Dear Editor,
I felt like an imaginary, old fashioned Italian woman today. I decided it was time to pack away the big, heavy down comforter as deep winter is over in Vermont. So, I filled my big bath tub with lots of soap, bleach and hot water.
Then I submerged the queen sized white comforter into the tub to soak, not realizing how heavy it would be once it was totally wet. I soaked it for an hour and struggled and slipped trying to carry it to the washer. I lay on the floor on top of this giant drooling blob of feathers contemplating how could I get it wrung out and into the washer to spin dry.
I remembered there is always a way!
I poured a glass of red wine, took off my socks and sneakers, rolled up my jeans and stepped into the tub. Glass in hand (plastic) I started stomping. It was the only way to squeeze all the water out of the comforter so I could lift it into the washing machine. I stomped till my glass was empty! I sipped slowly of course since I was sure if it took two glasses I would have ended up on my fanny in the bottom of the tub sloshing with the soggy comforter.
It had a final wringing out in the washer and then a spin in the dryer drying out. My second small glass of wine was for managing to pack away a clean, white, down comforter to rest until next winter. Whew!
This is what happens when I get bored from being isolated in the mountains where there are days when yearly tasks must be accomplished.
Jane Tanner, Killington
