Wednesday, July 19, 2006

Random observations

When outdoor temps hit 90F by 9 am and max out at 108F by 4 pm, it doesn't take much time at all for laundry hung in the sunroom to become bone-dry.

Laundry hung to dry on hangers is prefolded when dry. For instance, bath towels, dish towels, cloth napkins, washcloths hung on the hanger crossbar as though it's a towel bar. Kid t-shirts hung similarly, or big t-shirts folded in half lengthwise and then hung over the crossbar of the hanger.

There is nothing like the crispness of a woven linen or cotton garment hung to dry. At least, if you don't iron, like me. Crisp! Cotton knit t-shirts do the same thing, but the effect isn't nearly as striking. Crunch! Crinkle! Crisp!

Get a library book for kids about playing the piano and put it in front of a six-year-old who really wants to play, and he will spend lots of spare time the next two days exploring the book and learning stuff. Reminds me a LOT of when he (Son2) was beginning to learn to read but only knew the sounds that went with the letters. And was determined to learn how to do this thing! I used that, telling Son2 that the written music was a code to learn.

Even when the air is 108F, a big outdoor swimming pool feels really nice. Well, nice enough. Even better when you get all wet in the chest-deep water, then stand up and let the light breeze cool your wet skin a little bit. Repeat until Son2 is done with swim class.

When you don't water your lawn and you hand-water selected plants, a city-wide mandatory ban on outdoor water use (a city-to-city water main broke, so our city can't buy extra water until it's fixed) doesn't bother you too much. Until you realize that means no sprinkler play for the kids in the evening. But then it occurs to you that squirt guns and water balloons should be okay, hehehe. I take nearly-Navy showers anyway, so I guess I do my part...

1 comment:

Melessa Gregg said...

I'm writing down that pre-folded laundry tip. One of the big selling points for this house was all the tucked away clothes lines in the laundry room and outside on the patio.

We now have well-water, but aren't big lawn waterers ourselves. I don't know how deep our well is or how "infinite" our supply. Better to save it for the future.