Ice Box

I hadn't thought of this in a long time.  My father used to say "ice box."  "That belongs in the ice box."  "Over there.  Next to the ice box."

In the early years of our marriage, our rented apartments and houses came with refrigerators already there.  Even the first house that we bought came with a fridge.  Avocado green. As opposed to copper tone or harvest gold, you now.  Eventually we bought a house where we had to buy a refrigerator and I was surprised at how much more they cost than a washer or a dryer, appliances we already had purchased.

At some point, when I had three thirsty kids living at home, I had to have a model that had ice and water on the door front, so we got a side-by-side.  And quickly realized that the convenience of the ice and water  didn't quite make up for the narrow shelves on the fridge side and inconvenient baskets on the freezer side.  But we lived with it.  And still do, even though the support for one of the veggie bins has broken in one place, making the bin slide off track with the slightest mishandling.

A few years ago I discovered the then-new french-door style with a nice freezer bin below.  I loved it.  So about a year and a half ago, I designated my ING savings account as the french-door fridge fund.

Last night we went shopping.  We looked over several varieties and ended up with a french-door model in sleek black (matching our dishwasher front and countertop stove) with ice and water on the left side.  It has movable shelves, space on the door that holds a gallon jug, three or four pull-out drawers, and a nice bottom freezer with two separate compartments, one just right for holding boxes of pizza kits.  It is gorgeous.  And it is coming on Tuesday.

From time to time I think about how technology has changed in the fifty years since my dad died.  He'd be fascinated with cassette tape recorders, with VCRs, with cell phones.  And I just know that were he around and able to come here for Christmas, the first thing he'd say would be, "Wow.  What an ice box!"

Comments

Nancy said…
We called it an icebox when we were young also!! I hadn't thought of that in forever... My dad passed away almost 36 years ago...at age 47... I miss him every day.
Oh Nancy, I am so sorry. I lost my only sister at 49 two years ago and every single day I cry.

That said, I still call the fridge and Ice box and the stuff you put in your hair after washing it may still be "creme rinse" to me when my hair is washed for the last time!~!
Anonymous said…
I grew up in a house with an ice box and so my kids did too. What you are calling a french door frig.... was in my mom and dad's house 45 years ago.... so it is not real new, just has become trendy as it makes VERY good sense not to dig down and back in the "cave" for the veggies many times a day.

Enjoy your new box....
LoieJ said…
Now you can make Ice Box cookies.
QuiltingFitzy said…
ING = painless way to have ANYTHING you want account! (patience, not included, lol!)

Hugs!
Pat said…
I still call it an icebox on occassion. When we lived in Glenside, we actually had an opening that was behind our refridgerator. it opened onto the landing of the side entrance to the house, which was also the basement stairs. It was used (back in the day) by the ice man so that he could deliver an ice block directly into the back of the fridge without putting his lowly trddesman feet in the house proper.

I remember my mom making ice box cookies too. She used the metal ice cube tray, sans dividers, and layered chocolate wafer cookies with REAL whipped cream. The trays fit into that itty bitty freezer compartment that hung in the corner of the icebox.

Here's a very old joke for you: Why did the wabbit sleep inside the icebox? Because it was a Westinghouse, silly!
suz said…
Boy that brought back memories! My grandparents had a real ice box at their camp. We would stop in town and pick up a couple of chunks of ice for it on our way in to the camp. They went into a dirt cellar under the camp dug into the side of the hill the camp was on. In the hottest weather that cellar was cool. The ice went into a box in a far back corner that was then covered with straw. When more ice was needed, Opa would go down and get it. Anyone coming in from town was responsible for bringing ice. If the day was hot, Opa would chip of a couple of pieces of ice for the kids to suck on. That was a treat. How times have changed!
Catsngrams said…
How lucky my side by side is 10 years old and I am so hoping that it lasts a bit longer as I have seen the prices of the new models.
AnnieO said…
Ice box is definitely an old fashioned word now :) I'd love one of those french door fridges--but we do have a bottom freezer model and I've not regretted it for a single minute. Side by sides never seemed very useful to me!
Anonymous said…
Nancy: We had an ice box in Ship Bottom for many years when we went for vacation. I knew when I left for CA by the words he said to me, that I would never see your dad again but I too remember the reference to the ice box. Out here we use a lot of different words than back east and people instantly know when I originated from. How about soda vs. pop; taffy vs. lollipop; I miss both our fathers - yours for 50 yrs (I was pregnant with Janet and will never forget the call or what I did), and my dad for almost 10. Two good men, that is for sure. So glad you got the new fridge - I, too do not like the side-by-side but it is what I have and was the only thing available when the one I had & loved konked out leaving me no choice but to buy one that very night and take it home with us. Enjoy and take pictures. Your CA cuz
altar ego said…
I've got my eye on a model like the one you're getting. Unfortunately, the fund for it comes after the fund for a fence for the dogs, and a few other critical items. I'll live vicariously through your pleasure in your new fridge!