We arrive at 2am, sleep for a few hours, and wake in the haze which is jet lag. But, we only brought enough towels and clothes for a few days. So, it’s time to master that modern convenience, the washing machine.
For those who don’t know me, I mastered the washer at a young age, doing my own laundry in high school, while of course maintaining my single-load jeans and T-shirt fashion statement.
Marriage changes you, or at least your laundry techniques… And fashion.
Back to Oman… The washer is… utterly normal – a few knobs, a start button, and of course the water temperature dial. Sarah starts the first load and quickly discovers that the cold cycle is quite hot. That’s a problem, if you like the color of your clothes.
Like an overzealous engineer on jetlag, I suspect that the water hoses in the back need swapped. I feel the cold hose. It is indeed warm- simple fix; proceed with repair. However, there’s a problem. One of the water shut off valves is partially blocked. Attaching a hose to a running (half running) spiquet shouldn’t be too difficult, right?
Now, let’s take a step back. For you system engineers and project managers, consider the risk profile. Probability of risk realization is low in my assessment. However, what happens if I can’t get the hose back on? The floor floods – high Impact!! By the way, the washer is on the top floor, and I don’t have many towels, even less if I want to shower that day.
Back to the present… I can do this! Off comes the active water hose. I’m soaked, getting more soaked, and quickly becoming desperate to attach the hose. I do! And, the story should end here…
However, in Oman it’s hot enough to heat the cold water in the pipes. So, apparently the hoses were correctly connected from the start. So, can I switch them back? Well, my confidence is high now. I did it once, albeit traumatically. What’s one more time?
And once again… Off comes the active water hose. I’m soaked, getting more soaked, and quickly becoming desperate to attach the hose. I struggle for several minutes. There’s a large quickly expanding puddle on the floor, and the water continues to run.
Moral of the story: if you move overseas, give it a few days before doing any plumbing work.
In the end, I yanked the blocked water shut off valve until the flood stopped, and then reconnected the hose. Other lessons learned: Ask the locals, it will all come out in the wash, or just send your wife ahead.
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