And here it is:
“I love ya honey, but I am not cleaning out your jeans’ pockets before I put them in the washer” “Not!”
It is only natural that you would wonder why I have this rule. If your husband is a stockbroker or a bank president or a teacher, your laundry is not like mine. Not even a little.
My husband is in construction and mostly commercial construction which is a very dirty business. The pockets of Larry’s jeans – I would rather stick my hand in….. Actually I don’t like sticking my hands in anything yucky. I like playing in garden dirt. I like kneading bread. I like separating eggs by hand. I will wipe drool off a baby’s chin with my hand. But not yucky things. And I especially dislike it if I don’t know what is in there. I can not begin to guess what is in the pockets of Larry’s jeans. Whatever it is, it gets under my nails and creeps me out. So he is supposed to clean them out himself.
He has good intentions, but he gets distracted. He forgets. And I ain’t sticking my hand in those pockets. [Unless there is money in there – I can always tell if there is money] So, when the jeans are all clean and dry and I take them out of the dryer, I often find a bunch of these little things:
Do you recognize them? They are ear plugs. Guys on construction sites are supposed to wear them to protect their hearing because the machines are really noisy. And Larry needs his hearing so he doesn’t miss anything I say, right? There are boxes of these earplugs on the job and everyone grabs a new pair or two every day and apparently when you take them out of your ears, you put them in your pocket. Me? I would throw them away, but maybe that isn’t macho or something? It is probably that there isn’t a garbage can handy, but really I don’t know.
These are all nicely washed and dried. I thought I would put together an artsy-fartsy composition of them – my own Stonehenge of the laundry room. I call it “Earplugs on a Washing Machine”
What do you think? Will it sell?
To give daddy a little credit I also put the ear plugs back in my pocket when I’m done with them. Not because it macho, but because you never know when you might need them again. I of course always empty my pockets before I wash my laundry. Oh and the art makes me think your a wierdo
Wow–where have I been? They now come in COLORS? Last time I saw them they were just plain blue.
I bet if you were really diligent you could make a rainbow out of them—well you would need more, of course. And pay no attention to Lauren’s comment…she is sleep deprived and has sand in her ears. lol
Once I washed my husband’s dress pants with his wallet and paycheck in a pocket. Voila! His pockets have been empty ever since.
I should think that once washed and dried they SHOULD be reused LOl…sotnehenge … great one.
Hugs Laura
LOL. That’s funny. I have to check all the pockets because I hate finding kleenex lints all over my darks! Now what really aggravates me si that I’m usually the culprit!
ACK!!!
=)
Just earplugs? Man! You are getting off easy. Not only are there earplugs from my husbands pockets, but electrical bits, pieces of wire, screws and a whole bunch of things I can’t identify. He still doesn’t empty out his pockets – although he makes sure his cell phone isn’t attached to his pants since I washed that!
Oh heck no olly – that is not all by a long shot. It is just the most picturesque item that I see coming through the wash!
Lauren – you already know that I am wierd. It is where you get it from probably ;)
Ness – they come in every sort of color and thiose pretty rainbo-ey ones. And Larry takes no care whatsoever that his earplugs match his lunchbox or socks or anything!
Meredith – I have washed a few things I wish I hadn’t, but I do sort of check the weight to make sure there is nothing really important in there!
laura – maybe I should start an earplug recycling company and get filthy rich and then Larry wouldn’t have to work at all. His jeans would stay clean then [not at all actually – some of the worst jeans come from stuff he is doing right around here.]
Ashleigh – I know what you mean, but the dryer does take care of most of that and I don’t wash my clothes with his EVER! ;D
Oh I am laughing so hard…that’s great and funny.
Actually, I think it is rather great! lol
I am enjoying your blog and your photography and your wit.
Can’t wait to read more!
God bless-
Amanda
Too funny, I knew what they were right away, but I never have seen the tie-dye colors. I like the name you gave it. Maybe with all that you find you can make a complete work of art. If you’re like us you probably find washers, screws, etc. Just think of the endless possibilities.
And on another note: I love your photography, it’s stunning!
I, too, was suprised to see the vast array of colors. The last time I wore them they came in two color blue or yellow depending on the manufacturer.
You could glue them all to a board together and have 3-D art. Then you could frame and sell it for millions of dollars. You could name it “Safety Revolution.” You could support your entire family on the profit. Yep, that is what I think you should do.
Very intersting composition.
Love what you called it.
The one thing that I have washed a few times is my husbands’ wallet.
Oops–and he can’t get angry because I have told him many times it is not my job to check his pockets!
“Stonehenge of the laundry room” … ROFL, I love it!! I think it will absolutely sell. :)
Thanks for stopping by, and the congrats. And I love all your pholx pictures; we had them everywhere around here, but it’s getting so hot that they’re starting to fade. I love seeing them come out in the spring, though!
~Brea
Love your Stonehenge! I don’t check pockets either. Many, many guitar picks have come through. Both older children have done their own laundry and washed their iPods. One made it, the other did not. Ear buds, cash, change, ink pens, the list is really endless. Pokemon cards are probably my favorite. :)
Stonehenge!! LOL!!! I have some hot pink earplugs like these that I wear when my DH snores~~~
I don’t blame you for not wanting to check his pockets.
I don’t check pockets either and I don’t turn socks right side out. I find everything from electrical wire to pocket knives.
And thanks for commenting on my blog a few days ago! Made my day.
Nice sculpture, beautiful colors.
I believe in emptying pockets. If I didn’t, I might never have found out my ex was enjoying “extracurricular activities.” Ahem.
Very Artsy Fartsy. I think I will start using that…
Boy that picture says alot about my life too. I am always finding ear plugs in my washer, as well as carpenter’s pencils and from time to time a small tool. The first time I found Husband’s cell phone in the washer, he started checking his pockets. VICTORY!
http://www.illusivejoy.wordpress.com
I stopped checking pockets when the boys started putting baby snakes and other live things in them. I once opened the washer to add some clothes and saw a baby water moccasin go by. Soon there after they learned to do their own laundry.
Steve always empties his pockets I am sure this is because he was a batchelor so long before we married. He probably learned to empty them after washing his own stuff! I am usually the one who leaves the kleenexes….YUCK
As for Stonehenge .. That’s really great! Definitely ROFL.
Love it
Ha! My hubby is in construction, too. But, I’M the one with all the earplugs everywhere (he snores like a freight train). I keep them in a pile under my pillow, and Hubby refers to them as my “treasures”. He gets annoyed at finding them all over the place.