OK, let's try this again.
Tomorrow I was hoping to be ready for a sprint in our school work. Although we have been working on school for three weeks now, it has been sporadic and inconsistent--just too many other things going on for us. I was pleased yesterday because things were looking well in order. My house was straight and somewhat clean, and all I had to do today was a couple of quick things and look at lesson plans. Unfortunately, everything today went wrong.
We went to a lake party yesterday (see photos on my other blog), and so there were still things left from that to pick up and put away. To complicate matters, I put off working on my Sunday school lesson until last night, so I was up pretty late, and passed out this afternoon. When I finally got up, I worked on some laundry, put some things in order, and started dinner. I helped Josh with homework (because he is doing FL Virtual Schools online, he sometimes falls behind and has to make up work as homework), and began cleaning up the kitchen. The boys got ready for bed and wanted me to tuck them in, and on the way upstairs I stopped to check the laundry. That was when I found an additional step back . . . or actually EIGHT steps back.
My laundry sorter (names have been left off to protect the innocent), forgot to check the pockets, and tonight there happened to be three brightly colored crayons in the pocket of a pair of pants belonging to a different boy. The crayons were fine until they hit the dryer, where they left bright rainbow-colored stains on the ENTIRE load of colored permanent press clothes (including some of my favorite things!). I called a friend in desperation, not knowing how to get crayon out of an ENTIRE load of laundry. I got some good suggestions, but not the "this is what has worked for me" answer I was hoping for, so I headed for the Internet.
After finding a myriad of choices, including all kinds of chemical combinations, and WD-40 (Isn't is amazing how that stuff is good for EVERYTHING?), I copied a coupld choices and headed down to the laundry room. I realized I coulnd't do anything with the stained load until I had moved the load in the washer, and before I moved it I had to make sure the dryer drum wasn't going to reinfect another load with crayon. So I went to work scrubbing out the drum with a Mr. Clean magic sponge. The progress was dismally slow, so I finally put it aside and started working with the WD-40 . . . until I happened to look down at the can only to discover . . . it's FLAMMABLE!!! Ok, who was the bubble-head who didn't notice that WD-40 is a flammable liquid, and doesn't everyone know you aren't supposed to use flammable liquids in your dryer!!! After I cleaned the WD-40 out of the dryer with a soapy wash cloth and rinsed it well, I started again with the Magic Sponge, but finally gave up. I figure if it takes that much work to scrub it out, what are the chances it will just come off on my laundry (although at the moment I am rethinking that and figuring that the way tonight has gone--pretty good.).
Now I have the dryer running (with the fire extinguisher sitting close to the door of the laundry room), and a concoction of chemicals in my washer, in HOT water with permanent press I would NEVER wash in hot water. I decided that if I survive the asphyxiation, I might actually salvage a few items. Of course they'll probably only fit AJ's teddy bears, but the whole load was pretty much toast, so it can't get much worse.
On top of such a thrilling evening, I wrote all this out, only to have it disappear into cyber-space. Decided it was entertaining enough to write again (plus I can't find a shoulder to cry on at midnight!). And to increase the excitement, my a/c unit is dripping and I don't think it's draining properly. Not sure who to call to help me figure this one out. Who says being a full-time homemaker isn't exciting? |
