I admit it...

I hated hanging laundry out to dry when I was 12 and it was such a CHORE! Ugh! And our clothes line ran right through the dogwood tree in the yard below my bedroom window and even in the winter, we used the clothesline sometimes and the ground under the dogwood would freeze over like a dang ice skating rink...Meh. Not fond memories.

But now, I'm thinking of the 6-10% I could save on our electric bill every year, how much it would reduce our carbon footprint, and how much longer my jeans would last if I weren't drying them in the dryer. (Lint is fabric waste!) And all of CS Dad's tie-dyes would last another 5 years and Spawn's underwear and socks wouldn't disappear somewhere between the hamper and the opening of the dryer because I'd have to account for them as I was hanging them and pairing them up...Sweet!

I was reading the article below (linked to from one of the many blogs I read daily), and it occurred to me that the only reason we don't use a clothesline is because I hated the chore when I was 12. Now I'm thinking about all that time I could be spending outside in the fresh air, doing this relaxing, mindless chore, and listening to Spawn run around with the dog in the yard. We need more reasons to go outside and how great would it be to have that barrier of sheets and towels providing a bit of privacy in the yard from our neighbors?. I'm going to start looking for a retractable clothesline and some space to hang it in our yard. I'll let you know how it goes.

http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/07/22/hills_hoist/

Chrissi, Cyber School Mom