Many of you know that I have a thing about air drying our clothes. Unfortunately, I do not have a fancy-smancy, nor handy-dandy, laundry line….just a make-do-with-whatcha’-got line that is cobbled from an inexpensive retractable single line attached to my garage and ending on at a tall pvc pipe slipped over a t-post. Isn’t that something?

Last year I reported to you that we had cut our utility costs by 33% for the months of June/July and that I felt that solar drying and cold water washing made the huge difference. Unfortunately, my solar drying is meeting with some opposition this year from Hais and JMorgan. Both cannot stand the smell of fresh, air dried laundry…nor do they care for the crisp feel of nature on their clothes. Between their protests and my own issues with my life being totally unorganized I confess that my solar dryer is not getting much attention this summer. I still hang MY nicer clothes up in the basement instead of letting the dryer vent fill up with the threads from my favorite garments, but I have to admit that I have thrown loads of towels into the dryer lately.

Maybe the wet beginnings of summer kept me from getting in the groove with things…or maybe it is that I am just being lazy because my thoughts are scattered from here to yon. Who knows? Maybe today will be the day I begin to work toward re-establishing my old laundry habits. Hais’ comforter is hanging on the line as I write. She will be home from school in a few hours…maybe it will be dry before she arrives and I can just throw it in on her bed without her noticing. Maybe she won’t notice the lovely aroma…maybe it will soke up the “aroma” from her room before she gets home….maybe I can get away with saving some money while making a tiny impact on energy overuse.  We’ll see.

For those of you who are looking for ideas and motivation for solar drying your own clothes, I strongly urge you to take a look at Project Laundry List. From their website….

“Project Laundry List is making air-drying laundry acceptable and desirable

as a simple and effective way to save energy.

Save approximately 15% on your energy bill.

Do your laundry the green way.

Want your clothes to last longer?
Use a clothesline and cold water wash.”

They even have a store where the profits benefit the non-profit Project Laundry List.

See what I ordered? Adorable! I can hardly wait for it to arrive…..

from the website….
Nova Scotia Dress Clothespin Bag

“These beautiful bags are sewn in Nova Scotia by a woman who spent decades pinning things up on her clothesline. She wanted to have a place to store the pins that was attractive and whimsical. We bring you…the Nova Scotia Dress Clothespin Bag.”

Stop by and take a look at all they have to offer at the Project Laundry List Store.

DD1 (we have to decide an alias for her soon) has moved back up here, from Texas, to attend summer school with Hais. This is the first time in many years that they have attended the same school at the same time. Both are taking 6 hours this first summer session and after the first day, both realize the huge challenge before them.

Life promises to become very interesting these next few weeks, as the stress of working…taking classes…and still wanting to be a kid…all mesh together in this short semester. I hope that all of you will be sending me good vibes and lots of positive thoughts to get us through these weeks.

DD1 and Hais on the first day of attending college together. The “grann-mobile” is in the background.

We are in Oklahoma City this weekend to celebrate Christmas with J-Mo. Celebrating Christmas in a hotel isn’t most peoples’ idea of a perfect Christmas, but we are having a great time. Last night we spent the evening at Pops in Arcadia, Oklahoma (just east of Edmond). I have been hoping to visit there for over a year now, but I am so glad now that we waited and enjoyed the experience together. Take a look at their website here.

This is what we sat next to while we dined.

It was fun trying some different flavors of soda. My favorite of the evening was Dr. Pepper with White Chocolate, DH and Hais opted for Vanilla Dr. Pepper. J-Mo had Cherry Diet Coke, which she said was the best she had ever tried.

The food was simple, delicious, plentiful, AND reasonable.

It doesn’t look like it in this photo, but the Cheeseburger was large…however, maybe not as large as Hais’. She ordered the 7 oz. Pop’s Burger made from beef brought in from the NoName Ranch in Wynnewood, Oklahoma. The beef is free of pesticides, hormones, and antibiotics and qualifies for the 100 Mile Diet for the locals because NoName Ranch is only 85 miles from Arcadia. I would like to think that these are the reasons Hais chose this burger, but I know better. The choice was made because she could add bacon, jalapenos, and special cheeses..haha! Nevertheless, it WAS a yummy choice! Check out the description on the Pops Menu.
I had never tried fried WHOLE okra, but I know this is how I will be cooking it at from now on. I am just a bit sad that I didn’t think of this on my own.  YUM! Afterward, I tried my hand at some time exposures of the beautiful 66 trees for Route 66… …followed by some antics in front of the neon bottle.

With being out of town, I did not have an opportunity to compose a new photo for the theme. Luckily, I found this photo from last year, of Hais and Blondie.