Weirdly Good News

I took a few more shots of the unusually calm water late yesterday. This will be in complete contrast to the winds/snow/rain etc., coming today. I heard a forecaster actually acknowledge the Christmas Day storm this morning – but yes, this is supposed to be worse.

Try not to consider me a complete inept when you read the following story.

One of the victims of the extreme cold, coupled with the inadequate insulation, was the washing machine. I have put heat tape on the above ground pipes now, but the inlet valve is stuck. Oddly it’s sometimes stuck open and sometimes stuck closed but it’s living its own version of reality and my wishes don’t count.

Yesterday was so warm I thought I’d see if I could get a load done. I filled the drum, opened the taps and turned it on. Nothing happened.

Fine. I did the ritual the programmers dictated you must do to reset the motor (unplug for 1 minute, then [within 30 seconds] open and close the lid 6 times in a 12 second period, all while humming the Triumphal March from Aida).

Imagine my surprise a few hours later when I heard running water. The cold tap had apparently convinced the valve to open and it was pouring into the machine. It had, in fact, filled it.

I turned off the taps and tried to persuade my washer to do the “spin and drain” special setting. This didn’t work, of course.

I woke up planning how I was going to empty the washing machine (with a bucket) and get the soaking clothes dried. I intend to store them until a fully functioning machine is available.

Now imagine you’re a fly on the wall watching me watch the morning News with my cup of coffee. Suddenly my head pops up and I can be seen listening to something. That something was the sound of water draining in the kitchen sink.

Yep – the washing machine had initiated the “spin and drain” cycle a full 14 hours after I’d given up (and turned it off).

I choose to consider this as a “good news” story although I would like to have a discussion with whoever programmed this thing.

Excuse me while I go start drying all those clothes and finish getting ready for the Bomb Cyclone. 🙂