Ian is on the job!

My day 78 update on my health overhaul is actually a good one. But, by rights, this week should have been a disaster, which is why it’s now been a week and a half since my last update. Last weekend (ongoing through my “Day 71” post) we were troubleshooting our dying refrigerator. We figured out that it was really most severely broken and, also, that we had killed it. After a week without a refrigerator, we shopped for and purchased a new-to-us model for not very much, which has all been time consuming and exciting and has saved us a lot of cash. Plus, we met a really nice gentleman named Curtis who hauls things as a side business and also apparently has all the charms of the Pied Piper of Hamlin. He did a great job, went above and beyond, and also contributed to the general crazy unicorn roadshow atmosphere of the weekend by bringing his dog along. Let me know if you need any hauling done and I will supply his number.

Unfortunately, after his kind and valuable assistance came to an end, we discovered that the refrigerator was exactly 1/2 inch larger than the doorway to the kitchen, which easily quadrupled the excitement of installing the new fridge. As a DIY project, buying a used fridge is somewhere in the middle of the pain in the neck scale. The general level of chaos and inconvenience is well worth the substantial cash savings versus buying a new fridge in the long run. In the meantime, it’s also a rather un-beautiful snapshot of complete and utter system breakdown. If possible, I recommend not having a broken fridge. Ever.

I’m sure there are strategies that allow a person who doesn’t have access to electric refrigeration to prepare fresh, healthy food every day without either going broke, shopping all the time, or wasting a lot of food, but seven days is not enough time to learn them. It is enough time for my patience to give out completely, and also I can tell you we ate out more than normal. And that it did not thrill me.

I am providing some highlights, here. Please feel free to feel superior as you browse through the ever-so-classy way we handled this whole thing. Did I mention that it happens to be Raccoon Crazy Season? Yes, it is. As a result, after months of giving lip service to the idea that we need to address our raccoon problem, it has become a priority. Ian performed a raccoon repelling dance, leaping about and screaming “WHAT THE HECK! GET OUT RACCOONS! GET OUT!” He was ably assisted by the Littlest Loud Thing, who hopped along after him shouting “Out! Out! Out!” No one actually promised us this would be effective, but it seemed appropriate, so we rolled with it.

Apparently, it’s all over when you disturb a man’s sleep, and we have dedicated ourselves to pursuing EVERY raccoon repellent, deterrent, and/or removal advice known to humanity as represented on the internet. Up to and possibly including dude urine. Today at the Crazy Unicorn Road Show, we have high-fume tennis balls and home made pepper spray. I’m not exaggerating when I tell you my house smells funny, and there is a mariachi band in the attic.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

Monday Progress Report

Day: 78
The scale has moved: -17 lbs
The inches have changed: -18 inches
I feel:rather like running away from home, but motivated.
I’ve walked: 98.87 miles and counting!

Getting rid of the old fridge turned out to be the easiest part.