Monday, August 04, 2008

I just came in from hanging the wash on the line - ordinary enough but I'm feeling really proud of myself. The decision to make this life style change to line drying has been easier for Bob than for me. I've resisted, complained, even fussed. I didn't want to bother, disliked the stiffness of line dried clothes, wanted to just keep using the drier. But I'm slowly changing. Leaving the clothes out only long enough to dry them - no extra, seems to help with the stiffness issue. And there is something sweet about repeating an activity I remember doing with my Grandma Anna, with so much love. I am using her clothespins (much sturdier than those made now) and keeping them in a basket from her kitchen. I also felt close to Bob this morning hanging clothes on the line he lovingly rigged this summer - doing something I know he values. And talk about solar energy! It really is flowing downward here. Good to take advantage.

3 comments:

Mary said...

I love the thought of line drying clothes. I have fond memories of hanging out wash at my childhood home and also sometimes hung out clothes at my first home in this area. Things may have been a bit stiffer, but the smell of fresh clothes was sooooooooo wonderful.

Ruth said...

I'm SO PROUD of you! This is a change I haven't been willin gto make (even if our home owners association didn't forbid it). Maybe you can convince me to try it?

Ann said...

I think there is a compromise here, Victoria. Those things that "need" to be softer, like towels or things that don't need ironing if they are softened, can be thrown into the drier for a few minutes at the "almost dry" stage. If you miss this in timing, a damp towel in the drier with the dry clothes will fluff them in just a few minutes. This is how I worked it. I stopped hanging clothes on the line....even dozens of training pants each day during that stage of being a mom....when I went back to working outside the home. It might be time to try again. Gosh, I'm not sure there's even space in our current yard for a clothesline. Once in a while I still spread sheets on the grass to sun dry. There is something about fresh-smelling sheets, stiff or not, that is wonderful. Mom didn't have a drier until she and Dad moved into their retirement apartment.