Cleaned Out YOUR Fridge Lately?

This was a task I definitely wasn't looking forward to. I mean, I don't even like cleaning out my fridge on a regular basis, much less AFTER I've been gone a month because of a stupid hurricane. Unfortunately, I had bags of chicken breasts in teh freezer, which leaked chicken juice....YUCK

Let me back up a bit - we are back at our home in Metairie, LA...cleaning up stuff and attempting to make it liveable for the next few days so we can get our stuff packed up and ready to move. I am recounting what happened after our refrigerators were turned off for over a week, and since we've been gone since mid-August, all the food has been in htere for about 6 weeks or so. EWWWW!

the smell was indescribably horrible. We donned gloves (had no masks) and said 1...2...3 GO! and it was a mad dash to dumpas much as we could into the trash can. It took us longer to get our refrigerator out the door (we have no dolly) than it did to empty it. The flies began swarming almost immediately. Plus, we were on a short timeline before the first rainbands of Hurricane Rita hit our town.

Since I have the stronger stomach between my husband and me, I got hte task of actually cleaning hte fridge.

It was nauseating. Absolutely the worst smell you can imagine. We removed things that were unrecognizeable. It was so bad, we even threw away some of our REAL Tupperware - there was no way in hell I was going to attempt to clean that.

As you drive through our neighborhood, you see a lot of refrigerators and freezers just sitting by the roadside. No, isnurance does not pay to replace these items. We're discovering that there is a LOT that insurance doesn't pay. And yet, our rates seem to increase every year. But I really shouldn't get started on THAT topic.

Anyway, I'm particualrly attached to my refrigerator. Of course, if my isruance company was going to replace it (it's a $1500 fridge), I would walk away from it in a heartbeat and buy a new one for our new home. It's NOT a side-by-side, yet it has hte water and ice dispenser in the upper door (freezer). It's perfect laid out and you can fit TONS of stuff in it. I love this fridge.

Adn you don't realize how much you rely on a fridge until you don't have one. Just the simple act of drinking ice water makes you realize that (without ice) you have no fridge. Eating some dry foods (P.B. and crackers) makes you say "hmmm, some jelly would be good on this. Oh yea, I forgot. We don't have a fridge - we had to throw out our jelly because it smells like crap". Cold milk for our toddler to drink - gotta buy ice from one of only a handful of stores that are open in the area to keep her milk from spoiling. Mustard for your can of tuna on crackers - nope, mustard would be in a fridge and we are Currently Without Fridge.

Imagine if you had no fridge in your home. You might have to get creative about what you eat and when.

Our deep freeze, on the other hand, was not nearly as bad. The smell was not bad, but a lot of stuff got stuck to the sides when it thawed and refroze (power went off and back on over a week later). So we could have, for example, ice cream, but not juice. Weird.

I would really hate to lose that fridge. Then again, I would really hate to have to pay for a new fridge when the other one is only 5 years old and in great condition (well, except for hte revolting stench). But it could be a lot worse. I could have lose my entire house, my heirlooms, my photographs - this is hte case with many of my friends. And yet, I remain emotionally attached to that fridge.

fortunately, the water we took on in our house was not near our photographs. Well, actually it was NEAR but did not damage. Which is wonderful. Because it would havebeen a shame to lose my wedding album. Whew.

OF course, things are a little up in the air with this Hurricane Rita. What's left of my wind chimes are constantly tinkling and my trees are taking a beating. Teh rain comes and goes, off and on. Teh worst of Rita will hit new orleans late tonight/early tomorrow morning. We can just continue cleaning and pray, that's about it. Of course, we can't clean too much untila fter hte adjuster gets here. It's their job to pay each policyowner as little as possible, so you know, you hate to make things look better than they really are, even though that would be best for your sanity.

So today we are going through paperwork, cleaning up and cleaning out. Next, i'll start going through clothing to decide what gets packed (keep) and what gets pitched (donated). Lots to do even before we start getting packing. And my in-laws are coming to help (but they are bringing boxes).

Anyway, I'm getting off-track.

My point is that sometiems we get attached to material things, adn that's OK. But sometimes it can be beneficial to let go of our emotional attachment to THINGS.

So my qeustion for you today is:

What material item can you release your emotional attachment to? How is this emotional attachment limiting you in your life?