I know Tim thinks I’ve gone round the bend. On Earth Day, I tried to see if I could do my laundry for the day without using the dryer. It’s supposed to save a lot of energy (not to mention money) and I figured that I hang dry some of my stuff, so what would happen if I did it all. I remember being a kid and we didn’t have a dryer. Everything was line dried, so what the heck. Let’s go retro.
So, I don’t mind doing it. It actually gets all the clothes hung up faster (I put them on hangers then hang the hangers on the line.) I decided to see if there was a way to perfect the problems I ran into on Earth Day. Mostly, the crunchiness of the items. Now, I add a cup of white vinegar to each load and for the clothes, that has been a significant help. The key is a windy day to keep the clothes moving. The items that end up being in the wind end up fine. Towels, however, are another pickle. It’s Florida, so they dry SO fast (great, right?) Well, no. Because when they dry so quickly, they get crunchy. No time for the air wiggle them around. I’ve tried putting them in the dryer after drying (on air only) and it helps, but it’s not quite there. My next attempt will be those dryer balls that are supposed to soften your clothes.
On the plus side, most people know that I can handle smells at all. I can’t use detergent with any odor at all and fabric softeners give me a migraine. It can be really bad some times when I’m at people’s houses and the laundry smells (which are SO nice) start my head a’ poundin’. With line drying, they smell FABULOUS! Not the nothing smell of my indoor laundry, but this clean airy smell that I just keep going back to smell while they are drying.
I know Tim thinks I’ve gone round the bend. On Earth Day, I tried to see if I could do my laundry for the day without using the dryer. It’s supposed to save a lot of energy (not to mention money) and I figured that I hang dry some of my stuff, so what would happen if I did it all. I remember being a kid and we didn’t have a dryer. Everything was line dried, so what the heck. Let’s go retro.
So, I don’t mind doing it. It actually gets all the clothes hung up faster (I put them on hangers then hang the hangers on the line.) I decided to see if there was a way to perfect the problems I ran into on Earth Day. Mostly, the crunchiness of the items. Now, I add a cup of white vinegar to each load and for the clothes, that has been a significant help. The key is a windy day to keep the clothes moving. The items that end up being in the wind end up fine. Towels, however, are another pickle. It’s Florida, so they dry SO fast (great, right?) Well, no. Because when they dry so quickly, they get crunchy. No time for the air wiggle them around. I’ve tried putting them in the dryer after drying (on air only) and it helps, but it’s not quite there. My next attempt will be those dryer balls that are supposed to soften your clothes.
On the plus side, most people know that I can handle smells at all. I can’t use detergent with any odor at all and fabric softeners give me a migraine. It can be really bad some times when I’m at people’s houses and the laundry smells (which are SO nice) start my head a’ poundin’. With line drying, they smell FABULOUS! Not the nothing smell of my indoor laundry, but this clean airy smell that I just keep going back to smell while they are drying.
I know Tim thinks I’ve gone round the bend. On Earth Day, I tried to see if I could do my laundry for the day without using the dryer. It’s supposed to save a lot of energy (not to mention money) and I figured that I hang dry some of my stuff, so what would happen if I did it all. I remember being a kid and we didn’t have a dryer. Everything was line dried, so what the heck. Let’s go retro.
So, I don’t mind doing it. It actually gets all the clothes hung up faster (I put them on hangers then hang the hangers on the line.) I decided to see if there was a way to perfect the problems I ran into on Earth Day. Mostly, the crunchiness of the items. Now, I add a cup of white vinegar to each load and for the clothes, that has been a significant help. The key is a windy day to keep the clothes moving. The items that end up being in the wind end up fine. Towels, however, are another pickle. It’s Florida, so they dry SO fast (great, right?) Well, no. Because when they dry so quickly, they get crunchy. No time for the air wiggle them around. I’ve tried putting them in the dryer after drying (on air only) and it helps, but it’s not quite there. My next attempt will be those dryer balls that are supposed to soften your clothes.
On the plus side, most people know that I can handle smells at all. I can’t use detergent with any odor at all and fabric softeners give me a migraine. It can be really bad some times when I’m at people’s houses and the laundry smells (which are SO nice) start my head a’ poundin’. With line drying, they smell FABULOUS! Not the nothing smell of my indoor laundry, but this clean airy smell that I just keep going back to smell while they are drying.
Movie Night
Well, here we are again at Movie Night. This week I built a new screen and changed our audio configuration. I’m hoping this will be an improvement that we all can enjoy. I’m already eyeing improvements for next year 
Tonight is Bolt with a Mexican menu (Thanks Maria!!) and PBJ’s and snacks for the kids (love the cookies that Kiki brings.)
Bathroom Update
The bathroom is now grouted! I’ve replaced the water valve behind the soon to be installed toilet. The water valve is leaking about one drop every 3-4 hours, which is annoying as that’s such a small amount for me to have to shut off the water to the house again. However, I have 2 more valves to install for the sink, so it’ll get done… blasted thing! Another trip to Home Depot and by weekend’s end we should have a toilet and sink and hopefully baseboards all installed. Maybe, just maybe I’ll get the nail gun I’ve been requesting for years (Tim is rightfully afraid of how one would change the scope of my DIY ideas.) We also have to caulk everything, which IMHO is one of the most blah jobs in home improvement, yet one of the most necessary.
Tim was given a picture taken of us at his work’s Holiday party in December. It’s cute (even if I am wearing the ugly sweater), so I’m posting