Saturday, April 12, 2008

The smell of dryer sheets at midnight

Once, during one of my assignements for urban studies, and happened across a description of the day in the life of a working woman in the early 1900s in America- one line, and I think it is damn near a quote-

While men could come home from their 12 hour days to a chair and perhaps a newspaper, while for the women, the day was not even close to being over. In the still night air, the silence was broken, sometimes even into the midnight hour, by the squeaking of the laundry wheel, signaling that women, after their own shifts, were still working.

And the other night, I could relate. Having produced 1 55 question multiple choice exam, produced on slide show presentation of my research findings in one class, coded 4 pages of interview responses for my other, and writing 4 pages on the women's movement in Italy, I was beat. But there was Casey, with her "red thing" we cannot say "leash" or 'walk" or wanna go, and if I go downstairs with my 'pod- it is ON- looking for all the world like pathetic creature. . .and I realized my day was not over- out we went, and as we rounded th ehouse, I smeeled it, the smell of the laundry I had going in the basement, and then, as we went farther and farther, I smelled more and more laundry being done, and then, there was another block with smells of cooking and laundry, one of those insanely orgainzed women who can do that cook ahead meal thin maybe? Not sure, but as I walked to 3 miles with Casey, I smelled laundry everywhere, and it was 11:30 pm-

Granted, the times have changed, but the work continues- and that total appreciation I see in this dog's eyes, make the work worth it!

Oh, and yeah, the Boston thing? IT IS ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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