my new laundry center — Maytag Epic-Z

The saga started at the beginning of May when my dryer finally died. The thing was old and came with the house when we moved in, as did the newer heavy duty top loading washing machine. While the dryer served me faithfully, it finally overheated and gave up the ghost… and it was not going to do anymore drying for me. Ever. Kaput.

Not having a dryer when you have 4 people’s laundry (two of those people being small children — and you know, they generate a lot of dirty clothes) to do can put a small kink in the laundry workflow: sort, wash… find-clothes-lines-and-clothes-pins-and-then-stand-in-the-backyard-at-6am-to-hang-the-clothes-up -to-dry?!? No thanks. Especially when I refuse to hang anyone’s intimates out there — because no one, especially my neighbours, needs to see my skivvies! Not that my skivvies are that interesting… but really, some things are just best not shared with your neighbours.

On the Memorial Day weekend we found ourselves at Lowes, taking advantage of the sales. What did we want: a new stackable washer/dryer combo and a new upright freezer. Might as go whole hog, right?

Of course NOTHING is ever that easy. We got wrong information from Lowes about how to install the dryer; we were sent the wrong stacking kit; we were scheduled to receive our washer/dryer and freezer twice… at one point during the process after all the appliances had arrived I not only had no functioning dryer, I had no functioning washing machine or freezer.

By this Saturday, 6 weeks after my dryer broke, we were back in business:

Ain’t it all so pretty?!?

Now, for the part where Maytag should give me free laundry detergent for life: this set, the Epic Z washer and dryer is awesome. I am in love. One of the things that “sold” this house for me was the fact that the laundry centre was on the main floor — in a closet off the kitchen. Bad part: the washer that came with the house was very very noisy. But now…. not only is the new Maytag washer super-quiet to the extent where I keep going to check on it as to whether or not it’s actually washing my clothes, I believe it’s getting my clothes CLEANER — while at the same time using less energy, less water, and less detergent. It’s a no brainer. My washer also has a MaxExtract feature, so the clothes are practically dry when they come out… meaning LESS drying time! Save more energy! Save the world! Sorry, getting carried away. The dryer also rocks my world, and I’m not a huge fan of dryers. I can stuff a massive amount of laundry in to it and everything comes out perfectly.

I love the fact that I can stack these machines. I’m 5’8″ tall and can easily reach the top controls on the dryer. And while my toddler can reach the controls on the washer, Maytag has smartly included a “lock controls” feature.

So, now that I’ve achieved my Domestic Goddess Laundry Centre Dream what about ya’ll? Front loaders or top loaders? Upstairs or down? What would your laundry centre dream be? Don’t be shy!!

progress

So, when I last spoke of our renovations I promised some pictures.

Here is what the computer area looks like. Note the paneling that is falling off the walls — it has been this way since we bought the house. Richard went at it with some screws and the caulking gun last night, and now it looks much better. I don’t know what’s up with the framing on the ceiling… but Richard guesses that there once was a closet there. I have been instructed not to think about it too much and to not stare at it too much. sigh. So, these walls have not been painted.

Here’s a shot of the other side of this (very small) room. I have painted these walls — taking advantage of the paneling, I did the same paint job that I did in Maja’s room when we first moved in. You can see it better in the larger version of the photo, but essentially the panels are painted the same colour, but I alternated between flat and gloss.

I was hoping to have all the painting done by tomorrow evening so that Richard could move all the furniture upstairs and we could air out the room while Madeleine and I are away visiting a friend this weekend… but I don’t think that’s going to get done. I still have 2 walls to paint and the trim to paint… and it’s Tuesday! Well, I guess I can try.

the end draws nigh

I’m coming to the end of the cross stitch for Maja’s stocking. I’m quite pleased with how it turned out, considering it’s the first cross stitch pattern I’ve ever done. I like to start out easy … ha ha.

All that needs to be done so that I’m finished is to sew on the beads, the pine branch and finish outlining it. I didn’t think that the outlining was a big deal, but as I compare the outlined and non-outlined sections (click on the picture to get to a close up of the ornament. the upper left side is outlined, the middle-upper right side is not) I see that it does make a difference. It looks much tidier.

Regarding the pine branch (which you can see on the original design here), I had initially thought that I would not do it but instead cross stitch the stocking holder’s name there and have the ornament hang off of one of the letters, like the J in Maja’s name, the T in my name (if I do a lower case t with a hook on it), the second A in Richard’s name and the second E in Madeleine’s name. I may still do that… it’s just when I showed Maja the pattern she was emphatic that I put the pine branch in. Maybe I can do both… a little pine branch and the name?

The other challenge remaining is how on earth am I going to get this on the face of the stocking? Oi vey. More on that in future posts.

delusions of grandeur

I have this crazy vision that my house will look good by the time Christmas arrives. Actually, I have a crazy vision that my house will look good period. But I digress, back to Christmas: by some miracle, a miracle that will be made possible by some as-of-yet-unknown way (congress will lengthen the day to 48hrs instead of 24? secret elves will enter my house? i will cease to sleep between now and Dec. 24?) the following need to get done before December 24th (that’s in 18 days people. 18.):

1. finish vestibule construction.

2. paint 1 wall. the one with the paint samples that have been there for almost 12 months now.

3. make 4 stockings. this should only take 2 evenings, ideally.

4. finish 1 cross stitch and affix to 1 stocking.

5. bake some Christmas cookies.

6. take holiday photo, make Christmas cards and mail them.

7. install an outdoor electrical outlet.

8. tidy. clean. organize.

It’s so frustrating that simple things just aren’t getting done. For example, last night I FINALLY gutted, peeled, chopped, and cooked the pumpkin Maja had painted for Hallowe’en. That should not have taken 6 weeks. On that note, I’m glad that I’m not home today because knowing my child the missing pumpkin will result in a temper tantrum — even though she hasn’t paid attention to the painted pumpkin for weeks. Things like that aren’t getting done because by the time the girls are asleep (usually around 9pm now for Mads) and I come back downstairs, I’m EXHAUSTED. I have about 1 hour to do something before I hit the wall-o-sleep and need to go to bed. As a result we’re barely maintaining the status quo; we’re certainly not moving forward. I want to move forward.

On that front:

• I finally ordered a new battery for my Roomba. I was neglectful and let the battery discharge and have not been able to breathe new life into it, despite trying all the tricks iRobot tells me to try. The floors on the first floor have suffered and I can barely walk on them without cringing. They’re not at the point where you stick to the floor… but I can imagine that point coming. We were close last night, when Maja decided to throw all her rice onto the floor. Thankfully Emerson likes rice and it likes him.
• I’ve gotten into the habit of doing at least 1 to 2 loads of laundry every night just to keep the hamper from overflowing.
• I run the dishwasher every night — throwing everything in there just to cut down on the any handwashing of dishes.
• I found material for the Christmas stockings.
• I have a plan of attack: it involves several large garbage bags and a vacuum cleaner. Hide your valuables.

Update on cross stitch project:

30 min.

Richard suggested the other day that I take the opportunity on Fridays, since he’s home with the girls that day, to come home late; that after work I should take 30 min. and go do something for myself.

So, today I will do just that! I brought my cross stitch project with me and I think I’ll grab a hot beverage from the cafe downstairs and find a quiet corner for 30 minutes at the end of the day. I thought about heading over to the big commercial coffee chain place across the street, but by the time I get myself together, head over there, get my beverage and sit down I’ll only have 5 minutes left before my 30 min. is up.

That’s it, then. Here I am in my mid-30s with two kids and my cross stitch project. Good Lord. How did I get to this? Why am I not travelling in Spain? Why am I not on a beach in Thailand? Why am I not a famous actress?