The Freckled Diaries

Wash Day

So, I finally got everything all set up more or less the way I like it and decided to just jump right in with my new handwashing lifestyle.  And so here's the honest assessment:

It's a bit harder than I thought it would be but much easier than it was in Botswana and I got things done quicker and (I think) with less effort than if I'd done it in the basement, and on-par with the laundromat hassle but I get to stay home and not lug heavy things.  So it's going to stick around.

I didn't use the pressure crank washer thing but I did use my tub, handheld agitator, wringer and the world's largest drying rack.  I mixed half-and-half hot tap water and boiling water in the sink, used Nellie's washing powder, some borax (officially my new favorite household cleaning agent--it's all natural (a type of sodium) and really gets the job done--especially on fabrics) and a drop of tea tree oil (a natural disinfectant, which I know clothing doesn't need but it can't hurt, plus I thought it would give a pleasant, soft smell to the clothes). 

I then agitated the clothes for about 10 minutes and then rinsed until the water ran clear, which didn't take long thanks to Nellie's.  I know that 10 minutes is about half the time as a washer's agitation cycle but this is much more effective and efficient.  That rapid washer handheld agitator really works amazingly well.

I then had to transfer the sopping wet clothes from the sink to the washbasin which was all set up halfway across the room by my bench (so I could sit while wringing) with the wringer already attached so I couldn't bring it closer to the kitchen and I didn't have a clean bucket, nor a sink to clean the bucket in.  Ah, foresight, how you elude me so.  I just made a run for it and dripped water all over the living room.  Must figure this out better next time.

The wringing was fun and pretty easy except for the jeans, an activity which is now officially on the list of Things I Will Never Do Again. They are just too thick to go through folded in half, which they need to be because the wringer isn't wide enough to put them through flat so it got stuck a lot and I eventually had to put them though at really low tension which got a lot of water out but those things are going to take a day, easily, to dry.  Also, and the metal buttons and the wringer are NOT FRIENDS.  Other than that it was good.  I need to figure out how the drain board attaches correctly (the instructions are a bit vague), I need a different shaped tub so that the wringer can attach better (it's a bit wobbly) and I need a better system than "stick your foot in it" to keep the tub still when there is a good amount of resistance from the wringer.  Minor issues, all.

I now have a ridiculously large drying rack full of damp but not dripping clean clothes, which is pretty awesome.  And they look GREAT.  My only complaint is that Nellie's has no scent which is half the point for most people and the whole natural product thing....but I really do like the way that clean laundry smells. Laundry done with detergent and drier sheets, that is.  My clothes just smell like....water, or something.  Guess I didn't use enough tea tree oil. Maybe I can experiment with different essential oils during the "rinsing" portion.

So...that's it!  Thrilling, I know.  But I'm pleased with it :)

The Great Bicycle Debate

So, I'm going to get a bike.  This much I know.  When I'm getting a bike is a question, because that depends on when I find a bike parking space.  But the biggest question at the moment is what kind of bike am I going to get?  This is the tricky part.  Very tricky.

First, I need to take into account what I will use the bike for.  Easy.  Errands and short trips around Old Town, which is predominantly flat and paved asphalt. There are not very many "busy" streets, and the busy ones can be easily avoided (hooray for block systems!  Real quick--which city was the first one whose original plan was a block system?  Philadelphia.  Go Philly!).  There are numerous stop signs and traffic lights--one every single block. Also, I may take it out on the Mt. Vernon Trail every now and again, but that is also paved and flat. As time goes on, I may use it for longer trips but none extremely serious. This is what I'm dealing with.

So, taking all this into account, it's obvious that a "comfort" or "cruiser" type bike is best for me.  See:

Road Bike














Mountain Bike















Cruiser Bike

















Easy enough choice right there.  But consider that there are hundreds of different types of cruisers, and it's all just very difficult.  As much as I love that Cadillac bike pictured above, I think I've narrowed onto the Electra brand of bicycle, specifically, their Townie model.  Here's why:

1. Unlike most bikes, even most cruisers, you can get your foot flat on the ground while still sitting on the bike.  This is huge.  I mentioned all the stop signs, right?  I don't want to have to teeter on one side on tip-toe (or hop off entirely) every 100 feet.  This could be particularly problematic with a basket full of groceries.  This flat foot technology thing is great for me! (see "Why Townie" and then the "Flat Foot Technology" tab for an explanation--I can't link to that page).

2. You can sit upright.  Safer in traffic, I think.  Most cruisers allow for a far more upright posture than road or mountain bikes so this isn't necessarily unique to the Townie, but it does seem to offer even more than other cruisers.

See the picture:



























So those are my main reasons.  But unfortunately they can't (as far as I can tell) be customized with full chain guards and a skirt guard like Electra's Amsterdam model can (see picture):




 
















The chain guard completely encloses the chain to keep your legs and clothes from getting grease on them, while the skirt guard covers part of the back wheel to prevent skirts and long coats from getting caught in the spokes or getting stuck in the rear braking mechanism, both of which could lead to accidents.  Realistically, I won't be changing clothes every time I go out for errands, and I almost exclusively wear skirts and dresses.  I don't know why the site doesn't offer skirt guards for the Townie, the wheels are the same size.  Chain guards I can understand, the Townie has a longer stretch of chain because the seat is farther back and the pedals are farther forward.  So what to do?


Also just to share some bike love (shown with and without skirt guard and with different tire colors):



 

































The Dutch Bicycle Company's Grand 1888 Oma (Dutch for Grandmother).  I love it.  It's $1200 though.


So what to do?  Townie or Amsterdam?  It's tough.  I guess I don't really NEED a skirt/chain guard.  I've also heard of people kind of making their own skirt guards out of canvas or leather or some other tough fabric.  I could do that.  I just don't know.


But first, still, parking.  I'll draft a letter this weekend.  What an odd request, no?  I think I may earn an "odd duck" reputation, which for this town is really saying something!

What's Your Walk Score?

The people over at WalkScore.com have come up with a nifty (if slightly flawed) way to measure the "walkability" of a neighborhood.  According to them, characteristics of walkable communities are thus:

• A center: Walkable neighborhoods have a discernible center, whether it's a shopping district, a main street, or a public space.
• Density: The neighborhood is dense enough for local businesses to flourish and for public transportation to be cost effective.
• Mixed income, mixed use: Housing is provided for everyone who works in the neighborhood: young and old, singles and families, rich and poor. Businesses and residences are located near each other.
• Parks and public space: There are plenty of public places to gather and play.
• Accessibility: The neighborhood is accessible to everyone and has wheelchair access, plenty of benches with shade, sidewalks on all streets, etc.
• Well connected, speed controlled streets: Streets form a connected grid that improves traffic by providing many routes to any destination. Streets are narrow to control speed, and shaded by trees to protect pedestrians.
• Pedestrian-centric design: Buildings are placed close to the street to cater to foot traffic, with parking lots relegated to the back.
• Close schools and workplaces: Schools and workplaces are close enough that most residents can walk from their homes.

Their measurements do not currently control for:

• Street width and block length: Narrow streets slow down traffic. Short blocks make it easier to navigate the grid.
• Safety: How much crime is in the neighborhood? How many traffic accidents are there? Are crosswalks well marked and streets well lit?
• Pedestrian-friendly design: Are there walking paths? Are buildings close to the sidewalk with parking in back? Are sidewalks shaded by trees?
• Topography: Hills can make walking difficult, especially if you're carrying groceries.
• Public transit: Good public transit is important for walkable neighborhoods.
• Freeways and bodies of water: Freeways can divide neighborhoods. Swimming is harder than walking.
• Weather: In some places it's just too hot or cold to walk regularly.

It works well, but obviously has some kinks to work out the freeways and bodies of water being the most notable but pedestrian-friendly design is very important too.  Sure, you may only live a quarter mile from the shops at Bailey's Crossroads but Leesburg Pike isn't exactly the kind of walker's paradise the score might envision.  Plus, once you actually GET to the shops, you may have another half mile of parking lot to walk through.


Me personally, when I enter my address, I get a walk score of 95 out of 100, which was actually pretty surprising to me, mainly because I can't think of much room for improvement (the distance to the metro is not great, but not bad, and there's lots of public transport options, some free).  It gets weirder because my next door neighbors get a 98 and the intersection they live on gets a 99.  Maybe the matter of the few feet separating our front doors really is important to the walk score, or maybe it's just a weird kink (most likely).

Either way, I'm happy to live in such a nice little town, and it's true--you really can walk everywhere! The only thing that prevents me from doing so is the errands factor--generally I'm scooting around town collecting some often-heavy objects (the lightest box the felines' preferred litter comes in is 14lbs.  Don't get me started on the "preferred litter" madness. Just accept it.  I have).  I've always felt stupid, and guilty when getting in my car to drive just a few blocks away but now....solution time!



















A bike!  (probably not this bike...more on that later). A good walk score also translates to a good bike score, but bonus on the ability to go further and faster and bring some cargo along!

I have wanted a bike since I moved into this building but there's no place to park it, which presents a serious problem. You can't park it on any city property (signs, parking meters, trees) and the public bike racks are for short term use and are all on the very busy main street.  Just asking for mid-night theft. There's no room on the ground floor (and even if there were I think that my neighbors would be none too appreciative) and I live on the 4th floor, with a narrow staircase and a slanted ceiling on the final turn to my apartment.  Plus, four floors and a bike just isn't going to happen.  Scary scary basement is out, for obvious reasons and also because it is WAY too narrow of a staircase to even think about doing that on any sort of regular basis.  See the photos:  there's just not much wiggle room for off street bike parking here:


































So for years, I just left it there.  No bike for me.  Well now, no.  I'm going to make it work.  I have come up with several ideas for where I may be able to park the thing, but will need to talk to people and get permission first.  Best idea: the condo-type building next door (the bright red brick with the windows on top--an old warehouse/Prince Street Prison) has a ground level parking area that is covered and secured.  I'm going to write a pleading letter to their condo association and offer them money.  Let's hope this works.

Otherwise I'll ask Mary who owns a house--bottom floor is her jewelry shop, top floors her residence, and she has a studio apartment for let in the back, along with rights to use the parking lot behind the fire station which provides back access to the houses along her street. I'd ask if I could park it back there.  Other options include the ladies at the Post Box--there's a small courtyard in front of their business and my friends at the insurance company (ground floor of my house) who as luck would have it are the same Burkes as the Burke and Herbert Bank (cousins) which has a parking lot.  See?  (behind the iron fence by the trees).



 
























All of these places I mentioned are a (very tiny Old Town) block from my house and would be convenient for me.  I think I'm going to do a photo tour of Old Town one of these days :)

The Great Bicycle Debate of 2008 will be tomorrow's post--bike buying is very, very complicated!!!

Eat Local

What perfect timing.  As I mentioned, there are some serious domestic changes afoot (most of which will be implemented in about a week--AFTER finals).  After writing about the laundry, I had planned on mapping out my plan for food purchasing and storing and what luck!  Everyone else is writing about food this week too!

Basically, the plan is to limit my consumption of food items (and certain other consumable goods) which come from more than 100 miles (give or take....it's not going to be exact) from my house to 25% of total.  Year round.  That means that I will try to ensure that 75% of my food items originate within 100 miles of my house.  Why? 
1. It's healthier. Grocery store items are often shipped from very far away, and it can take a long time to get to you and nutritional value declines over time.
2. It tastes better.  Food can ripen on the vine/in the ground rather than being picked early to stand up to the jostles and time of transport. It's fresher, as it's been picked much more recently, and it's in-season.
3. It just makes more sense.  Really, when you think about it...what in the hell are we doing flying mangos halfway around the world so that we can eat them?  Seriously, do we need mangos that badly? And other, non "exotic" produce are problems as well.  Tomatoes are summer fruits.  For example, if you buy a fresh tomato in January it's becoming more and more likely that it's been grown in the Southern Hemisphere where it IS summer.  While it's not really on the same scale it's a very similar idea to those outrageous stories you hear about pampered celebrities having cheesecakes flown in to London or wherever from their favorite local New York bakery.  With the courier and the plane ticket, that's a $1000 cheesecake!  We're really doing the same thing with our exotic (and non exotic) food items, just on the "economy of scale" scale.
4. It's better for the environment.  I like Mother Earth as much as the next person but we all know I'm not exactly a hemp wearing, tree hugging environmental crusader (more power to you if you are...just saying that's not me). All the energy costs of shipping food around the country and the world is a little...crazy.
5. It supports the local economy.  Not only does our money stay in the area, but it supports the kind of farming you want to support--small scale, family run, often organic.  Plus, it can help reduce over development and sprawl if it is shown that rural land can be profitable without plopping 100 McMansions on it.

None of this is anything approaching original ideas, for me or for society at large.  This is just something I've always been sensitive to, but never really took serious action in my own life--mainly out of time constraints (real or imagined), lack of skills (more on skills later), gluttony (but I LIKE mangos!) and a lack of real drive to change.

The NY Times had an article about this topic this weekend.  It goes into more depth on some tricky issues I don't have time to go into right now (such as shipping from afar vs. energy-sucking greenhouses, how buying non-organic local food may be preferable to buying organic from afar etc...)

NY Times: Environmental Cost of Shipping Groceries Around the World

Also, Michele from the Globehoppers wrote about a Wall Street Journal article which goes into the economics of the world food market and the rising food shortages and how they may be on their way here.  Very interesting article and good post from Michele.

Anyway, back to me. I don't know how achievable of a goal this 75% local thing (or if it is too low of a goal) is so this will be an experiment at first, and here is how I'll do it:

Obviously, the easiest thing to control for is produce--fruits, vegetables and herbs.  I hope to buy a share in a local CSA (community supported agriculture) farm for this summer.  Unfortunately, these shares are hard to come by at this time of year so I may just have to stick with the Farmers' Market (oldest one in the country, which I visit with regularity).  I meant to look into it much earlier in the year but, as it does every year, Spring just totally took me by surprise. I just never seem to see it coming :). Either way, through the CSA or the Farmers' Market I will get the vast majority of my produce from within my 100-mile limit.  I really hope I can get a share of a CSA, it's really much more convenient and cheaper than the Farmers' Market.  If I can't, then I'm going to have to slowly phase this in rather than go whole-hog so fingers crossed!

I plan over-consume in the growing seasons and learn how to can, pickle and preserve (which should be great fun actually) for the winter.  Photos and links will be around soon!  I've been so caught up on the laundry/cleaning stuff that I haven't had too much time to research canning products.  I will allow a little leeway with the fruits, veggies and herbs.  I will still enjoy the occasional mango but I think the majority of my (small) leeway will be taken up by avocados and citrus products.

I thought that meat would be a challenge but really, no.  I've found local producers of beef, lamb, pork and bison* but haven't for poultry.  Most of the meat producers overlap, too (same farm does bison and pork for example). The poultry shouldn't be a problem and often this is taken care of at the Farmers' Market, but I'd like a more predictable source, and one that I have, or could, see. I have NO idea what to do about fish.  We're really not that far from the ocean--could there be a local fish market I don't know about?  The plan for the meat is to buy in bulk and freeze it so really there's only  two or three trips to the farm/deliveries per year.  Frozen properly, meat is good for at least 6 months.  That freezer is running anyway!  And currently it's just keeping itself cold.

I haven't done the research yet but I'm positive I can find a local dairy, I'm really not worried about that at all.  And again, the Farmers' Market takes care of a lot of that.

Wheat and other grain products will probably be the majority of the 25% (with an extra bit in there for the occasional fancy cheese).  I have no idea if they grow wheat and oats and things around here but I doubt it.  And even if they did it's not as if there's a pasta factory anywhere around here.  And I've got no idea where they make bread and crackers and things (yes, I could in theory make my own bread and pasta but I've signed up for alot already!)

Well, that should be it for now!  I've been overly long winded again.  Next time, I'll provide pictures and links as well as talk a little  (promise) about non-food consumables and how they can be improved to be more effective, healthier and environmentally friendly.

*I've been slowly switching to bison from beef because it is SO much healthier for you and is actually much more flavorful.  It has far more iron and protein than beef and significantly (like 80% significant) less fat.  It's grass-fed and free range by definition so yay for the environment and all that jazz, too. 

**Update**

Found a fish market.  THE fish market, it turns out.  I drive over on 395 with regularity, and when I worked on the Hill I drove over it/metroed by it every day.  It's apparently quite large, but tucked away in the mysterious Maine Ave/SW Waterfront area (everyone knows that that neighborhood exists but no one really seems to know what's there). Apparently, most DC residents don't know about it but those who do consider it one of their favorite things about the city.  Go figure.

This is the way we wash our clothes

Alright, all it took was a little patience.  Up and running!  Hooray.

So, onto the things that I've been meaning to write about all these weeks.  Let's start with my favorite domestic complaint: laundry.  Anyone who knows me, or who has read the previous editions of the Freckled Diaries knows that laundry and I do not get along.  Never have.  It is my least favorite chore by a mile but I am going to change that here and now! 

My chief complaint about laundry (which will probably never change) is that it is simply never done.  You are never without something in the hamper, unless you do your laundry au naturale.  It's frustrating.  A clean kitchen is clean until you cook something.  A tidy bedroom is kept tidy by stacking the books and making the bed.  Laundry?  Never done.  An endless, vicious cycle.

My less existential reasons for disliking the chore are much easier to understand.  I live in a 4th floor apartment in a walk-up building and the single washer/dryer is in the basement.  That basement (known as "scary scary basement") is terrifyingly creepy.  This building is 219 years old.  I used to think that it was an earthen floor down there but no.  Brick.  With 200 years of dirt and dust on it.  The support beams for the ceiling (which is mere inches above my head) are old trees--bark still somehow attached. There is a single light which hangs above the washer and dryer--the rest of the basement is pitch black and is full of old furniture.  There's an old coal chute or something that makes it look like something out of Poe and it's generally the type of place where you don't fear being crept up upon and grabbed by some otherworldly/undead being--you outright expect it.   I had QUITE a fright down there last year that resulted in the police being summoned.  It is scary.

My entire first year here, I only went further than the bottom step twice (I made it to the bottom step just to show visitors how creepy the place is), opting instead to do my laundry at a laundromat. These days (even after my scare) the basement vs. laundromat is 50-50, the laundromat being preferable in terms of time (you can use multiple machines at once) but terrible in price and location (15 minute drive) while the basement is just....well it's here and I don't have to sit and stare at the spin cycle while listening to people's unhappy kids shriek. But there's only one washer and dryer.  And the dryer needs two tries to actually dry anything.  If you do the math that's eight trips up and down five floors per load and a LOT of time sitting around home waiting for the next trip to begin.  It's maddening.

So what am I going to do?  Handwashing.  Yep.  I enjoy doing things the simple way, I just don't do it often (why, I don't know but there is a wave of domestic changes afoot to correct this).  This will actually save me time on the laundry, although it will be more effort on my part (arguable fact though--I don't have to contend with stairs in this model and I get to stay at home).  I have lived in situations where the ONLY option was to hand wash laundry, and was no worse for wear (except some amazing blisters).  But here, in this pampered corner of the world we have Stuff to make the difficult task much easier.  Some of it old, some of it new, all of it Very Helpful Stuff and  none of it I've used in my previous handwashing experiences so any addition is a  welcome one!

So here they are: my planned purchases in a rough order of importance/novelty click to see full picture)--

Hand Wringer
A good old fashioned laundry wringer which apparently removes up to twice the water from clothing as a washing machine's spin cycle.

Rapid Washer
Raise and lower Rapid Washer like a plunger. The special internal baffle sends water rushing through clothes to flush out dirt.







Washboard
An oldie but goody. I still like the looks of the rapid washer better but the board is important for stain removal and thicker fabrics.



Drying Racks
Everyone's got these.  I've got a small plastic one currently but I'll need a much more sturdy one in future.





Retractable Clothes Line
I don't have much window space (up in the eves here--just have dormer windows) but I think one of these by the front window will be useful.



Wash tub(s)
Haven't decided if I want to go for the simple on-the-floor model or the fancier double one with legs. I can't just do it in my bathtub because I don't have one.



Finally, this thing looks amazing and would be so great for those little jobs (dish towels, undies, stain treatment of a single item etc)...It will be a treat for later, though.

Pressure Handwasher

This little pressure washer is portable and quick. It cleans clothing with very little water and soap in only two minutes! It's not magic, it's science. When warm water is sealed in the airtight drum, the heat causes the air to expand, which builds pressure. This drives the soap and water into the clothing and combines with agitation to "blow" the dirt out.

Put warm water and detergent into the drum with the clothing, rotate for 1-2 minutes, then dump and rinse. Ideal for delicate fabrics (use lukewarm water). Maximum load: 5 adult shirts or 1 pair of jeans.

It's all very exciting.  A simpler life, satisfaction of a job well done (something I don't usually get from laundry) and a very serious reduction of my carbon footprint, water use and water pollution. I can't wait to get started, actually.  I'm still looking into the soap/detergent options (there are lots) and think that I'll just experiment until I find something I like.