The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

I love music. My parents and many relatives had both musical talents, a great appreciation for music, and there was almost always music playing in our house. My father loved classical music and grew to love opera, influenced by my grandfather, who lived with us who loved both of those genres. My mother owned every Broadway musical album ever recorded and was a big fan of Frankie Lane.

We were the first on our block to have a HiFi which was constantly played. The first “big” gifts I received as a pre-teen were a phonograph (it played 33, 78, and 45 RPMs), a transistor radio to carry around, and a clock radio so I could wake up to music.

Probably, because of the variety of music always playing in our house, I developed very eclectic musical tastes. Depending on my mood or the occasion, I happily listen to opera, classical, Motown, the oldies (Fabian, Bobby Rydell, Paul Anka), country, bluegrass, or the pops; think, Frank Sinatra, Mel Torme’ and Ella. This week at the café, we had a Mardi Gras playlist to go with our Mardi Gras menu. Yes, the Saints were Marched in at least every 30 minutes.

Lately, the songs running through my brain are the annoying sounds from my kitchen. And, for some reason, the new kettle Daniel just bought has brought this cacophony of “music” to light. I don’t know why these appliance manufacturers think their musical notices are any less intrusive or more pleasant than a simple buzz or ding; they are not!

The new kettle is a beautiful hot pink and has a variety of temperatures you can choose, depending on what the water is used for. Evidently, various teas have very particular temperatures required to brew the perfect cup.

The kettle plays a “tune” when you set it, another when the water comes to temperature, and another when it is shut off.

The oven “sings” a song to advise it’s at the proper temperature, another tune when the timer is set, and a different one when it stops. The dishwasher has a specific tone when the power button is pushed, another when you set it to start, and of course, a song when the cycle is completed.

Thankfully, the refrigerator only has one obnoxious tone that lets you know the door has been open too long. What I question; since the oven/range, dishwasher and refrigerator are all the same brand, how much time did the engineers spend composing the large variety of tunes these appliances sing? Of course, we have the washer and dryer, but luckily, I don’t hang out in the laundry room as often as in the kitchen, so I don’t hear their melodies.

Today, with the rain and the wind blowing, my knee-jerk reaction was to run outside and cut down the wind chimes. However, their sounds are more soothing than annoying, probably because they don’t compel me to do anything. I just make sure no loose items are blowing around the yard and revel in my decision to stay warm, cozy, and dry in the house. Next is the silencing of the iPad, phone, and any other device with beeps, dings, dangs, or dongs.

I know that Shakespeare wrote in The Twelfth Night, “If music be the food of love, play on,” but, obviously he didn’t live with today’s appliances.