Monday 15 December 2014

Is Two Enough to Make It a Custom?

Back in October, I got a new fridge and freezer installed. Both have been purring along contendedly enough – if there’s been any roaring, that has been coming from me, still having to do with the doors: The freezer still lacking a handle; and the fridge being hard to open (in spite of what might be assumed to be the largest handle in the fridge world).

As for the fridge, I soon came to the conclusion that I had to use some sort of tool to relieve the pressure first, every time before opening the door, and the best tool for the purpose that I could find in my drawers was a wooden butter knife. By now I’ve got used to that and find it the most natural thing in the world. Doesn’t everyone have a butterknife hanging on the fridge?!

DSC_0019-001

Today, at long last, a couple of guys came along to put a wooden “front” on the freezer door. This makes the freezer look bigger on the outside than on the inside (it is in fact smaller than the previous one) – and serves as protection from dust etc.

2014-12-15 freezer

My only objection when the guys declared the job “done” was the the same as last time:

Me: – Er … But there’s no handle??
Guy: – No, they haven’t arrived yet, and we don’t know when that will be. You’ll get it later...
Me: – And what am I supposed to do in the meantime?
(The new door fitting so tight now that there’s really not much room to grip around the edge.)
Strong Guy (showing me he can do it): – Or you could just use a dough scraper or something…
Me (calm and together, as if this was a perfectly normal conversation): – Okay. I’m already using a butter knife with the fridge…
Strong Guy: Oh? (testing the fridge door, and of course it opens ever so smoothly for Him…)

Then he starts searching his pockets, muttering “Didn’t I have a….” - the name of which I can’t remember even in Swedish, but I understood it to be some small item of plastic that could smoothly be added to the fridge to serve just about the same pressure-relieving purpose as my butter knife. But in spite of turning his pockets inside-out, he didn’t find one. So he just shrugged his shoulders (with no promises to come back with one), and I was left to my own devices, once again…

Fortunately I’m not short of butter knives, so I found another nice handcarved one, and also a piece of decorative ribbon to hang it from...

I’m just telling you this, in case you should happen to come by for a surprise visit, or (perhaps more likely) these mysterious objects should happen to appear in the background of other photos on this blog. It is not an old Swedish custom (yet!) to have a butter knife hanging next to the fridge or freezer. If, however, the tradition should spread, in years to come… now you know where it all began, and why!

(PS. I’ll try to remember to ask for that Thingy for the fridge again when some time in the Future they come to attach a handle on the freezer…)

16 comments:

  1. Hooray for butter knives! I'd probably be at a loss, since I don't have any butter knives or any other device that could play the role.
    The conversation with Strong Guy made me laugh :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If you ever find yourself in dire need of a wooden butter knife, just let me know, Meike! :)

      Delete
  2. you are so creative... you created your own thingy's and i just love it when strong men say something is easy to do. i tell bob if my hands were like baseball mitts like yours i could do it to.. very strange to come without a handle

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think I've always been a bit like that (inventing solutions) but I also got some extra training in creative thinking during the years I worked with/for occupational therapists, Sandra :)

      Delete
  3. Well, first I love seeing your fridge and this makes me think of having a fridge post and asking everyone to post theirs so we can all see what they put on them!! YES, I will! Oh my, really this is not right, especially at Christmas. I wonder if the others in your building that got new ones have the same problem? But here is an idea. Use a seasonal ribbon to tie it on for each occasion! Like one with bunnys at Easter, fall leaves at fall, etc.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm guessing I'm not the only one with problems, Ginny; but I think it also depends on the size of the flat what kind and size of equipment we get. So it may not be exactly the same for everyone.

      Delete
  4. Well sometimes you just have to invent things:) and think you're quite creative using the good old butter knife. But sure hope they'll put in the handles for you soon.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So do I, Eva Marie. But somehow I doubt it will happen before Christmas... :)

      Delete
  5. *big big smile* für diese Geschichte mitten aus dem schwedischen Kühlschrankleben.
    Danke schöön!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glad you enjoyed it, mo. Frohe Weihnachten! :)

      Delete
  6. This is most definitely a wonderful new tradition. I would love to hang a wooden butter knife on my fridge. It looks very cute. It's a pity I don't have one. I will keep a look out for one as I trundle through the Christmas markets. Until then, do you think a large stainless steel Cleaver would suffice?:) I don't think so :):) Have a wonderful Christmas and I do hope Father Christmas delivers that handle personally. All the best.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for visiting, Nicola. The wooden butter knives I suppose may be typically Swedish or Scandinavian thing... Not to have "hanging around" ;) but actually using them to spread butter, I mean!

      Delete
  7. Oh dear, thank goodness you have spare butter knives.
    I would call them and remind them to bring the plastic thingy before they come by next time.
    The fridge butter knife custom is a cute idea.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They're likely to call me when it's time for them to come to install the handles, Virginia. Which might be a good time to ask about that other thing as well.

      Delete
  8. Maybe you should send the link to this post to whoever designed your appliances ! :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. I'm with Jenny on this one. It sounds like very poor design to me.

    ReplyDelete

Communication is what makes blogging fun :)
... but all spam or suspected spam will be deleted.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...