The damn laundry...

Something that every desperate housewife hates is laundry.  I can say that because I think I am one of the few that liked doing.....notice the LIKED......in the states we have our fabulous energy star washer and dryers.  They come in all shapes and sizes....you can get one to match you favorite pair of red shoes or your Kitchen Aid mixer.  They have so many setting to choose from you feel like your at a candy store. They can do it all but bake a cake! Who wouldn't have fun...right!?!

Ok.  Now... I know that I have only had experience with one washer and dryer here in the great UK.  But my home here is only 2 years old and all of the appliances are nice and new, so I figure these sub par versions on the American classic are probably their standard.

Now here is my problem....and your British lesson for the day!  They are SMALL.  I'm talking when you throw in a load of whites (for me its my smallest and lightest load) your done.  The contraption is FULL. End of that story....what else can you do.  THEN if you do not pay attention, you will place the setting on "normal wash" or "eco 40" whatever that hell that means. I am not joking once you hit start with said Eco 40 it will take 2 hours and 30mins to WASH! Seriously, the hubbie ran out to another town to run 3 errands and when he walked in the door it had finally starting rinsing! I have learned to use the "mini" setting.  Does this mean that my clothes are not getting as clean!? Who knows! probably! And honestly I dont give a rats ass.  If we spent 150mins a load and we had 4 loads (which is normal).... well you do the math.  I'm too tired from doing laundry!

So basically my day consists of doing a load of laundry everyday so that I never have to pile up and be stuck on a saturday with 8 hours of wash going.  Oh....but wait! I haven't finished.  The DRYER. DmmmDmmmmDmmmmmm.....These dryer are water condensing.  Which means.  It is not hooked up to a pipe line.  Which means...when the dryer is taking out the water from the clothes it doesnt have a pipe to take it to a drain like in the states.  There is a thing called "the condenser" that is in the bottom of the dryer.  This Condenser is a tank with a cap that sits under the drum behind a nice little door.  During the drying the tank gets full. THEN the dryer sings you a song that means go and empty this shit! So you cant just throw stuff in the dryer and go.  Because in between every load it has to be emptied and it wont start up again until you do so. 

Are you starting to under the complexity it takes to live in the UK. Seriously....I wont even go into the phone service.....next time.  Because right now I have to spend my favorite nap time catching up on more LAUNDRY!

I'm BACK......

   and in England!  As I sit to write I check out my surroundings. Alconbury Air Force Base in the temporary housing quarters.  Do you remember those children books about Eloise, I think she lived at the Plaza or something.  Well this chick is living in the equivalent of a Best Western UK style. Its so "fabulous" that when  I tried to upload photos for you to see what I mean the wireless was annoyingly spotty.  The cable has 10 channels..all but 2 are AirForceNetwork which can NOT hold a signal.  The others are British  and not too bad.  At the moment I am snuggled up watching...wait for it...."Law and Order/ UK" Ha!  Its is NOT the same as our American classic, but MAYBE I could get used to it! maybe not.... So now I am going to jot down nonsense that needs to be shared...it has absolutely no point in life just fun "useless knowledge"
Here we go.....did you know?!?!

~Toilet flushers are buttons on the top of the toilet (shall we say the Lou), not a handle on the left side.
~All appliances have a power switch on the wall.  To turn on the oven I have to turn on the wall switch and then turn the oven to the correct temperature.  Same with the dishwasher, toaster, coffee pot.
~Hell... Law and Order/UK :) Strange in itself and missing Mariska!
~The fact that everyone sounds like they are a genius from Oxford....the voice on the man making my Subway sandwich made me believe he could be the next prime minister. "would you like cheese miss?"

~They have playgrounds in the pubs! I mean WHAT!?! Maybe we will never leave!
~If you go to good ole McDonald's (we have a 3year old. Give me a break!) order a Happy Meal and ask for a juice box..Apple!? Fruit Punch!? No...Blackberry Currant. Excuse me? We are Americans, we don't drink no currants...:)
~Another toilet one.  In the words of Gavin, "Man...that hole is WAY BIG!" No clogging that sucker

  As I finish my first week in the United Kingdom...not too bad.  When its not raining (which is rare) it is one of the most beautiful places to be....and when I get out of my fabulous 5 star accommodations I will do my best to post some pictures.  Until then...Cheers!