Well I thought that it was going to be another boring night at home watching One Tree Hill. And boy was I wrong!
About 9:30pm I decided I should do some laundry. I have only ever done laundry here one time prior to this. But the dirty clothes pile was stacking up, so I decided to do 2 quick loads. I did some whites just fine and then made the terrible decision to start a load of darks (first mistake). I shoved the clothes in, poured in detergent, started the washing machine, and closed the door (second mistake).
Let me explain our laundry room real quick, its just a small room. The door opens inward from the right. Up against the right hand wall is the washer and then the dryer is next to it in the back corner. There's a shelf above for all our detergent, and thats the whole room.
Back to the debacle.
I start the dryer of whites and then the washing machine with darks. I go back upstairs where I'm in the zone working on wedding invitations! I can hear the washing machine downstairs spinning very loudly, but didn't think much of it (you got it, another mistake).
Finally, about 10:45pm I go downstairs to change the laundry. I try to open the door and wont open! What the heck?? I push with my whole body and it opens about 3 inches. Enough for me to see in and see the the washing machine shook so hard it has moved up from against the wall and is now in front of the door blocking it from opening!
This cannot be good, I think to myself.
I reach my arm through the 3 inch opening and try to push the machine back against the wall but alas, it is old and HEAVY and I can't even move it one centimeter! My first idea is to get the broom and try to push it back with the handle. I am pushing will all my might and it is not moving. Then I realize that the lip around the top of the washing machine is stuck on the other side of the doorknob. I realize I must take the doorknob off to even be able to have a shot at this.
Now, allow me to digress for a moment and tell you how the Lord totally played a part in this.
So I have a tackle box in my room that I've carted around with me since I graduated from high school. It is home to all sorts of odds and ends that one might need when living away from home; needle and thread, paperclips, thumb tacks, hammer, duct tape, measuring tape, and USUALLY a screwdriver. Well earlier in the day I was at work and one of the girls knew I kept a volleyball in the trunk of my car and wanted to play. So I got it out and she noticed two little bags and asked what they were. One was a first aid kit and one was an emergency roadside kit. We went through both and randomly my screwdriver was in he roadside kit. I even commented that it was weird and I never would have known it was in there if she hadn't wanted to look. It meant nothing at the time but meant EVERYTHING when my laundry room door wouldn't open more that a few inches!
It was by now at least 11:15pm. My only thought is that I must get the doorknob off! I go upstairs to see if i have another screwdriver in my box. Hello! It's dark outside and I'm a girl ALONE! The last thing I want to do is go out to the dark parking lot, by myself! No luck, the only screwdriver I know of is in the trunk of my car (and yes, I searched my WHOLE house looking for another one). I run out to my car and grab it as fast as I can and then run back inside and lock the door! Ok, I can totally do this!
3 things make this feat of removing the doorknob a little more challenging than originally anticipated:
1. the screws are on the inside. Therefore I cannot see what I am doing.
2. I am left handed. Because the doorknob is on the right I have to do this with my right hand and no visual.
3. the screws on the door are for a phillips screwdriver. All I have is a flathead.
Ugh.
20 minutes later = SUCCESS! I got the knob off!
I reached through the crack and pushed some more. It was now sooo much easier to push until...I push it as far as I can with my arm. I cant reach anymore to push and the door is still blocked by about 1/2 inch of washing machine!!
It's now 11:45pm and in walks my roommate. Our conversation went something like this:
her: uhh...watcha doin?
me: oh, go ahead and try to get in the laundry room
her (pushing on the door): what the hell?!
me: yup.
then we both just stood there and stared.
and then she busted up laughing as i tell her what happened and how long I've been working on this for.
she tries to reach to push and cant reach either.
I get the broom again and push and it moves a little but not enough. She grabs on and helps and FINALLY success! The door swings open!
I am beyond relieved! Not to mention my arms are both all sorts of scraped up, hurting, and red. But I am sweating hardcore too. That was a tough job!
I spent the next 20 minutes trying to put the doorknob back on which, surprisingly, was a lot easier when i couldnt see it!
Moral of the story: never close the door when doing laundry, no matter how loud it is!
Here's a not very good picture of my arm and hand the next day. Too bad you cant see all the little cuts and scratches!
I also have bruises on both my elbows but didnt take pictures of those.
AND today I woke up with VERY sore muscles throughout my shoulders and hands.
Quite a nice spontaneous workout that I'd like to never do again :)
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