I am bursting with thankfulness each and every day I do our laundry.
There were many years when, through ice and snow or hot humid heat, I filled baskets with our dirty laundry, grabbed my jug of soap, made sure I had enough quarters and lugged it all to (((shudder))) the laundromat.
I really felt I'd moved up in the world when we purchased a James Washer. What luxury to be able to do the laundry at home. And most of the time, had the bonus of ending up getting the kitchen floor washed at the same time.
Imagine my elation when we bought and remodeled our current abode and managed to fit these stackable units into our tiny bathroom.
The washer conked out for good after a mere twenty years. (Guess I can't complain about that.) And the handle on the dryer is threatening to fall off now some five years later, but after a few minor repairs during that time (thanks, Papa Pea), it still does a bang-up job of drying clothes and can even deal with my heavy (oof, really heavy when wet) hand-made rag rugs when necessary.
No need to feel sorry for me as when the washer gave up, we purchased a lovely, big washer that we made room for in a corner of the garage workshop.
Plus, I've always had the ability to string clothes lines right outside the door on our deck. On laundry mornings, my feet never need touch dewy grass or new fallen snow (well, I do have to shovel that) for me to hang the wash out in the breeze and sunshine.
Shake your head and laugh if you must, but I don't think I will ever fail to appreciate the utter convenience of my home automatic washer and dryer. And my clothes lines, too.
15 comments:
I feel that way about indoor plumbing, i.e. hot and cold running water and flushing toilets. I think I could even manage without the hot water, as long as I had the others!
Showers - pure luxury.
Our washer and dryer are in a closet in our bathroom mere feet from the bedroom. It is an enormous luxury. They really don't make 'em like they used to though. Someday maybe they will figure out how to get them out of the dryer already sorted and folded.
There were a couple of times when I had to use the laundromat (our well pump died and we had no water for a couple of days, for example). Not only did I have to drive to the nearest town, but I had to sit around and wait for the laundry. Thankfully, it was summer time, so I brought home the wet clothes and hung them on the line. I love having a clothesline. You are absolutely right, it is such a convenience having laundry facilities at home, where you throw in a load and then can go off and get other things done. -Jenn
I'm a really handy guy. I love machines. I fix machine things like clocks for a living. I refuse to do laundry machines! I want absolutely nothing to do with them other than 'open lid, insert clothes, wash.'
A guy needs to know his limits....
Cheers from Oakdale Farm
I never understand the hatred of laundry when you have a washer and dryer in the home! I think of both of my grandmother's who each had four children and had to heat water on the woodstove and do laundry by hand, and am so grateful for the luxuries I have.
Yes! Having a washing machine at home is a definite luxury which I very much appreciate. Haven't used a dryer in eight years as the clothes line and drying rack do a fine job.
Michelle = Yes, absolutely yes on all counts!
tpals - Oh, yes, showers, too. I'm not a "bath" person and would always take a shower even if we had a bath tub.
SmartAlex - I don't mind folding clean laundry a bit, but carrying it all to the separate, proper spots is what I don't care for. We all have our quirks, don't we? :o)
Jenn - I remember sitting and waiting in the laundromat! Ugh. Laundromats always smell like dirty diapers to me. :o(
Tim - Gotta love a guy who knows what his limits are! ;o)
Hummingbird - Amen to all you say!
Aimee - I have two wonderful folding clothes racks for drying clothes, too. One is large (got it at a farm auction about 55 years ago) and holds a whole washer load of clothes. The other is smaller and not nearly as sturdily made but still works. :o)
My family lived for a while where wash day involved hauling a LOT of pails of water from the well and heating the water on a wood stove, and later I well remember the hassle of laundromats and a toddler!!! A portable little washer-spin dryer was a wonderful addition to our very small first house. Agreed, having 'in house' laundry facilities IS a luxury!
Rosalea - All of the above responses including yours make me think about people who wouldn't have any idea on how to function without running water (let alone HOT water!), an electric or gas stove for cooking (or how to cook from scratch) or how to survive without all our modern conveniences.
As a single mom I had to do the laundrymat thing too, with no car. Love my combo too!!!
Nancy - Oh, gosh, Nancy, with no car(!) and the kiddies, too. I shall not even think about complaining anymore about those years that I had to go to the laundromat! Kudos to you for making it through those times.
Amen Sister! I can remember as a child putting clothes through those rollers to get the water out of them. We lived in Chicago and had to cart it all down 2 flights of stairs to the basement in the old apartment building where we lived and it was creepy.
I went to the laundromat as a young mother but then I got a washer and dryer and never looked back! LOL! Yes, those rag rugs are heavy when wet. I usually hang mine over a chair for days.
Take care!
Sam - I guess some of us are of that generation when families (and our own young families!) didn't have all the luxuries of many starting out these days. Did it make us stronger? Well, more appreciative, that's for sure! :o)
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