Chirping birdies

Today is Laundry Day. Don't you love Laundry Day? I do. Even when I was a dweller of apartment buildings, and had to lug my dirty bits and bobs to the basement, pay the price of a Happy Meal, pray that nobody riffled my unmentionables, and make the trip four times, I enjoyed Laundry Day. I had a special wooden box I kept loonies and quarters in, and collecting the needed Laundry Day coins became something of a hobby. I even have a Laundry Day outfit - an old sundress now unfit for public consumption which is just perfect for doing chores around the house.

Of course, I am single, and therefore the only knickers I have to wash are my own, and (practically) everything I own will fit into two loads - three tops. I have enough stock of essentials that I inaugurate a Laundry Day every two weeks. I know that for some of you Readers, every day is Laundry Day, which must diminish the specialness of the occasion. But isn't it lovely to have your things come out looking and smelling so clean? To know that your wardrobe is once again fully loaded and ready for whatever? It's a great comfort to me, to know that every sock I own is clean and waiting for me in their little drawer. I love love love having fresh sheets on the bed, clean jammies to wear, and refluffed towels to bury my face in. Heavenly!

Before you start to think that I'm an absolute lunatic, I must tell you that I abhor ironing, and I loathe... absolutely dread... putting the laundry away. I don't mind the folding and putting into piles so much - that is, after all, imposing order on chaos - but, ugh, the putting away! It seems utter cruelty that after you've endured... survived... the hours of sorting, pre-treating, monitoring cycles, switching machines...repeating, sorting again, folding, putting into piles, not to mention lugging all your things up and down the stairs, you still are not done! There is yet more work to do!

This is where the chirping birdies come in handy. Remember those Walt Disneyfied fairy tales? The beautiful young heroine whistling while she worked, and dancing all over the place, looking oh so happy and ready to be swept away by a handsome prince who just happened by and became captivated by her ever-present smile? Well, she could afford to be all beautiful and smiley and singing and stuff... the chirping birdies were doing all the hard work! You pay attention the next time you see a beautiful maiden doing laundry: someone else is putting it away!