That may not seem like much, but I haven’t had a working microwave in over three years and was totally okay with never getting one. Every one I was looking at was so damned big when I considered it before. I have plenty of counter space, but most of it isn’t very deep in this house.

Besides, I prefer to heat things up in the toaster oven or oven when I’ve got a meal: cooks nice and evenly, and stays piping hot a while.

However, since I’ve been trying to really save money by not eating out so much, that meant making my own meals to heat up. It was a good plan, because I’ve got plenty of those partitioned microwaveable food containers that I basically make my own meals with. And I’m planning on getting more when things settle down a bit.

The trouble is, I was bringing them to work and not eating them.

Boy, that’s stupid, huh.

But when I have a good-sized breakfast, plenty of coffee, and am at work busy, busy, busy, I’m just not hungry. Had I been working the evening shift like before this virus business, then it would make sense for me to bring it to work and heat it up an hour before closing, because then I wouldn’t be tempted by the various drive thru restaurants I would be passing on the way home.

And considering that’s about all that’s around right now…ugh.

So, I had all this good food ready to go, and it ended up sitting there for most of a week.

When I’m busy, I’m just not that hungry that early in the afternoon.

So, when I noticed my vacuum cleaner acting up yesterday (it started getting a really high-pitched whine, probably something burning out or about to go bad), I decided I’d better get one better for picking up pet hair (that’s probably 90% or more of what’s vacuumed up, anyway). I found my second choice at Target and went right around the corner to see microwaves.

I was happy to find the smallest one, a Black & Decker that is just a little bigger than my toaster oven. It was small enough I wouldn’t have to rearrange half my kitchen to make room for it. Win!

I’m sure glad I decided to get it, but I gotta admit, for some things–like Hot Pockets–the toaster oven sure spoiled me. I like breaded things crispy, and Hot Pockets just aren’t as good out of the microwave anymore.

Oh well–those were my last two Hot Pockets anyway. With my ability to cook and cobble together portable meals with ease, the last thing I want are Hot Pockets and other instant microwave processed bullshit.

Maybe that’s why I didn’t care much about microwaves before–never really did the microwaved meal thing very often, or the burger-in-a-bag to reheat. At least, not in many years.

Now, if I can just get the right proportions to make a smoothie in my pulse blender, I won’t have to worry about yet another appliance coming in the house. At least I’ve got bags and bags of frozen fruit to practice with…