Household Responsibilities Take Alot More Time

I am including a second post on laundering and about my Mexican dishwasher -by request.

Caring for my families clothing takes a large part of my day. I am fortunate enough to have an electric clothes washer but how I wash and how others wash here in Mexico are two different things. I wash 2-3 loads each day, as many that will fit on the clothes lines. With six of us wearing adult-sized clothing added with frequent changing due to the climate, this demands a lot of washing. I use my washer for every single load but most people only use their washers only for jeans -those that own washers that is. Instead, the cement cistern (I do not know what else to call it) serves as their washing machine. Mexican women scrub everything on the rivets you see here and with a scrub brush. I am impressed with how every one's clothes look. Meticulously clean and pressed. I asked Lupe why she doesn't wash all her clothes in the machine but she didn't explain. Could it possibly be because this is the way it has been done for generations or because their machines don't clean very well. I think it may be both.

In the center is where a large amount of water is held; on each end is the deep square wholes. One end serves to wash clothes, the other for washing dishes. Each end has a drain for the soiled water. There are many living creatures swimming in that water and grasping onto the bottom and side walls. Madeline has made issue of it several times trying to show me but I have had to turn my head and look the other day. (What I don't know won't hurt me!) After all, my kitchen dishes are being washed in this water.

This end is where my kids wash the family dishes. The water is scooped up out of the cistern into large wash and rinse containers. The dishes dry outside in these drainers. All the water is room temperature. This cistern can be handy. I haul out all the dirty dishes and scoop water into them to soak. They can wait outside until someone is ready to attend to them. Meanwhile, the kitchen inside is clean!

Once I am back in America I will kiss my dishwasher and my washer and dryer! I have heard my kids discuss how incredibly disappointed they will be if they learn upon their return that our dishwasher has broken down. They say it with a giggle. However, I wouldn't mind having one of these handy things on my deck!