In the big picture, today's problems aren't so devastating, but little things add up.

My clothes washer is leaking. This dates clear back to September when I removed the water hoses and got it ready in case I needed to winterize my whole house after the flood if I couldn't live here through the winter. When I reconnected the hoses, the cold water one kept leaking. I switched it out with the one from next door, and it still leaked. I replaced the washers, and still leaked. The connection is metal hose ends onto plastic threads, so I have to be careful not to tighten it too much and strip out those threads.

Anyhow, I thought I finally got it fixed, but I don't do laundry very often. Ten days ago, I saw water trailing across the floor, and looked hard at poor Eloise thinking maybe she had missed the litter box for the first time. I mopped it up, and thought it might have been a fluke. But two days ago, I did laundry again, watching for leaks. No water that day, but last night, water was once again trailing across the floor. Dang it! And Eloise is innocent.

I'm going to replace the hoses in case the ends have gotten damaged, new washers, and plumber's tape wrapped around the threads on the washing machine. This isn't the sort of thing to appeal to Mr. Troutbend for ideas, because there isn't very much to be wrong - it's either put together properly, or not. And since he can't drop in and look at it, it will just frustrate him to know about it.

If nothing else, I can leave the washer pulled out far enough so I can turn the water supply on and off until next summer when he can come deal with it.