The Washing

Astorga, octubre 2011

The days are very much ordered by the availability of resources.
When you don't have a clothes dryer, as most don’t, for example, you must hang everything on the line early to get the most drying done from the sun as it appears between the flats and buildings. This is what we did while living in our flat; haul laundry up four flights of stairs to a hopefully sunny roof and shared clothes-line.

Los días están muy ordenados por la disponibilidad de los recursos.
Cuando no tienes una secadora de ropa, como la mayoría, por ejemplo, debes colgar tu ropa temprano en el tendal para aprovechar al máximo el secado al sol desde que aparece entre los pisos y edificios. Esto es lo que hacíamos, viviendo en nuestro piso, pujar la colada cuatro tramos de escalera hasta el tendedero de la azotea compartida, esperando que el día fuera soleado.

And, since the utility charges are less in the early morning 

and late at night, one must put a laundry load in each night before bed to wash and collect first thing in the morning when you wake up to hang on the line.   

Y, dado que la tarifa eléctrica es más barata por la mañana temprano y por la noche, hay que poner una carga de ropa por la noche a lavar antes de acostarse y recogerla a primera hora de la mañana cuando te despiertas para colgarla en el tendal.

Yesterday, among our English class prompts was. . .  "My favorite toy is. . ."  and my enthusiastic and immediate response was the amazing white BoschXX7 who is now nestled next to our narrow washing machine on the first floor of our townhouse. I love her. She has a sensor that registers how long clothes should continue to dry and then stops automatically when they're finished. She makes clothes smell so nice, warm and fresh. No more dampness, no moldy smells.  Clothes tumble warm on very cold days before putting them on. You don't know what you take for granted until you lose it.  Now I'm singing clothes dryer praises.

Ayer, entre los estímulos de la clase de inglés estaba... "Mi juguete favorito es..." y mi inmediata y entusiasta respuesta fue la blanca e increíble BoschXX7 que se encuentra ahora al lado de la estrecha lavadora en el primer piso de nuestra casa. Yo la amo. Ella tiene un sensor que detecta cuándo la ropa ya está seca y luego se detiene automáticamente. Ella hace que la ropa huela tan agradable, cálida y fresca. No hay más humedad, no huele a moho. La ropa gira hasta calentarse en los días muy fríos antes de ponérmela. Tú no sabes lo que tienes hasta que lo pierdes. Ahora estoy cantando alabanzas a la secadora.

"Just lamb, hang Miss Raggedy on the line in the bright sunshine for half an hour," said Dinah, "an you won’t know her when she comes off!"

So Raggedy Ann was pinned to the clothes-line, out in the sunshine, where she was swaying and twisting in the breeze and listening to the chatter of robins in a nearby tree.

From time to time Dinah went out and rolled and patted Raggedy until her cotton stuffing was soft and dry and fluffy and her head and arms and legs were nice and round again.

Then she took Raggedy Ann into the house and showed Marcella and Mamma how clean and sweet she was.

Marcella took Raggedy Ann right up to the nursery and told all the dolls just what had happened and how sorry she was that she had been so cross when she dressed them. And while the dolls never said  a word they were looking at their little mistress with love in their eyes as she was sitting in the little red rocking chair and holding Raggedy Ann tightly in her arms.

And Raggedy Ann’s remaining button eye looked up at her little mistress in rather a naughty manner, but upon her face was the same old smile of happiness, good humor and love.

One of my all time favorites down to Marcella's (like my last name)  red rocking chair. Thanks Mom for buying and reading me all of the Raggedy stories we could find!