Monday, October 4, 2010

The straw that broke the camel's back

We've been enjoying quite a warm Indian summer, with recent temps in the 80's (pant wheeze).  It's nice to be able to still use the clothes line since, of course, we don't use a clothes dryer.

With our busy schedule lately, I'd gotten behind on the laundry.  So the other day I decided to catch up on the washing.  Four loads later, all my clean damp clothes were hanging on the line.

I had one last item to hang - a flannel sheet.  I folded it in half length-wise and pinned the first corner on the line.  Suddenly I heard CRRAA-A-A-A-A-C-C-C-CKKKKK....

...and my entire clothesline collapsed on the ground!!  (I gave a most unlady-like screech at this.)



That flannel sheet was the straw that broke the camel's back.  One of the pressure-treated 4x4's holding up the clothes line just snapped at the base.


Well I can't really complain.  This clothesline has held up for six or seven years, under hundreds (maybe thousands) of loads of laundry.  I guess everything has a lifespan.

But it still meant I had four loads of wet laundry on the ground.


Nothing to do but gather it up.  I enlisted the aid of Older Daughter...



...and we got everything in baskets.  Then we hauled them upstairs and hung them on the drying racks, which will now be in constant use until next spring, when Don says he'll install metal supports for the clothesline.

(By the way, I've been telling people "My dryer broke" and watching their expressions of intense sympathy.  They don't associate a broken dryer with a clothesline.)

Here's the "straw," draped over the stair banister to dry.


Next up, folding.  Ug.

9 comments:

  1. It's humorous that the first thing you did (after your unlady-like screech) was to grab the camera! lol

    Glad to know your home has backup dryers :)
    KatieJ
    Germany

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  2. Glad I am not the only one that hates folding laundry! Having just settled in with my Darlin' Man, I discovered he has a lovely clothesline...metal posts, six lines. Wonderful! He only had 10 clothespins!!!
    He seemed confused that he would need more...sigh...

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  3. For a moment, I thought you were going to say you had to wash all those clothes again. Glad you didn't have to do that! I am going to get myself one of those indoor drying racks like my mother used during my childhood. It was always in the way, but it did the job. Everything old is new again.

    Anonymous Patriot
    USA

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  4. That has happened to me as well. In my case it was the clothesline itself that broke. I just put up a new line rehung the clothes and brushed them off when they were dry. As an old bachelor I could do no less. (Or MORE).

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  5. And being the smart,resourceful woman we know you to be, you already know wet clothes are why God invented fences, right? LOL

    Y'all quit laughing at me! This is what happens to people forced to live too long in places that enforce the "celebration of diversity!"

    LOL

    A. McSp

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  6. :) this happened to me about four years ago. i reacted a little differently though. you see, i just happened to be standing under the pole when it went. so there i was trying to hold everything up and screaming my lungs out for my husband to get his behind out there to help. my lines were full of blankets and comforter-getting ready for winter...

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  7. Just FYI, not meaning to be critical or anything, I read a pamphlet a few days ago that recommends anyone with a septic tank not to do more than a load a day. I realize this would be somewhat difficult for large families, but the reason for the recommendation was to keep the sludge at the bottom of the tank from slopping up into the leach lines and clogging them up, creating a HUGE expense. If those lines get clogged, the entire leach field has to be redone.

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  8. Now see if it was me, I would be picking up four loads of laundry and re-washing them. Those damn chickens have decided that *everything* including the back patio, where the clothes line sits, needs to have.....um..fertilizer on it. This happened to me just this morning, but luckily enough I had only one load on there. It is EVERYWHERE!! I have clipped their wings and they still get out.
    Ok, I am done venting and am now going to be late for my own pitty party, I must go start dinner...I am thinking roast chicken. LOL
    Dawn

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  9. I'm glad you thought of putting the clothes inside because someone could easily take the clothes since it's on the floor

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