thankful thursday - a first-world problem

Here is my first-world problem: I have had four brand new washing machines in the last seven years.

The first three were shiny, electronically-controlled models with lots of bells and whistles. They weren't top of the line models but they were "energy efficient" (using little water),  flashed numbers to count down to the end of the cycle, magically rebalanced when a load went out of balance and "sang" a sweet melody when the load was done.

So what went wrong?

The first one, a front-loader, lasted five years before the retailer we purchased it from finally bought it back under their "Lemon Warranty." (I'm glad we purchased the extended warranty!) It leaked fluid from the bottom and made greasy spots on the clothes that then required rewashing. It was replaced with a different highly-rated top-loader that lasted four days. It spun the clothes at 2 revolutions per second so clothes were more than just drippy wet. The retailer picked it up and allowed us to choose a different machine. The third washing machine was a top-loader (original highly-rated brand) that lasted 24 months before also being bought back under the "Lemon Warranty." It went out of balance ALL THE TIME. Even when doing a very small load of delicates. The machine would try to "rebalance" itself by adding water and agitating, sometimes for hours. I would have to pull the soaking wet clothes from the washer and carefully redistribute them. The final straw was when it went out of balance doing a "tub clean" with only water, no clothes.

We researched washing machines each time we replaced one. Sadly, although they were highly rated when we bought them, Consumer Reports later said they had problems. After choosing three lemons, I think I finally hit the jackpot with the fourth one.

I decided that the electronically-controlled machines had too many problems and looked for a mechanically-controlled machine that gave me more control. You know, the old-fashioned kind where you select the load size, the water temperature and then turn the dial to start it. It doesn't flash numbers at me. Or sing a song to tell me when the load is done. It has a full-size agitator, takes half the time to wash clothes and I can select how much water it uses.

It's only been two days but I am in love!

Yeah, I had a "Laundry Party!"

I am thankful for many things. As I was doing laundry with my new machine the past two days, I thought about people in third-world countries that hand-carry polluted river water to wash their few clothes with or scrub them on a rock on the river bank. I thought about homeless people right here in America who wash out their clothes in public restrooms. I am thankful for clean water any time I want it. And for the laundry room in my house. And for clothes to wash. And for my new washing machine (and the reputable retailer that fixes or replaces their product).