Rain was forecast for later but we took a chance and did the washing this morning as it was a lovely blowy day, just right for getting the sheets dry.
There’s something about washing that’s been dried outside, and the thought of getting into bed tonight with fresh linens holds a certain amount of appeal.
We have a straight wash line here now, having replaced the rotary when it collapsed fully laden.
It is mesmerizing to watch the billowing cotton as it swells and swings, the wooden prop rocking back and forth.
The duvet cover and matching pillow cases are only a few years old, but the bottom sheet is one of an original pair given to us as a wedding gift 23 years ago. It’s mate was binned last year as it was threadbare. This one is also thin and there are a couple of holes in the edge where it caught on the bed springs once. The pillow cases are a different shade now too, either from too many washings or changes in soap powder.
Our bedding is not completely colour co-ordinated. The bottom sheet and pillow case will match, as will the duvet and pillow cases, but the sheet and the duvet? Nah. To us, it’s for sleeping in, not for looking pretty.
But when we move, we will be dumping a lot of the old tired stuff or using them as dust sheets if we put things into storage.
In a way, it will be sad to see them go. But you can’t complain when something used so frequently has lasted so long.
It isn’t just linens that will be sorted either.
Bigger things that are failing and held together with sticky tape (hoover) , rivets (lawn mower) , or caked with limescale (kettle) and temperamental (toaster) will all be having one way trips to the tip, as will the three piece suite thanks to a 22 stone visitor who misjudged his seating position with a bang and our bed.
Not that we have been having bedroom olympics
or swan dives off the wardrobe
but the metal frame is broken. It ‘boings’ at the most inopportune moments, ‘twangs’ when we roll over in the night and we can’t always blame the dog for the groans and moans.
Hubby has already repaired it twice, but again for its age (15 years) , it’s done us proud.
