World, Meet Gretchen! (Not John's Gretchen), But Mt. Pleasant Gretchen. A New Summer Grill

Being cheap is what it is. I try to scrape pennies wherever I can and that is why I've tried to keep Gregory alive for as long as I have. I budgeted for a new snow blower in 2016, but the winter was so mild, I never needed to use one. I didn't expect, though, that Greg would die so young. He was having troubles earlier this year, and I ordered new parts to make him feel brand new. These parts, though, did little to lift his spirits. I've waited the last two weeks for more parts, but when they arrived, I realized Greg wasn't going to make it. These parts needed to replace rusty, sick, and decrepit parts that simply could not be removed. I spent 48 hours trying.

Saddened, I went to Home Depot and flirted a bit with new models. Gretchen caught my attention and I did some swindling with the sale's people to have more money taken off (I learned that from my brother-in-law Mike).

I also boxed up all the parts I purchased to save Greg and I will mail them back this week to get credit returned to my cards. In the end, I am feeling like I made the right decision, but I wanted to push Greg for a few more years. He was only 5 years old and I didn't expect him to conk out like he did. I learned online that the average gas grill lasts 2 to 6 years, so I guess I had an elderly one.

I pretended like there was a tremendous urge and need to get a new grill (4th of July weekend and all), but the truth is my weekend is a HUGE dud and I'm okay with that. I did putz about on this grill issue, though, because the weather was fantastic and I didn't want to be inside all day writing.

In a week, the twins arrive and if it is like last year, we will eat off the grill every night. The best thing about Gretchen? She has knobs on both sides for utensils to hang, which Gregory never had. She also has a battery operated igniter which I think is odd, but I'll take it.

Can't wait to try her out. For now, it is leftovers. I'm being lazy in preparation that soon I'll have to be Gordan Ramsay for the appetites on Mt. Pleasant.