Or is my neighbour about my laundry...?

[laundryninja]

Name changed in case she's on mumsnet

Don't know NDN well. We are quiet and (I thought!) inoffensive so no issues for the last 6 months we've lived here. There's a low fence between our gardens.

Given that I live in the west of scotland, it's a rare opportunity to hang clothes out on the line to dry, which DH and I have been doing the past few days.

Today NDN appeared at the door and asked me to "be more careful" with my laundry. I initially thought something had blown into her garden and apologised. She said no, that us hanging out "personal items" was embarrassing for her and she didn't want her young sons (who are late primary age I think) seeing things like that. After clarifying she meant bras and knickers I admit I snorted with laughter a bit and said "but don't they see YOUR pants drying indoors!?" to which she said that I clearly didn't want to help and that she'd ask her DH to come over later to speak to my DH once he's in from work!

I have not brought my laundry in and have just done another load. She's glaring from her conservatory. AIBU to ignore her? Or should I bring my offensive undies in off the line?

Did you not read the thread Madwoman? The DH is a legend.

Hanging out clothes isn't that common in the states so maybe that's why it seems weird to them? Still...

DH is a Dubliner. A large, bearded, Irish wrestler.

Sod the kitten, I wanna see photos of the H!!

Oh that's interesting Fliptop. I'm not sure how long they've been over here. We bought it from a family and the line was all set up when we moved in though, so I imagine they used it on the (rare) dry days too..... maybe this is why the family moved out! Laundry harassment!

Having perused a fair few MN neighbour threads recently, I'm thinking we should patent a wheelable, adjustable, "Garden Modesty Screen".

Dragons' Den, anyone?

damn immigrants, LETS BUILD A WALL

"and now you'll leave...." and escorted down the path. My god this needs to be in classics. I just imagined this burly, red headed, bearded Irish bloke naked with just a wee pinny on (with you"ll have had your tea written on it), doing this.
I hope this happened near Greenock as it sounds like my wee Auntie Jeanie is your neighbour.

Does ndn not realise here in scotland you have to make the most of the ultra rare sunny days by doing as many washings as possible pants et al 😂

I'm British living in the USA OP. People don't hang out laundry where I live and my American friends think my clothes horse is quaint but endearingly British.

maddie how did you know he's red-headed?? Are you my NDN!?

I am tempted to recruit the ones on the other side of her, who are elderly, very nice, and who DH we helped with cutting back their big hedge earlier this month. I wonder if they'd be up for hanging out an ebay-load of anne summers cast-offs. And yes, such a thing does exist

I lived in Canada for years. Nobody hung washing out. Whole rooms, actually whole basements of houses were dedicated to "laundry". Two machines and a commercial sized dryer one family had (I was their nanny).
Hanging out washing, seeing it dry, bringing it in is one of lifes pleasures (mostly). We have washing out 75% of the time, even in December - got all the Christmas table linen out on Boxing Day, it was 9 degrees but sunny.

Ha ha...educated guess (I live in Kent).

'And now you'll leave' - that is the best thing I've heard in I don't know how long! Cheered me right up after a very very crappy day! I think I love your DH a tiny bit

I think all of you guys have got the ndn completely wrong. Her family obviously don't wear undies which is why she thinks it will alarm her children. They probably don't even realise such garments exist, if they see them they will be wanting some as well.

Put out a teeny tiny little thong. 😆

This has cheered me up. I happily hand my pants out on the line. Our neighbour on one side is an elderly lady and when she hangs out her underwear she always places it so it is hidden by a tree.

Your DH is a legend!

I cannot get over the idea of this lady being so mortified by the idea of your unmentionables that the only solution is to have the menfolk discuss them in depth! Sheer lunacy

Glad you and your DH stood up to them

I love your husband!

And this thread. Windae open, feet up and prosecco in hand. It has been a pure tonic.

They'd have hated my old NDN. Shed drilled brackets into the front of the house and used to hang her hammock there and swing in it smoking a joint and drinking a tinnie. God I miss her!

As soon as you said they were American it all fell into place.

A lot of Americans have this strange prudery around such things, and couple that with the fact that hanging out washing often doesnt happen, you have offended them two ways from Tuesday.

I would just keep doing it and if she does mention it again then explain that while it may not be standard practice in the US, it very much is over here so she'd better get used to it because moving to a different house wont solve the problem unless she lives somewhere with no neighbours within a mile radius.

Another one who loves your DH!

Laughing at their being American. The last time we went to Scotland we stayed in self-catering cottages and flats, which usually had washing machines but not dryers. We actually took photos of our laundry, unmentionables and all, hanging out on the line to show the folks back home. Many Americans, me included, live in subdivisions that ban outdoor laundry drying.

Ban outdoor laundry drying??? WTAF???

My cousin is now in Canada, but when she was in the US she had that rule Seneca except no one told her! She thinks that they must have assumed that it was a standard rule and that no one would even consider line drying, until she did. The head of the residents association "had a word" and it was clear that part of the problems was underwear!

Madness when you consider that in many areas of the US the weather is perfect for line drying most of the year round, yet they waste so much energy in tumbling.