Don't Touch That Dial!

Maybe you remember the criteria for a new washing machine that grandma had from my previous post (Washboard Abs)...

• Cheap
• Simple to use
• Cheap
• Not a lot of buttons
• Cheap
• Oh, and CHEAP!

I still stand by my suggestion...get her a washboard and tub. But noooooooooooo!!

Grandma got a generic Whirlpool. It has ONLY 3 dials. One for hot, cold, or warm water. One for large, medium, or small load. And one for the type of load (heavy, delicate, normal). It also has a start button and a row of cycle indicator lights. Pretty lights. Pretty simple. Pretty cheap.

The washer and dryer got delivered and hooked up. Grandma ran several loads through just fine. One week later we get a phone call... "We need to send the washing machine back. It's not working. The dial won't turn." 

Really?!

Mom goes over to see what's up. They both can't get it to work.

Seriously?! and my mom is pretty smart.

Mom tells grandma I'm mechanical and I'll be over after work to see what's wrong.

Right. Call me Mrs. Maytag.

Grandma and I go over what happened after she put a load in to wash. Added soap. Set it to delicate. Closed the lid. Pushed the start button. Water filled the tub but the dial never turned. It's not working. When she opened the lid. It was full of water. The DIAL never turned.

hmmmmm. Things are getting clearer. Time for Mrs. Maytag.

After closing the lid and pushing the start button, I pulled up a chair and plopped in front of the washing machine. No matter what they say, watching a washing machine work is NOT like watching TV. It's more like watching the grass grow.

Grandmother kept popping her head in complaining about the washing machine. She's "never had a washing machine that makes this much noise." She "hears [her] neighbor's washer and it doesn't sound anything like this one." Hello?! You HEAR your neighbor's washer? uh huh. And you think YOURS is loud? uh huh.

Amazing, the washing machine worked. It must be my aura. I have this incredible aura that works magic. The LIGHTS cycled through their stages...fill...wash...rinse...final spin...complete. The lid unlocked and VOILA! clean clothes!

AMAZING!!! I work miracles!!! ...and the crowd goes wild... yeah. right.

Turns out the DIAL is not designed to turn while washing. It does not move through the cycles...that's what the INDICATOR lights are for...DUH! Just set it and forget it. (I sound like a infomercial.)

Grandma swears she's never touching the dial again...until next time.

I'm keeping my Maytag uniform close by.