Ice Pin-Ball

Up, up and away! Retire-a-Gran has saved the day!

Did you know you can play ice pin-ball in a Freezer?

I learned it today.

One of those niggling jobs needed to be done and mustering all my resolution and strength … well a rolling pin, spatula, 2 bowls of hot water and lots of towels, I armed myself to do battle with a chunky hunk called Upright Freezer.

Apron on … check! Mask on …check! Gloves on… check! Ready for full abdominal surgery.

On opening him up I soon discovered severe congestion and internal frost-bite. Removing all innards including a lot of dubious looking tubs of ‘saved meals which could be used up at a later date’, I was soon left with his extremely over-frosted crusty innards. Setting to, armed with my chosen tools I thus began the painstaking, tedious, time-consuming task of removing balloons of ice coating his stomach.

How could Upright Freezer-man let himself go like this? Initially I proceeded with caution, placing bowls of warm salty water into his interior to encourage gentle defrosting and so as not to cause any damage. However, frustration (and the anxiety of the removed contents defrosting) soon meant I resorted to the spatula and a rolling pin! At one point I was interrupted whilst in ‘intense surgery’ by an anxious neighbour texting to ask if I was knocking because I needed assistance or help. My response was a hurried assurance that I was fine thank-you, just busy cleaning. On returning to my task I was now confronted by an enormous puddle on the floor – oops!

Towels down to absorb Upright Freezer-man’s ‘bodily fluids’ I continued my task (how can so much mess be made just from ice?)

About an hour later I was down to the last stubborn chunks of ice. I’d teased and cajoled ice from between shelves and was now left with the last stubborn chunks. It was whilst poking, prodding and warm-bathing these that I discovered ice-pinball!

My energy was at an all-time low and pausing to wipe my brow and enjoy a hot cuppa I heard an interesting ‘ding, dong clunk’. On investigation I was just in time to observe a second rendition of the intriguing sound as a chunk of ice traversed from the upper abdomen of Upright Freezer-man’s chest bouncing off the ribs of his shelves melodically down to his base.

What an amusing ending to my procedure, the bing-bong, clunk of Ice Pin-Ball. It almost made the task enjoyable – almost!