Determined
Dec. 18th, 2021 08:10 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
soniaI was grateful it wasn't raining this morning for my bike jaunt to the farmer's market. It wasn't even that cold, almost 50F.
After I talked with a friend on the east coast for quite a while, it still wasn't raining, so I did a bunch of garden cleanup. I thought I was just going to cut down the raspberry canes, but once I got out there, I saw a lot more to cut back. Sage, dahlias, autumn joy, and also opportunistic weeds that don't admit to an off-season.
Apparently it's going to be an early spring - I saw a daffodil well sprouted, and the daphne is already budding. Then again the weather report is threatening us with snow, so I hope the eager plants will make it through. Last year the blooming daphne made it through our February ice storm, so I guess it's pretty sturdy.
I went inside just as the first raindrops came down, well-satisfied with my work and my timing.
Then I finally called DeWhitt Appliances about the weird problem with my new (as of July) fridge. In previous fridges, I could stash my farmers market veggies in the crisper still in the mesh bags I use at the market, and they would last a week or three as needed. In this fridge, carrots and other veggies go rubbery in a couple of days, so I've had to put everything in plastic bags.
I spent a long time on the phone with a Frigidaire support person a month ago, and she had me check if the crisper bins or shelf over them was cracked. Good thought, but no. If you ever need support from Frigidaire, just skip the chat option and call them. Not only was chat useless, but they closed the connection on me twice when I said yes I have the crisper set correctly, I need more help.
So today, I called DeWhitt Appliances without much hope of useful tips. I spoke with the salesperson (Shawn) who sold me the fridge, and he said, huh, never heard that issue before. He said the fridge is under warranty and offered me replacement crisper bins. I looked out at the pouring rain and said I'd be there next Sunday, but then remembered there's snow in the forecast. This is one errand that would be a lot easier by car, but bike + trailer is what I have available.
So I pulled on my rain gear, figured out how to extract the bins and shelf from the fridge when the door doesn't open all the way in the tight space, wrapped some old towels around the glass shelf, and carefully settled it all in my bike trailer with bungees to keep it in place. I grabbed my light since it was already getting dark at 4pm. I was glad I charged it the day before even though I wasn't expecting to need it.
Just missed a MAX train, waited for the next one. Fortunately not too many people getting on and off, since the bike + trailer is hard to get out of the way of the doors. Two people not wearing masks, though, even though they're required. I asked them to put on their masks, but they still didn't. The other reason I set out into the dark and rain is I figured in a week the omicron covid risk might be a lot higher.
Biked the couple of miles from the MAX station to the store near the airport. By this time it was full dark and still pouring rain. Frigging scary! The first part is on a separated bike path, which is fine except for having to thread my way through homeless camps that encroach on the path.
The rest is on very busy Airport Way with a narrow bike lane. I just pedaled and hoped. I biked right through where the bike lane was flooded because I sure wasn't going to dodge into traffic. Fortunately it wasn't too deep and I got through it with just wet shoes.
Got to the store, tracked down my salesperson, he had the new crispers + shelf waiting, and he didn't even make me fill out any paperwork. Another salesperson said I was the most determined person he's ever seen. Packed the new stuff into my trailer, and set off back to the MAX station.
I'm so glad I've done that trip a few times before in daylight, because it looks like the bike lane continues merrily onto a freeway onramp. There's a sharp uphill right turn at the last moment. I had to yell at a car that was waiting to get on the freeway *in* the bike lane. They did finally move over.
Waited a while for a train, again rode it without incident, biked the last mile home. Whew. My light was indicating it was running out of battery, which it shouldn't for such a short ride time. Another thing to look into. I've barely used it the last couple of years, and I wonder if that did some harm. *sigh*
I hope after all that, the new shelf and crispers work better. And if not, I know I've done my best to fix the situation.
When I was five years old, my parents called me stubborn, and I've proudly kept that label all these years. I think "determined" fits better though. There are so many situations where I figure it out as I go, and just keep pedaling.
After I talked with a friend on the east coast for quite a while, it still wasn't raining, so I did a bunch of garden cleanup. I thought I was just going to cut down the raspberry canes, but once I got out there, I saw a lot more to cut back. Sage, dahlias, autumn joy, and also opportunistic weeds that don't admit to an off-season.
Apparently it's going to be an early spring - I saw a daffodil well sprouted, and the daphne is already budding. Then again the weather report is threatening us with snow, so I hope the eager plants will make it through. Last year the blooming daphne made it through our February ice storm, so I guess it's pretty sturdy.
I went inside just as the first raindrops came down, well-satisfied with my work and my timing.
Then I finally called DeWhitt Appliances about the weird problem with my new (as of July) fridge. In previous fridges, I could stash my farmers market veggies in the crisper still in the mesh bags I use at the market, and they would last a week or three as needed. In this fridge, carrots and other veggies go rubbery in a couple of days, so I've had to put everything in plastic bags.
I spent a long time on the phone with a Frigidaire support person a month ago, and she had me check if the crisper bins or shelf over them was cracked. Good thought, but no. If you ever need support from Frigidaire, just skip the chat option and call them. Not only was chat useless, but they closed the connection on me twice when I said yes I have the crisper set correctly, I need more help.
So today, I called DeWhitt Appliances without much hope of useful tips. I spoke with the salesperson (Shawn) who sold me the fridge, and he said, huh, never heard that issue before. He said the fridge is under warranty and offered me replacement crisper bins. I looked out at the pouring rain and said I'd be there next Sunday, but then remembered there's snow in the forecast. This is one errand that would be a lot easier by car, but bike + trailer is what I have available.
So I pulled on my rain gear, figured out how to extract the bins and shelf from the fridge when the door doesn't open all the way in the tight space, wrapped some old towels around the glass shelf, and carefully settled it all in my bike trailer with bungees to keep it in place. I grabbed my light since it was already getting dark at 4pm. I was glad I charged it the day before even though I wasn't expecting to need it.
Just missed a MAX train, waited for the next one. Fortunately not too many people getting on and off, since the bike + trailer is hard to get out of the way of the doors. Two people not wearing masks, though, even though they're required. I asked them to put on their masks, but they still didn't. The other reason I set out into the dark and rain is I figured in a week the omicron covid risk might be a lot higher.
Biked the couple of miles from the MAX station to the store near the airport. By this time it was full dark and still pouring rain. Frigging scary! The first part is on a separated bike path, which is fine except for having to thread my way through homeless camps that encroach on the path.
The rest is on very busy Airport Way with a narrow bike lane. I just pedaled and hoped. I biked right through where the bike lane was flooded because I sure wasn't going to dodge into traffic. Fortunately it wasn't too deep and I got through it with just wet shoes.
Got to the store, tracked down my salesperson, he had the new crispers + shelf waiting, and he didn't even make me fill out any paperwork. Another salesperson said I was the most determined person he's ever seen. Packed the new stuff into my trailer, and set off back to the MAX station.
I'm so glad I've done that trip a few times before in daylight, because it looks like the bike lane continues merrily onto a freeway onramp. There's a sharp uphill right turn at the last moment. I had to yell at a car that was waiting to get on the freeway *in* the bike lane. They did finally move over.
Waited a while for a train, again rode it without incident, biked the last mile home. Whew. My light was indicating it was running out of battery, which it shouldn't for such a short ride time. Another thing to look into. I've barely used it the last couple of years, and I wonder if that did some harm. *sigh*
I hope after all that, the new shelf and crispers work better. And if not, I know I've done my best to fix the situation.
When I was five years old, my parents called me stubborn, and I've proudly kept that label all these years. I think "determined" fits better though. There are so many situations where I figure it out as I go, and just keep pedaling.
