Another day...

Another ending!
Whoohoo, I mended my machine. I knew it had to be something fairly simple because this is not a terribly old machine, I think 3 years. It was not a cheap one either, we bought a good one so that it would last. Big capacity, low water using, low energy and super spin to get as much water out as possible.
It did this same thing when we lived in the nice town house, we moved to the barn and didn't use it because the barn had a washer already. When we moved to stinking devil house it miraculously worked again for a little while and then stopped emptying and spinning, I discovered a hidden magic thing and when I unscrewed it the hose / pump thing ( you're impressed aren't you, with my technical knowledge?) was there...absolutely stuffed full of coins, fluff, elastic bands, tiny toys, buttons etc, when I cleaned it out my machine was like new.
2 weeks ago I undid the screw again and found...nothing, lovely clean pumpy hose thing. Gah! Foiled.
So for 2 weeks or so I have been stopping, skipping, emptying, spinning, kicking, threatening people who use towels and dump them, 2 at a time, in front of the machine every time they were even mildly damp.
Today I wasn't about to let it go. I need that machine and although I could have perhaps ( as Julie suggested) tried freecycle, no-one really gives away a machine that is worth having. I am not gentle on my machines, at least 2 loads of laundry a day means that it has to be a good one and whilst I am really happy to have second and pretty much everything, underwear and washing machines have to be new.
So, I tried again. I took off the cover to the pump filter again and removed the plug/ filter again, still nothing but I wasn't about to give up that easily, I put my fingers in and poked about and VOILA right across the outlet was a pretty big piece of clear plastic, blocking the whole drain part.
It is mended, all fixed and running again. Oh the relief!
It took all weekend to do 2 loads and I have done another 2 loads this evening, without having to move that dial even once! I even stood ( and dare to admit I made H watch with me the first time) and watched it go right past that point at which it has been taking a break for weeks.
"Look!!WATCH....SEE? Awww, look it went right past, all on it's own, clever machine and clever ME!"
On another note and a funny one at that. H was talking to the boys this evening about ( we have a gripping life here, steady now) How, through the ages different things have been used to record history. Paper and material and even metals. Yes, important facts have been engraved onto precious metals so that they were preserved and because we believe in fun, H made some 'metal plates' for the boys to engrave something that is important to them.
Cardboard covered in tin foil. Very impressive cardboard and the smoothest and unwrinkled tin foil you ever did see and he had some engraving implements for them to use.
Isaac and Eli were beyond thrilled to give this a go, Seth? Well he looked at it very closely and he turned his metal plate over and looked a bit closer and he said " Yes, well. I'm not sure this is actually going to last and I think it might even split when we try to 'engrave' it."
H, ever the optimist said "no, I am positive this is going to work very well"
Seth... " Yes dad, you be positive and I'll be practical "
He said something at the end of church yesterday that I have to say had me doing the old lady whistle laugh right through the closing prayer. I can't say what it was because actually it probably shouldn't be laughed at and also I'm not altogether sure who reads this that goes to church. Better to be safe than sorry but the kid is a comic genius, his timing is impeccable and
I so look forward to seeing how he matures because when I think how much Dan and Jordan make me laugh and think of how they developed that as adults, I can't imagine how funny Seth will be as he gets older.
H and I are working really hard with Seth lately because he is one of those children that are easier to ignore when they are revolting, disciplining Seth is horrible, he is alike a terrier with a rat, he does not let it go, he can scream and yell and demand the world listen to how he is right for hours. And hours. In Seth's world, Seth is right, his opinion is the only opinion ( there aren't even any wrong opinions in Seth's world) he has been becoming more and more difficult and mean to the other boys. So far, the best thing to do is have him go away from us, not arguing with him, not getting into discussions with him, just sending him elsewhere until WE say he can come down. He is a master of manipulation though, if I didn't have the experience of Sophie under my belt I would give in. The thing is, I have learned that much of what Sophie has done as a teenager has been a bigger version of what she did as a child ( and got away with) I'm not about to make the same mistake twice! It makes a world of difference to be in this with H instead of trying to work it out on my own, all the difference in the world.
Not at all a sad day today...all is well.