Random Laundry Discovery and Comment
 

I'm sure the first thought a few of you may have is :rolleyes:"GET A LIFE !!":rolleyes:....LOL But I had to come out of retirement and dive back into the trenches of 9-5 work days due to my hub getting very ill and now unable to work. This little "thing" I do when I take off my work clothes at night has REALLY reduced the need to iron my good clothes - which takes away from fun things like quilting, reading, relaxing with my hubby & dogs.... etc.

Don't know HOW or why I started doing this, but when I change out of my work clothes I don't just toss them into the hamper. I quickly FOLD/ROLL things up. It only takes about 6 seconds. Clothing randomly stuffed into a hamper seems to create persistent hamper crumples. I only do this with outer clothing - I flop it on the bed- fold it a couple times to decrease it's size and lightly roll it up (not tight) and set it into the hamper (no cramming or stuffing..lol).

I am AMAZED at how much better things pop out of the dryer. I don't EVER let my work clothes sit in the washer OR dryer after it stops. You're in wrinkle hades if you do that no matter HOW you put your clothing in the hamper. I don't dry my clothes super dry either. As soon as the dryer buzzer starts to *yell* at me I start taking clothes out and hanging them up - restarting the dryer in-between pulling clothes out. My dryer is old and so far.. the start button is still alive and well.

Anyhow... I'm beyond pleased at how much time this saves me when doing my laundry. I'm so much in the habit of doing this now that MOST of the clothing I toss in the hamper gets the fold/roll step - I don't even think about it.

Thought I'd just share the hint for fun....

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Years ago, I had a boyfriend who would carefully fold his pants (making sure there was a crease down the front of the legs) before putting them in the washer. When he moved the load over to the dryer, he'd shake out the pants, carefully fold them again with the crease, and put them in the dryer. Personally, I thought he was nuts, but thought to myself "what does it hurt". He swore that the pants came out with no wrinkles and a better, more defined crease.

Peckish
Ha! That's unusual for a guy! Now.. I don't fold/roll anything going from the washer to the dryer. I do fold with the natural "lay" of the garment but I'm not fussy about it.. just quickly flip~flop~ roll and into the hamper it goes. Most guys could care less.. but if you have to dress up for work (which I do) it's really a time saver!
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Great idea. Thank you, I hate ironing.

Another thing I treated me to since I was a bit BLUE about all the unexpected life events that led up to me going back to work (I had only been retired about 18 months) was I treated myself to GOOD hangers. How sad am I??....LOL I bought these awesome hangers at Costco. They are a nice size, but the garment part of the chrome hanger is covered with black fuzzy stuff. NOTHING slides off those things... not even the lightest fabrics that can slither off a hanger like a slug. EVERYTHING stays put.

I'm 59 yrs old and had never bought a hanger in my life. I'm WAY HAPPY I spent the money on these! I think they were around $23.00 for a bundle of 50 of them.
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Sorry that you had to go back to work. Hope things go good with your husband. Nice tip about the clothes, will have to try it.

thanks for the tips.

Thanks..

My hubby is stabilized for now so we are BEYOND relieved. If I tried to talk about our unexpected life events I wouldn't be able to see to type. In a nut shell - my hub is a Vietnam veteran who is falling apart from his exposure to "Agent Orange" during his service in 69-70. The VA is denying his benefits on a verbiage technicality - it's unimaginable and criminal. All of his military records PROVE our claims but that has not mattered to the VA. We've been going in circles with the VA for 4 years and the next step is a military hearing. He can barely leave the house (and when he does he's wheelchair bound) so facing all of this endless turmoil feels like trying to climb Mt. Everest using a spork. He has 4 neurologists, an oncologist and his PC just to keep him going.

We have had to force ourselves to started to count our blessings, and even tho' going back to work (and leaving him home a lot) was not anything we EVER wanted I am relieved I was able to find a good job given the current economy and ways of the world. For the past 4 years all of his medical expenses have come out of pocket.. so.. eventually the $$$ well began to go dry. I needed to head BACK out the door to work to keep us afloat financially.

Very hard times, but we count our blessings as it could be worse.

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To save on ironing - when washing the clothes I put the washing machine on slow spin... then hang the clothes on a coathanger to dry on the clothes line... great for tops...

DO NOT give up, if you go away they do not have to admit they were wrong to use Agent Orange, I have 3 friends that all have problems with Agent Orange, each with a different type of cancer, at first they just thought the military would take care of them, Ha! They fought back and got their medical benefits and justice. Get a lawyer if you have to.

CALL and WRITE your Senator and Representative in Congress. Ask for help. This is a travesty...your husband served our country and now it's time for our country to take care of him. Don't delay until after hte military hearing, do it now. The worst that can happen is nothing, and that's already happening, so you have nothing to lose.

Also go to state level legislative representatives and ask for help.

If none of that works, go to the local newspaper (if you still have one) and get publicity any way you can.

PatM
We are waiting on their final decision again. That was promised PROMISED PROMISED to be here two weeks ago, and again.. not a word from anyone (so goes the insanity of the past 4 years). 50 false promises. If they deny him again we are indeed going after them with an attorney. I have a local friend who's hubby died from Agent Orange related issues 7 years ago. She JUST started getting his back pay (and her survivors benefits) about 10 months ago after endless legal battling. HARD TO IMAGINE! We won't give up... promise.

Joy
I asked for a clothes line for Christmas...LOL I agree with you 100% on hanging clothes out to dry like t-shirts, jeans, towels and non-polyester blend items. They do look very good (and smell wonderful!). However, I live very close to the ocean. Not only do we deal with salt water humidity, but we have A LOT OF SEAGULLS...and those suckers like to BOMB a lot of things...clotheslines are their speciality....LOL. Dirty dirty birdies!
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Cathyvv
All of that is in the works... thanks so much! We have been dealing with the VFW and in order to take the actions you mentioned (which we plan on doing PRONTO if he's denied again) we have to negate our contract with the VFW - which we will do! We are just waiting on this LAST chance we gave them. It's crazy.... completely crazy. He was awarded SSDI on his first try (WHICH we were told is not the norm) when they took ONE look at his medical records. He worked until he was collapsing from exhaustion. He kept ending up in the hospital when gone on business trips. He loved his job... it just killed him to say uncle. Yet the VA refuses to abide by his 100% rating that SSDI gave him. Seriously...how can one government agency declare him 100% disabled after reviewing his mountains of medical records and another government agency refuse to even say he has a problem. He has undergone soooo many diagnostic tests that PROVE his nervous system is completly shorted out... yet.. that's not enough proof for them. We have been warned that when this hits his diaphragm or heart... he's done.

Ok.. I better quit talking about this.. I feel my BP going redline.

Thanks for all the kind words and support... I'll for sure post back when we learn something. I am not holding my breath on things going well. We have been kicked in the teeth so many times we need dentures...

Hugs..

poof*

Events like you describe - where the vets have issues and problems that are service related - and the US government denies there is a problem - infuriate and sadden me.

I really wish those people that deny you would have to face the same thing! with the same results!

I am so sorry that you've had to fight for help - and not get it - along with the medical issues.

Sorry about your hubby Pinkiris... it's sure a mess.

Bearisgrey... trust me.. there are SOOOO MANY veterans suffering just like my hub...with no help...no wife... no family. At least we have each other...and that's a good start.

Thanks to everyone for the support... we shall see.

Hugs..

poof*

I also am a Vietnam vet and we lived next to the dumping ground (water sanitation, etc. ) VA says my arthritis is not caused by Agent Orange, however my attorney say it is. He is trying to help me out. don't know what will happen altho I heard if you live in AZ you get it almost without any problems. Must be someone down there that knows what is going on, otherwise they would be stiffed like the rest of us.

Amyjo
My sincere best wishes for things to go your way! We really do feel your pain and frustration. This really IS horrible for all the vets locked in this fight. My hub transported AO in his plane doing spot defoliation. Their clothes were washed in it...and he's pretty sure some of their food was cooked with it. As he put it...we ate/slept and lived in AO for about a year. He was in DeNang during what's referred to as the "hot zone" when it was just poured everywhere.

We are in a race with time...and I sure hope we win. We have met soooooooooooo many veterans who have had to fight 5+ years for their benefits. Many have passed during their battle. My son said the vets in Idaho don't have near the hassle as some states either, but I can't leave the only real financial stability we have which is my job. We will be hiring an attorney in the next month if we get BLOWN OFF AGAIN.

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Have you contacted your congressman/senator on this? Sometimes they can help...I'm working with a kid who was in for about six years: got hurt in three different overseas locations, and they're giving him a ration. So...Sen Joe Wilson is one of ours and is also the Armed Forces rep...so we'll see! Good luck...I agree, some of the stuff they try to pull with our guys is CRIMINAL!

You are not nuts.. I agree with you.. I bought the hangers from Costco, and love them.. Since I wear scrubs a good part of my life, and hate to wear wrinkles, I don't put them in the dryer.. I hang them.. Another plus about not drying them, is if there is any stain on them, spot clean them, and toss them in the wash..
Barri

So sad everyone has to fight and fight for a little help from our goverment after fighting for our country so hard to understand

if you are packing to go somewhere if you carefully fold and roll your clothes before putting in yoursuitcase you will have fewer wrinkles I did this for years and it always worked for me

T.J.Maxx always has those hangers discounted as they keep resupplying the store and they don't sell. Check there.

I have probably ironed my clothes less than 5% of my time in the last 30 yrs. I learned that trick with the dryer --- take things out and hang them out when the buzzer rings once. I LOVE it!!! Why is it just fine to iron fabric but NOT my clothes??? If I have an item that insists on needing ironing, no matter what I do, then I give it to the thrift shop!!!! LOL LOL I hadn't heard of folding and rolling the clothes, though -- I'll give it a try!

Sorry to hear you had to go back to work because of hubby's illness.....

God Bless you and DH. Keep fighting the VA. So sad that is necessary. I had the privilege of making a wheelchair lap quilt for a friend with AO and seeing him smile.

Thanks for the folding tip, hope God will give you both a good life. As to hangers, I have made hanger covers out of fleece & that works also do nothing will slip off.

We don't have hamper wrinkles either. Most of the time the clothes never make it in the hamper. lol

Whatever works for you - go with it.

Keep fighting. We had some similar problems with the VA. My husbands' deafness was caused by teaching on the rifle range. He had papers to prove it but it took years for them to admit it. There were people in the VA Hospital in NJ with "agent Orange" problems so there is someone who will listen if you can find the right one.

Hang in there and make them listen to you. A dear friend suffered for years from exposure to Agent Orange.

Our prayers are with you. Good luck!

I know about Agent Orange too. My husband died 1990 at age 52 of pancreatic cancer. When we filed papers we were told to fill out this long application. We did, then came a map, mark where you were and the dates of incountry. We did it. He got sprayed on going back and forth under the brush to an orpanage to help children. Then it was he was still alive and not egible for any help. After he died I refiled and said, well now he is dead.
After some time I received a check for about $1,400.00. Said that was all as they could not prove Agent Orange was the cause or not, and they had so many others to send monies too.

I am sorry you are having to go down this road, but I hope at some point you are able to pick up a needle and thread and quilt again, it saved my sanity...I am still quilting after 21 years and it still works for me. Bless you.

Why is he not drawing SS disability???? With it comes Medicare with medical and prescription benefits. My husband has drawn it since '93 and it has been a Godsend. Also you draw back to the time the disability starts. The lawyer gets 1/3 but it is a relief to have someone fight it for you.

That is my advice too, my hubby went through all that turmoil a few years ago, but he finally got his benefits. He just determined he was not going to give up.

That is criminal. They should not be fighting this it has been proven time and time again. Nor should his medical be coming out of your pocket. NO WAY!! I fought for 6 years to get my disability so I sort of know what you are going through. It just makes it worse that it is a vet that is going through this. Good luck to you

I agree with Pat M, be persistent. I have a 2nd cousin that eventually won his case and this then made life so much easier for him and his family. My prayers are with you. I really hate the way they treat our Vietnam vets after all they have done for us. I thank your husband for my freedom. Keep fighting he deserves the very best.

Also thanks for the laundry tip, I too have recently gone back to work after 7 months of "retirement".

Thanks to allll of you for the Agent Orange support...and prayers and blessing. It makes me SICK to hear these stories that you've all suffered through too. HOW CAN THIS HAPPEN IN THIS COUNTRY??? We just have to continue networking with each other and supporting each other. Reading people's comments in here have helped... really... thank you.

Re the hanger/washing clothes comments.. THOSE ARE GREAT TOO....LOL

Long day at work.. need to go put my tootsies up...

Much Love...

Felicia

Thanks. Anything that leads to less ironing!

I'm so sorry to hear of your husband's health issues due to his service to our country. It is unbelievable that he is being denied disability payments.

I started reading about laundry tips and saw that this became about veterans' benefits and healthcare. I am so, so sorry about what you and your husband have been going through. This is simply not acceptable in the US. We must treat our veterans with respect and provide the care they need. Do not rest until you get what you deserve. Write your Congressman, or write the President. Some TV stations have investigative journaling in the news segment. Try contacting them. Please tell your husband we thank him for his service.

Maybe it would make more of an impact if all of US wrote to our congressmen and contacted our local news agencies, and let them know how fed up we are with the treatment of OUR vets! It's not fair that they fight for our country, then they have to fight yet another battle just to get their country to keep promises that were made. Felicia, who are your representatives? I'll give him/her/them an earful!

If my clothes are wrinkled from the dryer or hanger I just toss them back in the dryer after spraying a light mist of Downy Wrinkle Remover on them. The clothes are wrinkle free by the time I'm done with my hair.