what started out

Dyson DC17 how I love and hate thee...

James Dyson dropped the ball on part of his design. Or perhaps one of the junior designers who probably took on the accessory designs did. I am sure James is just too busy to come up with effective parts. I mean hell, he designed the thing that "doesn't lose suction" why would he feel the need to make all its parts just as fantastic.

The particular model we got (thanks Mom and Dad) has a smaller brush with rotating head (it's called the "mini turbine" and no, I am not making that up) to pick up all the animal fur on sofas and such. The concept is great and it really does a good job, however in those first moments of trying to figure out how the hell the thing attaches to the vacuum, we all almost blew a gasket.

There is a button that you would think clicks into something so it doesn't fall off the tube. You would be wrong in that assessment. I've been informed by no fewer than three employees of the Dyson help line (two via email, one phone) that that button is for an adaptor for another machine, so people can use the mini turbine on their model of Dyson...

So, you have to wedge this thing on the tube and if you vacuum too quickly, it might fall off. So, stop trying to vacuum at warp speed. Mom and Dad were all kinds of annoyed. I was getting there too. The thing was whipped out of each others hands as we all fought to make it work. Finally they left and I lived with the machine. I told myself if that is the way it was designed then maybe I should give it another go and see if I can make it work, without my parents around. I mean I love them (they are actually heading back my way as I type) and I adore the things they do for me, but every once in a while I have to step back and let them do their thing.

Mom said to take it back. It wasn't working like it should. It was inconvenient and hard to manage. At that time, I agreed. I even told the woman on the phone that James had totally missed the mark on the design of that attachment.

Dad agreed with Mom, I think. I was even on board. But then I started thinking about it. I love that little attachments abilities. I love knowing that the fur that is on my sofas will not be as difficult for me to remove (oh the things I would do to get rid of the fur...short of shaving the animals mind you). So this morning, I pulled the machine out of my sewing room. I closed the door to the bedroom because even I know it's rude to vacuum someone into wakefulness at 8:30. I stole away to the cave and I vacuumed. I moved the coffee table. I picked up the dog bed. And then, I attached the mini turbine and decided to just be with it and allow it to do its job.

Even though I still think there should be some way to affix it to the tube so you don't have to worry about it falling off, I found myself enjoying it. It's funny to me how a vacuum can really make you see your home in a different light.