What is it? Today's the Day

Okay, it's Thursday and time to tell what the picture is.  I'll tell you one thing:  We worked hard for that little puppy! 

About a month ago, Rob and I bought a new washing machine.  We picked it up at the store and installed it ourselves.  Well, actually Rob and Hank installed it.  The guy that sold it to us said that we would have to pull the yellow tab so it would work right.  Rob and Hank pulled and pulled and heard a little thunk and cut the tab the rest or the way off . . .or so they thought. 

The water ran in, the machine began to wash, then it began to spin.  The darn thing started to jump all over the laundry room like it was doin' the watusi or something!  We removed the clothes and redistributed them and tried again.  Same thing!  We called the service center.  They had us look for the "pins" that should have fallen out when the yellow strap was pulled.  No pins.  So we tipped the machine per their instructions and looked for more yellow strap.  We couldn't see it.  The guy had us run it empty and he said it sounded fine.  We put the clothes back in for a rinse and final spin and you would have the the washer was going to go to its death on its first day of life!!  It ran into the dryer first, then proceeded to watusi about 3 feet forward before we could get to it.  We shut it off and called the service center again.  Again they told us to look for the strap. 

We turned that bad boy nearly upside down and Rob held it while I got underneath with the flashlight.  At first I saw nothing, then deep, deep inside, I saw a tiny shade of yellow.  "I think I found it!"  I pulled, Rob pulled, we pulled together (that was totally useless - we pulled against each other, but it was a little fun) and finally Rob got a HUGE pliers and yanked that puppy out. 

That yellow piece of strap and the two pins are what kept the drum stable in transport.  It's on every washer, but usually the installer removes it for the customer.  Of course, Hank was in a hurry and cut it for us.  Isn't that what friends are for? 

The washer works great, by the way.