Non-Refrigerated Update

It has been one week since we began living with our refrigerated goods spread out between two fridges, neither very well equipped to handle our dietary lifestyle.

You would be surprised how much the refrigerator influences one's desire to:
1. eat
2. cook
3. stay abreast of what food you have on hand
4. shop for food
5. open new packages of food.

I'm not talking about a positive influence, in our case. Quite the opposite.

I can't just open one door & survey what there is on hand in order to plan dinner. I have to run back and forth between two rooms, and can't remember which thing is in which freezer, and does that mean it's frozen, partially frozen, or only chilled? How distracting! It definitely dampens one's appetite.

Cooking even a simple cheese omelet has become a pain. Forget trying to make a meat and veggie sauté...I hate having to paw through piles of stuff crammed into the bottom of the little fridge to try and locate vegetables. My motivation to cook is weak at best; the current situation strangles it to death.

Opening the little fridge requires sitting down in front of it, and even then I can't see what's on the shelves. (The shelves are about the size of a shoebox. I am NOT exaggerating!) This thing needs to be hoisted up on stilts to be convenient to use!

I used to love sitting and filling out my co-op order for our weekly food delivery. It was relaxing. I could plan menus and buy things on sale, because I had plenty of freezer space in which to store frozen meat, etc. Now it is a cause of great anxiety and frustration. I'm afraid to buy a package of eggs, as there is only space for 6 to fit in the current fridge door, and we have to put the other 4 into a bowl, which takes up too much space. I can't buy any ice cream; no space in that inefficient mini freezer. Arrrrggggghhhh!!!! (Those who know me can well understand the withdrawal symptoms I'm experiencing by not having a daily fix of ice cream!)

There aren't ice cubes anymore. There isn't an unlimited supply of water bottles chilled or frozen, ready to take with us in our cars on hot days. Did you know I drink six 500ml bottles of chilled water a day, on average? Sometimes more. I can't open a big bottle of juice (even to transfer part of it to a smaller bottle--where would I store the big, opened bottle in the meantime? I feel like I'm in a straitjacket...... no...... freedom........ grrrggghhhhuulllll.....

Seven days and no light at the end of the tunnel. My husband is working hard (and late) every day and can't try messing around searching for that burned out fuse yet...I'm afraid to even suggest it. (Last time I did, he bit my head off and took a two-hour nap...sigh.)

I'd better start adjusting to this soon. 'Cause I'm not going to last till Christmas at this rate.