Laundry Day

These are pictures of my Monitor washer that I've owned for about five years. Paid $100 for it in an antique shop and everyone thought I was nuts. It holds about 10 gallons of water; has a side agitator; the rollers detach for storing inside the washer; and a metal lid clamps over the top when the machine's not in use. The motor does not work and I've never bothered to replace it. After all, the idea was to have a washer that could be used when the grid is down. I let the clothes sit about an hour, then plunge it with my hands or a dowel. The rinse water from the previous load becomes the wash water for the next load. I've washed everything except blankets, quilts and jackets in this little machine and I LOVE it!

The hot/cold water valve broke on our other machine and it takes $37 and 8 days to get the part. We've ordered it but I think I'll continue to use the Monitor for the rest of the summer, at least. I fill it with five dishpans of hot water, add a little soap and it's all set. Sweetie replaced the hose on the side about three years ago; otherwise it's in original condition. It sits on our deck and I just drain the water through the deck. The clothesline is attached via a pulley to a tall deck post so I don't even step off the deck to hang clothes! Talk about innovation! Now, if the previous owners hadn't attached the other end of the pulley to a beautiful birch tree, it would have been the perfect set up. Alas, the tree is dying because of their ignorance.

Thought some of you might be inspired to think outside the box regarding your laundry. Have a great day, Treesong