Last week, we took delivery on a new stacked washer/dryer combination. This was not a proud new purchase, but a necessity as our old washer/dryer broke down, requiring $500 in repair. A new machine costs $700. Easy choice.
Somewhat less easy was finding the replacements machine, but we finally bought it from a local store that had the best price, offer fee delivery and set-up, and could take away the old machine for only $15. Great!
But setting this machine up proved to be anything but easy. When they went to take off the old hoses, they decided that the cut-off valve was broken, because water started spraying out of the hoses. Of course, they hadn't done anything to relieve the remaining pressure in the hoses. I did that when I got home and found them easy to drain. On the other hand, removing the hot water hose proved to be pretty much impossible! As did actually plugging in the new machine without getting trapped in the closet where it is installed. Neither the power cord nor the hoses were long enough for that.
Eventually, they brought the hoses, I bought the power cord, and I ended up cutting the hose connector off the faucet with a hacksaw and a pair of heavy-duty wire cutters. So we are finally doing laundry again. What's really funny it that, except for the knobs and a couple of settings, the machine is pretty much identical to the old one.
And then there's my van. Nobody seems to be able to figure out what's wrong with it. I've got the mechanic tearing his hair out over this, and nobody he's talked to has any insights either. So I'm driving a loaner. It's a GMC Jimmy (a version of the Chevy Blazer) from who-knows-what model year, with a very bumpy ride and hardly any luxuries. But at least it's four-wheel drive to get me up the icy driveway.
Our leaky roof is now fixed, and we should be getting some estimates for the interior damage soon. We'll be trying to have to house back on the market by the first day of Spring, and we are still planning to build a new house after we've sold the old one.
Wish us luck.
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