Tuesday, January 03, 2012

Tuesday's Tears - Attack of the Appliances

You are now entering Whine-ville.  Fair warning.  I know my problems aren't the worst in the world (especially as I sit here watching Intervention...), but for a few minutes I'm going to explain to you why my appliances are out to get mie.

At some point in 2011 something broke on my dishwasher so that instead of it opening slowly it just falls open.  This may or may not be due to little ones sitting on it while I'm loading it despite my desperate attempts to keep them out.  Shout out to all the parents who have large 1 year olds who are learning to explore their world!  This problem seemed purely cosmetic at the time and so it was just something we dealt with (and warned our friends about when they came over for dinner).

At another point in 2011 my washing machine started making this hideous sound.  This noise is so loud that even with the door closed in the laundry room we can't hear the tv in the living room, 50 ft away, while a load is running.  But, you know, it's just a noise so we never bothered getting it fixed.

Recently the dishwasher stopped finishing it's cycle.  It always stops before the dry cycle is complete because the door isn't closed all the way.  We know this because if you stand there holding the door closed it will come back on and, eventually, finish the cycle.  But who has time to stand there while the dishes are running?  Not us.  So instead we let it run and cross our fingers.  That never works so after a day or so we'll open up the door and slam it shut.  Which starts the load over again.  That never works either so we do it over and over again until we are desperate for dishes, it works, or we just give up trying.  With our family o' 6, we need to run the dishwasher at least 1-2 times a day.  This is a serious problem around here.

Within the past month or so the washing machine has started to leak.  At first it did it every once in a while and I figured it was due to the size of the load or some abnormality.  It wasn't a big deal until one night when I soaked something overnight to pre-treat it and the entire contents of the washer spilled out overnight so much so that the welcome mat on the otherside of the wall (in the garage) was soaking wet and we had a trail of water out to the driveway.  But of course I didn't get it fixed then either because I don't pre-soak things often and I just figured I wouldn't be doing that very often.  Then it started leaking every 2 or 3 loads, then every other load, then every load.  It would soak through about a towel's worth so I just started putting a towel out every load and sometimes it would be dry and sometimes wet.

This past week one towel stopped being enough.  There is now standing water underneath my washer.  And the dryer.  And the mop sink.  I now need 2 or 3 towels to catch the water per load.  And I'm talking full-size bath towels.

I've determined the dishwasher and washing machine are both at their limit.  Or I am. 

I called the home warranty company.  Yes, I have a contract for a home warranty and I could have had them come out to fix both machines for $60 a long time ago.  I don't know what's wrong with mie.

They are scheduled to come out later this week.  We're optimistic but realize it may take longer to get this all resolved.

Unfortunately this is a bad time to have these appliances break on us.  (I know...arguably they broke a long time ago and I also acknowledge there really isn't a good time to have your washers go out).  We're potty training Summer.  Everyone in my house, except mie (I'm grateful for that!) have had a stomach bug which has taken out all of my queen and king size comforters and the kids bedding plus extra changes of clothes and a few pillows.  My sister has stayed with us a couple nights because she's remodeling and needs to let her floors set.  That's not a problem but causes extra laundry and a need for more bedding.  We've been home more and trying to cook at home more so we've had more dishes.  A lot more.

WAAAAHHHHH!!!

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