Although I was really delighted with the lovely bits and bobs that the previous owner left behind, there was one rather important item that was inexplicably missing. No washing line, no poles to attach a washing line to, nor no post to put a rotary washing line in. I can only surmise that as a single bloke he didn't worry too much about putting washing out to dry but was happy to have it festooned around the house. For the last six weeks I, too, have been forced to festoon wet washing around the house, after having futilely tried to dry it on the pation on a clothes airer. It doesn't work well at this time of the year.
I'd managed to get a post-hole concreted into the grass well before Christmas but actually getting hold of a rotary washing line - nah. What with Christmas and New Year I couldn't really be bothered to get organised. Finally, I ordered the cheapest I could find on Amazon. It arrived early on Friday morning - a lovely dry and sunny day, ideal for getting my washing properly dry for the first time in ages. I unpacked the box, fitted the various bits of the pole together, put it in the concreted post-hole and prepared to open it all out. I huffed and puffed (and swore a fair bit) and couldn't get the darn thing open. I wasn't totally surprised as I'd always struggled with the rotary washing line we had in Wickford. Totally p*ed off by this time, thinking of all the lovely sunny daylight quickly ebbing away, I phoned my friend's husband who's a very practical chap.
Within an hour they'd called at the house and within seconds it became apparent why I'd been unable to open the spokes - it had been tied round the middle with a bit of spare washing line!! A quick untangle and the whole thing was open and working and I was feeling quite the fool. Next time I can't get something to work I'll check all round that I'm not missing something really obvious and simple. Seriously, what a twerp I am. I can find myself quite scarily dense at times!! Anyway, huge thanks to A and C for all their help (again!!)
One of those "duhh" moments. I have them all the time, Elizabeth!
Posted by: Maureen | 01/15/2013 at 05:03 AM