May 3 – “Add another hat …”

We started the day off with a walk again.  Back to the ol’ three-mile hike grind.  Gotta get ready for Alaska. 

After the hike I decided to make the big attempt.  I tried on another hat … Refrigerator repairman.  See, our fridge has been intermittently leaking from the bottom for quite some time now.  Best we can tell, it had something to do with whenever the freezer went through its self-defrost cycle.  But it was pretty annoying to walk over to the sink and feel the slosh beneath your feet.  It’s especially exasperating when one is wearing only socks as a foot covering. 

Now, we already know from past experience that to have a repairman come to the house costs $99.  That’s just for him to come.  Then he starts on the clock.  So you pay for his time and labor and the cost of whatever parts he has to replace, all on top of the $99 travel fee.  So a few days ago we pulled out the fridge, opened up its guts, and did an inspection of our own.  It didn’t take long to find the offending piece.  The plastic drip pan was simply crumbling to pieces.  It had not only a long crack across the bottom, but one corner looked like a tiny mouse had chewed its way through and left behind an exit strategy.  I managed to find the part number, so we went ahead and ordered it online. 

Next came the repairman training.  That consisted of watching a YouTube video of some guy installing the part.  Quite informative, actually.  Answered the only real question I had.  I can do that.  Easy Peasy. 

So the part arrived and the time was nigh.  Repairman Hat was donned and we were on.  We started out by pulling out the fridge again.  You know, that’s not such an easy task.  The thing is really heavy.  Unscrewed the access panel.  No problem.  Oops, found another screw I hadn’t seen the first time.  Little harder to access, cut finally got it out, unhooked the power cord, and the panel was gone.  Now to follow the video steps, some of which were simple.  Remove the drain tube.  Check.  Pull up on the copper tubing to release it from the tray, but be careful not to bend it.  Check.  Slightly twist the coolant fan to the left and push it gently backwards to release it from the tray.  Twist it.  Push it.  Gently.  Gently?  Nope.  Push hard.  Twist mightily.  Tilt it forward.  Force the bottom backward.  Twist again.  Tug.  Pull.  Watch the old tray crumble.  There.  Finally.  Coolant fan removed.  Check.  Lift the tray slightly to get it under the aforementioned copper tubing and pull it out.  Check.  Phew.  That was not as easy as it looked in the video. 

Then it was – reverse the procedure.  Well, sort of.  I got the new tray in and under the copper, and copper snapped into place, and drain tube snapped back in.  Then I attacked replacing the fan.  Not easy.  I twisted and turned and pushed and tugged and grunted and groaned.  But finally I heard the tell-tale snap of it locking into place.  Next we replaced the power cord and all the screws.  Done.  Well, technically not done yet.  Still had to plug it in.  There.  Fan on, cooling restored.  But still not done.  Still had to shove the fridge back into its cranny in the kitchen.  That took some cooperative muscling by the two of us, but we got it done.  Mission accomplished.  Add another hat to the pile. 

1 Thessalonians 5:17 says, “pray continually.”

Father, thank you for helping me out with the courage to give the repairman hat a try.  Amen.