Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Doing Away With The Microwave?

The burnt popcorn story from a few weeks ago makes even more sense now that you know I'm pregnant, doesn't it? Burnt popcorn smells awful anyway. But a popcorn bag smoking in your microwave is torturous to a pregnant woman. We spent the next few days trying all kinds of experiments to clear the stench. We cooked baking soda in water. We heated lemon juice. We tried vinegar, which might have been worse. We scrubbed and cleaned, but the smell wouldn't go. Finally, on the advice of a South African friend at church, we stuck the thing on the back deck to air out in the cold.

And there it lies.

The first few days it was out there we researched the cost of a new one. Considered the possibility that it might need to be replaced. But now that it's been out there for more than two weeks, we're ready to accept a slightly unbelievable truth.

We may not actually need a microwave.

Shocking I know. But so far we haven't missed it. The extra counter space is nice and no one has to clean out the food splatters. Monday night I made popcorn on the stove - in a large pan -and it tasted so good! We've been reheating foods on the stove or in the oven. I cook canned vegetables on the stove and heat water in the kettle. Best of all, it hasn't been inconvenient.

A microwave is a standard kitchen appliance in most homes. At our house, though, it's become deck decor...maybe I should set a plant on it.

4 comments:

katherine said...

i popped over from raising five and just thought i'd say that i'm pregnant with our second -- and about as far along as you are, 11 weeks on friday, though i haven't announced it on my blog. we also found out two days before christmas. i so understand the grumpy stomach and sensitive nose!

good luck with everything! i'll check back to see how everything's going.

gail said...

our microwave died on us a week ago! and we are thinking of not replacing it. like you, i love the extra counter space, and only once have we really wished we'd had it to reheat something. but otherwise we're actually getting along just fine without it. weird, huh? we think we NEED these things and we really don't.

Anonymous said...

Your new deck decor reminds me of something Grandma once did... used her dishwasher for storing cookies and other goodies. :)
Suz

Unknown said...

I will say that we have more counter space, we have found a love for fresh popcorn (microwave popcorn can't even compare) and we have learned to live without it -- what's next, the dishwasher or the computer??