If you've ever wondered if modern life is possible without a microwave oven, the answer is "yes." But it's not easy. Actually, I guess we lived without one for years back in the '70s, but back then there wasn't an industry of microwave-ready foods built up around them.
We had a microwave, or rather have one, but it's broken. We've decided with all the craziness and of course expense of Christmas to hold off buying a new one until after the holidays. Apparently Something Bad happened to it. Not sure what exactly, but it involved nasty-smelling gray smokie pouring out of the thing as I attempted to nuke some frozen broccoli for the children to eat for dinner. If there's one thing I'm paranoid about, it's fire, so I unplugged the thing from the wall and pronounced it officially dead.