Just our luck

"Mom, can I bring some laundry up to your house today?"
"You mean your washer broke down again?"
"Yup, again..."

We had this ridiculous top loading washer for about 12 years. It wasn't flashy and complicated. It did it's job and that was that. When tax return time came around about 3 1/2 years ago we decided it was time for a new washer and dryer. We did our research, we went to several stores and even had Jon's dad Kent look up consumer reports. In other words we did our homework. Not only for the best buy on the market but for where we could get that best buy for the best price. This was no easy feat and it wasn't an impulse buy.

We went to RC Willey, looked and looked, picked what we wanted and started to dicker price. The salesman could tell we were not an easy sell, but then again he must have known we were serious about buying because he didn't give us much room for dickering. In the end he was impressed that we had cash to pay, he wrote it up and we went home to make room for our new washer. We got rid of the old, cleaned the laundry room up and made the way for our Whirlpool Super Capacity washer and dryer.

It was like gold, at least for the first two years. I could wash more than I ever imagined in one load and I had that thing running everyday. With 11 people in our home you can imagine that it ran a lot. We were told it could handle multiple loads everyday for years. We felt confident we had made the right choice.

Then after two years we had a problem. It wouldn't spin, it wouldn't wash, it wouldn't run. I called my neighbor who is an appliance repair man and he came over and looked at it.
"Well, the drum has gotten off somehow and has totally ruined the inside. I will have to replace the entire drum. Wow, I have never seen anything like this before..."
"But when you fix it it will run like it should and will be good?"
"Oh yes, it should be just fine"
So for the space of several days I spent hours at Polly's house doing laundry while we waited for Kelly to get the part and fix our washer. Now, Polly and I love to spend time together and this was a convenient excuse, but still, it would be easier to just be able to do my own wash in my own washer in my own basement. We spent hours watching our favorite shows while folding and waiting. It was a long week for both of us.

Kelly fixed the washer, said Merry Christmas in regards to the bill, which was a God send and told us we should be good to go for a long time. I wish I could say that is the end of the story...alas...it's not.

About 3 days ago I went to put in a load of laundry and shut the door, pushed the necessary buttons and waited for it to start up. It didn't. I waited and waited, it tried and tried...with no success. I tried to stop it, cancel it and even unplug it. Finally the door unlocked and I gazed inside to see what was up. Same thing as last year. The barrel had rubbed out the entire inside of the drum out and that was that. Within the hour I was on the phone with Polly.
"Hey, what cha up to today?"
"Oh this and that and not much...what about you?"
"I think I might be at your house today doing my laundry...assuming that's ok?"
"Again? You mean to tell me it's broken again? Oh my gosh!"
So, load after load and hour after hour I am sure I owe the Bringhursts about a hundred dollars for the water bill. By yesterday I still had not gotten a hold of Kelly to ask for help and I had used Polly so much that I had called my mom to ask for help.

I am still trying to call Kelly. I am still trying to figure out where to take another load of laundry. I am still trying to decide if it's bad karma or just dumb luck. Either way, we are washerless and I am losing my marbles. Maybe that's what broke the washer, my lost marbles.