When the washing machine yields up the spirit

The bearings have failed in our washing machine. It makes a terrible banging noise.

On the internet I looked up washing machine repair-men, then looked up the word for bearings (!), then looked up our machine whereupon I discovered that call-out charges are about 75€, our machine was bought in 2012, bearings are called roulements, but in our machine they are not replaceable - the design of the drum is such that you have to replace the whole thing, the parts costing 250€.

The machine has given us eight years of impeccable service, but we read that the average life of a washing mchine is about 10 years.

So this morning I have changed the itinerary of my planned trip. I'll be out shopping for a washing machine.

Eight years ago when the machine failed it was a disaster. This time it's an irritation.


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