SAN ANTONIO — Washing machines are not the quietest appliances, but Sue Ann Brooks' machine is so loud you can't stay in the same room with it. What makes that even worse is that it's less than a year ...

Washing clothes can be drudgery. So can you imagine anyone using a ringer washing machine these days? Those old-fashioned, big-bellied tubs with the ringer on top are still out there, and I’ve got one ...

“See that?” I asked, pointing at a TV ad for major appliances. “If we ever have to get a new washer and dryer, that’s the color I want!” They were deep blue, and I heard a choir of angels singing.