Washing machine on the fritz

Monday evening after returning from taking our friends to the airport, I started on my gynormous pile of laundry. I discovered during my first load that something was amiss with the washer. The washer filled up and then would not drain or spin. So I made an appointment to have someone take a look at it. M and I talked about what we would be willing to pay for a repair.

I have had this washing machine for quite a while. I think I've had it either 7 or 8 years. I bought my washer and dryer the weekend I graduated from college. It was seriously my most proud and practical purchase at the time. I was so happy to have my own washer and dryer in my own little apartment. I felt quite grown up.

• While still under warranty, the motor went out in my washer two different times. After the second time, they decided to replace my washer rather than replace the motor. Of course, the model was no longer available so I had to pay $80 or something like that for the closest model.
• When we lived in the trailer in Austin, I had to call for a repair. I was so embarrassed to find out the washer wasn't working because the dial was between settings.
• After moving into our house about a year and a half ago, I had to call for a repair again. Our washer and dryer had been sitting in a garage for a year and a half while we rented a townhouse. Once we moved it into the house, the washer did not work. The washer would fill up but would not spin. The problem was the little doo-dad on the lid was broken and the washer did not think the lid was closed. That repair cost a little more than $300.

So I had no idea what to expect today. The guy showed up around 1 pm today (after giving me a time frame of 8 am to 5 pm) to check out the washer. He asked me a few questions because he couldn't get it to do anything at all. After checking out all the usual stuff, he found that the GFI outlet just needed to be reset.

Embarrassing? It was not as embarrassing as the situation above when it was my own error that caused the problem. Frustrating? Definitely. Neither M nor I had even considered checking the outlet. That will be my first course of defense next time around. That cost me $118 today. Yikes. While I am upset about spending $118 for something so silly, I am thankful that the washer lives on for now.

So here's my free advice to you...check the outlet before calling for service on any appliance.