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| Sara, in front of the refrigerator and over the storage compartment. |
Now I have made it no secret that we live in a "sardine can", so it's should not be surprising that adding a tiny, 1.7 cubic foot refrigerator is a HUGE production. I have removed the cushion in the quarter berth (thus kicking Sara and Bert out of their "bed") and have decided to extend my "galley counter" by adding the refrigerator just inside the entrance to that space. The new refrigerator is narrow enough that the dogs can still pass by and get to the back, where they like to sleep. So, I have everything ready to now install my much missed refrigerator (I hate hauling ice for the cooler!). This should be an easy thing to put together, right? Well....
Now that I have removed the quarter berth cushion, the door to the refrigerator won't open. The cushion to the settee is in the way. That's a fairly easy fix, I can get some of the scrap out of the lumber pile and raise it up. Wow, this is going a little easier then I thought it would! So, I now have my scrap wood, my refrigerator door opens and closes with no problem and all is good. Wait, now Sara and Bert won't go into the quarter berth and they are sleeping on the settee? What's up with that?!?!
Evidently, the new refrigerator puts off so much heat that we will never need to buy a heater for the boat:-( This isn't good. The dogs won't go back into that nice, cozy space I saved just for them! It's too hot back there now! Grrrr...time for yet another plan...
Bob has now been recruited to help me. My refrigerator is now back about half way into the quarter berth (I've lost my extra "counter space", but can now access the storage compartment...sort of). Sara's bed is now at the entrance to the quarter berth, right at the foot of the settee, which she seems to approve of. Bert has taken to sleeping in the v-berth with Max and the dogs are situated. Except for Sara when I actually need to get into the refrigerator. She has to move then. Or when I want something in that handy little storage compartment that I found. She and her bed BOTH have to move then.
Yes, my refrigerator has become something of a pain in the fanny, but I don't have to haul ice anymore (unless there's beer in the cooler), so I guess everything has turned out a little better than it was~lol
Now normally, I'd be a little miffed at myself for not having a better set-up, but Bob has come to the rescue, yet again:-) While working, Bob took it upon himself to make the space around the refrigerator a little "friendlier" for me. I've worried about where to store items so they are more convenient and easier to grab when needed. He's put all the electrical cords (to charge the camera, cell phone, etc) into a cigar box with a drop front lid on top of the refrigerator (that's pretty nifty since it fits just perfect) and he placed a piece of wood in that wasted space where the boat has the molded cockpit seat to store my much "lost" towels. Ahhh, the search for my misplaced towels is at an end.
We still have a decent amount of space behind the refrigerator. I have not decided what I can use it for, but I'm sure there's going to be some little-used item stuffed back there before too long. Maybe that electric griddle will fit there....
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| Sara's bed covers the storage compartment. |
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The refrigerator is held up with scrap wood.
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| Bob's improvised towel storage. Not exactly pretty, but it works! |
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All my cords and cables fit into the cigar box on top of the refrigerator.
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| The electric outlet still needs a little wok, but it's better than sitting on the galley counter! |
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| My still unused space behind the refrigerator (notice the dent we found when unpacking the blasted thing!) |
