I’m in the doghouse !

Yesterday I noticed that the fridge was awfully quiet for quite some time already so I checked the thermometers that I now have in the fridge and freezer compartment and they were at much lower temperatures than originally. So I alerted Cliff and he could hardly believe it but he took the whole thing apart again. He noticed that the motor was not getting any electricity but everything else seemed to have continuity. I finally dug out the fridge instructions – keep in mind the thing is nearly 36 years old – and he read that every eight hours of running time it would defrost and the rest of the circuits were shut down during that period. Dohh… it seemed to have been in that state when I noticed it. So he put everything together again, we hauled all the food back form the balcony where it was keeping cold and so far so good, it’s doing well. I hope it keeps on that way. Poor Cliff and his paranoid wife ☺
We had a really big wind storm today. Since we had invited company for this afternoon I made bread and was holding my breath all morning hoping the electricity would stay on long enough for the bread to bake. As it turned out we never lost power. We must have been some of the few people who did not so maybe we are living right ☺☺ I had baked a cake already yesterday. We had a great time.
That was my update on the fridge.
Good night everybody ☺

A sad beginning and a good ending

As usual we made porridge for breakfast with lots of raisins. When it was time to eat I opened the fridge took the milk out and all of a sudden it hit me…the fridge was too warm! Then I remembered that I had noticed a bit of a smell yesterday but I thought at that time that there might be something in there that would account for it. Sure enough I had a nice Brie cheese but it was still pretty fresh so I never though more about it until this morning when the warm fridge told me something is wrong. Sure enough, checking the freezer compartment everything in there was defrosted and also warm. I guess I never noticed that the fridge was not running for at least 2 days. Since we bought the fridge when we built this house 35 years ago I guess it did not owe us anything and I was all set to go shopping for a new one even though I still really loved it. Not so my fix-it husband! Goodie goodie, a new project he could sink his teeth in!! Pretty soon he had some of it in pieces checking this and that. It took about 1 1/2 hours and the fridge was running again. A wire rubbed through on a copper pipe and all he had to do is wrap it and away it went. There might have been more involved in that but that was all I understood ☺
We had taken everything out of the fridge and set it on the balcony since it was freezing outside thinking to bring it in later after it cooled down again. Lots of the frozen stuff went in the compost. Luckily there was not much in there I could not live without. Everything is back inside and now I have a very clean running fridge ☺.
I am told it is good for another 35 years! Yeah!!!
It snowed here off and on since yesterday but so far not all that much accumulated. More snow tomorrow in the forecast and I have a hairdresser appointment. If the roads are not clear I won’t be going so I am hoping the weatherman is wrong like so often.
That is my tale for today and now I will go back to my slipper-knitting hoping this time they will turn out better than the last pair.
Good night everybody ☺

Saved from mishap ☺

This is what the rest of my beignet dough turned into:

So all is well that ends well. They were delicious. The dough itself is a keeper and very easy to make. Now I have to remember not to make it too often although I was happy to have it since we had drop-in company yesterday.
Today was a rainy day. We had an appointment in town this afternoon and I was glad that Cliff did the driving since I hate driving in snow or lots of rain. Cliff had to see a dentist and was not to sure how he would feel afterwards so I went with him. It took 2 1/2 hours but I did not mind waiting in the waiting room which was very beautiful. I had my iPod to play a few games and after that I used my Sansa Clip MP3 player to listen to a book. I almost fell asleep. Normally I go shopping when I have to wait for Cliff but I just did not feel like braving the weather.
I read a book until midnight last night so now I am very tired and shall turn in shortly.

Good night everybody ☺

Not such a good start

in the cooking department that is. When I read the Blogs this morning I read about Janna's plate of homemade beignets. That sure sounded great so this afternoon I decided to make some. I had never even heard the name but googled it and found a recipe on the Internet. The dough went together really well and I kept it cool for 3 hours like the recipe said. I used my cast iron fry pan with enough oil to cover the beignets.  I even had a thermometer to make sure I had the right temperature. In go the first four but I guess the oil got way too hot in the process and they were dark brown quickly but when I took them out and cut one open it was still raw inside. Unfortunately I already sugared them so could not put them back in the oil. I finished them off in the oven. Next I tried to roll the next ones out thinner and at least they cooked fully. I still was not too impressed so I rolled out the remaining dough, added butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Rolled it up like a jelly roll, cut into 16 pieces and they are now rising, waiting for the oven. I think they will be OK. Like the other southern recipe I made awhile ago “biscuits and gravy” I still think one has to be born in the South to make them ☺☺☺
That’s all for the first day of the year.
I hope everybody arrived safe and sound.
Good bye everybody ☺