I was going to dedicate this to the inventor of something essential to our modern life - the washing machine. Alas, no one knew who actually invented the first electric washer.
Due to its tedious nature, people have long enlisted help from humans and machines to assist in the cleaning of clothes and household linens. There were washer women, dhobbies and fullers in the olden days. Many gadgets have been invented in the past to churn and wring fabrics in order to clean them. But none had been an all-in-one equipment until the advent of automatic electric washers in the early 1900s.
It's easy to disregard this machine which is quite durable, and not prone to constant breakdowns. The one I've been using had been around for more than 15 years. Unfortunately, nothing lasts forever, and when it broke down a week ago, we decided to let it retire. Well, strictly speaking, it didn't completely die. The motor works, but the tub just refuses to rotate. I'm sure if anyone is willing to spend money to fix this, it would 'live' again.
We, however, had got tired of paying for repairs, and decided to get a brand new one. However, due to my tardiness, and the Chinese New Year, we didn't purchase one until Wednesday, and I had to wait, and wait, and wait for the new one to be delivered. I was so glad when the boys came over with the thing this morning, and since then have happily washed 3 loads - mostly blanket, sheets, towels and heavy stuff which would have broken my back had I tried to deal with them manually. I'm quite happy to hand-wash my beloved garments, but rely on machines to deal with the heavy duty stuff. And laundries? Perish the thought. I hate the smell of their detergents and softeners. Nothing beats home laundered clothes, and I'm glad that someone created a machine that helps us with this task. Thank you, whoever you are!
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