The Appliance Saga

A week ago today, my 20-year-old refrigerator gave it's last blast of cold air...and that only in the freezer. After nursing it along through ill-health for close to a year, it was almost a relief to unplug it and put it out of its misery. And mine. I'd been checking craigslist for something promising, but had come up empty-handed. I think that fridge knew it and decided I was procrastinating. Being the Queen of Procrastination, I guess that was only fair.

By Wednesday evening, I'd found a terrific prospect, and the owner and I began to exchange emails on a time to see and pick it up the side-by-side fridge the next day. Details of who had a pickup and could do the hauling were decided on, and all looked good. I began moving things out of the way, in preparation for the homecoming.

Thursday morning brought a call from my editor that threw a small monkey wrench into the pick-up plans, but more about that in a later blog. Fridge owner and I agreed on a good time, and off we (youngest daughter Mallory and I) went to start the process. Before it was over, we'd involved the friend with the pickup, Chelsea's (#3 daughter) SO, and one son-in-law, but it was exciting to know I'd have cold food again and not have to dig in two small coolers for the few things we managed to save. Getting the fridge into the house proved possible only after the guys removed the front door. But, hey, as long as they put it back, all was well. We left the appliance in the living room, along with the boxes waiting for content sorting from my office and the still unpacked treadmill I bought a year ago.

Too tired (and busy!) that night to even think about getting the fridge into the kitchen, I left it for the next day. By the time Friday evening came around, I finally had the time and energy to try moving it. Mallory, however, had other plans and left the moving to me. The oak coffee table was put into the only empty space left in the living room, and then I scooted the fridge toward the kitchen doorway, remembering to open the freezer door and angle it in.

Didn't work. And the fridge now blocked the doorway into the kitchen. I slept in Mallory's bed (off doing her own thing again), where the bathroom was closer, just in case. Saturday brought much the same results, but by now I was becoming an expert at walking across the coffee table and especially climbing the "black mountain" aka the big fridge. With one of the coolers stacked on a foot high table, I was able to boost myself to the top of the fridge, where I pivoted around, and then slowly lowered myself, feet first, to a tall, upholstered, bar chair on the other side. After many trips back and forth that way, I was thinking of applying for a job with the Flying Wallendas, but I didn't have a splangled costume. :(

Sunday was busy again, but by evening, I had time to remove both doors and hinges. Thankfully, the fridge now fit through the doorway, but neither Mallory (now home again) nor I nor even together could push it into the kitchen. An SOS to my son-in-law brought him over, and he managed to shove it through the doorway and into the kitchen.

I now have a wonderful, working, black, side-by-side refrigerator that's only 3 years old and didn't cost me a fortune! I also have sore ribs from all the boosting over the top of it and am eternally grateful that I'm not any bustier than I am. If I had been, I'd probably still be stuck between the top of the fridge and top of the doorway.

Sorry, no photos of the death defying trick, even though Mallory threatened.

Thanks go to Brandon, Dan, and double to Aaron for all the help! Such manly men!