When pondering whether to do laundry in the tropics, one must carefully consider not what the meteorologist reports to you, but what the sky tells you. If the pretty lady with the elaborately painted nails, four inch heels, in the skirt hiked up to here tells you there is no rain in the forecast, assume she is talking about San Juan and run immediately outside and see how far those black clouds are from you. If you feel like a gambling person, start the machine and then hang your clothes on the line.
Oh, did you honestly think we have a dryer here in the tropics? Okay, we do but don’t use it all the time. Many don’t. For one thing, clothes actually dry much faster hanging on a line in the sun, than they do in a dryer. An added benefit is that you’ve saved incredible amounts of money and energy by not running a dryer.
Hang your clothes and begin another task, but always remain within close range of a window, or better yet, perform your other task outside. And, remember, to continue checking those clouds often. In the tropics, rains can happen without warning and set you back at least an hour.
Hanging clothes on the line tests not only your patience, but also your agility and speed. How quickly can you run up the stairs to the roof and remove all of your clothes that are now dry? If you are a slow poke, just leave them until the rain has passed, which shouldn’t be more than twenty minutes and feel honored that the rain gods have rewashed your clothes for you! If you feel you can give Florence Griffith-Joyner a run for her money, run up and remove your clothes. It’s fun, give it a try!
