18.02.2025 The absence of balance.

 ~o~

  Tuesday 18th 20F/-6.7C [7.45] Another cold, sunny day.

 Up at 6am after a quiet night.  Feeling warm for some reason. It is only 61F in the room.

 The freezer compartment is at -21C this morning. After I wound up the control knob last night. I have backed it off again but expect a slow warming to the recommended -18C. At least it is working and the frozen food is safe. It was silent after I switched it back on following the de-icing. Fortunately it started working again after my deliberate nudge. Perhaps it was just coincidence?

 I had plans for a new fridge-freezer but with the freezer compartment at the bottom. The present one is getting quite old but has kept working for years in a cold room. The freezer compartment is only just large enough for my very modest range of frozen foods. There is no room for any reserve stock. It is already stretched when asked to hold a whole, new loaf. 

 My kitchen "remodeling" called for a new, probably taller model. With the hinges reversed. Which, strange at it may seem, would require my learning completely new tricks. Old habits for removing items, on auto pilot, will have to reprogrammed. 

 9.00 The fridge is not working. No sound and it is warming up again. -9C.

  8.30 22F/-5.6C. I have started the car to defrost it. The fan heater is running in the bathroom. 55F was a bit chilly for a shower! 

 9.15 Ready to go. Fridge now showing -14C. It is obviously unhappy.

 12.45 35F/2C. Sunshine. Returning from visiting my English friend. Shopped on the way home. The fridge was showing -25C! So it is obviously working but not behaving itself. I have backed off the control setting to 4 out of 6. 

 13.30  I am going for a drive to the city. I just hope the car behaves.

 17.30 It did, but under protest. I visited all the large white goods stockists. Then, on a whim, I visited the local stockist. Where I had already bought the oven and washing machine. They made me an offer on a compact fridge-freezer. With everything I needed except being too large. It will fit in place of the present fridge but be a bit taller. Freezer below, no frost, automatic de-icing and hinges on the left. 

 The extra height gives me the capacity I wanted but in much the same footprint. I didn't know such a thing existed until now. The width didn't matter within reason. It was the projection from the back wall. Most were 65cm deep. Those that I measured in the showrooms. The one I bought is just a smidgen under 60cm x 54cm wide x 180cm high. 

 Perfect for one person. Ideal for the spot behind the door when it is open in summer. No unwanted projection beyond the recycling cupboard. Which I intended to extend with a new top anyway. Or just add a strip across the back to provide a little more room for the baskets.

 Dinner was mackerel in tomato sauce on toast. There were no tomatoes today. 

 ~o~