I think you are wise in checking out the service aspect. All things mechanical need servicing sooner or later. You can contact the manufacturer and find out who services their appliances in your area. If you live in a place that's "off the beaten path" - you might be better off to buy everyday applicances.

My dd tried counting the first look. At least 28 people! Wow is right. Wonder what they were up too.

The common yellow oxalis we have here has tiny "bulbules" (sp?), which lurk 12 -18 inches under the ground. You can easily pull up the plants, of course, but those tiny bulb things stay under the soil, and up it comes again. I once had a gardener who decided to eradicate it from a flower bed which is about 12 feet long and 6 feet wide. He actually dug up the top 2 feet of soil, and sifted it by hand to get all of the tiny bulbs out. That worked for the first year, but by 2-3 years after he did that, back the oxalis came. So, being lazy, what I do is just admire it in the Spring, except where it is trying to smother other plants. Then just pull it out around those plants. By late Spring here it has died down, and I pretend it is gone. Of course, it comes up again the next Spring. It is one of our first blooming plants to bloom (starts Jan/Feb), so I just regard it as such and let it be mostly. One of my cats likes to eat it (we used to eat it as children - we called it "sour grass"). Jackie

We planned ahead for this when we built our retirement home four years ago in the resort area where DD (our only) and DSIL have settled by building a duplex with them that preserved privacy between households but allows easy access when wanted Although we are hopefully still years away from needing help, it has proved to be mutually beneficial to both generations. First, housing costs in this area are very high and even though the kids both have good jobs and are hard workers, because the build was primarily financed by the bank of mom and dad they have a nicer home in a high end neighborhood than they could otherwise afford. Second, we are available to help with DGS, age 4, when they need help (and they absolutely do not take advantage of this!). Because the kids both work full time, they sppreciate that I cook for all of us most weekday nights, it gives them more time with their son and I appreciate their help cleaning up after dinner. Built in dog sitters when one generation is traveling. DH and DSIL share yard duties DSIL can fix anything! While the ”kids” may seem to be getting more benefit right now, to us having them and DGS next door is priceless and and, in the normal course of events, we will need their help more and more as we age. If life doesn’t follow the normal course, we built with potential resale in mind and one or both sides can be sold. Fortunately, it has turned out to be a very good investment because we purchased the lot while the area was still recovering from the 08 bust and built before the current building frenzy raised prices so much. Anything can happen in the next twenty or thirty years, but at present I believe we have our bases covered nicely.