Simple Living with Wanda Urbanska

Wanda's Diary Entries

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

The pleasures of the clothesline!

When “greenovating” my Sunflower House—a process that we’ve documented on two of the green remodeling shows in the upcoming season of Simple Living—an old-fashioned clothesline was something I decided I could not live without. In fact, I checked into the covenants for the subdivision into which I moved last September to be sure they allowed for clotheslines before moving forward to purchase my home. (Luckily, back in the 1950s, my subdivision did not disallow clothes fluttering in the wind, on public view, as I understand some “upscale” subdivisions do today.)

Sure, I’ve had experience hanging wet clothes out on the line before—as a kid, living in rented houses and apartments around the country, and later when my now ex-husband and I moved to his family’s orchard in Carroll County, Virginia. But, even then, back when I was in my 20s and 30s, I was easily persuaded that my time was worth more than hanging clothes on the line. If I was on assignment for an article or busy writing an essay or book, I could justify to myself in a split second chucking wet garments in the dryer and letting the power company take care of the rest.

Today, air-drying clothing, sheets and towels has become a form of ritual, of Vitamin D therapy. Fresh, sun-kissed articles smell better. Garments last longer, and you’re not polluting our precious atmosphere for the sake of doing something that comes for free. In my new kick of clotheslinephilia, I can see no downsides.

The only one to question my new passion is my Henry, who gripes that sun-dried socks are stiff and chafe his tootsies when he pulled on. While Henry generally holds magical powers of persuasion over me, on this one issue, I will not budge.

I ignore his complaints, teasing: “If stiff socks are your greatest complaint, you’re leading a pretty darned privileged life!”