A few things.

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I had forgotten about a couple of emails which required responses. When a computer goes down and a loaner is being used, just figuring out how to check email is a bit of a trick sometimes. Remembering to even figure that out is a whole different sort of trick. And, even when I finally did those things, I was doing so many other things and trying to figure out my comatose life in general that it took a while. Still, it is done. It might be considered a little thing by some. It might be considered unimportant by some. It certainly was not on the list I posted. But it was on my mind. Done. The email is an ongoing conversation with a friend. The body of the text can be complex and my responses are complex. All things I sometimes avoid, simply cannot handle, or both. Done, done, and happily. Hey, I do not have enough friends to blow one of them off anyway.

I did get to the the washing machine. A goodly hour or two of research tracking down information on my machine, problem solving forums (if the few I found simply had problems stated, without offering a solution as far as I could see). So, I looked over a number of general problem solving guides and videos. The problem seemed to point to a solenoid. Getting to the solenoid would be through several minor but possibly complicated procedures... knowing which way to turn then pull a spring steel clip, how to use a screw driver to open another type of clip, and some other processes which would require finding very specific steps for my specific washer and definitely if I wanted to reassemble the dratted thing. However, I noted something they checked before tearing the machine down. Simply checking the screens in the water supply lines. I had checked the one in the water supply hose, but had not thought there would be one in the machine inlet too. I was wrong, and it makes sense now. Removing the screens in the machine pretty much destroyed them. I did note that the cold water screen was pretty nasty though, gritty material was everywhere. Removing that, for now, was enough. The cold water seems to come through just as well as the hot water at this time.

Having said that, I will still probably take the screens to a shop not far away and find replacements to install. I hope to get to that tomorrow, as I think it is probably too late today. The water leak I noticed on the floor is something I am checking now. Since this was a recent development I am thinking it might be something to do with the removal of the hoses. Perhaps the seemingly small amount of water is just from that. The other thing I noted was the water return to the drain was loose. I hope I do not have to take the machine apart to add or adjust a clamp, or something else. I put the hose back in as tightly as I could and am running a cold water empty "load" through now.

I just wanted to toot my horn. Such pleasure from such a minor thing. But doing anything seems to be a minor miracle. It is exciting to be doing anything at all, let alone making my life a bit better, and at no cost at the moment. Of course, the project is not yet completed. But barring some catastrophe, I suspect I will have a fully functioning washing machine in an hour or two, and will be able to finish the laundry I was recently forced to leave set (needed cold water for some items, and actually want to use cold water much more frequently to rewash when needed for stains). It is all so damned easy, and yet... not.

I may get to some laundry, and I am about to soak some dishes for washing in a bit. The only other things I am scheduling for this evening are finding engineering paper and a couple of books on rope knot tying, tree climbing, and arbor work I purchased in my lead up to leaving Iowa. The paper is for the beginning of planning for the kitchen and actually my master bathroom. The books are for some small hope that I can figure out how to do the trimming and live. I looked at pieces for a shower and bath while at Home Depot. I love the tile shower, but it is rather small. The thing is, mostly, functional. But with some money and elbow grease, I would love to have a more functional, roomier, fuller bathroom suite. Of course, the master bathroom plans are way off considering even my kitchen plans are some time off and maybe just fantasy as is. Argh! But so be it.

Oh, and before too long I may just take a stroll down to the post office. It has become partly cloudy, and rain could fall at any moment potentially, but neither am I made of sugar nor without rain gear. Later.