An adventure and a challenge

Our garden here

This morning we woke up to a head splitting noise at 8o’clock sharp. Next door they are renovating their house and the workmen chose to start their day with a drilling machine or maybe even a jackhammer. Just like in real life, I mean that could happen both at home, or even in a hotel with a construction site nearby. Our exchange partners had mentioned the fact of some renovations but that it was quiet at present. Well, until now. The company at work is a central heating, bathroom installation outfit; so the fun might go on for a while. We should be up and about at this time of day in this gorgeous weather anyway, but since hubby works late –due to the time zone differences between USA and Europe—this doesn’t seem to be doable.

Swapping homes, living, cooking, and washing in other people’s houses is an adventure, sometimes even a challenge. But hubby said it broadens your horizon and keeps you young. I can’t argue with that.

Every house is different and has its own idiosyncrasies. Here for example I hang my wash in the basement while the sun is shining like never before. There is a gadget in the basement to hang the laundry out outside but we’re too lazy to install it. Until we arrived the weather had been bad and the owners never bothered either. Who hangs out their wash in the rain? Well, I did many a time on the farm in Ireland. An experience that isn’t worth repeating.

On the other hand, I need to mention that it annoys me that we’re not allowed to dry laundry outside in FL.  As far as I know from American TV most other places don't tolerate it either. People are vehemently against having their knickers on the line for everybody to see and vice versa. All of that while FL is basking in too much sun most of the time. Being an avid environmentalist –hence our emigration to Ireland years ago- it troubles my conscience. For years I've been meaning  to write an article about this issue. A neighbor’s argument that laundry outside gathers too many pollen and triggers off allergies never convinced me in the light of wasted energy and global warming. So while I step down into the darkish basement, our Germany exchange partners will most likely be irritated by using the drier in almost 40 degrees Celsius and have that as a conversation piece on their return. We do dry our beach towels on the porch, however, and so will they, I’m sure!Mum's the word!
Our porch in FL.