If it ain't broke... It ain't ours

Here's a list of things that have broken around the house in the last couple of months, most of which have broken in the last couple of weeks. Here we go, in random order:

Fridge
Toaster
Dryer*
Silverware (ok, it didn't technically break, but we had to buy a new set because we had about three knives, two forks, and one spoon. . . approximately)
Gary's cell phone. . . and then. . .
My cell phone
Shelves in our closet, taking half the wall with them
Our bathroom door
Toilet flusher
A big, blue, wooden knob off one of the beds which was then used as a weapon
Bikes- as in, every one of them
Oh, and the boys' bike handle covers are destroyed and have left terrible scratches on the van and the car. . . and our neighbors' beautiful, shiny silver car. That was the worst!!
Our home phone- which was also replaced by even crappier phones that infuriate me worse than the old ones did
Water Softener
The kitchen faucet (which actually helps in rinsing since it now has two holes)
The front of a dresser drawer decided to just pop off
Vacuum (which was replaced by another, cheaper vacuum which is a disgrace to all vacuums and I think it actually blows dirt out instead of sucking it in, and makes me sneeze uncontrollably and so I simply don't vacuum anymore)
While I'm on the subject of crappy vacuums, our carpet has become so disgusting it's not even worth vacuuming to me, which is a tragedy because I love to vacuum. I have taken impeccable care of our carpet (including scrubbing in the Resolve until my fingers were raw and the floors looked like new) and now I probably have to actually pay someone to clean it for me!
Lawn Mower- we gratefully took a used lawn mower when we moved into our house. The grass-catcher had (and has) a huge hole in it, which caused grass to pelt you as you mowed. I cleverly and deftly fixed that using stretchy ropes and hooks. That lasted a couple summers and now we are back to the old, familiar pelting and staining. The pull string had been broken and tied in knots over the years. I have only mowed once this year because it takes me twenty minutes to start it and I end up crying and sweating and very nearly swearing and going back into the house in a beyond frustrated state. So, last week, the pull string decided to completely suck itself into the mower and could not be started. Oooooo! Will this mean Gary will buy me one?! No! He's going to fix it!! Again!!
The towel hooks in the boys bathroom, maybe cause they were used as swings, but I'm not positive. These also took half the wall out with them.

All of this has happened while Gary works insane hours, I've been preparing the music for Stake Conference, school started, I started teaching Joy School, Gary had surgery, I'm still recovering from mine, and. . . and. . . and. . .

Anyway, very few of these broken things have been replaced, and if they have, they have been replaced by a "worser" version. So, I feel frustrated a lot because there's only so much I can do. Gary leaves at 5 am and gets home at 10 pm on the weekdays, and the weekends are a literal race against the clock as we try to get things done. Every Saturday of the last two months has been dedicated to the dryer. A couple weeks ago, we just ended up hanging up a clothes line. It has actually been very empowering. I finally have a little bit of control over a situation.

Well, I'm sorry to sound like such a whiner. I really just planned on writing out a list for my personal records. :) Oh well. I guess I better go, ya know, not vacuum. But, I will do the dishes in half the time, thanks to our new and improved faucet!

Thanks for "listening."

*- more posts to come