laundry wars

(typed in the midst of sorting a mountain of laundry)

About eight years ago, I heard some sage advice from my friend Jane (of 256 fame). She said that her mother, who was one of nine children, gave her advice from her mother: Never do something housework related for your husband that you don't want to do for your kids. Makes a lot of sense to me, even just with the two we have.

Jane related this story in the context of turning unwashed laundry right-side out. She said that her grandmother wouldn't do it and just washed and folded the laundry inside-out. It didn't work the way it was supposed to; some or most of the kids would just wear their clothes inside out if it was already that way. Nonetheless, I took the advice to heart and issued due information to the savant. No longer would I revert his clothing. (I did turn the kids' clothes right-side out until they were 5.)

This has resulted in much the same way it did for Jane's grandmother: the kids wear their clothes however they find them in their drawers. The savant does revert his work clothes, but is indifferent to the condition of his tees and socks. However, it has had some unexpected consequences for me. Since I am not seeing spots, they don't get treated. When the wearer (or I, in the kids' case) discovers the spot, the item is tossed down the chute for rewashing. Ergo, I am washing clothes twice.

I am such a slow learner that this didn't reveal itself to me more than a whole YEAR after I had stopped reverting anybody's clothes. But last week, eureka. So, I have issued another proclamation. Ba ba ba BAAAA (trumpets) I Will No Longer Wash Clothes That Are Inside Out. I now have a special laundry basket for clothes deemed unacceptable for washing.

Wonder how full it will get... :evil: or what will happen when somebody runs out of clothes... :shocked:

I'll keep you all updated, 'cause we all know that info is vital to national security. If I write that, am I adding another page to my Homeland Security/FBI/CIA/NSA etc. file? Oh well.

*****

In other news, the savant is working on the problem with user comments languishing in the comment approval pile. All I can say is to keep trying, and I'll try to remind him to leave a comment when he has it fixed.