Christmas Recap

So, let's recap a bit and see what we did and didn't accomplish for Christmas this year:

• Christmas with my family - check
• Christmas with husband's family - check
• Gifts for the kids - check
• Cookies and milk left out for Santa - check (even left out 9 carrots for the reindeer!)
• Cutting back on the Christmas spending - technically, yes, but we did purchase 2 tires and a new washer in December. I'm hoping we come out about even.
• Christmas cookies baked - check
• Too many Christmas cookies eaten - double check!
• Big fancy Christmas Eve dinner - no check (cheese, summer sausage and crackers in front of The Muppets' Christmas special!)
• Church on Christmas Eve - no check (don't tell Mom!)
• Christmas cards sent - this is an almost-check. (I ordered them early, and had them addressed, but wanted to put a note on them before I sent them all out. That's what's delayed me. Sigh.)

So, the moral here - I need to get off the computer and get those Christmas cards finished! ;-)

It's Christmas!

We've had a lazy day today - sleeping late, vegging out in front of the TV and/or computer, raiding the freezer for whatever goodies are down there to make a meal. We did get the girls' sugar cookies made and decorated (and I managed to make colored icing without getting the color all over my hands!). The girls are in bed, and I'm waiting until they're good and asleep before I do anything else. wink.

We did take advantage of the Christmas Music station on the digital cable today - was really nice to have that in the background while baking the cookies and wrapping the last of the family gifts. And I think the version on cable is better than the local radio station who's gone to 24-hour Christmas tunes, because the cable version doesn't have commercials. Although, radio commercials aren't nearly as bad as the commercials on the Cartoon Network or Nickelodeon. My youngest was trying to convince me today that we need the Snugglie - the Blanket With Sleeves! Aaaugh!

This is the first year in many that we've been home for the whole Christmas break. The stars aligned over Columbus, Ohio last weekend and we had Christmas with my family, whereas in normal years, we've made the trip up after the holiday - even as late as New Year's. It was a pretty quick weekend, but well worth it to get the whole bunch of us together. Yay! As an added bonus, we're hoping to see some of our far-flung friends while they're in town with their families.

I think the egg nog in the fridge is calling my name. I'll sign off now, and wish you all a Merry Christmas. ;-)

Life with the New Washer

Sorry for the extended absence. As it turns out, I've been doing laundry!

The new washer is FAN-TASTIC! We're all totally fascinated with the big window in the door. Those clothes slosh and spin like nobody's business!

Video below is from the first water-only run-through. But you can see how fast it is!

The new washer takes longer to go through a load, but after the super-spin cycle, the clothes come out with less water and don't take as long to dry. I've been inspired to catch up on the laundry - towels, sheets, sweaters that I was neglecting, plus all that stuff that had piled up over my month of travel. People here at home don't recognize me. ;-)

I will admit, my new toy in the laundry room is distracting me from the Christmas To Do list. We baked a batch of chocolate chip cookies (about 10 of which are stashed in the freezer for Santa's snacking), and have another couple of batches to work on later this week. It took me three days to re-string the lights on the tree, and then it was another two days before we got started on the ornaments. But, we're back on track, and will have all our Christmas finery washed and ready to wear next week!

Death of a Washer - Part Three - A New Hope

Friday. Office work is done. Today's the day I need to Buy a Washer. My mind is set - don't settle for something small and cheap. If this washer will be replaced, it needs to be Worth It. So, we're headed toward the 4.0 cubic foot capacity front loader.

The day begins with a trip to the Home Improvement store. It's early, and not a lot of retail places are open, but the Home Improvement store is crawling with contractors. And me and my washer research. I'm met by several helpful employees, who put up with my pesky questions and furious note-taking. One thing I read on the washer repair forums, these front-load machines have problems with stuff from the washer draining and clogging the pump. Many of the machines out on the floor here at the Home Improvement store have quick-access panels on the front, offering the at-home user easy access to the pump clean-out piece. (I also read that there's a lot of water that can drain when cleaning out the pump this way - need to file that away for later...) This small detail becomes one of the key features on my Must Have List. Simple, but something that makes sense. (Other Must Haves - an extended warranty.) One model that catches my eye - a German-made Bosch within my price range. Ooh, really?? There are 5 machines at this location that make the Short List.

Next, it's time to call the in-laws to arrange a trip to the downtown appliance store. Several people have expressed the excellent pricing available at this store, and it's worth a look. (They don't publish models or prices on the web site, so a site visit is in order.) The meeting is set, and I've got time to go home and hit the web. More research!

Part of what my research tells me is what brands I don't want. The repair forum is full of stories about the evil few manufacturers. No strong recommendations, but lots of horror stories and common problems. Not to worry - all this helps to narrow down my choices.

Ok, time to meet my father-in-law for the site visit downtown. All the available models at this have one thing in common - no front access panel for the pump cleanout. They will all require a hex screwdriver and removal of the whole front panel. The more I consider this option, the more I know: Yeah. I really don't like that idea. Their prices are good, though. Maybe when I have to replace my dishwasher (knock on wood).

Back across the river, I decide to run through another home improvement chain to check out another line of foreign-made washers - the LGs. As it turns out, there's an LG in my price range. This model quickly becomes my top contender - ready-access pump cleanout panel, built in water heater, stainless steel wash drum, rear mounted controls (that control stuff is all asthetics - it'd be a better match to my leftover dryer. So much for a MATCHED SET.). Unfortuntely, the first available delivery date is 6 days out, and the associate tells me that the washer will be on sale three days following that date. Well, that's a bummer. I can't wait 2 weeks for a washer. So, that kind of seals the deal on the Bosch. Oh, except the first home improvement chain is supposed to carry LG. The store that offers next-day delivery and is having a sale right now? Really?

Now, it's time to cross the river and visit The First Home Improvement chain store #2. Maybe this other store is bigger and carries the LG line. I am hopeful, but find when I get to the store, they do not carry LGs. Ok. Back to the Bosch, which is still a very good machine. Ooh, but I do see that the washer pedestal, that seems like such a silly add-on, but would make the front-load machine a little easier to reach, and would be a good place to store rags, as I read another regular maintenance issue with a front-loader is to keep the door gasket clean...oh, where was I? Anyway, there's a pedestal drawer for the Bosch washer on clearance. Bingo! Time to hit the office for a little work, and then I'm off to buy a washer.

Fast forward one hour. I'm back at the local First Home Improvement chain store to buy my washer. They have my model in stock, it is on sale, and I can get it delivered tomorrow. Sweet! The only catch is that this store doesn't have any of the pedestals on clearance. I opt to drive back to The First Home Improvement chain store #2 and buy the pedestal there, figuring it can be part of the installation when the washer arrives. (Better that than a possible retro-fit accomplished by myself and Friend Husband. No way, no how!) Grab the kids from school, we're headed back across the river for an adventure!

Three stores later, the washer and pedestal are both purchased. The final challenge...how to get the 15" tall x 27" wide pedestal in the back of my car.

Step 1) shove the junk in the trunk out of the way.
Step 2) slide box off the shopping cart and into the trunk. Try to move the box, not the cart. Yeek!
Step 3) set box on the ground; it will fit width-wise, but not depth-wise.
Step 4) put away shopping cart, move junk out of trunk into front seat of car.
Step 5) hope the person driving by in the SUV is a helpful sort who might maneuver this box for me. I've been in my Tall Shoes all day, and they're starting to hate me.
Step 6) just do it - heave box from ground over trunk edge and shove it. Hey, it fits! Kind of hangs out the end, but it's tight on the sides, and should survive the trip Back Across the River.
Step 6a) Acknowledge comment from female SUV driver - "Hey, I saw you haul that box up into your trunk! Nice job!" Thank you, Jazzercise. ;-)
Step 7) Secure trunk lid with twine.
Step 8) Ride off into the sunset. Literally. It's taken me all day, but I've bought a washer. Whew!
The whole ride home, the kids were plotting their adventures for the appliance boxes. Well, they stopped that after about 10 minutes and started asking about dinner. I have to remember to get the box off the truck tomorrow. That will probably end up being what they still play with after Christmas. Sigh.

Finally, we're home. My secret for getting the pedestal into the house - rolling luggage cart. It's in the front hall, waiting for placement tomorrow in the laundry room. Tonight's mission - clear a path for the installers to bring the new washer in through the front door. I guess that includes fluffing up and re-stringing the lights on the bottom half of the Christmas tree.

More news - and maybe pictures - tomorrow!

Death of a Washer - Part Two - The Internet Strikes Back

When last we met, it was Wednesday, and the Friendly Repair Guy was stumped about the problem with my washer. While he was fetching and replacing the Machine Controller Board, I was doing Internet Research on my washer problem. All the signs are there - the class action lawsuit, the discontinue-ness of the model, the comment from Friendly Repair Guy as he's walking out the door - "Maybe, if you find a new machine, you'd want to consider an extended warranty..." Yeah, all the signs.

My service call fee and job ticket information/diagnosis/parts list would be available for 30 days, so I opted to hold off on the replacement Machine Controller Board and look at options in a new model. I returned to my internet search with a new motive - Could I get a new washer for just over what that new part would cost me?

As it turns out, I could, The shopping began late that night with a trip to the home improvement store. Prices aren't bad, fair number of floor models to do some tire-kicking, but very overwhelming. Brands, tub size, number of wash modes, service records, discounts, free delivery options, pedestals...

So, after a quick lap around the Washer Area, I find that for the cost of the part to replace the old machine, I could have a top loader with a standard sized wash bucket, center agitator and no computer parts. These machines have dials and run forever. The price is right, as this has been a week of bleeding money. But, will that washer make me Truly Happy?

Around the corner from the basic washers, I found the super-capacity, highly efficient front-loaders. There were some machines that were only a bit outside the repair price, but didn't have as much capacity as other front-load washers. The models with the larger capacity were about as much as what I'd already sunk into the carcass in the laundry room, but New and Better. New. Unknown. Really Better?

And finaly, in the other aisle of the display were the new versions of my current machine - the top-loader that that acts like a front-loader. Less water, no agitator, HE detergent. I know this machine. I've used this machine. But, it's flakey. And maybe not yet fully improved.

There's some comfort in the new versions of my current machines - not as expensive or foreboding as the tall front-loading machines, and now with clear lids, so you can see the wash action. But, no. This machine's already cost me big money twice. I can't go back. There is no in-between. It's either old-school top-loader or new-school front-loader. The line has been drawn.

So, we're not going middle of the road, but which end of the spectrum? At this point, I was totally overwhelmed and wanting ice cream. Yeah, the laundry can pile up for another couple of days. This will not be done tonight.

Thursday was Work Day. I had client deliverables to finish up, and a party after work, so there were no field trips for my Laundry Research. I did do a little online research, discussed some price ranges with Friend Husband, and, most importantly, got some antecdotal advice from co-workers and other moms - offering a great perspective on my issue. As in - Go Big or Go Home.

As for tonight, it's time to sleep on it, for tomorrow is another day.

The Death of a Washer - a story in three parts...

Forward: This will be another laundry-centric series of posts. Feel free to skip this series, if you are MY SISTER. ;-)

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I spent much of November traveling, and this schedule necessitated that laundry be committed on an as-needed basis. The Basic Three loads became: whites, work clothes/husband socks, kids uniforms/jeans (as space allowed).

Once I was done with traveling, I began the mundane task of Catching Up on Laundry. (To which I respond - how can one ever be Caught Up? Does all the laundry ever get done? Sigh.) It was with one of these catch-up loads that apparently killed my washer.

A little history about my washer - this set was new when we moved into the house three years ago. It's a Sears version of a poor Whirlpool design. I'd purchased this model 2 years earlier as a replacement for a traditional top-load, central agitator machine. When we moved, I bought the same washer and a matching dryer so I could have a MATCHING SET. Very exciting! Yes. I said it. I said this would be laundry-centric.

We'd had to call in a repair on this washer last year - resulting in a new pump; not a cheap fix. In my internet research at that time, I saw that there were a lot of problems reported with this model, and a class action law suit was pending against the manufacturer. But, I replaced the pump, which seemed to be the main cause for concern. That, and the lint-heavy bath rugs I'd been washing when the machine choked, and had been advised against washing in this machine by the original service tech. Since this was the first repair, we didn't qualify in the Class for the suit stuff. I thought we'd dodged a bullet. Hmmph.

Ok, back to last week. My washer's dead and shows me a helpful fault code: Stuck Relay. Hmm. I know a bit about relays, but thought this would be a simple thing to fix. I cheerily fished the damp laundry out of the washer, planning to dry it and rewash after the washer had been fixed. Then, it's back to our As Needed Laundry mode: haul the load of jeans and school uniforms over to the in-laws. Sunday night, I scheduled my washer repair appointment for Wednesday.

Fast forward to Wednesday's repair appointment. The Friendly Repair Guy says the Machine Controller Board is not responding to his magic key combinations asking for more diagnostic information. The Tech Line tells him to replace the Machine Controller Board - doesn't that sound like a more expensive part than just a Stuck Relay? Must be something like the nurses do in the pediatrician's office - it's not a shot, it's just a little pinch. Ugh.

As it happens, Friendly Repair Guy has a Machine Controller Board on his truck. Let's drop it in and run the diagnostics to see what the machine can tell us! Yeah, good in theory, but the new Machine Controller Board didn't turn on either. We've either got a bad part or a Bigger Problem. Oh and that Class Action suit? Settled, and the postmark date for claims has long since passed. Hmmm. Not a good sign.

Well, if you were paying attention to my title, you know this isn't the end of the story. And yes, it turns out, we're in the Bigger Problem category. Stay tuned...