A Help MEET For Him

I have never understood women who leave small repairs for their husband to do.  Sometimes a screwdriver can pretty the place up a bit.  Now, I admit there are times when I am very lazy about prettying the place up with or without a screwdriver, but it can be done, and using manly tools is not a big step over the line that divides the HE jobs from the SHE jobs.  I have always loved a hardware store. When I was a kid the local hardware stores had a wooden floor (love that sawdust smell), and all sorts of fascinating gizmos and mysterious stuff.  I could spend all afternoon in that place.  When I was a much younger woman than I am now I did all my own auto maintenance.  Dad showed me how to change the oil, wipe out a wet distributor cap, and change the brake pads.  I didn't do it often, but I liked doing it.  I liked feeling capable.  I like knowing I could.

When I got married I had to make myself capable at other things, like cooking.  I left most of the tool-oriented stuff to the man of the house.  But while the man of this house is really skilled with a Sword, many jobs that require tools just frustrate him.  He has lost his salvation once or twice, banging his knuckles while wrenching on a tough nut.  (Just kidding.  You can't lose your salvation.)  I came to realize that being a helpmeet doesn't just mean cooking and cleaning!  So once I installed a disposal in the kitchen sink.  And once I went around nailing or gluing all the loose pieces of trim.  But really I have not done much in the tool department in years.  Until today, I had forgotten what a great feeling it is to know you can DO IT!

For the past year or so I have had to stand over my washing machine to make sure it drains, rinses and spins.  The  whatchamacallit was wearing out.  The wash cycle would finish, but then nothing would happen.  I had to remember go give it a good BANG to get it to drain.  One day I figured out I could fool it by gluing a piece of K'Nex to the peg that starts the motor when you shut the lid.   The inevitable was inevitably going to happen, but we put the repair off.  For one, getting to our washer is a Major Undertaking.  Before you can even get to the washer, the dryer has to be disconnected first, then moved out of our minuscule laundry room.   It would be a Big Headache.  And  the $$ involved in a fix required making do for as long as I could..  The husband knew about it.  I was sort of waiting on HIM to do something about it.  On Saturday, however, the inevitable happened.  The washing machine gave out, full of water and heavy darks, of course.  :D

So.  Striving to be a help meet for him,  I went online and Googled "my washer won't drain or spin".  All the solutions that I could skim in 60 seconds suggested that the pump was out.  The pump was obviously not the trouble, so I made a little trip over to Sears to find out what that worn out little doohickey was called.  The nice salesman told me it's the "switch", and said I would want to call the service man.  I told him, no, I was going to replace it myself.  He gave me that smile, you know, the one that says, "Come on, lady, you can't be serious."  I told him you can learn to do ANYTHING on YouTube.  Just in case, he showed me several really pretty clean, scratch-free, high efficiency washers that I'd rather not put money into, if I can help it.  Even a nice cherry-red one!  I thanked him for the information, and he said he hoped I'd be back.

Next, I went home and looked up the model number of my washer.  Then I Googled the part number.  I found an amazing website right here, where I could not only order the part, but also watch an exciting little video that told me how to replace it! (I love the internet!)  I was so thrilled!  My repair rated two stars out of four, for difficulty.   "I can do that," I thought. I was amazed to see that the washer cabinet comes apart (hey, someone was thinking!), and that I was not going to have to haul the whole thing out and turn it upside down, plus get the basket and the pump out in order to reach the on/off switch.   I eBayed (new verb) the part, found the same one for 2/3 the price that Sears wanted, and placed my order.  That was Saturday.  It arrived TODAY, Monday.  In less than one hour my washer was fixed!  Yay me!

Thank you, thank you!

I must be somewhat humble and admit that I did NOT do it all by myself.  My manly husband found the the ratchet wrench for me, and he unscrewed a tough bolt.  He also pried off some tough wire harnesses, but I was happy to let him feel useful.  I even played the helpless female just a teeny bit.

If I sound pleased with myself it's because I am.  My husband is pleased with me, too! :D  ...Now I should hit him up for the cash I saved him.  Hee hee.