(This Jim’s Jottings was first published on May 31, 2006)
I’m writing this on a beautiful, sunshiny day (May 22) so it’s difficult to concentrate on one subject. Of course, it can be difficult to think of just one subject on rainy days, too.
I’ll bet not many of you Jottings readers know there is a National Hanging Out Day. It’s April 19. When I read that my mind flew to my preteen days when Mom (“Don’t ever call me Ma!”) ordered me to take a damp cloth and wipe off the clothes line.
In those days the line was called, Walla, Clothes Line Rope.
Naturally, anything besides playing cowboys and Indians was work, so I wiped line grudgingly. Here was Mom, pushing dirty clothes up and down a washboard, rinsing them and wringing out clothes through rollers with a hand (what else?) crank, and me complaining of having to spend five minutes helping her.
Anyway, this article in Natural Awakenings says that electric washers and dryers consume six to ten percent of a family’s household energy bill.
Look at the money you’d save if your subdivision rules allowed you to hang out your wash. Many don’t. And, look at the money you’d save by not having to go to a workout joint to exercise. But, hand washing laundry isn’t fun and games like walking a treadmill while talking to your neighbor.
The article goes on, “Natural drying also means fabrics last longer, smell better and can be left on the line for any length of time without wrinkling.”
It’s time to hang up on this topic.
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I haven’t quoted Ben Franklin lately, so: “The sleeping fox catches no poultry.” “Great talkers, little doers.” “A cup of wisdom is worth a bushel of advice.” And, “An empty bag cannot stand upright.” And, finally, “Three may keep a secret if two of them are dead.”
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Our now-18-year-old granddaughter, who by her own words is mature, of voting age, adult, ready to be out on her own and very capable (though she barely passed home-ec), told me to plan on our house for her graduation party.
She, Karen, said she’d help, but so far all she’s done is ask if I’ve started getting our place ready. I know she’s been very busy, because whenever I go over to her house she’s sleeping, thus tired.
I figure I have to plant about 400 geraniums, pansies, inpatients, ivies, marigolds, zinnias, sunflowers, hyacinths, Sweet Williams and four tomato plants. (Those are for me).
Of course, to make sure they all grow I have to work more mulch and peat into the soil, throw on some Preen, add fertilizer and make sure the sprinklers keep them all wet the next five weeks.
I’m sure sometime Karen will be over to help, but not until the pool is ready, the temperature is in the 80s and it won’t interfere with her driving time to the malls, movies and concerts.
After all, one has to have priorities in an adult life.