December 27, 2007

Reheated memeories

Last night I walked into the kitchen to find the clock on the microwave dark. Thinking the circuit had flipped, I headed to the breaker box only to see all was well there. Alas, my microwave is dead. I absolutely cannot live without my microwave. What am I supposed to do with the mass of leftover turkey & mashed potatoes languishing in my fridge? I cannot eat cold turkey...please don't ask me to.

The funny thing is, QM & Daddy are only on their second microwave...ever. When microwaves hit it big in the mid 80's QM thought they were a fad. Totally unnecessary. She was not getting one. Period. Everyone we knew got one. Not QM. Then both my grandmothers got microwaves. Not QM. Then Granny got one...Granny was my (& Inkling's) nearly 80 year old Great Grandmother (G'pa M&M's mom). I'm not sure Granny knew what to do with it. It may have been a gift from one of her kids or grandkids, again, I'm not sure. But QM held firm to her resolve. We still had no microwave.

I thought it was tantamount to abuse. At Busha's I could cook my own hot dogs. That was amazing. I was practically self sufficient at the age of 9. At home, I wasn't allowed to use the stove, so I was trapped in a world of PB & J and cold cereal.

Sadly, my Granny passed away on Halloween when I was 11. When the time came to empty her apartment, the question of what to do with her microwave arose. Everyone had one. No one needed two...then someone remembered us & we were thrust into a world of reheated wonder.

I can remember worrying over the microwaveabitlity of the dishes we were using. Mom's threats if we ever attempted to put her Tupperware in "that thing." The amazement that you could actually roast a turkey in one...at least that's what the book said. Can't say I've ever heard of anyone who tried it, although ours was big enough to roast a 19 pounder.

When the last of my Great-Grandmothers passed away about 9 years ago, she was still in possession of a behemoth microwave from the late 80's. Busha tucked it away in their garage in case it was ever needed. Finally Granny's oven gave out & Busha sent Great-Grandma's old one home with QM & Daddy.

So in 20 plus years of microwaving, QM has never given in and purchased one. But I can say she finally decided they weren't evil. She has made friends with her microwave oven. The last time I was home, Daddy told me he thought the old beast was on it's last leg. They may actually have to go shopping for a new microwave before 2008 is over. I can bet they won't be able to fit a toddler in the new one.

4 comments:

Jeni says said...

don't know how i would live without my microvave, it is totally a neccessity!

Anonymous said...

i would die without my microwave, from heating water, to melting butter, to making a quick plate of nachos. It has been a great necessity to my kitchen

Kork said...

WOW! And here I sit wondering how my husband would survive without one...and make fun of MIL for not using any plastic containers in theirs, and in fact, she'd rather reheat everything in their oven...after all, plastic gives off those toxic gases that will kill us all!
Seriously, I'd like to think I'd be ok without one, but that's because BB bought me a brand spankin' new convection toaster oven for my birthday in November!

Nan said...

OK, I'm the one! Hub and I to be exact. We microwaved a turkey in our Supersized 1970's microwave. I do NOT recommend it!