refrigerator shopping

Our new refrigerator arrived the end of last month and I really like it!! Our old one was almost 10 years old and dying a slow death. Not only was it struggling to maintain the CACFP mandated 40 degrees, the dispensers had not supplied ice or water for over a year, it had sagging baskets in the freezer section, a stolen ice storage compartment, a meat drawer you could not pull out all the way without it falling, and door storage bins that fell off at will. After yet another storage area was lost when the plastic shelf support pegs gave out, we decided it was time to go shopping.

My uber busy spouse had less than zero time to help so this task ended up in my lap. I shop for major purchases just the way my dad does. First you decide what you need and then you research your best options. All before setting foot in the store.

I married into our current model, a side by side. I never preferred this type but it came with a real prize of a husband, so I settled for it. This time around I knew I wanted to replace it with a freezer on the bottom style, the kind with the drawer on the bottom.

After picking out a couple of options based on the most recent reviews in Consumer Reports, I googled the models for individual reviews. The LG I preferred (only very slightly due to the alarm that went off when the door is left open too long) seemed to have some issues with the ice maker being too prolific. I also came across a few who had issues with the seal in between the fridge and the freezer. I decided to be happy with the very close second choice, a Whirlpool Gold.

George and I went around a few stores to price the fridge out. The local independent family owned appliance store was our first stop. The price was hundreds more than I had seen online, they gave no financing options and no discounts for cash. Also they charged to haul away your old one.

The big box home store was next. The salesman was knowledgeable but pushy. The prices were right and haul away was included. They also had financing 6 months same as cash.

Sears was the last stop. Their price was a little higher and you got to pick from 18 months financing OR delivery/haul away. I got bold and asked the unassuming saleswoman if they would match the big box deal. She did that and more with an additional 10% off price matching guarantee, free delivery/haul away and an extension on the financing from 6 months to the 18 months Sears was offering.

The only glitch came when the delivery guys pushed the fridge into the hole. I had measured at the edge and knew there was only 1/8 inch clearance at the top. I did not know the upper cabinet was bowed in the middle, just enough so that the fridge would not go under. The Sears guys left it there and Kevin stopped home between sports commitments to sand the cabinet down enough to slide the fridge under.

And now everyone is super happy to have automatic ice once again.

The Extra Bedroom

We live in a 4 bedroom house. When we first got married, the bedrooms seemed about right. Emma, 4 1/2 years older than the nearest girl, got her own room (the smallest). Brooke and Rachel, just 2 1/2 years apart, share a room. And the 3 boys, 1 1/2 years from oldest to youngest, share the largest bedroom. A "bonus" room above the garage, it is plenty big enough for 3.

Then along came George.

As an infant, we kept his bassinet in the master bedroom. But after several months he was ready to move out.

We had a spare room downstairs off the kitchen. The floor plan called for it to be a dining room but we never planned to use it as such. It was carpeted and didn't have a hanging light like you would expect to find in a dining room.

We decided to move the 2 girls down there. Partly because they spend part of their week with their mother, partly because they generally keep their room pretty tidy. They like being downstairs during the day, closer to play in their room, but at night they felt lonely, far from the rest of the family. Like any new room, it took a few days for them to get used to it.

Victoria did a great job setting it up. She blocked the wide entrance (to the front living room) with bookcases on the living room side and a beautiful quilt made by the girls' grandmother on the new bedroom side. The doorway to the kitchen was temporarily closed off with a curtain.

Well after several trial months we decided we would go ahead and put a real door in the doorway. I went to Lowe's and got a pre-hung door. The doorway was wider than the door and frame so I needed to narrow down the opening by about 2 1/2 inches.

My good friend Randy volunteered to help out. He has a garage full of power tools, and is much more skilled and experienced in home projects than I am. Randy and I got together on Friday and ripped some boards to the right size to use as spacers to narrow the opening. We added some shims and leveled the door on all sides. Randy used his power-nail-gun to secure the spacers and the door frame. Thanks Randy!

One funny thing, when Randy left about all that was left was to attach the doorknob. I put the spindle in and wanted to see if it was set correctly. Rachel and I went in the room and pushed the door shut. Oops!

The spindle fit just right and latched the door shut. But I had neglected to attach the knob, and now the knob was on the other side of the door than us. Rachel and I were trapped inside! Brooke came to our rescue but couldn't get the door knob apart. She eventually brought Victoria and Rachel and I were set free!

We still need to put up trim to finish the doorway but this room is now more of a room. My sister Chris was here a few weeks ago for George's birthday, and mentioned something about the kids playing in the "extra bedroom." In a family of 9, I'm not sure there is such thing as an extra bedroom, and we had a good laugh about this.