Click! Whirr! Spin really fast! Beep! Beep! Beep! Unlevel - the machine or me? or both?

Our washing machine died a couple of weeks ago. It was such a good machine. I think it lasted 19 years. Before shopping, I sent out a plea on facebook - should I buy a front loader or not. The responses were amazing. A few folks liked them but more folks hated them . . .and the ones that hated the front loaders had some good feedback. So we went to Sears and I went to the cheapest ones. I had been looking on Consumer Reports and had just decided to get an cheapie. Well, Mark was with me and he said, "Let's buy a more expensive one than that." So we bought the Whirlpool Cabrio. It cleans and operates very similarly to a front-loader but the top doesn't "seal" so there is not supposed to be a problem with that mildew smell. So far so good!

I'm having to really re-think the way I do laundry. You can see my paper plate signs beside the washer. Clean out all pockets and do not overload. You also have to "sort" more - I've always mixed towels and sheets but this machine does better if you really separate stuff. As a matter of fact, I washed a t-shirt in with some towels the other day and it didn't do too well.
When you put the clothes in and pick all the settings and push start, the machine squirts a little water into the tub and then you hear "click" . . .and the top has locked. I did figure out how to stop it and open it to add something this weekend. This washing machine makes all sorts of interesting noises while it runs. When it spins, it SPINS so fast! At the end of the cycle, it beeps several times to get your attention. This machine is supposed to be energy efficient and it is supposed to use way less water. That is one of the things that I'm having just a little bit of a hard time getting used to. Yesterday, Mark wanted to wash his dirty farm clothes from Saturday. In my old machine, I would have made sure the water level was over the clothes. You can't pick the water level in this machine . . .you just have to trust!! They seem to be clean.

This morning, I was washing our sheets and a blanket before work. The blanket drifted over to one side and the machine started rocking . . .and then stopped. I walked into the laundry room (I didn't take a picture of this) and where that 17 is in the above picture . . .instead of a number, there were letters - "U L" . . .I guess this means unlevel (by this time it was after 8:00 and I needed to be at work by 8:30 so I didn't have time to find the manual and look up U L) . . .and the machine had stopped. I had to take the time to open the lid and spread everything back out and start again.

My day has been a little "U L" . . .unlevel . . .I kept hitting the snooze button this morning and so after getting up 30 minutes later than normal, I didn't have time to read my Bible and pray. I sent three BIG work emails from home (by remote access) and I did a load of laundry and I started the dishwasher and I got ready for work . . .but I didn't take that time with God. So my day has been "unlevel." I've found myself irritable and a little grumpy and so I've stayed in my office quite a bit :-) When I get home, I need to take a few minutes and spend them with God . . .and adjust my load. He is willing to help. . . .maybe tomorrow I'll even take the time to walk the prayer labyrinth.