An Ode to Daylight Savings Time

I lost an hour today.
It went right out the door.

I lost an hour today.
It won't come back no more.

I lost an hour today.
I don't know what to do.

I lost an hour today.
My mind went with it, too.

I lost an hour today.
I think I'm going to weep.

I lost an hour today.
I think I need some sleep.

I lost an hour today.
It's got me in a rut.

I lost an hour today.
This time change's kickin' my butt.



Yes, with a master's degree in theoretical linguistics and a serious lack of sleep, you, too, can learn to rhyme such complicated words as "do" and "too". Unlike in the US, we switched hours only this weekend. The whole family has been out of whack since. I was up till who-knows-what-hour last night staring at the bedroom ceiling. Then, when my husband called me from downstairs to help dress the kids, I was deep in dreamland. I remember the dream, which was very odd.

I was shopping in a thrift shop I had come across, when I wandered into a room full of enormous washers and dryers. They were very 1950's futuristic, made of metal and very dome-like. They included not only the machine itself, but also a very large metal walk-in closet on each side. The idea may strike you as odd, but I'd welcome a closet just next to the folding table in our laundry room. It would certainly save me some trips up and down the stairs.

Standing there looking at their hugeness, I joined a conversation with a lady thinking of purchasing one of these monsters and the lady potentially selling it to her. The saleswoman was talking on and on about lint screens and fabric softeners. This is when I set them both straight on the ill-effects of those little dryer sheets. "Not only are they bad for the environment, because they do not biodegrade and contain all sorts of chemicals," I stated. "But they also cause problems with the machine itself," I added. I went on explain how constant use of fabric softeners (especially the sheets) causes chemical build-up on the lint screen. This, in turn, causes the dryer to heat less efficiently and can eventually lead to a malfunction of the heating element (not to mention increases in your electric bill). They were skeptical, but since the machines were used, I was able to illustrate my point. I ran water over the lint screen, showing them how the water had trouble penetrating the chemical-coated screen. Then, I washed it with dish soap and a toothbrush (yeah, don't ask me where I got them - it was a dream, okay.) to show them how easily the water should be able run through the screen. Then, we talked about other options like vinegar in the rinse cycle or dryer balls (which I was given by my mother and actually work pretty well for when we don't line dry).

In the end, though, I prefer hanging the clothes on the line outside when I can. I feel a little like I'm sneaking outside when I should be doing chores, only I am doing the chores. Plus, I've got a beautiful view while I'm doing it and besides, there are few things cuter than baby clothes flapping in the wind.

You think I'm making all of this up? Nope. I swear I didn't just come up with all of this as a way to tell you about more ecological dryer use. Maybe my mind just wants me to start thinking about the next post for my ecoblog.