TheCapeBlog

The workers from the rental company installed our new frig and helped us move the old one out and back so we could unplug it. They also helped us move the kitchen table and switched the doors so it opens to the left instead of the right: good guys.

It’s great to have a working unit again.

I went food shopping and made lunch, soup from a package, Horiatiki salad, biscuits from S&S and ice cream.

Also ordered a sewing machine from Walmart that should arrive here in a couple of days. It’s just been too hard to do hand sewing.

This experience of living for days without a working refrigerator has given me pause to reflect on a comment I read a long time ago that we Americans refrigerate too many things unnecessarily.

We managed to use several dairy products without harm, for example, even though they were sitting in temperatures over 40 degrees. We haven’t refrigerated butter for years.

We did leave eggs in the non-working refrigerator, and I hope they are still good.

European countries have different food processing methods and maybe that’s why they aren’t as fussy as our nutrition and public health experts are.

Our new handyman fixed my beloved old office chair, which had a stuck cylinder that no one else was able to remove. Good guy, I asked him back to do some window trim, caulking and painting.

Ron had a checkup of his eyes, post-laser. I was able to order his Tramadol through the Walmart Pharmacy website! After picking up his med, he rushed back to join Linnea and me for Karyn’s Winter Tea at the Senior Center.

I turned off my old Rockland debit card through an app on my smartphone.

Booked an appointment for body work on the Corolla. Another loss due to my stupidity.

I ordered our frig from Liberty Home.

Ron wanted to try a new salve for eczema and Target is the closest store that stocks it inhouse, so we drove to Lanesboro and did a small shop.

Otherwise, it was an uneventful weekend.

Warranty company is only offering $400, I asked for an explanation.

Went to the Senior Center expecting to see the fifth graders, but their teacher cancelled. Left a contribution for the Valentine’s Day party.

Picked up batteries for the artificial candles and did a shop at BigY. Filled the Corolla at the Cumby in North Adams. Stopped at West’s for wine.

Got a quote from Al’s to fix the scrape on the driver’s side.

Finished up Warranty and Major Units as far as I can take them and uploaded to the server.

Rockland and IKEA came through on the refund!

Up early to shower, dress and take the little car in for its 10k maintenance. No charge – a nice surprise.

It’s Valentine’s Day but we aren’t doing anything special.

Had a fine time at the Senior Center today. Met some very outgoing young people and a nice lunch, too: nachos, ice cream and pastries.

Still no word on the frig. The freezer is totally shot, tried to clean it out to prevent bad odors and rot.

Changed the sheets; picked up meds, produce and groceries at Walmart.

Frig staying at 40 and 32 degrees, respectively.

We cut down the three big grasses today. Took me two trips to the transfer station. Nice day to work outside, 40’s.

Made pancakes for lunch. Packaged soup for supper.

No word from anyone on our refrigerator situation. Called the warranty company, left a message for the appliance company.

I called three overhead door repair shops today before Ron and I left for lunch at the senior center.

We expected one of the companies between 2 and 4.

After a quick lunch with the center director, we stopped at the blood mobile parked at the Congregational Church. Fortunately, they had cancellations so were able to sign us up and take our blood then and there.

We got home around 2. Shortly thereafter, a tech from another garage door repair company, Madsen, arrived and fixed our problems. Bolts were loose and the chain needed to be tightened.

Ryan plans to be here tomorrow to put in the new window sash.

I am relieved.

The frig is working fine. It was running too hot due to combination of ignorance and stupidity.

Never occurred to me to look for a manual so we could find the temperature adjustment, which was way out of kilter.

The repairman says that happens because of a power outage, and we’ve had a couple, although one was very brief and one was only a couple of hours.

I’ve been making a halfhearted attempt to clean the bathrooms. The shower head and neck came apart in the upstairs shower, but Ron fixed it.

We did a big transfer station run a couple of days ago: paper, trash, compost, recycling and the old coffeemaker. I managed to clear snow and ice on the deck between the door and the stairs.

The frig repairman said he might have a solution to the occasional sour smell in the upstairs shower.

The boys and their Dad came over on Friday afternoon after school to check out the toys.

Today we dropped in to the 6 year old’s birthday party at a bounce room next to a bowling alley. Nice spread and we got to meet the four grandparents! It was across the street from Walmart, so I was able to pick up a prescription and do a shop.