Laundry timeline

Well, by me posting for the first time since Tuesday and the title being "laundry timeline" I guess it's obvious that it hasn't been a very exciting week around here! :) A busy week as usual, but just not the type of busy that you take pictures of and write about. So this is all I've got to show for the week as far as pictures go...pretty boring! (You might want to stop reading here and move on to something more interesting.)

Below is a picture of our new washer/dryer. We've had them about three weeks actually, and I really like them, especially the delay start feature. I'd had my previous washer & dryer since I moved into my apartment after graduation (fall '99). A while back the washer started making loud screeching noises during the spin cycle, and it got worse and worse until one day it just quit mid-wash. I scooped all the water out with a cup and hung the towels out to dry. I don't want to sound overly sentimental about appliances...but I told Lane that I was sad to see the old ones go. They were a college graduation gift (surely I haven't been out of school the entire life-expectancy of a washing machine!?!). They were there as our little family time-line was drawn so they experienced quite an increase in work-load over the course of 11 years:

--1999...washed single girl's clothes. She worked at an office where she had to wear suits (dry-cleaned) so laundry was light--maybe a few loads per week.

--2001...girl got married and moved from apartment to first house. Laundry for two.

--2003...moved to second house, couple got a puppy so washing for two plus an extra towel every now and then when dog got a bath. :)

--2004...introduced to the wonderful smell of Dreft and started washing sweet, tiny baby BLUE clothes, blankets, hooded towels, crib sheets, etc. The precious boy wearing all those clothes wouldn't sleep so tired parents put his infant carrier on top of the dryer--the hum would put him sleep almost every time. Laundry for three plus occasional extra towel for dog.

--2007...more Dreft was purchased and started washing sweet, tiny pretty PINK clothes, blankets, crib sheets, etc. Moved to house #3. Laundry for four plus dog.

--2009...there's more sweet baby BLUE stuff...some of it looked familiar from 2004, some of it was new! :) No Dreft this time because operator decided it was too much trouble to separate things. Laundry for five requires efficiency.

--2010...laundry loads include a basketball uniform, soccer uniform, gymnastics outfit, swim suits and beach towels from swim lessons, L's med school white coat, scrubs, dress shirts and khakis, variety of kids' clothes sizes 6, 4 and 12-24 month, etc. Whew, no wonder the poor thing started screeching. I understand--I folded, ironed and put it all away! :)

I made the curtain and the "WASH" letters a while back. This week I bought this new tall, rolling laundry basket (I was hoping the machine door wouldn't hit it, but it still does so I have to be careful.) Lane hung the hooks for me that I got at Hobby Lobby and also hung a picture above the hooks. I'm happy to have a place to hang our diaper bags, backpacks, my purse, etc. They were hanging on the dining room chair before this. I bought non-skid mats and cut them to fit on top of the w/d so the baskets don't scratch the top. I'm trying to keep the top of the dryer clear for a folding space. I think I might get a very small rug, and I would also like to hang my ironing board on the wall behind the door. Otherwise, I'm happy with my little work space. I seem to spend a lot of time in here! In fact, I sat in here with the door shut this morning so I could eat my waffle and drink a cup of coffee in peace! ha ha!

This photograph is of my Great-Granny Kirkland, born March 12, 1905. She passed away shortly before I turned seven, so sadly I didn't get the chance to know her well. She and my sister shared the same birthdate. I love this baby picture of her in her pretty dress and bow. I think it's sweet how she's holding her hands too.

It has been a strange week because Lane worked the night shift Wed-Fri nights. Things have just felt off around here. I signed up to be one of the two room moms for R's class, and we had a meeting Thursday evening. Any of my teacher friends--do you have ideas/suggestions for what would be some neat ways to make the teacher's job easier this year? Last night we went to eat at Dixie Cafe, today I went to the grocery store (along with everyone else in town) and tomorrow we have church, a wedding practice (R), intramural football game (L) and a trip to Hot Springs for L's Mom's birthday dinner. I should be in bed!

*********

Remembering 9/11/01 today and praying for families who lost loved ones. Lane and I had only been married about 2 1/2 months. We were driving to work together when we heard the news of the first plane on the radio. We went upstairs to the office and watched the story unfold along with the others in our office. What a terrifying day that was.