Day 2811 - Labor Day

I learned a lot about refrigerators today. I suspect that one of the reasons they don't last as long as they used to is that they've become way too complicated. We saw refrigerators with built-in web browsers. There was one that had a WiFi camera inside the refrigerator that you could access using your phone. If you were at the supermarket and couldn't remember if you needed milk, you could just check the fridge with your phone. Several manufacturers offered convertible models where you could temporarily turn the freezer into a second small refrigerator with the flick of a switch. Jeez. A refrigerator is just a machine to keep things cold. Why did they all have to turn into computers that keep things cold?

We eventually found a few refrigerators that were small enough to fit inside our kitchen alcove. None of them were as nice as the fridge we already have. Like most things in life the basic models have become even more rudimentary and the high-end models have become bloated with an insane array of features. There is no middle ground anymore. All the major stores basically offered the same choices at roughly the same price. Nobody was willing to deliver and install anything in less than fourteen days. We had hoped to find something we liked and get it installed tomorrow. That wasn't going to happen. We needed a plan B.

I was surprised to discover that you could buy one of those little dorm room refrigerators for less than the cost of a good ice chest. In fact, a large Yeti ice chest ended up costing twice as much as a small dorm room refrigerator. Since the freezer still works in our existing refrigerator, we bought one of these little refrigerators so our food wouldn't go bad and I'll call an appliance repairman in the morning. There's a good chance I could get our existing refrigerator fixed in less time than it would take to get a new one delivered. The big problem with appliance repairmen is that they are so slow. They come out and diagnose your problem and then they have to order parts. Usually at least one important part is on back order, so you are lucky if you see them again in two weeks. What ever happened to keeping a stock of parts on the truck?

Hey, at least the gas crisis appears to be over. There were several stations in our own neighborhood that had gas today. I still can't find the leak in the shower, but I am making progress on the roof. I might have finished today if we hadn't spent so much time looking at refrigerators. I didn't do much patching today, but I did haul some materials up to the roof, including a leaf blower which I used to clear away a mountain of dead elm leaves that seemed to have fallen overnight. I actually got lucky. Apparently the leaves fell after the elastomer coating dried, so they were easy to clear away. I really need to get this job finished before the oak tress start shedding their leaves. That would really be a mess.

Janet is going back to work tomorrow. I thought she had another week at home, but apparently not. It doesn't seem like two weeks have already passed since her latest surgery. Of course it doesn't seem like summer is already over either.  Where has the time gone?

I hope nothing else breaks and everybody stays healthy. I'd really like to end this year on a positive note.

Domino is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 474

I went out and looked at televisions today. Our old Sony Trinitron is on its last legs and it's about time to consider something new. Wow, there's certainly a lot to consider. The last time I looked at televisions, they all had CRT tubes. For a long time I thought our current TV was "state-of-the-art" because it was cable ready and had stereo sound. Things have definitely changed. I saw televisions today that will let you check your Facebook status and have a video conference call on Skype. One thing I didn't see was a big box with a picture tube. I wonder if anyone even manufactures CRT tubes anymore? It's all HD-1080 flat panels now. I'm certainly glad I didn't run out and buy one of those $10,000 plasma displays when they first appeared. Plasma displays are apparently already ancient history. Even late model LCD displays appear to be headed for the dustbin. It's all about LED displays now. The one thing that hasn't changed in the TV world are the people who sell these things. If you are foolish enough to stand in front of a display TV at Fry's Electronics for more than five seconds, you will have five salespeople hovering around you trying to sell it to you.

I really don't watch much TV, but I did happen to catch Steven Tyler singing a duet with Carrie Underwood on the Academy of Country Music Awards show this evening. Good Lord. I remember going to an Aerosmith concert in Seattle in 1974 and Steven Tyler looked exactly the same then. Considering how Keith and Mick look these days, Steven Tyler is hanging in there pretty well. He's either got a very good plastic surgeon or has accidentally discovered the fountain on youth.

I certainly haven't discovered this illusive fountain. Janet took some pictures of me walking the dogs today and I looked like death warmed over. The dogs appeared to be having fun though. It was another nice Spring day at the dog park. I'm really going to miss these mild days when Summer arrives and the temperature never drops below 100.

Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day