It seems our washing machine is finally fixed properly. First the motor broke, and so that was taken away, fixed, and put back in. But it was even noisier after that, and broke again, so the repairman pulled what I think was a counterweight (to help keep the tub level as it spun, I assume) out, and that was obviously buggered, and he took that away hoping to find a new one. He came back today with a counterweight that he pulled out of his own washing machine and put it in ours, and now ours works perfectly.
I just have to wonder how he’s washing his own clothes…. When he pulled that counterweight out, he reeked of cigarette smoke so badly he left the smell behind. Presumably he pulled the counterweight out of an old machine that he has already replaced, or is about to replace. I hope so, anyway. But regardless of the repairman’s own washing machine status, it’s pretty awesome that, unable to buy a new counterweight, he’d take the intact one out of his own machine and put it in ours. Our repairman rocks.