Will This New Fridge Last Us...

My new refrigerator!

Just over twenty years ago, when we got our recently deceased refrigerator, we were two decades, yes a score, younger. It lasted us well these past twenty years, as most of our kids got married and grandchildren born. Twenty years ago we were still working and feeling young. Now we're retired and as busy as we try to be, we're certainly not young. 

I'll miss this old fridge...

Thank Gd we're both alive and relatively healthy, but that refrigerator bought in our middle age has died. On Friday I kept hearing what sounded like an electric saw, which I thought was from a neighbor doing some sort of construction. But then when the sound continued on Shabbat, I suspected that it must be something else. It came from our old trusty fridge. Gevalt, such a dramatic death. I realized that it wasn't working, but on Shabbat there wasn't much I could do. I trusted its insulation to preserve my food until after Shabbat.

When Shabbat was out I sent out a desperate plea to neighborhood WhatsApp groups requesting cold and freezing refuge for the food hiding out in the no longer "superior SHARP." A few "half shelves" were offered, when a nearby neighbor said that she had a spare fridge/freezer just waiting for us. It took a few trips with heavy bags, but the neighboring refrigerator got most of the food. I stored milk for morning coffee and a few other items on a window sill which never gets sun or heat, so my #morningcoffeehaiku wasn't affected. 

Sunday morning, as early as I dared, I clicked the site of the Chashmalit Beit El electric appliance store in Beit El and found myself communicating with them about a new refrigerator. After my reporting the size of the niche it had to fit into, they offered two, but one seemed a bissel too wide. Refrigerators keep changing their measurements, sort of like most of us. I had been hoping for a new one just the size of the old one, even a drop taller... but wasn't possible. I asked when a new fridge could be delivered, and they said that if I decided within half an hour, then it would come between 1-4pm. That sounded good, even great. I consulted with one of my kids, since I couldn't reach my husband. 

But then I had to solve another problem. The delivery men would take the old fridge, but they weren't going to pull it out of its niche, and my arms aren't long enough to wrap around it do do the job. Also, I really wanted to clean out the niche before the new fridge moved in. So, again I sent messages to local WhatsApp groups. No responses... so I contacted a young neighbor with big tall kids to see if anyone was available to help a short old lady. Luckily one of her sons could come, and he easily pulled out the ol' refrigerator and helped me unplug it. It was a stubborn as some crotchety elderly can be.

Soon after 1pm the new fridge arrived. It even matches my kitchen better than the old one did. I was told not to plug it in for about four hours. During that time, I was busy with less pleasant things than staring at the new, still empty refrigerator. I went down to our local cemetery twice. First for an azkara, memorial ceremony, and after that to the funeral of a dear friend, an older woman who had passed away that very morning.

When I returned I plugged it in and tried to understand the instructions. This fridge is very modern. All the controls are on the door, much better than inside, but I had to figure it out. The LG even has a Shabbat mode. Apparently, all I have to do is to press a button for a few seconds, and it's ready for Shabbat. After Shabbat I'm to just press it again. I guess I'll have to "practice" beforehand. Yes, this is the new generation of religious appliances. If you want, I'll report on my "adjustments." 

And it took me until this morning, until I brought all my food from my neighbor. Why did it take so long? OK, that's another story...