Hey Big Spender!
July 14, 2010, by Christie Healey
Christie explores a modern dilemma: is time saved actually time well spent?
The whole idea started when I was standing at my kitchen sink washing a badly blistered finger and cursing enough to make Snoop Dog blush. I had spent 30 minutes yanking the pull rope on my gas mower. The grass grew another half-inch while I over-exerted myself, sweat stinging my eyes and puffs of blue-reeking smoke burning my lungs. Enough! Gas mowers are supposed to save you time and effort. I dragged the dying beast to the curb, wrote “FREE” on a piece of cardboard and went inside to clean my wounds. The truck pulled up while I was at the sink. Sayonara El Toro.
I was not quite prepared for the clothes dryer to give a screech and die. Shall I buy another? Or shall I try and do without another time-saving machine of post-modern living?
It was about this time that friends passed along a wonderful read, Drinking The Rain written by Alix Kates Shulman. Ms. Shulman writes about her life and of her self-imposed exile to an extremely basic Maine Coast cabin. After a particularly stressful and difficult visit to the local store for food supplies she muses on “saving time/time-saving.” Her muse visited me. If I am saving time, who and what am I saving it for? Can time actually be saved? If you have been following the progression of quantum physics from string to membrane (or brane) theory to parallel universes you know we could go a lot of places with these questions.
Here’s what I have come to; time cannot be saved, it can only be spent. Brilliant!
I bought a pretty little push-mower. It is bright green and makes a throaty purring sound—like the noise when you stuck a plastic disc in your bike wheels. I can now spend my time mowing, morning, noon or night, without disturbing my neighbours. It is more labour intensive, but people passing by stop to ask about my natty little mower and I spend time responding enthusiastically to these enquiries.
I am hanging my clothes out to dry. They smell amazing and I am ridiculously happy spending time carefully folding sheets and towels into neat colourful piles. I make the time to take my rugs outside and give them a good beating on the deck. They look a lot cleaner than after vacuuming. And, I have a bicycle that can transport me to the local stores with ease. Oh, the wonder of the space-time continuum.
I am spending my time lavishly and extravagantly too; visiting friends old and new whenever the budget or opportunity permits. Gives whole new meaning to time well spent.
So to all my Big Spender friends who live miles away I say, “How about spending a little time with me?” The door is open, the spare bed is made-up, it’s time for a visit.
July 14th, 2010 at 8:40 am
The weirdest conundrum of today–most adults who “run” households are actually pawning off these physically demanding chores onto the shoulders of low-paid immigrants, all the while stressing mightily to pay for both the extra help and their memberships at expensive gyms to maintain their muscle tone and keep their weight down. What a joke; they could accomplish both by re-ordering their priorities and doing the work themselves, like our parents did. (But then, who could be blamed for the missing salad tongs and misplaced umbrella?)
Great post, Christie!
July 14th, 2010 at 9:17 am
Just passed some colorful sheets hanging on the line – before reading this – and thought how pastoral it all looked. I have a gas mower I am afraid of. It works perfectly fine. I am simply afraid of it. Thus the grass is knee eye to my Dog Dot’s eye. With the wild poppies popping up all throughout my
“meadow” I just don’t seem to care.
July 14th, 2010 at 9:36 am
Well, I don’t have anything against the gym…doing laundry and pushing a mower can’t compete with those yoga classes!!! BUT since I started hanging my laundry outside, using brooms, rakes and non-electric mowers I will say that my arms are getting stronger sans weights and I’m feeling quite virtuous. I’m also lowering my carbon footprint, for what it’s worth. Not going back to the house and buggy for sure, but have you seen the new Nissan Leaf? I’m more hopeful now than ever about the future of the electric car.
July 14th, 2010 at 10:01 am
LOVE hanging the wash out to dry (we have one of those folding racks, now stationed on our back porch) while looking at the vegetable garden that calls me every morning. All served with a good dose of vitamin D!
July 14th, 2010 at 10:35 am
When Fifty is the New was just in its nascent stages, I wrote the post “Technology: Blessing or Curse” — looks like you’ve been cursed and then turned it into a blessing Christie! Good on you! You set a fine example for us urbanites. The smell of fresh mowed lawn, sans diesel, the scent of air-dried clothing, and the satisfaction of time spent with loved ones, brilliant indeed!
July 14th, 2010 at 10:51 am
When can I come for a visit and sleep on those fresh, sun-kissed sheets and admire your firm, toned arms?
July 14th, 2010 at 11:23 am
I’ll never forget the time that Cathy and Prudence and I visited with a friend in Pacific Palisades who had a hot tub but no washer or dryer. She washed everything by hand and hung everything out to dry. The three of us did not bring towels, and she ended up with more laundry to do that I still feel guilty about to this day! My dryer just broke down yesterday. Perfect timing for your post. Can’t say what I’ll do just yet…
July 15th, 2010 at 12:55 pm
Once upon a time, I lived in Port, Ore. As a newlywed,
>
going to college, I decided to buy a Maytag washer.
The sun smelled clothes that hung on my line were
as close as I could get to my first experience of God.
In the winter, we used the line in the basement of our
tiny house..Now, I live on the right coast and use a
laundry room with dryers…A washer is mandatory but
a dryer is optional…If I get my own space again, that’s
the way I would go..Who has time to wash clothes by hand,
unless you live in the wilderness? Happy Summer
July 15th, 2010 at 3:18 pm
Madame La Conz, you (and your trippy hubbie Lee) are welcome at my house any time you want to visit the awesome upper midwest. XX