Every Day Life: A Refrigerator of MY OWN!

By Lara

Many years ago, while I still lived with my parents, I wrote the following paragraph in my journal.

Sometimes I fantasize about the day when I will have my own refrigerator. A day when I can open the door without having to worry about bowls of leftover pasta falling out all over the floor because they were precariously perched on a quarter head of lettuce, a rotting green pepper and 3 half sticks of butter still in their tinfoil and covered with toast crumbs. Where I could open the freezer without seeing 4 hideously decaying bananas that have been reserved for "smoothies" that are never made... or banana muffins. I HATE banana muffins. A refrigerator from which I could pull a block of cheese without having to smell it in order to identify what is smeared all over it (peanut butter). A refrigerator that does not have a small tupperware container with a clove of garlic perpetually suspended in the ice flow forming in the rear corner. There would be no ice cube wars. There would be no battle to see who throws away the last piece of leftover meatloaf. There would be no honey bear from 1982. Indeed, a refrigerator of my own would be bliss. I would live in harmony with my fellow man. Angels would sing. The world would be a better place. But alas. Not yet. I must be patient. I must be content. *Sigh of resignation.*

One of the most exciting things for me in moving into my current apartment was that I had control over my own refrigerator. I decided where the food was located inside the refrigerator. I made the brutal decision about when leftovers had over-stayed their welcome. The refrigerator was my palate, and I was the artist. It was a revelation.

Even with a refrigerator over which I had total control, I still felt like something was missing. It wasn't truly MY refrigerator. I was merely a tenant in a dwelling that contained a refrigerator. I still dreamed of a day when I could truly call a refrigerator my own. When Beth and I go to Best Buy, she goes to look at the flat screen televisions. I go to the appliances section to ogle refrigerators.

Until recently, I have been in the process of selecting and waiting patiently to hear back regarding my very own townhouse. On Friday, I signed about fifty papers and copies of papers ensuring that the townhouse in question belongs to me... and Wells Fargo...

The refrigerator is being delivered today. It is a shiny stainless steel, 25 cubic foot, Whirlpool refrigerator. It will be my own. My precious. I hate to admit it, but I'm much more excited about the refrigerator than the house. I guess I'm just funny that way.

Lara works for the Department of Defense. She would tell you more, but then she'd have to hunt you down and, well, you know... She enjoys spending time with friends, building sand castles on the beach in winter and going on international adventures. Lara and Beth M. were the brains behind our fun series on the Year of the Birthday. We are thankful they have decided to continue the fun with the Bucket List and Every Day Life.