sparkling husband primitive suffers food tragedy

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=236x68557

Oh my.

I didn't want the cooking and baking primitives to think franksolich evaporated, and so found this.

Stinky The Clown  (1000+ posts)        Sat Sep-05-09 11:43 PM
Original message
 
A true food tragedy at Casa De Sparkly i Stinky

So we're each in our offices, doing some lazy Saturday stuff. I walk over to Sparkly's office and ask her if she'd given any thought to supper. We chat about what we might want; what's in the freezer.

I go back to the laundry room and open the (32 year old) freezer. A smell tumbles out. Then warmth.

Every Damned Thing Was Thawed.

Not just thawing.

Thawed and on toward spoiling.

It was maybe four or five days since either of us opened it

5 lbs of salmon. 5 lbs of huge Texas Gulf shrimp. Maybe 3 or 4 lbs of pork chops. Two pork tenderloins. Four St Louis cut rub racks. Stuffed clams, pizzas, lasagnas, spinach pies, burritos, homemade soups, homemade pulled pork barbecue and store bought pulled pork barbecue, calamari, ham, skinless chicken breasts, and on ..... and on ..... and on.

We went out and bought a new freezer. $620. I bet we threw out more than that in spoiled food.

While Sparkly ran out to the hardware store to buy some super heavy duty garbage bags, I managed to get the freezer out of the basement and into the back yard, and got the door off. She got back and we literally filled to the very top a garbage can. It was so heavy I was barely able to move it. We had to empty it partially, move it up to the the front, and refill it. I'm betting a hundred and twenty, maybe a hundred and fifty lbs of food got tossed.

The new freezer is white, like the old one.

We went out for dinner.

Problem with this tale of woe, though.

The sparkling husband primitive suggests that he moved the freezer all by himself, from the basement to the back yard.

That's quite a load.

But then later on, the sparkling husband primitive was "barely able" to move a garbage can filled with spoiled food, allegedly 60-75 pounds (half its alleged weight).

I dunno.

Lugnut  (1000+ posts)        Sun Sep-06-09 01:48 AM
Response to Original message
 
1. Oh man.

I am crying for you. I got some great bargains on meat last week when I visited my daughter so my 30+ year old freezer is packed to the max. This morning I went to the basement to take some chicken out for our party tomorrow and the freezer sounded weird. I got one of those instant panic headaches before I opened the door. Everything is still frozen solid but you can bet I'll be keeping a close eye on things.

Stinky The Clown  (1000+ posts)        Sun Sep-06-09 01:35 PM
Response to Reply #1
 
11. Take this advice from someone who now has first hand experience:

Ours "made noise" for a while. A knocking sound. I knew damned well what it was (a dry(ing) bearing in the compressor) and knew damned well it was unfixable and knew damned well it could go in an hour or a year.

Replace the freezer now, Don't wait.

Lugnut  (1000+ posts)        Mon Sep-07-09 01:20 AM
Response to Reply #11
 
24. Oh shit.

I realized today that the freezer is constantly running and making a knocking sound. I was up to my eyeballs in food, guests and party all day so freezer shopping was out of the question. Everything is still frozen solid but I know we're on borrowed time. Hubs and I need to go freezer shopping ASAP.

Stinky The Clown  (1000+ posts)        Mon Sep-07-09 10:09 AM
Response to Reply #11
 
25. Sears is having a big sale on Energy Star appliances and also on all Kenmores

The place where we bought ours (a GE) quoted us a price below Sears' sale price (he is always the cheapest guy in town).

It is a buyer's market. Go forth and spend.

The wired gassy primitive, who's on that farmette up in Wisconsin for the summer:

grasswire  (1000+ posts)      Sun Sep-06-09 02:17 AM
Response to Original message
 
2. oh lordy

I don't like the idea of anyone wrestling a freezer out to the back yard! Don't scare us!

I'll bet you lost some real goodies. There are always tidbits of duck fat and stuff like that, saved for enriching another dish and now lost forever.

What a shame.

The Gloria Swanson primitive comments, but it's a pretty silly comment, so never mind.

Grandma, who apparently has a skinflint, a tightwad, husband:

hippywife  (1000+ posts)        Sun Sep-06-09 11:03 AM
Response to Original message
 
7. Oh no!

I'm so sorry to hear that. You must feel devastated!

I toyed with the idea of a chest freezer and Bill talked me out of it, especially after the 5 days without electricity we experienced a few years ago.

I hope you had a lovely dinner out to soothe your loss.

Phentex  (1000+ posts)        Sun Sep-06-09 12:07 PM
Response to Reply #7
 
8. It's risky here, too...

I do have an extra freezer and it's great for meats and v*****s when I have stocked up. But we tend to lose power a lot! The good thing is that there's usually time to salvage stuff (like when the trees knocked the power out). But we do end up losing some stuff that can't be re-frozen very well.

And then there's the guessing game of "should we move stuff now or wait and see if the power comes back on?"

hippywife  (1000+ posts)        Sun Sep-06-09 12:18 PM
Response to Reply #8
 
10. At least if it can be caught.

some cooking can be done around here, anyway. We have propane so at least I could salvage some things by getting them cooked and some things on ice right away.

Stinky The Clown  (1000+ posts)        Sun Sep-06-09 01:36 PM
Response to Reply #10
 
13. Our first thought was "Let's have a party" and cook as much as we can.

But the food was too far gone. It was at room temperature.

CTyankee  (1000+ posts)      Sun Sep-06-09 01:36 PM
Response to Original message
 
12. Oh, god. This is the reason I don't do the big freezer thing. I just KNOW it would happen to me.

The worst of it is the utter waste and I know you people are not wasters.

Does ANY freezer ever have a "back up" system? Not sure I know how that would work but boy would it be ever worth it...

REACTIVATED IN CT  (1000+ posts)        Sun Sep-06-09 02:29 PM
Response to Reply #12
 
14. They should at least have an alarm system, shouldn't they ? I work in a hospital and I think we have an alarm system on our fridges where medications are stored. I think its linked into our computer system.

CTyankee  (1000+ posts)      Sun Sep-06-09 02:31 PM
Response to Reply #14
 
15. I guess if you have one at the hospital there is a way. 

But I also think a back up generation system of some sort could be invented.

Well, well; the wired gassy primitive has a no-cost solution:

grasswire  (1000+ posts)      Sun Sep-06-09 03:12 PM
Response to Reply #15
 
16. I think the backup system exists.

It would merely be to develop the habit of opening the freezer daily. A nuisance, I know, but it would prevent the loss.

It's sort of like opening the oven door to check to be sure empty pizza boxes aren't in there, before turning it on.

Stinky The Clown  (1000+ posts)        Sun Sep-06-09 05:02 PM
Response to Reply #14

18. Your hospital kitchen also has high temp refrig and freezer alarms, and they're probably also on the emergency generator. I am pretty sure that's a JCAH requirement. I know that when we design hospital kitchens we always put the refrigerators and freezers on the emergency generator and provide a way for the temp controls/sensors to be wired back to the building's alarm systems.

csziggy  (1000+ posts)      Tue Sep-08-09 03:03 AM
Response to Reply #18
 
26. Inexpensive freezer alarms are available - just do a search

Amazon has models as cheap as $10.

I know that had to be painful. We've twice lost the contents of a full freezer - both times from storms and lost power, so we did what we could to give away the best food and use what we could ourselves. The first time what hurt were the gallons and gallons of wild blackberries that we spent the summer picking and had planned to can when the temperatures cooled down. And those were the hardest to clean up after.

Last fall we lost power for four days after Tropical Storm Fay drowned the area. I had filled our new freezer with really good deals on meats and vegetables to save money over the winter. We managed to haul most of the stuff to a local homeless shelter before it defrosted. Two hours after I got home from taking the last load in, the electric co-op guys got here and got our power back on.

Man, the primitives sure seem to have bad luck with freezers.

Stinky The Clown  (1000+ posts)        Sun Sep-06-09 04:59 PM
Response to Reply #12
 
17. This was not the result of a pwer failureThe compressor failed

After 32 years of non-stop running, I'd say that's pretty damned good, actually. But no power back-up would have saved this. It simply died of old age.

I'm not aware of any freezer having a back-up system (apart from dry ice!). What would help is a high temp (say 25F) alarm system. At least then one could take steps to save the food before it reaches 32F and thaws.

ginnyinWI  (1000+ posts)        Sun Sep-06-09 09:29 PM
Response to Reply #17
 
19. mine has an alarm built in.

and it's just a scratch and dent little cheap-o 15 cu. ft. chest freezer. After reading your story, I'm really glad we have one.

sandnsea  (1000+ posts)      Sun Sep-06-09 10:09 PM
Response to Original message
 
20. Your insurance will cover the loss

That happened to my sister. I think I'd sit down and cry me a puddle.

Stinky The Clown  (1000+ posts)        Sun Sep-06-09 10:20 PM
Response to Reply #20
 
21. Wow. I need to look into that.

I mean, while it was a "natural" death, the loss of the freezer cost us a lot in lost food.

How did your sister demonstrate the value of her loss? Our food is gone now and we didn't take any pictures or anything.

sandnsea  (1000+ posts)      Sun Sep-06-09 10:46 PM
Response to Reply #21
 
22. It was about five years ago

I don't remember the details, don't know if I ever asked. The loss of the food is what she collected on, I do remember that. Maybe a receipt for dumping the old freezer along with a receipt for the new one would help.

The Gloria Swanson primitive again, with comments worth bringing over here:

Tangerine LaBamba  (1000+ posts)      Mon Sep-07-09 12:24 AM
Response to Reply #21
 
23. What's your deductible?

If it's low, check out your homeowner's insurance, absolutely. I thought of this today, when I was peeling a sticker off an apple, and thought of you, of course.

It might be complicated, since you have absolutely no proof of what was in the freezer, and the freezer itself was old, which means its natural death could have been anticipated. In that case, your insurance won't cover it.

As I recall, you said the freezer was really old, right? If so, no insurance against that sort of thing. Although I'd argue that it should, and you never know what a worn-down insurance adjuster will agree to, so go for it.

But, if you could demonstrate that something - a storm, an electrical failure, some celestial event - caused the freezer to malfunction, you might have a shot.

Won't hurt to give your agent a call. After all, you got a new Brita faucet filter last week, just by making a call, right?

Good luck, Stinky.

[franksolich]

Okay, I re-read the tale of woe, and noticed something else.

The sparkling husband primitive single-handedly carried the old freezer up from the basement out into the back yard when it was still full of food?

But then that same food, out of the freezer and into a garbage can, was too heavy?

I wonder what's up with that.

[crockspot]

I would love to see Stinky's face when the garbage man comes, takes one tug on that can, and leaves it there full because it is way over weight.

[crockspot]

sandnsea  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author  Click to view this author's profile  Click to add this author to your buddy list  Click to add this author to your Ignore list      Sun Sep-06-09 10:09 PM
Response to Original message
20. Your insurance will cover the loss
   
That happened to my sister. I think I'd sit down and cry me a puddle.

Stinky The Clown  Donating Member  (1000+ posts)  Journal  Click to send private message to this author  Click to view this author's profile  Click to add this author to your buddy list  Click to add this author to your Ignore list      Sun Sep-06-09 10:20 PM
Response to Reply #20
21. Wow. I need to look into that.
   
I mean, while it was a "natural" death, the loss of the freezer cost us a lot in lost food.

How did your sister demonstrate the value of her loss? Our food is gone now and we didn't take any pictures or anything.

Oh well Stinky, I think you are screweded. 

[LC EFA]

Remember the rule.

Primitives lie. Primitives lie all the time.

[debk]

My freezer is 26 yrs old and has an alarm on it. 

have to admit....it would really upset me too, if I lost everything in mine.

No way did the guy carry it out himself unless it was one of the little ones and he emptied it out first!

[The Village Idiot]

Okay, I re-read the tale of woe, and noticed something else.

The sparkling husband primitive single-handedly carried the old freezer up from the basement out into the back yard when it was still full of food?

But then that same food, out of the freezer and into a garbage can, was too heavy?

I wonder what's up with that.

if he had hurt himself, he'd mentioned it several-teen times

[Ree]

Bullshit...no way did all the food thaw and spoil in 5 days if they hadn't opened the freezer....When we moved to TN our little chest freezer was unplugged sittin in a 8X20 trailer, in almost 90 degree heat for 3 days and the veggies didn't even get mushy. All the meat was still  frozen solid.......I still had ice on the sides...

[thundley4]

Stinky The Clown  (1000+ posts)        Sun Sep-06-09 01:35 PM
Response to Reply #1
 
11. Take this advice from someone who now has first hand experience:

Ours "made noise" for a while. A knocking sound. I knew damned well what it was (a dry(ing) bearing in the compressor) and knew damned well it was unfixable and knew damned well it could go in an hour or a year.

Replace the freezer now, Don't wait.

I'm sure an appliance repairman would have been cheaper than a new freezer and all the food loss.  He could have replaced the motor himself for under $200. The motor could have been repaired, but sometimes they are cheaper to replace than to repair.  I know , it's my line of work.

[Karin]

Ree, you said a forbidden word.

Frank, I'm wondering too about that weight factor in the tale.  Up from a basement and out to the yard?  Impossible for one man. 

[terry]

Stinky The Clown  (1000+ posts)        Mon Sep-07-09 10:09 AM
Response to Reply #11
 
25. Sears is having a big sale on Energy Star appliances and also on all Kenmores

The place where we bought ours (a GE) quoted us a price below Sears' sale price (he is always the cheapest guy in town).

It is a buyer's market. Go forth and spend.

Go forth and spend?  Is he encouraging consumerism? 

[GOBUCKS]

No way on earth a freezer full of rock hard frozen food can thaw and generate an odor in four
or five days. Cannot happen. I would estimate something like minimum two weeks. As stuff
near the door and walls begins to thaw, it would be refrigerated by the stuff still frozen hard
farther inside the freezer. So a broken freezer will act like a refrigerator for a few days. Spoilage
will occur a lot quicker if there are only a few things in the freezer.

DUmmy Husb2Sparkly is lying.
Hard to understand what would motivate one to tell a lie like this.

[debk]

No way on earth a freezer full of rock hard frozen food can thaw and generate an odor in four
or five days. Cannot happen. I would estimate something like minimum two weeks. As stuff
near the door and walls begins to thaw, it would be refrigerated by the stuff still frozen hard
farther inside the freezer. So a broken freezer will act like a refrigerator for a few days. Spoilage
will occur a lot quicker if there are only a few things in the freezer.

DUmmy Husb2Sparkly is lying.
Hard to understand what would motivate one to tell a lie like this.

obviously too much time on his hands....most of us have too much to do to waste our time making up "whoppers"...

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

5 lbs of salmon. 5 lbs of huge Texas Gulf shrimp. Maybe 3 or 4 lbs of pork chops. Two pork tenderloins.

Can't smell any worse than his wife.

[thundley4]

No way on earth a freezer full of rock hard frozen food can thaw and generate an odor in four
or five days. Cannot happen. I would estimate something like minimum two weeks. As stuff
near the door and walls begins to thaw, it would be refrigerated by the stuff still frozen hard
farther inside the freezer. So a broken freezer will act like a refrigerator for a few days. Spoilage
will occur a lot quicker if there are only a few things in the freezer.

DUmmy Husb2Sparkly is lying.
Hard to understand what would motivate one to tell a lie like this.

It did give him an excuse to list some expensive foods kept in the freezer.

[Chris]

It did give him an excuse to list some expensive foods kept in the freezer.

Not to mention the "My wife can afford a brand new freezer at retail prices in this 0conomy".  He's as bad as Frau Grunbriar.

[Ree]

Ree, you said a forbidden word.

Frank, I'm wondering too about that weight factor in the tale.  Up from a basement and out to the yard?  Impossible for one man. 

I did?

[NHSparky]

I'm wondering how anyone can afford to eat that well in this O-conomy.  Tenderloins?  Rock shrimp?  I have a cheapo freezer I used, until I realized I could keep everything I need for myself in my regular one.  The power to the chest freezer failed once.  It was at least 2 days between the time I lost power to the chest freezer and I noticed it, and didn't lose squat. 

That being said, mine is a small one, and I had fun just getting the empty freezer moved around, let alone trying to move it full of food.  I calls da boo-sheet.

[GOBUCKS]

So the old foul-mouthed DUmmy TLB advises DUmmy Husb2Sparkly on committing insurance fraud:

Tangerine LaBamba  (1000+ posts)      Mon Sep-07-09 12:24 AM
But, if you could demonstrate that something - a storm, an electrical failure, some celestial event - caused the freezer to malfunction, you might have a shot.

Won't hurt to give your agent a call. After all, you got a new Brita faucet filter last week, just by making a call, right?

So what's the vulgar old bitch talking about here? Sounds like a previous bouncy that escaped notice.

I think thundley is right that the purpose of this bouncy was to let the DUmp know about all
the expensive imaginary food in the Sparkly house and the triviality of an unexpected imaginary
$600 purchase.

And at the DUmp, it takes undreamt-of wealth to afford a Brita faucet filter.

DUmmy Husb2Sparkly better be careful. The WalMart DUmmy may show up with a machete.

[NHSparky]

Yup--claim $600 in food loss, and after sucking up the $500 deductible, guess how much your premiums are going up, jerkwad?

Oh, and TLB should realize that EVERY power outage on a line, however small, is noted and recorded by the utilities.  I can imagine the phone call from some idiot homeowner claiming that a power loss caused his freezer to die.