Progress. And why is my whirlpool gold washing machine broke

When it occurred to me that the washing machine had been washing the same load of laundry for about four hours, I felt that sinking feeling you get when you have to replace an appliance, but you'd rather spend money on something you've really been wanting. Like new living furniture or a new floor, new suit, small diamond, GPS, very nice dinner out or a night away in *that cabin - anything but a washing machine!

Sure enough, when I lifted the lid, the water looked dark and fuzzy. Ed's nice blue jacket looked equally fuzzy. It's not the cool kind of red fuzzy look I'm seeing in JC Penney's Big and Tall.

Someone tell me why appliances aren't made like they once were. So what if there were no no pulse options, buzzers, slow spin, extra rinse or delicate agitating cycle on those old washing machines? At least the giagandamonious  boogers lasted 20 years!

Our 7-year old washing machine needs replaced! Seven years? That's all you can get out of a washing machine these days? Techincally we could spend over 200 more bucks for another repair, but what a money sink. It's a Whirlpool Gold top loading super size. I guess "Gold" isn't a guarantee, much to my chagrin. Two years ago, I think we spent over 200 bucks replacing a part that was made of plastic. When I mentioned to the repairman that the parts aren't made very durably, he informed me the part was made of plastic so it would break to prevent the stress going to the motor. Heh. It all had something to do with the drum getting thrown off balance.

Back in the day, when a load of laundry threw the drum off balance, the entire house rattled, the washing machine scooted and shifted positions or danced across the floor, but it never broke! Apparently they didn't need plastic parts back then. 

And if washing machines have to be made so they'll break, then why do the parts have to cost SO much? This makes no sense to me. I don't have time to waste shopping for a washing machine that will stand the test of time or off balance loads of laundry or have parts that don't cost more than a  small diamond, a very nice dinner out, a new suit, new microwave or GPS!

Come Tuesday when the appliance store arrives to deliver things that will likely break in 7 years or less, I'll be thinking of the old wringer washing machine Grandma once used and how it lasted and lasted. Yup the cost of progress.