Putting order to a small corner of my world

You know how sometimes you just have to control one little aspect of your life when you feel like you don't have any control at all? Today I tackled the fridge. Oh yes, I pulled every single thing out of that stainless steel bottomless pit of all things half empty. I was ruthless.

I looked at every single "best before" date. If it didn't say 2017, it was gone. (O.K. just so you know, I threw contents away and then rinsed containers and put them in the bluebox because you don't want to be too much of a rebel). I got rid of the half consumed pickled beets, blueberry jam, and salsa with corn in it. (These were all gifted to me, gulp, two years ago).

I was brave enough to open the container of cottage cheese that had just a little bit of cottage cheese, and some shaggy blueish grey mold in the bottom. Yup, rinsed that one out for the recycling as well. I poured the last of the garlic rib sauce down the drain, as well as the not so great chipotle ranch salad dressing.

I took out shelves and scrubbed them and dried them and put them back in (I think in the same spots). I questioned how fruit flies can live (and then die) inside a refrigerator. I really, really wrestled with saving the limes. They were supposed to be for something that I didn't end up making, but they are still fine, and now I feel obligated to look up some recipe that I don't really want to make just so I can use the rescued limes.

I threw out the mostly uneaten plum pudding (happy dance and firm, "I asked you about four times if you still wanted some of this!" to my husband). I questioned why I had not one, but two unopened small containers of sour cream. What the heck was I planning on serving at Christmas time that was such a good idea I bought sour cream twice??

But now, it is a thing of beauty. In fact, there are even bare patches where the gleaming glass of the shelves shows through! It looks almost like the fridges in ads for fridges do, with matching containers and just two apples, or six eggs and carrots with the green tops still attached, just lying there artistically.

When I open the double doors, a bright light shines out and a chorus sings and all is right in my world (until somebody spills something).