I've got your spin cycle, baby!

There are moments in life when you pull such a "stupid" that you can only laugh. But, rare is the moment when two ordinarily intelligent human beings brains simultaneously decide to hiccup. Yesterday was such a day in our home.

Actually, it began a few days ago when our washing machine decided to stop working. It had been doing weird things for awhile, like suddenly getting stuck with a drum full of soapy water and not moving to the spin or wash cycles for hours. Then, it would suddenly kick in and work like normal. And, the knob had broken off many years ago and my husband's great super gluing job had finally come loose on it. So, I had to do a knuckle scraping jerk to get the thing turned to the right setting. The machine was 12-13 years old, ugly and scratched up, and very annoying. But, it worked.

And, then, POOF! It did not. And it did not with about 6 loads of laundry in the cue. Now, ordinarily, I might jump for joy at the prospect of getting to shop for a new appliance. I have a secret fetish for appliances and all kitchen gadgets, I'll admit. And, those new front-loading washers sure look sexy. I hate laundry. Anything that would make this never-ending task that is the bane of my existence better, is a really good thing.

But, this comes at a really bad time, financially speaking. Why is it that when it rains debt, it pours? We've just had more painting done on our house that came in $200 higher than we were quoted (long story), we had a huge credit card bill this month, and we've got bedroom furniture to buy for our toddler. We have summer camp fees, ridiculous electric bills on their way soon, and a bevy of Mother's Day Out fees for my daughter in the fall. Can I get a "Calgon? Take me away?"

So a nifty new washer and dryer were purchased and last night we set about the arduous task of cleaning out the most dust-ridden and dirty room in our house. For some reason, the laundry room is the pit of our house--the one room I'd be horrified to show anyone. A few years back I decorated cutely in an effort to transform it from the pit. It did not take. Now, it is a linty pit with lovely plum-colored walls.

As I was sweeping up the really scary remnants found under our washer, I grabbed my electric broom and plugged it into the wall socket to vacuum. Click, click...no power. Hmmm...

I switched to the next wall socket, the one in which our washer is plugged. Click, Click. Nada.

My husband and I exchanged raised eyebrow glances and simultaneously realized something, much to our tight-wadded horror...

OUR OLD WASHER WAS NOT BROKEN, THE DAMN CIRCUIT BREAKER HAD TRIPPED ON THE OUTLET!

(Oh, believe me, that deserved all caps.)

I am a blonde, but I am never offended by blonde jokes. I even acknowledge when I have a blonde moment, and surely this was one of those. Except, my husband is not blonde and doesn't have these kind of moments. And, we both managed to have a blonde moment at the same time, costing us well more than a thousand dollars at a time when we shouldn't be spending it, which is not very funny at all really.

My husband paused and we both thought about the level of anger we could lay upon ourselves for being so stupid. I broke the silence with the first thought that came to mind,

"Oh....noooo... we just CAN'T tell anyone we did something so stupid!"

Then, he looked at me and foolishly asked,

"I guess I could call them and cancel the order still?"

I shot him my best "dagger eyes" and gave a spoiled-brat pouty mouth and said,

"Oh no you will NOT! That's like giving candy to the baby and then ripping it away right before he eats it."

In summary, we are idiots and we are now poor, but we are poor idiots with the cleanest clothes on the block. Lord, help us...