Laundry, Past and Present

Should I try to catch up or just start again? I have been in a slump. I haven’t wanted to write anything on my blog. I haven’t wanted to cook. I haven’t wanted to do laundry, clean house, or work in my garden. I’m going through the motions and taking a stab at most of those things, at least some of the time. After all, clean clothes are a good thing. I wonder what would happen if I only washed my own clothes and perhaps the toddler’s. Would the nine year old boy wear dirty clothes over and over again? Yes, probably. I taught him how to use the washing machine and the dryer way back in the summer. Both he and his older sister actually enjoyed the task for a couple of weeks. And the toddler does a darn good job at folding clothes. I quickly found out that it was easier to just do it than to keep reminding them that it needs to be done. Yes, bad parenting skills. I’m not as consistent with the grandchildren as I was with my own daughters. I don’t have the energy. However, I am reaping the consequences of neglecting such discipline. And I’m not doing anyone else a favor either by allowing them to get away with laziness. So, on this Thanksgiving Eve, I will renew, with determination, my decision that the older two will be doing their own laundry, the toddler will help me with hers, and Hubby will put his away. If they don’t, it won’t get done. Yay, me! I feel better already.

A childhood flashback: I remember washing clothes on my aunt’s porch, using a wringer washer. I actually enjoyed dipping my hands into the sudsy water and feeding the clothes into the wringer, being careful not to get my fingers too close. As the flattened clothes dropped into the rinse tub, I felt my way into the wash water for more, over and over until they were gone. With that done, I’d fill it up again with more clothes and pulled the handle that started the agitator. If the water was too dirty or not the right temperature, I’d drain the tub and fill it up again. Rinse time was next. Since my aunt didn’t have double tubs, the rinse tub was a garbage can filled with clean water. My hands and arms served as the agitator then wringing out the clothes began again. The clothes dryer was good ole’ mother nature’s sun and wind with the help of a clothes line and clothes pins. By the time I was finished hanging the clothes to dry, it was time to start the cycle again. Toward the end of the day, before the evening dew started to settle on the clothes, I’d remove them from the clothes line, folding them carefully as I went along. Then came my least favorite part, putting them away! That’s still my least favorite part of laundry day! This childhood memory makes me very thankful for modern day washers and dryers. It also reminds me that I will be doing the grandchildren a great injustice by not allowing them the experience of learning how to do their own laundry and the pleasure of a job well done.

Now, back to how I began this post. Shall I try to catch up or just start again? I think the latter so I hope my beloved relatives forgive me if I didn’t honor them on their birthday and special events as I had intended to do. The grandchildren began their Thanksgiving holiday from school today. I had made an appointment to get their pictures made for Christmas cards. I can check that off my list of things I’ve never done before (Christmas card pictures, that is). It went pretty well, considering the younger two got up on the wrong side of their beds this morning (I wonder where that phrase came from) and the eldest one tried very hard not to get up at all. But bribery won over and after they posed and smiled for the photographer we headed to Build-a-Bear Workshop to purchase Christmas outfits for their favorite stuffed animal. We had a $5 coupon and two $5 birthday gift certificates so it was a reasonably priced payoff to get them to cooperate. Other than that, the day was uneventful.

Thank you, God, for Friends....

Thanksgiving Feast at Pre-School

Halloween Soldiers

Birthday Buddies