The newest member of our family
Ok, so this blog is not about Charli, but rather our new washer and dryer. I know. Riveting topic, eh?
My thoughts exactly. To give a bit of the back story, In the summer of 2004 Dan and I moved to a duplex in Lawrence with washer and dryer hookups. Problem was we had no washer and dryer and very little money. Enter Craigslist.
After a lot of research we scored a like-new front load washer dryer set. The older couple we purchased it from said we reminded them a lot of themselves at a young age and let us have it for a steal price of $300. Even still it was the biggest purchase we could imagine and I was quite proud of my accomplishment and it has served us and our family well for the past almost 8 years. (Pat on the back, me.)
Two weeks ago with Dan out of town, my frustration with our aged washer and dryer mounted. They still worked fine enough but with small capacity the number of loads necessary to get through the three of us was overwhelming. (especially after over a week away from home). Add that to the inability to trust delicate items in the wash and the chore of hand washing, I thought I'd try a little experiment.
I decided to put them on Craigslist to see what we could potentially sell them for. I did some research first and found similar sets and priced what ours may be worth. Then I wrote up a quick ad and clicked "post." After only a few minutes I received an email from a girl that said she'd take them.
Oops. Maybe I jumped the gun a bit. And so, Dan came home from his business trip with some news. "Welcome home, Barks. I sold the washer and dryer."
In his well-trained I-trust-your-judgement, honey, tiptoe-around-the pregnant-one-manner, Dan took the news quite well. And so, the next morning we set out for Nebraska Furniture Mart to shop for new ones.
Knowing what we were looking for, having done some research, being knowledgeable about what we were looking for, and with a son on a sugar high from donuts made for quick shopping. We made our selection in lightning speed and were perched at the salesman's computer as he wrote up sale. As the salesman worked Dan looked to me. "Are you sure these are the ones you want?"
"Yep, these are great. Huge capacity, energy efficient, lots of options, I think they have all we want. Don't you?"
"Yes," he said and went back to providing our information. Seconds later he looked back to me again.
"Are you SURE?"
"Yes." I repeated with a somewhat questioning tone. I wasn't sure if I was missing something.
"Really..." he paused. "I thought you'd be more excited."
"Well," I said, "if this set is so cool that you will start doing laundry, then I'll be thrilled!"
I didn't receive a response. (Please note: I have since been corrected as he apparently said, "There isn't a washing machine in existence that could make me do it." Yep. I think it's better for him that I just pretend he didn't answer.)
He finished up with the clerk and we walked on. He looked to me innocently. "I really thought you'd be happier."
I don't know how I was "supposed" to act, but apparently I was not exhibiting the level of enthusiasm my sweet husband believed was warranted by our purchase. I explained that while I was excited, I didn't think he married the kind of girl that would act positively giddy about a new washer and dryer. While it would add a much needed level of convenience to my life, it wasn't the kind of thing I tend to be thrilled about. If he wanted that kind of reaction, he needed to think more sparkly, more diamond-y to be precise. But, realizing we had just unloaded a huge amount of cash on such a purchase I politely thanked him for being so understanding about the need, and his flexibility on buying them on such short notice. I told him I was very happy about what we had picked out and I thought this would make things a lot easier around the house. I apologized for my haste. Then, I likened it to something he could understand.
"You know how you feel about buying tires? It's kind of like that."
That, he understood. As much as you know you need them, there are about a hundred, maybe a thousand things you wish you could spend that money on. But, they are necessary, they make your life easier and in some small sense you do notice a difference in how your car drives, even if it is just a placebo effect. It's just one of those grown up things you really wish you didn't have to do.
That was that.
Monday was the big day for our delivery. Never mind that my son had the biggest meltdown imaginable and we carted the old ones to the garage to be picked up on Sunday, or that I had to put him in his room when the deliverymen came as to not upset him by the new ones being brought in. That really is a whole other story entirely. One I really still do not understand. I never knew he was so attached to our washer and dryer. Perhaps if he had shared his love with me I would have let him help more. But, aside from that, the new set came and the nice gentlemen set everything up for me. When they were finished one of them called me in to show me the features and explain their work.
I listened attentively as he showed me the multitude of buttons and functions and handed me the instruction booklets. He went on and on about the steam dryer function and how much I was going to love this new addition. I smiled politely and inserted "uh huhs" occasionally to show I was listening.
Then, he stopped short. "Are you excited?" he asked.
"Yes," I replied. "These are much nicer than my old ones."
"Most women are more excited." he said back. "This is the top of the line."
Alright, ladies. I don't understand. What is it that everyone else doing over their excitement for their new washer and dryer that I am not? I certainly was not acting like a spoiled brat that could not care less about these appliances. I knew they were nice. I was happy. I was gracious. I was thankful. I smiled. I was polite. So what kind of fanfare you are showing over such a purchase? Is there a dance I don't know? A song, perhaps? (maybe it's a bit like the potty/song dance by PullUps?) Maybe a cheer? Whatever it is, I certainly am failing at protocol. So please. Do fill me in.
Maybe I'm just not that kind of girl.
But then, as I finished my first load of laundry, the smell of clean clothes wafted through the air and I heard the gentle tones of a sweet melody to signal my load was ready, I felt it. Instead of the feeling of coming in for a buzzer beater shot with an obnoxious gonging alarm telling me to get my butt in gear and fold some clothes, my new dryer was gently singing to me. There it was. A twinge of giddiness took over.
So maybe I'm that girl. Just a little.
Here's my new friends. Gorgeous huh? I know what you're thinking. "Huge tub!" Yep. You're right. Oh the joys of almost having 2 kids!
Oh, and in case you're wondering, I sold our old washer and dryer on Craigslist for $250. Yep. We used them for 8 years for $50. Pat on the back once again.
My thoughts exactly. To give a bit of the back story, In the summer of 2004 Dan and I moved to a duplex in Lawrence with washer and dryer hookups. Problem was we had no washer and dryer and very little money. Enter Craigslist.
After a lot of research we scored a like-new front load washer dryer set. The older couple we purchased it from said we reminded them a lot of themselves at a young age and let us have it for a steal price of $300. Even still it was the biggest purchase we could imagine and I was quite proud of my accomplishment and it has served us and our family well for the past almost 8 years. (Pat on the back, me.)
Two weeks ago with Dan out of town, my frustration with our aged washer and dryer mounted. They still worked fine enough but with small capacity the number of loads necessary to get through the three of us was overwhelming. (especially after over a week away from home). Add that to the inability to trust delicate items in the wash and the chore of hand washing, I thought I'd try a little experiment.
I decided to put them on Craigslist to see what we could potentially sell them for. I did some research first and found similar sets and priced what ours may be worth. Then I wrote up a quick ad and clicked "post." After only a few minutes I received an email from a girl that said she'd take them.
Oops. Maybe I jumped the gun a bit. And so, Dan came home from his business trip with some news. "Welcome home, Barks. I sold the washer and dryer."
In his well-trained I-trust-your-judgement, honey, tiptoe-around-the pregnant-one-manner, Dan took the news quite well. And so, the next morning we set out for Nebraska Furniture Mart to shop for new ones.
Knowing what we were looking for, having done some research, being knowledgeable about what we were looking for, and with a son on a sugar high from donuts made for quick shopping. We made our selection in lightning speed and were perched at the salesman's computer as he wrote up sale. As the salesman worked Dan looked to me. "Are you sure these are the ones you want?"
"Yep, these are great. Huge capacity, energy efficient, lots of options, I think they have all we want. Don't you?"
"Yes," he said and went back to providing our information. Seconds later he looked back to me again.
"Are you SURE?"
"Yes." I repeated with a somewhat questioning tone. I wasn't sure if I was missing something.
"Really..." he paused. "I thought you'd be more excited."
"Well," I said, "if this set is so cool that you will start doing laundry, then I'll be thrilled!"
I didn't receive a response. (Please note: I have since been corrected as he apparently said, "There isn't a washing machine in existence that could make me do it." Yep. I think it's better for him that I just pretend he didn't answer.)
He finished up with the clerk and we walked on. He looked to me innocently. "I really thought you'd be happier."
I don't know how I was "supposed" to act, but apparently I was not exhibiting the level of enthusiasm my sweet husband believed was warranted by our purchase. I explained that while I was excited, I didn't think he married the kind of girl that would act positively giddy about a new washer and dryer. While it would add a much needed level of convenience to my life, it wasn't the kind of thing I tend to be thrilled about. If he wanted that kind of reaction, he needed to think more sparkly, more diamond-y to be precise. But, realizing we had just unloaded a huge amount of cash on such a purchase I politely thanked him for being so understanding about the need, and his flexibility on buying them on such short notice. I told him I was very happy about what we had picked out and I thought this would make things a lot easier around the house. I apologized for my haste. Then, I likened it to something he could understand.
"You know how you feel about buying tires? It's kind of like that."
That, he understood. As much as you know you need them, there are about a hundred, maybe a thousand things you wish you could spend that money on. But, they are necessary, they make your life easier and in some small sense you do notice a difference in how your car drives, even if it is just a placebo effect. It's just one of those grown up things you really wish you didn't have to do.
That was that.
Monday was the big day for our delivery. Never mind that my son had the biggest meltdown imaginable and we carted the old ones to the garage to be picked up on Sunday, or that I had to put him in his room when the deliverymen came as to not upset him by the new ones being brought in. That really is a whole other story entirely. One I really still do not understand. I never knew he was so attached to our washer and dryer. Perhaps if he had shared his love with me I would have let him help more. But, aside from that, the new set came and the nice gentlemen set everything up for me. When they were finished one of them called me in to show me the features and explain their work.
I listened attentively as he showed me the multitude of buttons and functions and handed me the instruction booklets. He went on and on about the steam dryer function and how much I was going to love this new addition. I smiled politely and inserted "uh huhs" occasionally to show I was listening.
Then, he stopped short. "Are you excited?" he asked.
"Yes," I replied. "These are much nicer than my old ones."
"Most women are more excited." he said back. "This is the top of the line."
Alright, ladies. I don't understand. What is it that everyone else doing over their excitement for their new washer and dryer that I am not? I certainly was not acting like a spoiled brat that could not care less about these appliances. I knew they were nice. I was happy. I was gracious. I was thankful. I smiled. I was polite. So what kind of fanfare you are showing over such a purchase? Is there a dance I don't know? A song, perhaps? (maybe it's a bit like the potty/song dance by PullUps?) Maybe a cheer? Whatever it is, I certainly am failing at protocol. So please. Do fill me in.
Maybe I'm just not that kind of girl.
But then, as I finished my first load of laundry, the smell of clean clothes wafted through the air and I heard the gentle tones of a sweet melody to signal my load was ready, I felt it. Instead of the feeling of coming in for a buzzer beater shot with an obnoxious gonging alarm telling me to get my butt in gear and fold some clothes, my new dryer was gently singing to me. There it was. A twinge of giddiness took over.
So maybe I'm that girl. Just a little.
Here's my new friends. Gorgeous huh? I know what you're thinking. "Huge tub!" Yep. You're right. Oh the joys of almost having 2 kids!
Oh, and in case you're wondering, I sold our old washer and dryer on Craigslist for $250. Yep. We used them for 8 years for $50. Pat on the back once again.
What I would give for a dryer that doesn't startle me out of my seat with a horrific, garish buzzing every 2 minutes when it's finished. I am jealous of your new set.
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