| The washing machine had broken weeks ago; we | | | | also rather nice, especially when you don?t have a |
| called a guy out but it was going to cost more to | | | | lot of it in the first place. |
| fix it than buy a new one. Could he recommend a | | | | We were already spending a lot more on |
| good replacement? He muttered something about | | | | electricity, either through using more or it was |
| low quality rubbish and the decline of British | | | | just becoming more expensive, and are not the |
| manufacturing as he gathered his tools. I made up | | | | sort of household who have the available funds to |
| my mind to go out and get a new washing | | | | just go out and buy a windmill to stick on the |
| machine but then two weeks had passed and all I | | | | roof. |
| had to show was a bunch of clothes piling up in | | | | The energy ratings go from A or AA or |
| the corner of the kitchen next to an ex-washing | | | | something to something higher up the alphabet |
| machine. | | | | which is difficult to work out because most of the |
| As far as I know launderettes didn?t exist | | | | models we found were either A or AA, which |
| anymore (it felt almost like they never did), | | | | means they?re either all really good or it?s easy |
| although I did take a detour round town after | | | | to make them like that and there should really be |
| work in search of one. By now I was wearing | | | | a triple A rating for those really fantastically |
| clothes I hadn?t seen for years, odd holey socks | | | | efficient models. |
| and shirts that were so out of date they?re | | | | In the end we got a Beko washing machine. It |
| probably back in vogue again. | | | | works, it cleans clothes, it apparently is energy |
| It got to the stage where there was literally | | | | efficient - I just hope it doesn?t break down. At |
| nothing left to wear that wasn?t going to grow | | | | least there?s a 12-month guarantee. None of the |
| legs and walk. Buying a washing machine is simply | | | | washing machines we looked at seemed |
| not an easy task. There?s just too much choice | | | | particularly flash, although I can?t say I?ve ever |
| these days, too many features and styles and | | | | actually seen a good-looking washing machine. |
| gadgets you think you?re going to miss out on | | | | The pile of dirty clothes has now vanished from |
| something if you don?t get it right. | | | | our kitchen floor, but you know? The one thing I |
| Fortunately we had some sort of goal in mind ? | | | | did miss while were washing-machine less, was |
| to reduce energy costs around the home. We | | | | going to a launderette ? I kind of miss that Zen |
| had one thing in mind ? running costs. I could | | | | like experience of sitting reading out of date |
| pretend I was concerned about the environment | | | | gossip magazines to the tranquil, purposeful hum |
| ? which I am ? but let?s be realistic, energy | | | | of commercial washers spinning in the background. |
| efficiency is also about saving money, which is | | | | |