The Icebox Croaketh

I think the refrigerator may be dying. I find this most troublesome. Especially after dawdling about in Lowe's while my paint samples were getting mixed and casually strolled down the aisle marked clearance appliances. And saw a refrigerator marked down to the clearance price of $1100. I am of the opinion that the Lowe's people use the word clearance loosely. A true clearance priced refrigerator should be more in the $500 ballpark. And unlike my computer dying incident in January I was not feeling the least bit smug about being under budget for the month. I was breathing a sigh of relief that I was going to weather property tax plus car and homeowner's insurance month without having to auction off a cat or a child. I can't remember how old this food cooling unit is. I'm thinking it was five or so during the major kitchen remodel that was completed in December of 2001. Which, if I was to do the math, would make it over fifteen years old. Which means its number was up pretty much any day now. I so would never have cleaned the lint off the top two months ago if I thought this might happen.