For those of you who read my posts last summer about the little bit of insanity I like to call, “Twelve Hungry Farm Workers and a Toaster Oven,” you will appreciate the rich layered ironies of our discovery, just two days ago, that our refrigerator had died.

Yes, just as the summer staff is returning like swallows to Capistrano, our refrigerator unexpectedly bit the dust. Should I post on Facebook for the staff that have not yet arrived, “Good news! THE STOVE IS WORKING! No need to sharpen your elbows to push your way to the electric fry pan!” Or is that a bit disingenuous? Do they deserve the post, “Hope you like warm milk and have a stomach that can handle refreshing snacks like lukewarm potato salad?”

No, I think I will surprise them! After all, I need them to show up, and it may be just a bit too soon to tell them that yet another major appliance has turned up her heels chez Sheehan. They are still probably binge eating snacks cooked on a real live stove after what turned out to be several MONTHS without one last summer!

And when I tell them the good news in person, I will tell them to look forward to all the memories we will be making together! Tossing back the warm beverages after a hot couple of hours with a hoe! Enjoying the crunch of warm pickles! Savoring whatever I throw at them as needing to be eaten RIGHT NOW. It’s going to be magic!

And some things actually will be cold, a few choice items (my choice by the way). We have dragged out Ben’s college fridge, something the size of a postage stamp and decorated with an lovely sticker that says, “Porn Star.” It’s on back porch right now, and the fight for space within its walls has already begun.

In fact, when Jim got the word from Sears that the first appointment for a repairman was fourteen days out……I got a game plan for today. Grab The Trail for another read through and sit tight by Porn Star. Some people may not fully understand yet that the cold food in her depths is for supper, not for random snacks. Some people may not believe that keeping the mayo cold takes priority over chilling their Peach Snapple Ice Tea. Some people may not believe that warm meats taste just as good as chilled meats, especially when they need to be eaten STAT.

I can see already that by day’s end, I will already have so many special new memories, and thanks to Sears I may get months of memory making!