Fun Time Around The LVCI Ranch

I've been somewhat been distracted from blogging the last few days. A few days ago I caught whatever the granddaughters had and now have one hell of a cold. As if sneezing and wheezing weren't enough this is when my appliances decided it was the perfect time to attack.

First it was the extra refrigerator downstairs which began to have a mind of it's own. So I grabbed my voltmeter, screwdrivers and flashlight. Unloaded the freezer and took everything apart. Coils A-OK (not frozen over). Compressor is running and the coils are very cold. Hmmm why isn't the fan running in the freezer? Well I dug around and pulled the plug to the fan and the voltmeter said it wasn't getting any juice. Well apparently ripping the freezer apart was a waste of time. So I put it back together.

Maybe it's the wires from the temperature sensor down below in the refrigeration compartment. Nope got juice there. Oh oh.. can't get the damn thing back together till almost an hour later (and it's still not right). Time to lay on the floor and have a look at the defrost timer that hasn't worked for almost 10 years. I simply turned it to a run position and it stayed that way for the past 10 years... that is up until now.. damn it! I swear it's possessed. Sometimes the timer will run and never turn back on. At others it stays where I put it.. that is until I stop checking in on it. I'd bypass the thing but the wire insulation is nearly petrified too old and deeply buried. I'm afraid if I start tugging on them they will short inside the cabinet.

No sense crawling around the basement floor sick getting frustrated. So I tried to move on. Ah, but the computer won't have any of it. It's been locking up as many as three times a day. Also the power supply fan is starting to talk too by squealing So far I'm able to restart and shake the computer back to it's senses. Stay tuned.

Well the hell with both of them. What can go wrong putting down the storm windows for the Winter? Need you ask? I have old sash cord and weight windows. Wouldn't you know one of the weights got tangled inside with other and the bottom window refused to come back down. Well bullshit on this. I've had enough and gave it a good yank. OK the rope tore.. isn't that just great! Fortunately for me I found a supplier up in New England that makes spring pulleys (meaning you don't have to pull the frame apart). Unfortunately for me the remaining rope was still inside the window track which meant the piece of metal the pulley attaches to would not go down the cutout because of the rope. I forced it in by hammering it down (what else could I do) and now it's a bit sticky but the hell with it. Unless I get consumed by it not working right I'll attempt to find satisfaction in knowing there are 5 other windows in the same room that do. Damn it, but I will always know in the back of my mind.. won't I? :-)

Now the relatively new 32" flat screen is starting to talk back. Sometimes (not all the time) when I switch channels it goes black and comes back on the channel below it. Other times (only on the HD channels) it will break up. If I shut it off and reboot it works fine if sometimes for only a little while. Others for the rest of the night.

Even the wireless router about every two weeks or so seeks attention by requiring a reboot these days.

As long as I'm at it I have one more beef. Back in September they wanted to double the cost of my life insurance (in just one year). No way they are getting away with that. So I faxed the information to cancel the policy. The life insurance company in return sent me confirmation and later a check closing down the policy. Doesn't my employer come along in November and bill me for October and November!

Even though I explained and had proof they insisted because I didn't do it through my former employer's benefit site I still owed two more months. Not only that they said it wouldn't have cost me double but only a few dollars more a month. Sorry, but I feel I can't trust them. Too much confusion in my opinion.. I hold the belief that if someone confuses me. chances are I'm being taken. That's when I eliminate things such as these.