The Great Washing Machine Quest

Despite it being chilly and damp yesterday, I needed a new washing machine. So I got up bright and early and set out on the Great Washing Machine quest.

Well, it wasn't much of a quest, since I knew exactly where I was going to go. Lowe's in Batesville.

About halfway there, I remembered that I'd forgotten to get a new allergy protector thing for my mattress-- because the old one had gotten shredded when the old washer gave up the ghost-- so my first stop was at Wal-mart. I got into the store, and was wandering around with my buggy, when I realized that I couldn't remember what I'd stopped there for.

I wandered around a bit more until I remembered what I wanted to buy, then it was on to Lowe's.   I had looked online and found a washing machine that I liked, but when I got there, they didn't have that one in that store.  Instead, they had this one:

It's a Maytag, and probably a better machine than the one I was looking at anyway.  It's got four temperature settings

and four water level settings

and all these different cycles.

It's got a series of lights that shows you where it is in the cycle.  The only thing is, you can't start your tub filling with water until after you close the lid.  Then it locks and you can't open it at all, unless you pause the cycle.  And since you can't open the lid, it's got a built in fabric softener dispenser that you can turn off if you're not using fabric softener.

I spent all day today catching up on my laundry, including all the bedding that Jesse peed on.  It is so much quieter than my old machine, though the first few times it ran, it scared Jesse when the water came on. 

Speaking of dogs, we've come to a tentative truce with the dogs next door.  I'd made friends with them, and so had Jesse.  Rylea was still picking fights with them, though.  I suggested that we just put them all out in the yard and let them fight it out. This afternoon, that's exactly what I did.  Sadie was trying to make friends, and it's Rylea who gets all bowed up and starts acting aggressive.  I let them fuss for a while, then said, "that's enough".  We walked around the yard a bit, until Jesse started getting too excited and I had to put him back inside. 

In the meantime, Squeaky has developed quite a fondness for the space heater in the snake room. 

"I wubs you, warm fing", she says.