Adventures in Laundering

I was 18 before I washed my first load of laundry. I was working a summer camp, and since all my clothes were dirty I was standing in front of a washing machine, no detergent (is that what you call it?), and an extreme reluctance to confess I didn't know how to work it. But sometimes hard things just have to be conquered, and I asked for help. I think I was the highlight of that person's day.

When I relate that story to other people, they always respond "Lucky! My mom made me start doing my own laundry when I was three!" (Of course, I am being facetious). What can I say? My mom didn't mind doing laundry, and as long as I folded and put away my laundry she was quite content to wash it. There were several areas in which she never allowed us to help, the prime example being the yard. No one touched her yard. And she kept it beautiful.

So now we have established that I am ignorant in laundry matters. I do try and keep light and dark colors separate, but there are many occasions that I just don't care. And recently I decided to wash my new, bright green kitchen rugs with my white bathroom rugs. There was a tiny voice in my head whispering that this was a bad idea, I should wash them separately. Did I listen? No! I have more important things to do!

So when I opened my washer I discovered that I had died everything green. I do mean everything. My once-white bathroom rugs? An uneven sea green.

So I decided that I was going to rectify the situation. My white bathroom rugs were almost a lovely sea-green color-I could just wash them and those bright green rugs together again! Brilliant! This time I was careful to not include anything that I preferred being white.

So I waited, rather impatiently, for my washer-dying to finish the cycle, pulled out my former white bathroom rugs, and behold! A gorgeous, uniform, sea-green color. I am a genius.

Just don't ever ask me to do your laundry. You may not recognize the clothes that make it out.