Why do major Appliances go bad at the wrong time?

Our 11 year old kitchen refrigerator decided to quit cooling. I have heard clicking sounds from it for the past week or so. It was cooling okay. the freezer temp would go to about 12 and then it would cool back to 0. Almost every day.
Saturday I decided to vacuum the cooling coils. They were caked with dust. I don't know if we ever had cleaned them. After I did that and also pulled the back cover where the compressor is, cleaned there. Plugged it back in and it would not cool, freezer temp went to 29 and stayed there.
Fortunately we have a 2nd refrigerator in the garage that only has beer, wine and soda in it. Moved all of the food out of the kitchen refrigerator and freezer to the garage.
After searching on the internet I found articles on the clicking noise. They mentioned the Start relay on the compressor. I found where it was, pulled it off of the compressor and ordered a new one.

The three pins on the compressor is where the relay plugs in


The start relay is the grey item on the right. The black box is the start capacitor.


Hopefully on Tuesday I should receive the new start relay
If it works we just saved the cost of a new refrigerator

Spring 2020 before the world shutdown. Day 7

In early March, we drove to Las Vegas to see my brother-in-law.
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Homeward bound
Left from Socorro, NM on US 380. A couple of miles east is the White Sands northern limit and entrance to the Trinity Site. You can only see the site two times a year in April and October.


Way in the distance you can see some of the White Sands buildings and a radar on top of the hill.


There are road signs on US 380 Between San Antonio and west of Carrizozo, that the road is subject to closure due to missile firing.


Driving on US 380 there a lots of small towns that are unique, like Capitan, NM home of Smokey Bear Where in spring of 1950, a badly burned black bear cub was rescued from a large forest fire at Capitan Gap in the Capitan Mountains. First called Hotfoot Teddy, he was later renamed Smokey and became the real-life version of the United States Forest Service mascot Smokey Bear. You can read more here Smokey Bear


Or you go through the town of Lincoln. Lincoln was at the center of the Lincoln County War, 1876-1879, and is primarily known today for its historical ties to Billy the Kid. The village holds an annual festival called Old Lincoln Days in August featuring an open-air enactment of The Last Escape of Billy the Kid.

The Montaño Store


The most unique of them all was Roswell, NM.



The UFO Museum




Texas border and then home.
Nothing else exciting except for coming home to this

Spring 2020 before the world shutdown. Day 6

In early March, we drove to Las Vegas to see my brother-in-law.
Day 1 is here
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Day 4 is here
Day 5 is here
Leaving Vegas next stop the Grand Canyon.
The Grand Canyon is magnificent. We spent about 3 hours. We walked the Rim Trail from Mather point to Bright Angel Lodge. Stopping at the El Tovar to grab a bite to eat.


Then went east to Desert View Point. Really cool you can see were the Colorado River coming in from the north. The Desert View Watchtower is an impressive building, with the Indian art and views.



Close to this site is where two airline passenger planes collided in midair and crashed with no survivors. That was in 1956. It led to the creation of the FAA.

Not alot of pictures at the Grand Canyon. Since I had been there before nothing new except for going to Desert View Point.
We were going to try and go to the southern entrance to Petrified Forest National Park, we ran out of time. We went by there about 5:30pm. What a lonely drive from Holbrook, AZ down US180 to Springerville, AZ. Towns are few and far between and no traffic. From Springerville, AZ, taking US60 to Socorro, NM to spend the night. It was a long day.

Friday homeward bound

Spring 2020 before the world shutdown. Day 5

In early March, we drove to Las Vegas to see my brother-in-law.
Day 1 is here
Day 2 is here
Day 3 is here
Day 4 is here
We are going to Death Valley
Didn't realize how close it and California are to Las Vegas. Started with drizzle. when we arrived at Death Valley there were low hanging clouds


We stopped at Furnace Creek Visitors Center to figure out where and what we wanted to do.
We decided first to go to Badwater Basin (17 miles south of Furnace Creek) the lowest point in North America, 282' below sea level.
It was a unique day in that it had rained and there was water on the basin.



Back towards Furnace Creek, we went on Artist Drive, a 9 mile scenic loop drive through multi-hued hills.

Stopped back at Furnace Creek Vistors Center, grabbed some sanwiches and headed for Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes (22 miles west of Furnace Creek). These are tawny dunes smoothly rising nearly 100 ft (30 m) from Mesquite Flat.




Back towards Furnace Creek we stopped at the Harmony Borax Works, a historic mining site where the famous 20-Mule Team wagons began their grueling 165-mile journey south to the Mojave Railroad Depot.


We started out of the park, past Furnace Creek then stopping at Dantes View (25 mi east of Furnace Creek). of the 25 miles, 13 miles is on Dantes View Road, the last 1/4 mile are swith backs and at a 10% grade. BThe views are breathtaking over 5,000 ft (1,500 m) above Death Valley. We hiked about 1 miles south of the parking lot along the ridge. Dantes View is east of the Badwater Basin. Unfortunatly the views we had we obstucted by the clouds at 5000'.



Another day of fun and adventure
Thursday we started home

Spring 2020 before the world shutdown. Day 4

In early March, we drove to Las Vegas to see my brother-in-law.
Day 1 is here
Day 2 is here
Day 3 is here
The Hoover Dam. What a magnificent endeavor of engineering marvel and human strength in the early 1930's. It took 5 years to build. In comparison, the Mike O'Callaghan–Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge took 8 years (if you count the bridge approaches, 5 years for the bridge itself) to build, completed in 2010. Which moved US 93 from on top of the Hoover Dam to the bridge.




Mike O'Callaghan–Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge


Diversion/Intake Tunnel


Hydro-Electric Turbines

They knew at the time, taking a line from Field of Dreams, "Build it and they will come". Art Deco design abounds inside from the granite floor and inlays to the halls and lighting. Outside the statues, entrances and exits and bathrooms. Even the intake towers.





Memorials to the Workers and a pet dog




Headed back to Las Vegas we stopped at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area Info Center.

Stopped also in the town of Boulder and at the Boulder Dam Brewing Brew Pub. This is a great Brew Pub with good beer and food.



We went to dinner at The Front Yard at the Ellis Island Hotel, Casino & Brewery. What great atmosphere and food.
We had their Sausage Flight With Jalapenos Cheddar, Bratwurst, Bastard Ale and Linguica it was really good. Also their Beer Brined Chicken wings and Garbage Potato Scoops. All of which was really good.

Wednesday brings another adventure.

Spring 2020 before the world shutdown. Day 3

In early March, we drove to Las Vegas to see my brother-in-law.
Day 1 is here
Day 2 is here
Las Vegas baby!
You could tell that tourism was down. Las Vegas Blvd wasn't crowded with cars or people.
So we started at New York, New York and headed towards the Mirage.
My daughter and brother-in-law wanted to ride The Big Apple Coaster. They were in line 15 mins before it opened and were in the 3rd row of the first ride.
What's a visit without going to Hershey's Chocolate World.

The Park and Bliss Dance. Bliss Dance is a breathtaking, 40-foot-tall sculpture of a dancing woman, celebrating the strength of a woman who is both safe and present.
Bliss Dance
Walking through Park MGM and going to Eataly was amazing. All the food that is made or the groceries you can buy. But the Bomboloni Crema Pasticciera is to die for. They are light and airy and the Crema Pasticciera is so silky and smooth.

We walked through Caesars Palace. Unbelievable with all of the casino's the amount of money they put into stuff.Caesars has all of the statues.


Next was the Venetian. What another place, canals and gondola rides.

We were looking for lunch and wanted to go to the Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer besides their food they have killer shakes.

Paris Las Vegas and the Eiffel Tower, a half scale replica



The Belligo and the water show

What would the strip be without a Stormtrooper or Wookie, at Planet Hollywood


Ballys and The Flamingo

Tuesday brings another adventure