Sunday, April 15, 2007

Shake, Rattle, And Roll

It's no secret that I hate laundry. I've even dedicated a post or two to this very topic. Well, guess what today is? Oh yeah...laundry day. Normally I let the clothes pile up in the laundry basket until dirty towels, unmentionables, and articles of clothing are exploding out of the basket and onto my shoes in the closet. I sort of turned over a new leaf so today there are only four managable loads of laundry. I put it off yesterday, but after reading my friend Becky's (by the way I think y'all should check her out!) blog about her laundry woes I felt compelled to do laundry. Thanks Becky...thanks a lot. Your status on the Christmas card list is still under question. Just teasing!

Anyway, back to my laundry or rather my washer. When I moved, my great grandmother said I could take her washer and dryer. This was great because I didn't have to buy one. Now, they're old (think back to when mustard colored appliances were in) but free is free. You don't look a free gift horse in the mouth. So, the washer and dryer work, but the washer tends to shake. Now before you start thinking of solutions let me say that I've tried them all. I've tried making sure the size of the load matches the amount of clothes in the washer. I've resperated the clothes that bunched up on one side. I've tried sitting on my washer. Nothing helps...it shakes. I was so funny to see the expression on my parents' faces when they came to visit. It would make this huge racket and they'd look at me and down the hallway. I'd remind them that this is normal so not to worry. The funniest part was when it started to shake.

Let me see if I can help you get the picture in your head. When my washer shakes my whole house shakes. Remember that I live in a mobile home (one that is closing in on thirty years old) so yes, everything shakes. My dad thought we were having an earthquake or something! Now, it's not like from the outside you see my house doing the boogy or anything but inside you see the entertainment center in the livingroom (on the opposite end of the house) vibrate. You can feel it on the couch and recliner where you're sitting. But the funnest place to experience "The Washer" is in my bed.

The washer is located on the other side of my bedroom wall. The bed isn't on this wall, but can you imagine what it would be like if it was! Anyway, my whole bed shakes. Not just a little, but a lot. Think of those cheap movies where the couple goes to the motel and the guy wiggles his eyebrows and pops a quarter in the headboard. Yeah...the whole bed shakes! It's the craziest thing. Sometimes I'll jump on my bed during the spin cycle and think "if anyone saw me now...". Oh goodness.

So, have you got the point about my washer? When my dad was here last weekend, he put up some shelves for me in my bedroom. Then I turned around and put a bunch of heavy stuff on the shelves (like pictures and vases). I was a little nervous since this was the first washing since the shelves had gone up. I was picturing the stuff vibrating right off and into the floor. So, I started some towels today and then planted myself on my bed to watch the shelves. I was ready to jump up and save stuff when it started to fall. Just so you know...watching shelves is really boring.

Thankfully, it made it through the first load without being shaken right off the wall. I have high hopes for the next three loads. So, there you go...another laundry experience at my house. Don't you wish you lived here?! I keep telling myself it is things like this that make my life so entertaining and well - I like that!

9 comments:

Becky said...

Steff,
I am glad that my post got you to do laundry. I have still putting it off - Matt just switched the loads around otherwise it would still be sitting there. I wish I could see the washer shaking the whole house....:)

Steff said...

Becky: I had to do it...no hubby to take pitty on my wet clothes and change them for me! You'll have to come visit me while I'm doing laundry...LOL!

smileymamaT said...

"Sometimes I'll jump on my bed during the spin cycle and think "if anyone saw me now...". Oh goodness."
SO-FRICKIN-FUNNY!!!!
Thanks for the laugh!
T

Steff said...

T: OMG. I did not mean that in that way...I'm so red right now! :o

Melissa said...

Since I lived nine years of my life growing up in a mobile home, I can TOTALLY relate to the whole house shaking! You always knew when someone was coming up the hall - which could be a good thing, if we were doing something in the living room and our parents were on their way up.

Allison said...

I hate laundry... especially living on the 4th floor & doing it in the basement... lol. And you always have to make sure you're down there when your machine is done, otherwise you're wet laundry will be sitting on top of it... now that sucks.

Nikky said...

ahem... I am so frickin' old, that I remember that color, and it is called "Harvest Gold"

I have a suggestion that I didn't read that you had checked into. Some washers (I don't know about yours, with the age of it and all) have legs that can be lengthened/shortened individually to account for uneven floors. Maybe check those? Could be loose, or not level?

marykathryn said...

That is TOO funny!! We used to live in a small moblie home and our washer was one of those freebies you spoke about and boy did it get to rockin!! I would have company and they would stop mid-sentence to see what that was all about...ohh those were the days!!..LOL

Trina said...

Our last home, a manufactured home, would shake too!! Too funny! Den hated it, but I got used to it all day long. Yes, my laundry is an all day long affair. Ohhh when will I EVER catch up?!