2003-05-03 - 9:57 p.m.
THE EXCITEMENTS OF MARRIAGE
Today Mr. Philately and I did something that neither of us had ever done either in the 22 years we�ve been together or before. We went refrigerator shopping. Yes, it�s true. The excitements of marriage never end.
We�ve bought a refrigerator once before but we didn�t exactly shop for it. We bought it with this house more than fifteen years ago. The refrigerator had a few problems then such as a bottom piece that was a bit warped and we assumed we�d go refrigerator shopping. But we never did. We just periodically re-hung the warped piece and continued on. We kept waiting for it to become important and unavoidable�or so we said. Actually, we were building ourselves up to handle all the excitement of shopping. But then, in the past week or so, the refrigerator�s problems became more acute. The door gasket started to go. It was time.
For some, perhaps, refrigerator shopping could be an adventure. Some people relish deciding whether side-by-side is worth the money. But we had few choices. It had to be almond (or, as they currently are calling it, �biscuit,�) and it had to fit our small space. No side-by-side for us. No icemaker in the door. No cold water. Just a place to put the gallon of milk, the eggs, the cheese, and the leftovers so old they could recognize us.
We had approximately three choices but it all came down to the one that had separate controls for the refrigerator and the freezer. Strangely, the salesman told me all the other features that separated the models but never mentioned that one. He tried to sell us on non-spillover shelves. If I ever managed to spill on the shelves, that feature might be nice but my usual manner of spilling is to drop the plastic jug of milk on the floor or knock the blueberries out off the shelf so they can roll all over the floor just waiting for some foot to accidentally find the ones my eyes miss.
He tried to sell us on the icemaker but I don�t find ice trays difficult to operate. I�ve been doing it since several years ago when the old model decided to shoot ice cubes all over the freezer instead of dropping them into the little container. There�s something about opening the freezer to look for coffee beans and getting an ice cube in the face first thing in the morning that caused me to turn the icemaker on the old model off entirely. Picky, I know.
Still, it was nice not to be subjected to heavy sales tactics. I chalked it up to the salesman�s admission that he was not paid on commission although I later rued that. After Mr. Philately had finished kicking the door, or whatever it is you kick on a refrigerator, the salesman was nowhere to be found. I was ready to send out a search party except that it takes hours to assemble a decent search party these days. Posses can be assembled a bit sooner but I couldn�t make up a crime under pressure. (I�m becoming such a wimp.)
So Tuesday we get a new refrigerator delivered. Isn�t it a wondrous thing that we can spend a chunk of change like that and get something to show for it? After all, as Mr. Philately pointed out, the last few times we�ve spent that much money has been on car repairs.
I don�t know if I can live with all this excitement.
LAST YEAR: no entry because I was in Washington, D.C.
Authority
Your Tax Dollars at Work
Little Things About Sewing
Where the Wild Talks Are
The End of Passover
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Copyright 2006 by Ellen |
