Sunday, July 6, 2008

Check in for Chile

Drumroll, please! It's time to check in for Chile's peak oil addiction challenge.

I am happy to report ZERO air conditioning usage for the week. I must confess, the weather was mild for a few days, so it was easy to bring down the temperatures in the house with some open windows in the evening and closed windows and blinds during the daytime. This weekend got a little sunny and warm, but we solved that by being out on the lake. A little tree swinging over the 75 degree water cools boys right off!

I am also equally giddy to report outdoor drying of a couple of loads of laundry. Even without a drying rack (mine seems to have gone missing... I am betting a few boys borrowed it for some kind of fort or project) I was able to use some patio furniture to dry the doggie bed cover (it met with a little pee-pee accident as the result of ridiculous fireworks. I used some chairs and the boat tube to dry all the boating towels.

Next week I am challenging myself to locate the drying rack and to line dry all the bath towels, sheets and kitchen towels. Baby steps, baby steps people. I am a slow moving suburbanite. Thanks Chile, I appreciate the challenge!

8 comments:

hmd said...

That's great! Good job with the AC! We're talking about putting in a clothes line. Haven't gotten to that project yet, but working on it!

Unknown said...

I love my clothesline! Nothing smells better than laundry fresh from the line!

Joan said...

That's funny about the drying rack. My daughter is always using our stuff around the house for some project. I love her creativity but it can be annoying when I can't locate things. I've been taking the trashy approach and draping our sheets on the deck railing to dry. We live in a wooded lot so no one can tell away. It's southern exposure and in the summer they dry quicker than in the dryer.

Joyce said...

Baby steps are fine. Good for you! Every little bit helps. Dont' forget the shower rod as a possible place to hang things to dry. That's a really good option for shirts that can be dried on hangers.

Chile said...

LOL, no boys here but we made a blockade with the drying rack on July 4 to keep the dog from roaming around the whole house. I just put it on its side and covered it with a sheet. Good job on the creative drying!

Non-stop evap cooler use here unfortunately. It's HOT.

Oh yeah, another good use for the drying rack is drying pasta. It's perfect for draping spaghetti or fettucine strands...

EcoBurban said...

LOL, if I used my drying rack for pasta? The dogs would find it a "treat drying rack". Angel must be an exquisitely trained dog to leave fresh pasta just hanging around!

EcoBurban said...

heather - I wish we were allowed a clothesline here in suburbia, but my neighbors would call code enforcement and a black car would be here in about 30 minutes and then I would be the talk of the neighborhood - again! Shhh, I sorta like being a crap-disturber!

bobbi - I love the smell of line dried sheets - it's like childhood to me!

joan - My boys can find a use for any household object. Furniture, dishes, appliances you name it! Science projects, baseball bases etc. (yes, apparently dinner plates can be used as home plate!)

Joyce - that's not a bad idea for some of my things, though, reminding the boys to take them down BEFORE turning on the shower may be a challenge. Seriously, they don't see things right in front of them!!

Chile - When is that cookbook coming out anyway? I need your vegan, dog resistant pasta recipe for my drying rack. Once I requistion it from the boys and sterilize it of course! ;O)

Chile said...

Sigh, I don't know. I was serious about it a couple of years ago but now I'm not sure. Rather than a cookbook, I'd probably want to pull together all the things I like to blog about. Haven't had any editors knocking at my door, though, nor have I knocked on theirs. Too busy writing, canning, cooking, and commenting on other people's blogs.

I haven't made homemade pasta since we got Angel (yeah, in almost a year!) So, I don't know if she would be good. I suspect not considering she ate the end off a loaf of bread this past week. Bad dog!