In years past, the first indicator that YD and roommate were home from college for the holidays was the sound of the washing machine, followed closely by YD’s one known piano piece. The machine ran constantly after that. I ;earned to have my laundry completed well before they came home.
There are two household appliances that scream “drudgery” to me: the vacuum cleaner and the washing machine. Barring an emergency (e.g. vomiting, spilled food), those two appliances are not allowed to run on holidays, so the Yuletide restriction is no laundry between 4:00 p.m. December 24 and the morning of December 26. The silence of halted housework and black olives for dinner were holiday markers.
Today is Christmas Eve Day and yes, the washing machine is running (my load). I noticed that I was getting close to the deadline so scurried to claim the machine following linens for a houseguest.
I may be a little more sensitive now that the laundry room is just outside our bedroom. When Blue Boy decides to throw a load in at 10 p.m., we get to listen to it for the next 75 minutes or so while he retreats to his bedroom out of earshot.
But I cannot moan, remembering how privileged we are: the boys and we do our laundry in a machine that does all the work. How many people in the world envy that?
How privileged I am that my stress comes from blessings, not from want.
