Just when you thought you had finally managed to balance all the financial stuff for the rest of the year. That is when the washing machine decided it would be a perfect time to break down. For a couple of months now it has been emitting especially annoying sounds and vibrations, during spin cycle as well as when switching over to the next settings. On occasion it has randomly decided to stop altogether, and then for no reason at all starting again. With what one could call a hopeful denial, we had accepted these idiosyncrasies thinking that as long as the washing machine kept on working forever we would be happy enough. That is not the case, however. With a last gasping click our washing machine heaved its last sound and died, poor thing. Four kids can generate an amazing amount of dirty clothes, so it is paramount that a replacement be found within short notice. This morning I drove down to the store with a list of requirements: no more than 85 centimeters high, strong pump, large door opening (to the right), spin rate of at least 1200 rpm, preferably a Blauknecht, and not too expensive. I was able to adhere to all but the last severe requirements, making us just that much poorer until the end of the year. Will just have to re-balance my financial discomforts as creatively as I can.