Laundry

When I was living in the United States I took my laundry machines for granted, I know that now.  Laundry here is an event, and one that lasts a loooong time.  My machine works well and gets clothes clean.  It is very small and in theory washes and dries.  BUT, the dryer is so hot that I only use that cycle for towels, dishcloths, napkins, socks and underwear.  And when the load comes out of the dryer everything is still damp, so it still needs to be hung or spread out to finish drying.  Oh, and that load takes four, yes FOUR hours to wash and (semi) dry.  The cycle I use on everything else takes only one hour and then we hang it on a drying rack which is currently on our sun porch.  Things dry fairly quickly, within a day usually.  Sometimes the waistbands of jeans take a bit longer.  And there was damp month before the heat came on in the fall when everything took FOREVER to dry.  I thought things were going to mold. . .The capacity of the washer is about three pairs of jeans or four towels.  I am thankful to have found a scent and color free laundry detergent.  I am also thankful for the pink bottle labeled Vanish that works like Oxyclean.  I haven't found a liquid beach but I figure the hot water is taking care of the germ bugs.  Laundry is certainly more of a challenge here than it was in the states, but I am thankful for the machine I do have.