVER SHOWED UP! So, if I wanted to pick it up between 10 & 2 on Friday, he would be available!

I played hookey from work this morning & went to get it ... I wasn't taking any chances. She's a beauty! Only used 10 - 12 times. Seller had just moved to a smaller place & didn't have room anymore.

I think Winn Dixie has London Broil on sale this week. I think it may be a jerky kind of Sunday.

I am sooo happy! WOO HOO! Could my luck be changing? Maybe I should play the lottery this weekend?

Update: Got it home & turned the temperature dial on & NOTHING happened! I panicked & tried to call the seller he didn't answer! I think to myself ... Oh boy have I screwed up.

I then remembered that the plugs on the island where I had put it, aren't working. So I moved it across the kitchen, thank goodness it's not heavy! Plugged it into a known working plug & still NOTHING!

Got on the Excalibur website to see if there was anything mentioned about NOTHING happening. Nope, not a word.

So, I looked at the prices of new motors, not too bad, none were more than $40. OK, I think to myself, I paid $75 plus $40 plus shipping would still work out to less than $150. Still a bargain right? ... I'm trying to convince myself.



I called Excalibur & the customer support rep asks exactly what model I had & what the problem was. I said "It doesn't do anything when I turn it on". He then told me I would need a new timer. "What?" I say. "I didn't turn the timer on because I wasn't planning on using it." He said ... "The timer is actually the on/off switch."

Sure enough ... duh. IT WORKS!!! Yeah! .... I need an instruction manual & a drink.