Another kind of iPod...

       Webb took a shot of the first "pod" getting unloaded last week.  The truck was a little too wide for the gate at the bottom of our driveway but we convinced the nervous driver to inch his way through anyway.  It definitely had to be one of his trickier deliveries.
       So far we've filled that pod to the brim, along with a 2nd one.  Both are sitting on our property for the duration of the remodel.  And, it turns out that we still need a 3rd pod (arriving this morning) for everything in the garage and outside. The construction team said anything can "walk away" from a job site, so it's best to load literally EVERYTHING up in storage..
       So far we have also lived quite comfortably in our rented townhouse just a block away for the past week and a half.  Which makes me wonder: What is all the "stuff" filling these pods that we have not even noticed not having around?  It seems a little ridiculous to have accumulated so many things that apparently we don't even need!   
     

The squeaky wheel....

       I'm a little embarrassed but I was the squeaky wheel (think annoying customer) when it came to my unceasing complaints about my Samsung washing machine.  I don't like to be obnoxious but sometimes you have to rant & rave to get a retailer to listen.
       It wasn't just the 4 unsuccessful repair attempts in the last 2 weeks that got to me, it was the 18 plus months of repeated issues with the machine.  I didn't have to provide a case history because Best Buy had their paper trail of service calls.
       So, I'm not sure if it was talking to the supervisor of the supervisor (and on up the ladder) that gave me the upper leg or if the numbers just started to add up but basically Best Buy was paying a lot to keep fixing a lemon machine that broke down almost monthly.  
       The economics must have justified an exchange and they finally delivered it yesterday.  Actually they tried to deliver it on  Monday but the first one they brought was defective (of course!) so they had to return again on Tuesday.  Webb thought the entire process was quite a comedy of errors (welcome to the world of Best Buy appliance customer service :).

Trusting My Instinct...

       "Instinct is the nose of the mind."  -Madame de Girardin 

      I need to learn to trust my instincts!  My ongoing washing machine repair story is a case in point.  
       First, I was leery initially to buy a Samsung because the name seems like an electronic brand trying to get into a new market and I think they do TV's better than they do home appliances (in my experience anyway). 
      I did have the good sense to buy an extended warranty so at least the multiple service calls have all been covered.  Otherwise I would have paid for our washing machine twice in new parts and labor.  
       But the latest break-down has been another good reminder to not back down from my gut instinct.  When the service guy showed up (almost 2 weeks ago!) I told him that the problem seemed to be the motor but he gave me the "lady, what do you know?" look which causes me to question my judgement and fall into my "I'm just the consumer and he's the repair guy" mode of reasoning.  
       Then, Mr. smarty pants repair guy diagnosed a water pump problem, ordered the part, left and returned a week later, once the part came in.  After the 2nd visit he was confident all systems were a-go so it was surprising when the washer stopped midway through the first load.  Finally, on his 3rd appointment, he conceded that the problem was, after all, the motor! (um, I told you so!) But, by this point while I felt redeemed for being right, it was annoying to wait for another part.  
       Why won't anyone listen to me?  And why wasn't I more bold when he resisted my assessment of the machine's trouble being motor-related? 
       This morning, our 4th visit for this particular repair, is scheduled.  Since the 3rd time was not the charm (as the saying goes) I hope the 4th time is the final.  I am tired of collecting quarters and tired of going to the laundromat.  But, yes, Paige: I now have appreciation for what you go through without a washer & dryer in your apartment.  

Melted Ice Cream..

       We have a minor debacle here on the home front.  I’m not sure of the life expectancy on a Sub-Zero refrigerator but in our situation I hope it’s just a little bit longer.  Or, at least long enough to last until our remodel project begins.  
       Sadly, our freezer has not been up-to-par and keeps getting worse.  There are lots of problems with frozen food thawing but for us the major issue is the ice cream.  Soft ice cream is not very inviting.  The rest of my freezer inventory wasn’t very appealing anyway so I’m not too disturbed by that loss.
       So, yesterday I turned off the circuit breaker, emptied the entire unit and did some trouble shooting with an appliance guy.  After hours of attempted repair I'm hoping my limited knowledge of fixing appliances will extend the failing fridge for another month or two.  
       Because I can hardly expect Brent to live without ice cream to snack on! Ice cream is pretty much a staple here at the Knudsens!  

Appreciation!

     From an investment perspective, cars don’t appreciate.  The minute you drive new cars off the dealer’s lot they’re notorious for major depreciation.  Then, add some mileage and a car's value over time gains downward momentum.  
     With one exception.  The Land Rover Defender 90.  It’s the only car in our fleet of auto ownership that has ever increased in value.  So, as sad as it was to sell the Defender, our sorrow was mitigated by the onslaught of buyers bidding well over the asking price (and over what we paid for it over a decade ago).  That is a unique experience to have respective to car sales.  We paid $40,000 about twelve years ago and sold it for $50,000.  
     In 2003, Webb and the Defender earned the illustrious Los Gatos High School Best Car Award amongst the graduating Seniors.  At a school like Los Gatos, that is no small feat with a parking lot filled with high end autos that belong more often to the students than the teachers (which is sick I know).  But, I think the Defender won the best car title more for personality, not to mention a cute guy behind the wheel (Go Webb!). 
     Yes, the Defender holds some great memories for all of us; it was a great putz-around-town or take-to-the-beach vehicle.  And, it feels fitting that it’s new residence will be Boston, since Webb’s roots herald from New England as well.  We hope the new Defender owners enjoy it as much as we did!  

The garage hierarchy...

My Volvo has been demoted. Banished. Summarily dismissed. Exiled to the cruel elements of nature!

Think of the injustice! The Volvo is the oldest car in our fleet. Actually, I guess the Defender is the oldest, but still. It feels like our new electric vehicle is taking a seat on the bus from an old lady!

There is no longer a bay in the garage for my ever dependable and notoriously safe Volvo. After years of loyalty, how do we show our gratitude? By taking away it’s parking privileges. Now the Volvo has to jockey for position in the driveway. Every day this past week it’s been rained on and no one seems very concerned that the Volvo (which was nicely cleaned before the onslaught of rain) sits outside getting completely soaked.

Because the Volvo was never named but it now feels a little like the Toy Story discards (getting bumped from the line-up for the new electric BMW), I think I’ll call it Woody! At this point the Volvo can certainly relate to Woody’s plight!

Bring It On?

I didn't really notice how dated our house is until designers, contractors, and architects started rummaging through it.

Okay, I knew it could use a face lift but I’m fairly reticent to start changing things because of the snowball effect.

For instance, our hardwood floors desperately need re-finishing but they encroach into the kitchen where the tile and cabinets are old too. So, pretty soon sprucing things up feels overwhelming and potentially more expensive than I’d like.

That’s the scope of the project in prose, below is my rough attempt in poetic form:

For years we’ve considered updating the house,

Especially now, since it’s just me and the spouse.

But to remodel the kitchen, the flooring spills over,

And suddenly the makeover’s all inclusive, moreover.

Choosing cabinets and fixtures and the whole kitchen sink,

I’m afraid details and decisions could drive me to drink! (diet coke, that is)

And, what if we temporarily had to move out and into a rental,

With my reluctance to change, I could go certifiably mental.

Remodel veterans will caution, "over budget you’ll spend,

And the project drags on, it could seem to no end."

When I take in these thoughts, there is a part of my brain,

That says, considering any remodel is rather insane.

Better to live in a place that, while dated, is home,

Than to go crazy deciding over platinum or chrome! -K2

Where is that moth when you need him?

Issues with intermittency!

Here is the deal: There are a lot of problems that are intermittent and while this might sound okay (because theoretically you get a break), they can actually be more frustrating than consistent problems.

At least something consistently bothersome is predictable. I can count on the annoyance and plan around it. But, think about snafus that strike randomly; these are the one that truly drive people (okay, me) nuts.

Here are two examples: First, when my car does something odd, but because it happens sometimes but not all the time, I can’t replicate it for the mechanic. Because, of course it never happens when I need it to (for demonstration purposes).

This is a frustrating situation, and worse, it can make me look like an idiot when I describe symptoms to a mechanic and they look at me like the problem might be more in my head than in my car.

2nd example: When I called the exterminators who service our yard about having moths inside the house they told me they needed to determine what kind of moth we are dealing with before they can spray anything. "Just get us one sample,” said Urbano. But, those moths that had formerly been (what seemed like) everywhere were suddenly nowhere to be found.

So, that is one of life's pet peeves for me; things hard to solve or fix because they happen intermittently. So glad I got that off my chest!

Chill Before Use!

Our home phone was missing and I'd been passively looking for it all day. Then I remembered a funny story about Michelle Walton finding her phone in her dryer when she unloaded a batch of clothes!

But our phone was not in the dryer, not in the washer, or anywhere in the laundry room. The laundry room was one of my first stops on my telephone scavenger hunt (due to Michelle's story and all).

Well, if you've ever wondered if your phone can take the heat or (in my case) the cold, it appears that house phones might be temperature resistant! At least to refrigeration! Because where I located our missing phone was in the kitchen fridge! And it's no worse for the wear!

Just how does a phone get into the fridge? A simple question. And the answer is simply that I get caught up doing too many things at once! Multitasking at it's worst!

I personally operate better on a singular focus model of efficiency! Actually my kids already know this about me since I can hardly answer a rudimentary question if I'm checking email!

When I attempt to multitask I end up distracted and do inane things like set telephones in the fridge or maybe the milk in the pantry! In fact, before the saga of the lost phone my sunglasses were missing and Brent found them in a casserole pan in the cupboard (but that’s another blog post!).

Out with the Old, In With the New...

Out with the old, In with the new! or, the plot thickens...

My kids thought it was odd when I bought a Baby Jogger (sans baby or grandchildren), so the new play set replacement we ordered will definitely have them shaking their puzzled heads.

But there is method to my madness. Always! And, even my kids can’t argue the fact that the Baby Jogger gets ample use.

Plus, our Wednesday running group has plenty of little people (my honorary grandchildren) to climb and romp on the new play set. And since it’s made out of polyethylene instead of wood it should still look new when we have grandkids.

The new play set arrived in a huge crate and so far we’ve broken it down into multiple boxes in the garage. But the assembly looks a little complicated (especially for incompetent novices like K2 and her handyman husband). In other words, it can’t be gorilla glued together! So before the play set is ready for “play” it looks like we’ve got our “work” cut out for us!

“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.”

O’er the land of the FREE...

“There’s No Such Thing as a Free Lunch.”

But, there is such thing as “FREE” on Craigslist. And, to my discovery, “FREE” has a huge following.

Last Monday night I posted this photo on Craigslist with the caveat that the play set is free to anyone willing to disassemble and haul it away.

By Tuesday morning I had over 50 emails and the response is currently at over 150 requests. Wild!

All this attention for a play set that I almost paid to have removed. I guess the adage that “one man’s junk is another man’s treasure” isn’t too far off the mark.

I committed to give it to a nice young family but the emails continued and I desperately wished we had multiple play sets to give away. I hate to be the bearer of bad tidings with my email reply that the play set is already spoken for.

The majority of the emails were typical “we want it...when can we pick it up?” But some were a little heartbreaking like “my husband passed away and this would be great for my three kids” or “I have a son with autism, I lost my job, and the play set would be sooooo helpful for us” or “Thank you! God bless you! We can come today with tools and truck.”

I’ve had to disappoint a bunch of strangers, darn it anyway! But I am delighted that it appears headed to a good home. A family who might not have a lot of money but it seems like they have a lot of love.

So, it’s a win-win! I get the weather worn play set removed from our premises and another family can shine it up and hopefully get some more life out of it. Perhaps, there is such a thing as a free lunch/playset/etc. after all. You just have to know where to find it...and apparently that would be on Craigslist (who knew!).

Kokopelli Power...

What Were We Thinking?

It’s hard to leave Park City without art of some medium so we happily purchased a kokopelli sculpture piece on our recent trip.

Kokopelli have always reminded me of Julie Larson for some reason. Maybe because she used to decorate with a little southwestern flair. Anyway, since I adore Julie, I like the kokopelli figure too.

But, after our purchase, I thought I’d should brush up on the kokopelli origins. Well, it turns out that while the kokopelli may look like an innocent hunchbacked flute player, for Native American cultures he actually symbolizes the fertility god. Let me repeat that for emphasis: Kokopelli = a fertility god! What have we done?!

At present, we don’t need fertility gods lurking in our kitchen. At fifty two years old, I’m not thinking fertility karma is the appropriate deity we ought to display. I think we’re a little old and while we want grandchildren eventually; with no married children this in not the time to be invoking Kokopelli power at our doorstep!

I did feel better when I came across a more general interpretation of the mission of the “fertility” god. Supposedly, if I channel Kokopelli fertility powers into an area of my life that has been stagnant, the result should be productivity (ie. creating fertility) in any dormant aspect I’d like to kick start. Or, Jamie Sans explains it better:

“If Kokopelli has lured you with his magic flute, it is time to listen to his magic song. This song is one of fertility. You are being asked to use your talents to create fertility in one area of your life. If things have been slow moving, Kokopelli’s song is saying that whatever you intend to plant at this time will be very productive for you.

Planting seeds for the future takes effort on your part, so now is the time to use your skill and resources to make use of the magic. If you have a project to begin, or an idea to develop, the timing couldn’t be better. Shift away from any old limiting ideas and move forward. The time is now, the power is you!” -The Discovery of Self Through Native Teachings, by Jamie Sans

Yes, we were lured into buying the Kokopelli piece in Park City, so we shall see if those Hopi Indian traditions bring some new fertility into some aspects (other than reproduction) of our lives! Even if their magic powers are questionable, they’ll still remind me of Julie, which is always a good and happy thing!

Rest in Peace: Mr. Super Glue

According to the New York Times the

inventor of Super Glue, Dr. Harry Coover, died last Saturday. He was 94 years old.

On the very day Dr. Coover passed away, Brent was attempting to Super Glue his Power Balance wristband together after the plastic split apart. Brent was very sorry the surgery was unsuccessful.

Needless to say, when I saw the glued wristband in the recovery room (okay, on a paper towel in the kitchen), my immediately thought was that Brent will try to fix anything with glue! Can you imagine the faith needed to believe Super Glue will bond a silicone wristband together?

Brent is generally partial to his favorite, all purpose Gorilla Glue, but Super Glue was sort of the grandfather that begat all the super sticky adhesives. I actually get a kick out of Brent’s bold efforts to start any and all repair work giving glue the first shot. Occasionally (use term very loosely), glue actually works.

Anyway, Dr. Coover fondly became known as “Mr. Super Glue” even though the prolific inventor held 640 other patents in his name (guess it was the patent name that “stuck" - haha!)

Super Glue was one of those unintentional “eureka type" discoveries Dr. Coover made with another researcher back in 1951 while looking for a temperature resistant coating for jet cockpits. He unveiled Super Glue during a live television show where a metal bar was lowered onto the stage. Dr. Coover super glued another metal bar to the lowered one, had his daughter grab hold, and she was raised in the air on the strength of his invention. Ta-da!

I’m always the naysayer but after reading of this TV demonstration featuring Dr. Coover’s daughter I’m beginning to wonder why Brent’s wristband mend didn’t work after all. But, despite the glitch (my politically correct term for failure), I’m sure Brent will continue to be a staunch supporter of Super Glue. Brent is nothing if not loyal and tenacious, so glue will continue to reign supreme in our household for fast repair jobs (efficacy notwithstanding). But it does look like his treasured (albeit of questionable powers) Power Balance wristband will need to be replaced.

But Here's the Rub....

This is not a photo of my pantry. It's from the OXO website and I'm now the happy buyer yet perplexed owner of a slew of these state-of-the-art containers.

Okay, I was touting bins yesterday and today I’m onto a container discussion. Do you see a theme here? It must be spring (as in spring cleaning).

Now the reason I'm not 100% satisfied with my container purchases is that my cupboards, no matter how I sort and organize never look like this picture. Which drives me a little crazy!

First, it's nearly impossible to ascertain the perfect size for various items. I pour in the pretzels and they don’t entirely fit! So what do I do with the leftover pretzels? Doesn’t it kind of defeat the point of the lovely containers if I leave the spillover in the original pretzel bag?

Plus, when everything is filled to the brim it looks aesthetically pleasing but when the cereal, crackers, whatever, falls below halfway the look isn’t quite so dapper.

So, I’m partially content. With everything in either a container or sorted with like items in matching bins it’s a big improvement. But I’m still trying to determine what to do with extra contents lest I sabotage my organization efforts with loose packages gone wild.

And, I’m also trying to figure out how to refrain from getting anal about diminishing amounts lest I go bonkers whenever people eat. After all, having the food for consumption is the main purpose, right. Sometimes I get confused and think it’s just for decoration. Oh, wait, that would be the intention of the OXO picture, whereas my containers are meant for real usage.

So, it turns out that trying to replicate the OXO website photo is just as absurd as people who continually try to keep up with the Joneses. Futile.

You Can Never Have Too Many ...Bins!

When Paige arrived in London she expressed mild frustration over not having "bins" to store her belongings. That's an inherent hazard of semester abroad. But I'm glad she's become a lover of bins. Because I think bins are essential. A staple. Bins are to the home-at-large what sugar and flour are to the kitchen.

I've probably spent a small fortune on bins over the years and can't imagine life without them.

My first tip to "getting organized" is bins! Not that anyone asked. Still, there is no charge for this advice: Buy bins! Small bins, medium bins, large bins; you'll need every size! I usually keep a cupboard stocked with empty bins of assorted sizes.

Furthermore, all bins are not created equal! There are definitely good bins, substandard bins and everything in between. "I never met a bin I didn't like" would be a false statement! I am persnickety about the bins I choose.

So, I'm delighted that Paige was lamenting no bins at the BYU London Center. Maybe my sorting obsession has found another convert! Even better, could it be that some things we teach our kiddos do come home to roost? In a good way.

Finally, one of the best bins on the planet just happens to be....the Trash Bin! Whenever storage bins start to overflow, the trash bin is the perfect receptacle for eliminating surplus. In fact, the trash bin might be my favorite bin of all! Always toss liberally, ...just don't throw out your bins!

Handiwork around the House...

Brent's "tools of trade" are not the carpentry sort. When it comes to handyman jobs he is ready to tackle the job...with his tube of Gorilla Glue.

It's not that Brent CAN'T build or fix things, it's simply that he prefers not too. What Brent prefers, is hiring someone else to do the job.

Because I'm more reluctant to hire services (think cheap), I'll occasionally take a crack at things before I bring in the big guns. My track record for my efforts has mixed results. Okay, maybe I'm overstating my prowess.

Anyway, I'm probably best at furniture assembly. Especially when furniture comes with detailed directions. I'll copiously study and follow each step meticulously.

I've put together plenty of IKEA gizmos for college kids and Pottery Barn furniture too. It's kind of therapeutic. For me, not for Brent. Furniture assembly would not be his idea of relaxation. In fact, Brent pretty much ignores directions unless (or should I say when) trouble arises. Then he'll take a glance at the manual. Although sometimes this is too late!

Anyway, there's a lazy susan shelf unit in our kitchen pantry that has been stained and cracked since we first moved to Los Gatos. For years I've been looking for replacement parts. I finally realized I'd have to take the whole thing apart just to figure out what parts I actually needed. So, once I got the contraption disassembled I starting searching online.

I ordered new parts and crossed my fingers I'd still remember how to put it all back together when the parts arrived in 2 weeks. They came and ...I conquered! Yes! Only now I can't figure out why it took me so long to get around to fixing it! It's a big improvement.

And, Brent even offered his assistance while I was putting it back together. Although he was probably relieved that I didn't take him up on the offer.

It's Not Rocket Science...

"The Lone Ranger and Tonto are camping in the desert, set up their tent, and are asleep. Some hours later, The Lone Ranger wakes his faithful friend.

"Tonto, look up and tell me what you see."

Tonto replies, "Me see millions of stars."

"What does that tell you?" asks The Lone Ranger.

Tonto ponders for a minute. "Astrologically, it tells me that Saturn is in Leo. Time wise, it appears to be approximately a quarter past three. Theologically, it's evident the Lord is all powerful and we are small and insignificant. Meteorologically, it seems we will have a beautiful day tomorrow. What it tell you, Kemo Sabi?"

"Tonto, you dummy, someone has stolen our tent!"

Just like Tonto, sometimes I miss the obvious! The answer is right in front of me and I miss it because it's just too easy!

Case in point: We have 2 pool pumps that siphon the water off the cover when it rains. Since it's been pouring all week the pump is critical to keep the water from getting too heavy on the cover.

Brent noticed the pump wasn't working, did a little troubleshooting, had no success, and brought out the back-up pump. The alternate pump wasn't working either! Talk about an odd coincidence. What are the chances that both pumps would break down on the same day?

Well, it seemed unlikely but we've had worse luck with appliances, so we just figured we were unlucky! Bad Pool Pump Karma at the Knudsens!

So, Brent enlisted my help with the rising water problem. I fiddled with the pumps, tightened this and that, tripped the GFI electrical switch, and I struck out. I started heaving gallons of rainwater off the slowly sinking inverted pool cover with a bucket. This didn't solve the pump mystery but alleviated some build up and bought us some time.

Then, I ordered a new pump for overnight delivery. And just for good measure I mentioned to our pool guy, Andy, that he might want to check the pumps, just in case Brent and I overlooked anything.

Well, it didn't take Andy long to determine our problem. When both pumps seemed kaput, Andy's brain (unlike my astute mind) told him that this made no sense. So, no higher education Andy checks the hose and ta-da, leaves are clogged inside and the water is getting stuck at that point!

Andy gets the leaves out and the water comes gushing through! Crisis averted! While Brent and I focused on the technical pump mechanism, Andy simply double checked the hose and immediately solved the problem!

Well, there are plenty of messages I can glean from our pool pump experience. One obvious lesson is to always make sure I haven't missed an obvious solution to a problem!

The Blender Wars....

"Will it Blend?" -Tom Dickson, Inventor of the BlendTec blender

I generally arrive a little late to the game (so to speak), hence I wasn't ensnared into the Blender Wars until this week.

But the daily kale and chard in Brent's morning smoothies has destroyed our cheap Oster blender, so Brent insisted we bring in the big guns.

There are pretty much just 2 "big guns" in the blender world, the Vitamix and the BlendTec and I've been doing due diligence this week comparing the 2 machines.

Vitamix has been around longer but BlendTec stole the stage with their "Will It Blend" you tube videos showing them pulverize all sorts of random things: golf balls, a Rubik's cube, even an iphone.

As my research between the 2 brands intensified it only became more confusing which was the superior model. For the most part, the blenders are in a dead heat. One has higher horsepower but it makes more noise. Negligible, nuanced differences.

But we are now the proud owners of a BlendTec Total Blender. And, if you really want to know what sealed the deal for me? Quite honestly, I bought BlendTec over the Vitamix because Tom Dickson, the owner, is a BYU alum and a Mormon. Guess I'm just loyal and I'm also impressed by this wacky LDS inventor!

Infact, maybe BlendTec should try blending a Vitamix in their next YouTube video! In the meantime, we'll be enjoying Jamba Juice quality smoothies right in the comfort of our own home/kitchen!

The Squeaky Wheel Gets the Grease...

The Laundry Moratorium is over! Whew!

My incessant complaining finally resulted in a washing machine repair! Two weeks later. My daily phone calls were probably annoying but sometimes you have to keep bugging people until someone will help you, just to be rid of you.

Although, I felt justified in my frustration. A state-of-the-art 2010 washing machine should not break down in the first year. Even if Brent's comments about our washing machine getting more use in 1 year than some get in 10 years are true. Still, it's basically a new appliance, even if it's used frequently.

When the Best Buy estimate on getting the necessary part changed from 10 days to a whopping January 15th date I was livid. The words "it's on back order" are akin to cursing! I can't survive for a month without a washing machine, especially over the holidays.

With Best Buy giving me the run around, I went from the retailer straight to the manufacturer. Samsung was initially reluctant to get involved but I can be relentless. Which paid off because the Samsung repairman was 100% better than the guy Best Buy sent last week.

And, lo and behold, the mysterious back ordered part was located and installed yesterday. We have clean clothes once again. And, as I told Paige, it's like Christmas came 5 days early for me this year! The Laundry Fairy is back in business!

Wash Day!

It's only been 5 days and I'm going crazy! Last Friday the repairman had the disappointing news that it would take 10 days to get the parts to fix my (reasonably new) washing machine!

At least I washed the sheets the day before it went kaput! A small consolation!

Some people have a weekly wash day but I am not one of those people. I throw in a batch as soon as I have enough light or darks for a load. I prefer this method because this way the laundry never overwhelms me. It's ongoing perhaps, but not overwhelming.

Plus, I have a wee tiny clean-sheet-fetish. I have rather strong opinions about how often I like to wash sheets. Mine never go longer than a week. I heart fresh, clean sheets!

So, this week, as our hamper fills with dirty clothes, I'll be visiting the local laundromat. 13 quarters a load!

The warranty should cover the repair but unfortunately gives me no priority on the schedule. Furthermore, the repairman doesn't even seem the least bit distraught over the wait. His wife must be a once-a-week laundress!

Whenever something I use regularly breaks down, I gain new appreciation for how many things work on command and rarely fail us. So as soon as it's fixed, I will no longer take my washing machine for granted!