Traveling 1,300 miles by bike along the coast generates a lot of dirty laundry. Every week or so I would stop by a laundromat and put everything I could afford not to wear into a coin-op washer, deposit money and soap and hope thing would come out smelling better than they had gone in. The smell was key.
There was no hope of looking clean. My sassy black shorty bike shorts had been stolen on the first day out and all that was left to me were a pair of black and white shorts I had inadvertently ordered and taken to Portland to ship back to the Oregon based company. It didn't take long before those white shorts were gray. My blazing green biking jacket was sun scorched and covered with a waxy sun screen film where it had touched my arms. My legs and socks were always coated with a layer of road grease. But the worst offender of all my dirty gear was a synthetic jersey that absorbed my sweat and changed it immediately into a menacing, toxic stink.
In my daily training I go through so many clothes! I still wear those gray and black bike shorts and the offending jersey--though with the lovely convenience of owning a washer, I am able to attend to that odor before it is out of control. Today my 2 mile run generated dirty sweat pants, T-shirt, jacket, and roos. My swim, a wet swim suit and towel. So, when our washer broke last week, I was faced with a horrible dilemma. How much is too much for dirty clothes. Sink washing is OK, but really, when things start smelling that grodey, how do you take care of it?
Last night we found ourselves listlessly standing in the Sears scratch and dent outlet. JE had done some research on the washers and dryers available there and the prices on those appliances. He knew exactly what he wanted before we got there. However, when we arrived, none of the prices matched the online prices--things were significantly more expensive, and none of those washers he wanted had matching dryers (remember the shampoo and conditioner analogy). We wandered around looking for serial numbers and models. We were determined to leave with something to clean our clothes.
Finally, partially in desperation, we settled on the original washer that had drawn our attention: a red front load LG--number 1 on his wanted list. The price was greatly reduced--$529 from $900. There wasn't a matching dryer, but we had been worn down and decided that it just didn't matter anymore--we would keep our eyes peeled for a matching dryer later.
Most appliances have a digital face now--too many moving parts means I loose a sense of trust. We bought the 2 year warranty for an additional $200 and planned to come back later for the pedestal that would elevate that washer into a tall persons dream--another $200. Got the math yet? It would be over $900 for a washer that didn't have a mate and had a huge dent in the front of it. Stupid.
This morning on the way to work (JE drove me after our awesome run) I was browsing through the Costco coupon flyer and found an awesome deal on a great washer dryer duo that included pedestals, a 2 year warranty, and delivery. Easy! The heavens parted and in a week or so, we will have a new washer and dryer! And clean clothes
The old new washer goes back tomorrow! It doesn't seem to take the smell out of our clothes the way it should. HE seems to mean "Hardly Effective."
Tonight when we got home we changed hurriedly and went to the pool. I swam like I have never swam before. It was great, and I am exhausted.
Good news on our Stephanie. I received a text from her about the results for her PET scan. The cancer is mostly isolated to her knee and leg. Such good news. But if you all wouldn't mind sending up prayers for her and her family... Thanks in advance
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