This is a long post and it isn't about my children - it is about a washing machine.

Can one be in love with an appliance? yep, one can. My washer died about a month ago. It has been a long time coming as we got it 11 years ago and Sam has replaced every part at least twice. The day came when it was no longer fixable.  We knew this was around the corner and a new washer/dryer was in the budget when we moved into a new house. Who wants to buy a new washer when you have NO idea what your next house is going to look like? So, for the past month I have become a regular at the Brunswick Laundromat. Interesting what friends you make there  - and the looks you get when you come in with 6-7 loads of laundry to do.

To complete the story (skip this section if you have heard the saga) we were calculating what I was spending at the Laundromat (you don't even want to know) and what a new machine would be. The boys are up to date on their books on CD from all the time spent in the van at the Laundromat.  Finally, on Mother's Day we went and got a new one. It was so shiny and fancy and computer programed and, well - WONDERFUL.  Sears didn't stock so we had to wait till Wednesday for it to come in.  Low and behold on Tuesday we found our new house  and what do you know? It has a BRAND NEW Samsung HE top load Washer/Dryer combo that convey.  Sigh.
So - washer was never picked up and returned and I was back at the Laundromat.

Enter the WONDERFUL Zimmerman family from church.  My friend Margaret was up at her family farm in Damascus and noticed a washer and dryer sitting in the barn. She contacted her brother and sure enough, there was nothing wrong with them.  She had her husband bring it home and even HOOKED IT UP to verify it worked - and then gave it to us. Thank you thank you thank you!

So yesterday was laundry day.  I did wash from 7am - the last load in at 8pm.  I had stock piles of laundry that I didn't want to pay to do: 5 sleeping bags, winter quilts and blankets, area rugs to be packed etc etc on top of normal load. Thank goodness for a nice day and clothesline. I am in heaven right now .......

The new machine.

Staging Area #1

I'm going to spare you areas #2 and #3  too scary.....

Ben helping fold laundry - sock duty. You'd be surprised how many socks a family of 5 generates. I despise matching socks. They all go into a separate basket as I'm folding and the boys have sock duty.

We also spent Saturday packing (it was a very busy day). Between soccer tournaments, Nathan's bday trip and church commitments we are BOOKED every weekend through June. We got so much done but now Nathan and Nicholas are so confused and think we are moving next week. It is going to be a long June.
Ben's task was to organize legos for packing. Of course, this turned into play / build time also.