Friday, November 18, 2011

And the Beat Goes On

Amidst all the drama that swirls around us lately, we've discovered that the beat goes on. There are chores and responsibilies that remain static no matter what else befalls us. The truth is that at our age it gets a little pressing.

We are so grateful that our niece showed up last night while I was at work to visit the Other Mother and make the trip to the pharmacy for her meds. This woman is a bundle of energy, taking time out of raising her five girls to help us out. Thank God for family and friend is all I can say!

In between working a 12-20 hour job that has turned into 30 hours and dealing with the Other Mother's health issues, I've been trying to keep on top of my commitment to get the maintenance and updating chores on track. Translation: I'm painting again, trying to make that gallon work out just right so I'm not buying yet ANOTHER gallon.

As I near the bottom of the can and realize that it might just not be enough to finish a wall, I start hoping for the Loaves and Fishes miracle!

I'm in love with the color that I chose for the laundry room. It's from Sherwin Williams (my favorite paint) and it's called Austere Gray. Does it look austere to you, or grey? It's a beautiful shade of bluish, greenish gray.

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The Farmer saw the gleam in my eye concerning this color and he's afraid of arriving home to find that the entire first floor has been painted in this hue. No worries, just the laundry room, hall and half bath.

Also, the fairly new but very cheap washing machine decided to start making noises like a piece of space junk falling to Earth. A repair visit, parts and labor would amount to upwards of half of what we paid for thing so we decided to bit the bullet and replace both it and the ancient dryer with new front loading machines.

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The cost of some of these machines make you take pause. We got the basic set with a mininum of bells and whistles, no steam and washwoman to run the things. The cost of the stacking bases irked me but we signed on the dotted line, they were delivered and the old ones hauled away.

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There's an added benefit to the front loaders.... it's hypnotic to watch them run through their cycles. I've been known to spend 20 minutes or so sitting on the bench mindlessly gazing at the action.

I was alarmed at the apparent lack of water. Do any of you have a front loader? It just doesn't seem like enough water to do the job. But after watching a cycle or 10 or 20 I've figured out that it gets the clothes plenty wet then drains off that water and the dirt removed, and repeats this cycle a number of times. This process means that the clothes aren't sloshing around in dirty water for 15 minutes but that the dirty water is removed throughout the process. At least that's what I deduce.

Do you have a front loader? Love it, hate it?

Thanks for visiting with me today. I will have pictures of my Halloween decor to share in the next couple of days. Better late than never, huh?


16 comments:

Vee said...

No, I don't have one, but I'd like to. I like the Mighty load front loading washers at the laundrymat. I use them for all the blanket and comforter washing. I stare at them, too. Perhaps I shouldn't have one at home.

I'm so glad that your niece has been by to help out. Help makes all the difference in such situations. And you're working, too! Crazy busy times for you. Are you also hosting Thanksgiving?

Lisa D. said...

I like that wall colour.
We have a front loader too. We bought the set almost two years ago now. I hated paying out that much for them, but one of the reasons I chose the ones I did was because the bases came with them for free. The other store wanted to charge an extra $100 each. It did seem like very little water for a large amount of clothes, but they really do a good job and I am very pleased with mine.

Saska said...

I've had my front-loader set almost for 7 years now. We bought the extended warranty, and glad we did. DS#2 left a "punch" in his pocket and it tore holes in both wash baskets...all covered under warranty. A blink of our electric company also blew one of the computer boards in the dryer.

Mine can do a ton of jeans....Heavy Load, but change the temp of the water. Wash most things on cold water and still loyal to Tide detergent. I don't know how nasty/grimey clothes can come clean with such little water.

OH...FYI...either leave the door cracked or run a little Ammonia thru it once in awhile (It won't hurt your clothes). It'll keep the washer from getting a musty smell.

old lady said...

Yes, I've had mine for quite a few years now - had to have service come when we were getting water on the floor! Got two great tips from the guy. First and foremost - button all buttons and zip zippers. Seems unlatched items can make micro tears in the rubber gasket around the door - meaning service call! AND use half the detergent amount. Using less water means use less detergent (of course the HE stuff). After those tips I've been going along fine. Best of luck to you!

Silvia said...

I am from overseas, never had another one, love it, and yes, little water does the trick, thats why they call the water savers! Happoy washing!

Where in the world is Jefferson City, Missouri said...

I had a front loader and swore I'd never get a top loader again....well the front loader died and husband go a top loader and I hate the thing.....I want to scream at times this top loader is horrible....tangling and not gettting things clean......I told him when we move that thing isn't going with us and Iam getting a frontloader.......they clean so much better and a lot less water use and soap, you only use half of soap.......Like the color also.....

LDF said...

i like that colour! But 'everything in moderation' my old Dad used to say!
Had a front loader in a basement suite that I lived in a couple of years ago (shared with the landlady). It used very little water, but certainly cleaned good. Didn't tangle stuff as bad as a top loader either. The only thing that annoyed me was HOW LONG it took to complete one load of laundry! Oh, and it wasn't big enough to get more than one pair of jeans or bigger blankets into it.

life in red shoes said...

Life just keeps on moving foward whether we hang on or not!
Love love love the wall color! We have used something very close in 2 homes now, still love it :)
Not familiar with the newfangled machines, but I do know it won't be long before we are introduced.

Schnitzel and the Trout said...

Love the paint color. I do not have a front loader and do not want one. I have used front loaders at both daughters' homes and I do not like it. I like to be able to open up the lid and add something, etc. I do not like the musty smell that develops inside the front loaders. I do not think I will ever want a front loader. Not for that money.

TinaTx said...

Love the wall color!
The hubby and I sat and watched a whole load when we got our first front loader (left it with the other house and got a new one when we moved) rockin Friday night at our house!
Do make sure to use the HE soap - using a smaller amount of the regular stuff does NOT work! Trust me on that one.

Suze said...

I truly love the paint colour.

I live in Australia and during our last prolonged drought there were rebates to be had if you bought a water and energy efficient machine.

We have a front loader. I now have had experience with two brands. One washed well enough but kept on breaking down. This was a problem. It took a week for a repairman to come and it had to be this way or the warranty was voided. So three times, for a week, the wet clothes sat locked in the darn thing. The machine was replaced three times. I now use a very expensive European machine. In seven years or so there has only been one problem and it was a simple fix. I did it myself. However this machine does not wash as well. It spins out beautifully but the clothes are hard, often tangled and very wrinkled. This machine was bought with a stand but it broke and the company would not replace it and it was beyond fixing. Due to the opinion I have formed I will not buy another stand. Now I sit on a stool to load and unload it while I grumble about arthritis.

My major gripes are two fold. Firstly the clothing is not as clean. We use specific products designed for these machines and I am still not satisfied. Secondly for the first time in our family life I have had to switch to sensitive skin products. The rashes are a side effect I had not banked on.

When this machine dies I think it will be back to the old fashioned machines. There has to be a vast improvement on the performance before I would consider spending thousands on another front loading washing machine.

As for drying machines I have only had front loaders so I cannot comment.

Leslie T. said...

I love the wall color! You're amazing, doing all of this painting while also holding down a job and juggling all of the household activities! My hat is off to you and your skills!
I have a top loading washer, with the extra-large tub. I'm very happy with it and I like the fact that I can even put a king-sized comforter in it with no problem.
I do know people who have the front loader, and they love it for the most part, but have had issues with break-downs. For the most part though, people seem to love them.

Tess said...

I have kept my old fashion top loader as a friend of mine bought a front loader a few years ago and has had nothing but issues. I figured this was a message to me from the universe.

Yours at the Menger,

Tess

Ann Y said...

love my front loader Matag but we live in FL and constantly losing electricity --- wish I had a toggle to turn off machines when not in use. It's a pain to unplug but if I suspect really nasty weather I do unplug. None of the new machines are forgiving with brownouts and blackouts

Ann Y said...

forgot to mention it's very important not to use too much detergent, and use vinegar esp if you have hard water -- machine and clothes need this periodically. Our water color is terrible sometimes coming into the house with a brown tint and there is no such thing as cold water in FL

Joyce said...

Love the wall color. Have a front loader for several years now and love it. I find that it cleans our barn clothes quite well and in larger quantities than our old top loader but it does take forever to get done. I keep some crocheting down by my machine if I have to wait for the load to finish.