Broken Realizations

This holiday season came with a 1st world struggle.

Our 3.5-year-old LG refrigerator stopped working. It's been a fiasco getting details for it to get fixed.

Our Uncle Mike is facepalming as he reads this, as he's always instructed us to buy Whirlpool, Maytag, GE, etc. Lesson learned, Uncle Mike. Lesson learned.

It turns out the repair guys don't repair LG or Samsung appliances when you call them independently. The ones who do are considered specialized in LG, and their schedules could be booked as far as three weeks. Neat, right?

No.

As a parent, and it was the holiday season, we had to take a step back in time. We had to eat what had been bought for the week, and there was no good way to "save leftovers," so you cooked what you'd eat.

Standing in the retail store (Lowe's) with the first sales guy encouraged me to call LG as the compressors and other parts are warranted longer than the manufacturer warranty. This was very helpful. So I did just that, called LG. Since the process to get a repair guy took longer, we ended up buying a new refrigerator and are working through the forever-evolving process of warranty replacement details with LG. As I write this, it is still ongoing. True story. It has been weeks.

The 2nd sales guy at Lowe's and I stood staring at the refrigerators and pondering life and why we make adulting so difficult. He even learned he was off to Kansas to live far away for a career move to explore life. I was so inspired and happy for him. Thinking back, the questions were spilling from my thoughts out loud. The poor fella. He was actually super to work with.

• Why do we need such large units?

• Why does it have to have french doors?

• Do we eat everything in there before it goes bad?

• Why am I paying for space I don't really need to keep cool?

• How does this impact the earth?

• Who are the Joneses?

No. I don't know. Who cares? These were my answers upon looking for a new one.

During the power outages this past year, how much food was thrown out or wasted as a community?

It's a thing.

We can do better.

The Shire will be downsizing our items as we go and living "realistically" in 2022 and beyond. Changes will encourage a smaller footprint on the earth and our waste. Not to mention we saved $600 by not getting french doors (french door seals are known to falter). What?!

So take a step back when something happens in your life and review how we can move forward in a brighter light for the future.

This sentiment could apply to many things. Be open. Listen. Make the change.

Life Tip: Annually, take the back of your refrigerator and clean the coils, and it'll prolong its life. #thingsthatshouldbetaughtinschool

Photo: Don't mind the fingerprints. = Real-Life Image

Well Wishes ~

Brandi