Something we’ve had for 22 years died…and I’m happy…

Let me just say quickly it was our refrigerator…nothing too sentimental…in fact, I may or may not have recently hinted to my sister that I hoped it would die soon…so I could get a new white one! :o) (only because I have that spanky new white kitchen!) :o)

Saturday morning my hubby noticed the food in the frig didn’t seem very cold, so he cleaned it and did all the stuff he does to check things…but about an hour later he declared it was dying…so the scrambling began…I ran to Walmart for 4 big bags of ice… my hubby gathered up all the coolers and Rebecca started sorting and weeding things out in the fridge and freezer.

When I got home from Walmart my hubby and Rebecca had the refrigerator out the door and in the back of his truck. Rebecca had put stuff into various coolers and once the ice was dumped on top of everything I had no idea what was in which cooler… oh well…

My hubby had checked his file on the now dead frig…and we bought it back in June of 1999. Yep, it was 22 years old this month. AND we had bought it for half price back then. There was a truck sale for dented and dinged appliances at our Ace Hardware store. Our frig had a crushed upper corner on the corner that wasn’t on the side where the icemaker was. So it really didn’t matter to us. Our cabinets have always hidden that corner… it had originally been $1200 and we got it for $600! It certainly earned its keep these past 22 years.

I didn’t get a picture of it upright, but here is that dented in corner in the bed of my hubby’s truck…

So we began looking online at what was available…but quickly realized we needed to SEE the refrigerator’s in person, so after church today, we went shopping. Now who would have thought COVID could affect the colors of refrigerators… certainly not us! But…we quickly found out, stainless steel refrigerators are the most popular so that’s what’s being made most often…and to order something other than stainless is sometimes a 6 week to 6 month wait and there is no guarantee on that! EEK!

So we had to expand our horizons and see what exactly was out there… we also had to have a certain size because my space was already allotted for the frig. Lots of refrigerators are 36″ wide and that was too wide for us… and most were close to being the right height for us, but it was the depth that we had some trouble with… Our old 22 year old one was only 29 1/2″ deep and most of the ones we were looking at were at least 32-36″ deep. That was going to stick way past my countertops. So we had to keep narrowing down our choices, keeping most of all the prices in mind… because, you know, we have that “roof thing” going on right now too!

The white refrigerators were slim pickings (we saw 2 that might have worked today) and the ice makers took up half of the freezer space… so we kept looking and found one Maytag stainless steel one that was below what we had to spend. We talked to a sales clerk and first wanted to find out if she had them in stock. She went in the back and came back to tell us she had 3 but 2 were already spoken for. She had ONE left but she told us she wouldn’t sell it to anyone today if we were still shopping. However she couldn’t guarantee someone wouldn’t buy that last one online. There was a place in town that sells appliances but they weren’t open until Monday morning… we told her we wanted to wait and check them out first. We were walking toward the front door of Lowe’s and we both stopped, and had a little discussion right there in the aisle… we both liked it, the price was never going to be any lower anywhere else, and if it sold, we were back at square one… living out of coolers, going back to stores to look at what we had already looked at, etc… so we turned around and told her we’d take it…

So instead of getting my new white frig, I am now the owner of a stainless steel frig… I’ll tell you tomorrow when we get it put in if I’m the “PROUD” owner of a new stainless steel frig! I hope so… it’s just a bit hard to adjust to… I just always thought when our old frig died, I’d get a nice new white one… but I do have a stainless steel microwave, and a stainless Ninja Foodie Digital Oven/Air fryer so maybe it will be okay…

It doesn’t have an ice maker, but there is lots of open freezer space…I told my hubby, “we used to use ice cube trays… we’ll just do that again!” It wasn’t a deal breaker for me… Here is the only picture I could get of it in the store… there was no where to back up and get a decent shot of it as they were all in rows and close together…

Not that it matters to you, but here is the inside of it…

SO…. as much as it was pretty perfect, it was just a hair too tall for the cabinets over it… this is a 25 cubic foot frig and our old one was a 22 cubic foot… so it’s a bit taller… we have already taken the top cabinets down and plan to shave them off the bottom a bit or hopefully it might end up fitting back in there without doing anything to the cabinets except putting them back up there…we’ll see…

BUT… we are going to knock out the wall behind the frig area and extend it back into the hall behind there, so it doesn’t stick out as much in the front. My hubby is pretty excited about that… every year he has to wheel out the frig so he clean behind and underneath it… but this way, he is going to make an access door and he can take care of everything from behind… he’ll just enclose it about 3-4 inches in the hallway, which only goes to the basement.

So that is what I’ve done since Saturday morning… and tomorrow will be busy as we knock out the wall and get it ready for the frig to extend back in there just a little bit…

When we got home from Lowe’s we decided to look it up online again to see some information we had forgotten, and the quantity said, SOLD OUT… so I guess we truly did get the last one! Thank you Lord! This living out of coolers, even just for 2 days hasn’t been much fun… and I haven’t gotten ANY sewing done at all!

Thanks for liking Samantha’s dress. I think I am going to make her a purse and those thigh highs and then I’ll be ready to list it…

See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne

11 thoughts on “Something we’ve had for 22 years died…and I’m happy…”

  1. Charlotte Trayer

    Well, yes, your old fridge served you well, Jeanne!! Twenty-two years isn’t bad at all!

    Ours was closer to 40 years old when we finally replaced it a year and a half ago. I Was able to get a white one, but not a side-by-side, which made me sad, as I LOVED my side-by-side! But, I went to the appliance store’s outlet store, and got what they had, that would fit within the space we have for a fridge! Yup, ours, too, can’t be too deep or too high or too wide.

    Even if your old one was a side-by-side like your new one, it will take a bit before you are used to the interior configuration of the new one, but eventually it will happen! And, yes, it will be Really nice not to have to live out of coolers again!! (Fortunately, I was able to keep our old one running by some judicious tapping on the thermostat to get it to start up sometimes, so I was able to keep using it until I had to unload it for removal!)

    How clever of George to figure out a “back door” for cleaning behind the fridge! Not everyone has that option!

    BTW, I found the PERFECT ribbon to use for a sash on that dress I made for my RRFF doll. Pictures soon!

  2. Linda from St. Louis

    I love your new refrigerator, Jeanne! I’ll take on of those too! I could not figure out why you would want a white fridge, because stainless steel is the way to go now, and will upgrade your kitchen by a lot! I have a black one, since all my appliances are black, and it never ceases to amaze me that eveytime I enter the kitchen for something, I feel like Darth Vader is standing right there! I want a stainless steel refrigerator!!!
    Don’t worry about not having an ice maker. We have one and it is now on the blink, so we use ice cube trays too, in spite of the fact our refrigerator is not that old. No problem at all, except that now the freezer compartment is smaller . And I never liked the idea of getting water out of the refrigerator, the stream is too slow, so we shut that part off. All those “extras” don’t last and are costly to fix, I’m telling you!

    How creative George is in extending the wall so it fits better! Most of us have a certain size to fill, and it isn’t always easy. We too, have a space problem and can only get a certain size refrigerator. The only thing that will work is a side by side, although I love the bigger French door ones.

    I am looking forward to seeing the new fridge in your pictures of the kitchen!

  3. Joy in northern CA

    Ah, the refrigerator dilemma. Been there. Gave up. The way appliances are made now, one can’t expect much beyond the warranty. Unfortunately. we ended up with an appliance suite last time. Refrigerator with bottom freezer and water in the door. Loved it. Until the icemaker rusted and went phooey almost right after the warranty was up. We couldn’t find anyone that would even touch a repair which was going to cost a ton as a whole new icemaker that had to be installed. We even went so far as to almost order the icemaker directly from the company and have it installed. No one would do that. So, we too have been using ice trays. The only problem comes if a lot of ice is needed for things like deviled eggs or drinks for a party. The rest of the suite has not faired much better. Microwave/fan over the stove is also toast. We bought a counter microwave for $99.00 that works wonderfully. The stove blew up exactly at warranty time, but we did pay to have that repaired as to replace was cost prohibitive. So that leaves the leaking dishwasher. All or almost all dishwashers have a problem with leaking from the door soap dispenser. We were going to replace it, but nothing guarantees that it won’t leak again with the bad design so, we put down paper towels under the door when we use it. All fixed. 🙂 After seeing the complaints about all of the major appliance companies when we looked to replace everything, we decided to opt to do nothing. We just had kind of a melt down. So you are very lucky to have found something that will work for you. There are so many variables too. Like will the refrigerator door open if it is set too far back into the wall?Some, have hinges that swing out. Others not. Whether the cord be long enough to reach the plug or be on the wrong side. Will it fit under the cabinet or not, like you. We also found that the measurements are iffy. The top measurement may fit as they often measure from the front down which includes the front door hinges. Then the top is flat to the back on some models allowing it to fit under the existing cabinets. Others not. I think George’s idea of back door access is genius, although, the new models are completely sealed on the back so access isn’t needed. So glad you found a model that will work. On some models, it is possible to change the color on the front with panels. Stainless has been in style for a long time. White is making a comeback and black stainless is pretty nice too. But, actually getting an appliance is the problem as you have found. So happy you will no longer have to live from the ice chests. 🙂
    Dress #2 from the sew along is coming along. Although, I just had to mess with it and change the design to a romper instead of a dress. That’s why everything takes me so long to sew. Finding cotton eyelet was impossible around here. Finally found a cotton/polyester at Walmart, but what a pain trimming off the poor edging mistakes. Even the photo on the Joann’s site showed the ragged trimming on their all polyester models. I’m keeping my eyes open for cotton eyelet at garage sales now. 🙂
    Have a fun week everyone.

  4. Kathie from Nebraska

    Happy Fridge Week! I think once it is installed you will like it! It is an updated look along with the white cabinets it will be so pretty. You can buy ice makers separately and I’m sure George could install it.😉 You are lucky to find one in stock. My daughter had to wait 3 months, luckily hers still worked. The last time we had a repairman come i asked him what appliances to buy. He said it didn’t matter but BUY THE WARRANTY! They all need it🥴

  5. Connie Wright

    Your new stainless steel refrigerator will look great with your white cabinets. My daughter has white cabinets and a stainless steel refrigerator and it looks perfect. There is such a thing as too much white! I know you will like it. I think you made a smart decision by buying it while you could.
    I don’t know how you came up with the perfect solution for the purple sash on that dress but you did and it looks great.

  6. You are so LUCKY you got one. It took six weeks for our new one to come in and a friend in WA state it took 9 months for them. It took 6 months for our new gas stove to come in.

  7. Barbara in SE Texas

    Oh, the horrors of needing new appliances these days! I remember when if you needed a new appliance you just went out and bought what you wanted, brought it home and lived with it for years with no complaints. All my kitchen appliances are stainless except my refrigerator, which is black. I told you about my kitchen hand-me-downs – the microwave/convection oven and the cooktop. They were stainless so we bought the oven and dishwasher in stainless to match. My current refrigerator was bought back in the late 1990s and is still going strong. Knock on wood! I have a space that will not accommodate some of the new French door refrigerators like my son has but I did find a stainless one at Lowe’s one time that would fit but we didn’t have the money or need one.

    I recently had to buy a new washer and dryer. To say I’m not satisfied is an understatement. They’re Insignia from Best Buy. All these new “ideas” they put into things are annoying and often useless. I had no problem with the top locking during spinning on my old washer but this washer locks when you start it. I liked having access to the water while filling to wipe down the outside of the washer, especially if there were drips from the liquid detergent. Now the best I can do is wipe it with a paper towel but it leaves a residue. My washer is in the garage and there is no utility sink or other water source available. And I don’t like the amount of water when it fills. Unless I hit the button for added water, it barely covers my clothes. Once I forgot to increase the water and the clothes all felt like they had not been rinsed properly. Then there’s the dryer that doesn’t dry the clothes worth a darn. I have to put the dryer on the most drying time, which is 67 minutes, and then dry the load twice. My old one used to sense the moisture and run until everything was completely dry. Usually about an hour or less. And there is no light in the dryer so I tend to leave things behind unless I rotate the drum. It was the only washer I could get with an agitator. My daughter-in-law has a washer without an agitator and she says it goes off balance a lot. I questioned that there was something wrong with the appliances but was told they are water and power saving measures. Drying a load of clothes for over two hours is power saving?!! Fortunately since it is just the two of us I don’t do much laundry otherwise I probably couldn’t afford the electric bill. But I must say I love my Kenmore dishwasher. It is so quiet. I love to put it on late in the evening and go into my study and give the blog a final look-see while listening to what sounds like water flowing in a brook. The only sound you hear is the water doing it’s thing.

    Under the circumstances I’m sure glad you found a replacement for your dead appliance in a fairly timely manner. Once in place we need new pictures of your amazing kitchen.

  8. Dorothy in PA and the World

    Dear Jeanne, you had quite the adventure! I am glad it had a happy ending. I have a feeling you are really going to love this fridge. I bet you are even going to give it a name, like you did Chandie (laugh).

    I am on the quest for a new printer. I have been reading the reviews for all of the name brands and I am seeing nothing but complaints. Grrrr! Why don’t printers last for 22 years (laugh)?

  9. Ingrid B in NY

    Hi Jeanne,
    I just wanted pop on and say hello. I LOVE the new kitchen and now you’ll have a pretty new frig… I think you’ll love the look. Wow 22 years is amazing. When we moved to this house (this December will be 12 years) we bought a stainless KitchenAid bundle. The dish washer’s digital control panel bit the dust after 4 years. Thankfully hubby is handy, he put a new one in, not that he likes doing it but it’s run fine since then (fingers crossed). The gas stove needed a needed a new something or other and he fixed that too… the microwave bit the big one 2 years ago… we bought another brand. Last summer refrigerator stopped cooling… Grrr!!! The repair man said if it was his he would buy a new frig. We bought another brand! Lucky for us Home Depot had what we wanted and it only took ten days to get it. We will Never buy KitchenAid again!!! Oops sorry ranting! LOL
    I think your solution for Samantha’s dress works fine, I’m excited to see the completed ensemble. I’m happy to see you’re going to celebrate AG’s 35th Anniversary by making outfits. I’m sure the renewed interest will drive sales to record highs! I can’t wait to see what’s next!
    Hope everyone’s doing well…
    Hugs
    Ingrid

  10. Rebecca Rivera

    Oh you are so lucky Jeanne!! Your Kitchen is going to look amazing!! Inside Edition did a report last week on the scaricity of appliances. Many homeowners are having to wait months just to get their appliances and cabinets for thier new homes and renovations. One appliance store said that if you ordered your stove today, it will take five to six months before you get it.. and there is also a shortage on Air Conditions once they are gone they are gone.

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