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Saturday, January 20, 2007

The Luxurious Washing Machine

Isn't it funny that no matter how old you get, the magic of weekends never goes away? I still can't wait to get up early on a Saturday morning, knowing that I have two full days before me to play.

No, I'm not one of those responsible adults that takes time to do laundry. With laundry, it's catch as catch can. When I have enough dirty clothes to go in the washing machine, I'll toss them in on my way by so that I am completely free when the weekend comes.

I wasn't always so lucky. Years of sitting in dirty laundromats filled with runny-nosed kids and their rude parents taught me the value of owning my own washer and dryer. Of all the "luxury items" in the world, the washer and dryer really top the list.

Think about how women did laundry in the past; dragging laundry to the nearest running stream or river and pounding it on rocks. Later, they rubbed it vigorously over washboards. Laundry was such an event that it could easily take up half the day. Now, I have to admit that there is a certain amount of health benefits from such rigorous exercise, but I'm more than happy to sweat it out in the gym if I have to.

So, I'm off to enjoy my day with SaurKid because my electronic slave, my beloved washing machine, has freed me up.

Have a wonderful weekend!

8 comments:

The Lazy Iguana said...

People used to boil laundry in a huge ass kettle. I guess that kills the creepy crawlies huh? Oh yea and then there is the lye they used in that boiling water. Caustic crap there!

I have used the washer as a clothes hamper before. Now THAT is lazy! Here is how it works.

Before your shower, you go into the garage and stand before the washer. You then make a suitable offering to the washing machine - all your clothes. Just toss it all in there. Then walk bare ass naked to the shower.

This prevents dirty socks and stuff from being all over the place.

When the machine fills, turn it on. If you use powder soap you can dump it in before the first article of clothing. Liquid soap has to be placed on the last shirt, the shirt has to be rolled up, and then placed at the bottom of the pile - and then covered up.

Otherwise, you get too much suds.

Yes, the dryer has acted as my dresser before. Warm underwear rules.

Three Score and Ten or more said...

I used to have the task of going to the basement and running the clothes through the wringer into the rinse tubs, manually agitating the clothes in the rinse tubs with a clean toilet plunger, then wringing them into the final wrinse. (My brother usually got to wring them out the last time and hang them on the line.) You think I don't appreciate an automatic washer?
I don't think I have told the tale here about buying a washer while I was in graduate school in Southern Ohio (where, in the fifties they read Lil Abner not as a comic strip, but as the news). I went to a "used stuff" store and priced a used automatic washer. I was shocked when I found that a nearbye wringer washer was more expensive. When I asked the salesman why, his answer was (this is absolutely true) " We know our market, you can't dip water out of the creek for an automatic washer." We paid thirty dollars for the used Speed Queen and went home, rejoicing for indoor plumbing in student housing.

Dave said...

Saur,

I have to respectfully disagree. The only efficient way to get the clothes from the washer to the drier is to hire an illegal Mexican immigrant at half minimum wage.

I'm pretty sure that half the Mexicans in this country are wearing my socks. There is no other place my socks could be going. These are good socks too.

Not an excellent post.

Jenn said...

In my genealogical research, I have read a letter of a woman and how she did wash, circa 1900. Oh, it makes me want to get married to my Whirlpool, and have little Whirlpool babies.

Recipe for washing clothes

Lee Ann said...

Laundry is neverending....
I am so thankful for my washer and dryer. Cannot imagine not having one anymore.

M@ said...

Yeah, I didn't want to sleep in this morning but I sure will on Monday morning! It's like how you never just went back to bed as a kid when you had a snow day from school.

mal said...

yup, not much of a time saver if you end up devoting the same amount of time as you did before.

We do our wash 2-3 times a week. It is no chore and other things are going at the same time. Our ironing? wellllllllllll *L*

Jamie Dawn said...

Hooray for washers and dryers!!!
I'm attached to my washing machine, dryer, dishwasher, vacuum cleaner, Clorox Ready Mop, and microwave. I can't imagine life without them.
If I had to do things the hard, old fashioned way, I'd probably die. Well, maybe not DIE, but I'd FEEL like dying.
I'm a spoiled American, and I thank God for it!!!

I hope you thoroughly enjoyed your weekend.