clothesline

One of my childhood memories is helping Mom with laundry. On spring days that meant handing her items as she pinned things to the clotheslines. It also meant everyone making a mad dash outside when the unexpected thunderstorm came up to snatch things off the line as quickly as you could, and the next day re-positioning springs in the clothespins. And of course, when the dryer was used, our job was to fold the clothes.

Someone sent me an article link today about the pros and cons of line-drying. They discussed bacteria (the heat from clothes dryers will kill quite a bit whereas line drying does not), wrinkles, environmental issues, and spatial issues. But here's things they didn't mention that I found to be a problem as a child:

1. Bird poop - There's nothing more disgusting than taking down a "clean" item only to find it marred with bird manure. Or even worse, having it splattered on you as a bird arrives/departs from the tree holding the line.
2. Pets - Dogs and cats LOVE clotheslines. Cats will shred, bat, roll up in, and otherwise demolish clothes blowing in the breeze. Dogs just bite them and leave holes or tear marks. Granted, they don't like clean clothes as much as dirty ones, but it's still a toy in their minds.
3. Stiffness - Towels and blue jeans from a clothesline have a stiff feel to them. Being a comfort girl, I adore the extra softness that comes with clothes from a dryer. I never noticed a difference with cotton sheets, but it does make a difference in towels and wash cloths.
4. Time - Sometimes clothes don't dry quickly. If you have a big family and a lot of clothes to do, the clothesline isn't always the best option in busy weeks.
   

On the opposite side, here's some advantages they forgot to mention:

1. Games - Sheets and towels hanging on either side make a great place to hide during games or for pretending.
   
2. Funny songs in church - your sister, who is young and hasn't learned to read yet, will think they are singing "Bringing in the sheets" (instead of sheaves), making the old hymn quite funny
3. Clothespins - Do you know how many hours children can occupy themselves playing with such an item? Of course, today you probably can't buy the wooden ones for fear of splinters and the springs might pinch a finger or two. Who from my generation hasn't used a wooden clothespin in an arts craft?

I don't remember what tv show it was, but there was some lady who moved somewhere uppity where they didn't allow clotheslines. It was supposed to be classless. When the male neighborhood committee came to complain, she started hanging up her unmentionables. We found that quite funny. I find it interesting that something so simple and practical is now "avant garde" and making a comeback. I won't be having one put up anytime soon thanks to our pooches, but I'm certainly not opposed to them!