Washing

Washing. Why is this such a tedious chore in this country? Thankfully we've got a communal washer/dryer set in the entryway to our block of flats. Many people have to go to places like the laundrymat a few doors down. But the washing routine still has its oddities. The "short" cycle on the washing machine takes TWO hours! At least I've learned to time it now so I don't have to keep going out in the hall to check if it's done yet (which is no fun at all in the winter cause the non-heated entryway is FREEZING)...Of course size is an issue, as well. We've supposedly got the extra-large washer. I can't even imagine what the small must be like. I usually end up cramming as many things in as possible and quickly slamming the door shut to keep it in. That's probably about 1/2 to 3/4 a load in a normal American washer. Then there's the drying. At least we have a dryer, which many people don't have. Of course, some things I line dry and that doesn't take too long cause I leave our little heater on all the time. I think there were a couple of months in the summer last year when I could actually turn it off. It's still on the highest setting at the moment. Although I can tell the days aren't quite as cold as they have been, because it's more bearable to go into the kitchen. In the middle of winter the kitchen is as cold as it is outside. Hey, I guess I could use it like a great big fridge! I know this isn't terribly interesting, but I just thought I'd share one of those glimpses of normal, daily life here at 139.