Another post about the washing machine.

So my new washing machine is now safely installed in my basement. I ran a load of whites last night and it is quite an impressive machine. It spins at something like 1000 rpm's, so the clothes are practically dry when you take them out. This means you don't have the run the dryer as long. It beeps, too. My washing machine beeps. It's cool. I'm going to wash a comforter tonight. Oh the glee of not having to lug my blankets to the laundromat anymore.

I'd like to momentarily step out of today's post to mention that given the number of days I've spent talking about my new washing machine, there should not be a shred of doubt in anyone's mind that I really, really need some excitement. OK, back to our previously scheduled post.

I hate the laundromat. When we first moved to South Bend, our apartment did not have a washer and dryer, so we had to go to the laundry every two weeks to do all our washing. It was bad enough when I was pregnant, but it was ten times worse when we had to start taking my daughter after she was born. In DC, our apartments all had their own washers and dryers, so we were pretty spoiled by the time we moved here and weren't really prepared for the boring, boring chore of all-day laundering amid truly sorry looking people. It didn't help matters that at the time, the laundromats still allowed smoking. There is nothing worse than being trapped in a hot, humid room with stinky people and cigarette smoke. It's deadly. Plus, I like to wash my clothes in a very specific way. I like to start the water and add the detergent and Oxyclean before I put my clothes in. But with coin machines, that's not really an option because the water shuts off when you lift the lid and they get really mad if you try to jerry-rig it a bit to keep the water flowing with the lid up. Geesh, you'd think the machines were gold or something. Anyway, it's bad enough I can't do my normal routine with the water and soap, but those pay machines never, never get your clothes clean. And I swear they have the dryers set at a really low heat level so it takes five hours and twenty bucks worth of quarters to get your clothes dry.

So my new machine has liberated me from the laundromat forever. And for that alone, I am grateful. Amen.