Quite a few years ago I was hitting some local yard sales with my running "look for" list always in the back of my mind (among many other things which get jumbled and sometimes completed.) It was a beautiful day in Washington State (it doesn't always rain here) and I made my way through the countryside on the outskirts of town following the crude "yard sale" signs, hoping that there would be a good reward for all of this driving. So far the day had not offered much, a few over-priced Tupperware items, some scantily clad Barbies, and it was turning into a nice drive, instead of an aggressive hunt, which is what my intention was that morning.
Until....I saw her. She wasn't much to look at upon turning down the country road, but as my car crept forward and I parked and jumped out, I knew immediately she was mine. Before you get the wrong idea, I am referring to my fabulous used freezer. It was true love, and I knew my life, cooking-in-bulk, and shopping would be different from that day forward.
So, after an exciting trip to drag her home (sounds like fun huh?) I woke up the next day with a soapy bucket of water on a mission to make my new (new to me) freezer sparkle. There was a catch however, and this applies to many things you purchase used. It had been what I like to refer to as "gently used" by the previous owner, a fisherman. He must have been a dedicated fisherman too, because he flash froze all of the fish he caught on the wire shelves in the freezer (did I mention that she is about 25 years old?) and didn't seem to have worried about cleaning it before he sold it. Well, the soap turned into bleach, and I plugged her in and fired her up. I threw on a baseball cap and headed for the grocery store. I just had to stock my fishy-bleach freezer with a few goodies that I could dream about that day.
Well, that was about eight or nine years ago, and she has made it through three moves, being accidentally turned off (yes, all food inside was lost, I needed a moment to recover upon discovering that) and still going strong. Right now she is chock full of homemade chili, soups, casseroles, frozen veggies, meat I buy on sale (using the Food Saver...that torrid love affair will have to make it into another post) and anything else that makes running a home and managing a family of six while working part time and home schooling just a bit easier.
I have had the opportunity to purchase a new freezer a few times, but I just can't bring myself to say goodbye yet. That is kind of the problem in our world, that when something isn't as fast, starts to get old or doesn't look as great as it used to, we get rid of it. She is safe here, and will continue to be greatly loved by this mom until she is ready to retire, only on her terms of course.
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