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Original poster

Or is my neighbour about my laundry...?

430 replies

laundryninja · 26/05/2017 15:14

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?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
9
AcrossthePond55 · 27/05/2017 14:56

I'm American. I hang out laundry routinely and only use my dryer when I'm in a hurry or the weather is shit.

My mum is a child of the Great Depression and a was a post-WWII bride and I think a lot of 'things we do' domestically as Americans arise from her generation. We were discussing her early married years after I asked her why she didn't 'can' fruits and bake from scratch like her mother did and she told me that she and all of her friends as young wives were totally about things like packaged foods, cake mixes, canned fruits and veggies, a second car, and 'labour saving devices' because it meant they were 'modern' and that their husbands 'could afford nice things'. They all grew up canning, plucking chickens, doing wash by hand-cranked machines, walking everywhere, etc. The 'new' devices meant freedom to them from domestic slavery and a 'step up' to a better economic class and, especially, more leisure time. They 'felt sorry' for women who still had to do things the 'old way' and one of the most visible 'old ways' was laundry hung out 'for all to see'. They raised us to do things the way they did it, just the same as mothers all over the world do. My mother could never understand why I hung clothes out when I had a perfectly good dryer or why I'd spend hours baking from scratch when there were perfectly good mixes. She surely appreciated the results though.

Iamastonished · 27/05/2017 15:03

Cake mixes are never as good as cakes made from scratch. They have a nasty, synthetic background taste.

IMO

QuinionsRainbow · 27/05/2017 15:08

What's the time, ten to nine
Put your knickers on the line

My Gran's (rural Sussex) version was:

What's the time, half past nine
Hang your knickers on the line
When they're dry, take them in
Hang them on a safety-pin
When a copper comes along
Take them off and put them on.
When they're dry, take them in
Put them in the biscuit tin
Eat a biscuit, eat a cake
Eat your knickers by mistake

QuinionsRainbow · 27/05/2017 15:11

Oops - too much cut and paste! Please ignore the final four lines.

And please, can we have an edit facility?

pipsqueak25 · 27/05/2017 15:13

love this thread Grin and at time of writing have only read first page..thanks for it as i needed cheering up after getting upset over the horrible audi thread.

DragonNoodleCake · 27/05/2017 15:17

Hahaha what a nutter YANBU.

Can you imagine how that convo will go..

NDNDH - hi, how you doing
DH - not bad mate
NDNDH - so the missus has lost it man, gone and got her knickers in a twist about your DW hanging out her undies could you be a good chap and ask her not to do it, it will make my life easier

Hahaha not!!

DragonNoodleCake · 27/05/2017 15:22

Just saw the update you made about the convo with your DH - he's brilliant and you NDNs are nuts

SenecaFalls · 27/05/2017 15:23

My mother was also a post-WWII bride (married summer of 1945), and my experience is similar to Across's. Also my mother worked outside the home (and yet was expected to take care of the house and all childcare arrangements so it was as though she had two full-time jobs), and she wasn't very interested in the domestic side of life. Anything that saved time was a plus. Laundry was often done at night when she got home from work. She didn't cook much of anything "from scratch."

Also, labor-saving devices are inextricably linked to the rise of the women's movement in the US; my mother wanted me to be educated above all else (even to the point of sending me from a small town in the state of Georgia to university in Scotland). The domestic arts were way down on her list of priorities, and remained so for her entire life.

So perhaps there is a now embedded cultural prejudice against seeing laundry flapping in the breeze in the US. I do think that many people see it as old fashioned and even unsightly, but there may be deeper reasons that drying outdoors has gone the way of the washboard for many in the US.

FaintlyHopeful · 27/05/2017 15:31

These are what you need

Or is my neighbour about my laundry...?
SenecaFalls · 27/05/2017 15:54

Speaking of underwear ditties, this one was popular in the US when I was a child (may still be for all I know).

I see London, I see France
I see xxxx's underpants
Not too big, not too small
But you could hang them on a wall

topcat2014 · 27/05/2017 16:05

I haven't RTFT, but I know the deeds to my house prohibit washing being out on a Sunday!

No-one follows it though.

Original poster
laundryninja · 27/05/2017 17:09

Aww fuck

I hung some stuff out when it was sunny earlier, went to Ikea and when I came out it was pouring rain and thunder

DH informs me that my pants have been hit by lightening.

This is my Biblical Commupance, isn't it?

OP posts:
Iamastonished · 27/05/2017 17:15

What's the time
Half past nine
Hang your knickers on the line
When a copper comes along
Hurry up and put them on

from my childhood (1960s)

pollymere · 27/05/2017 17:25

I was brought up that it's common to put undies on the line (female). Men's ones seemed to be acceptable! I don't because I don't want my neighbours seeing them!

HeartsTrumpDiamonds · 27/05/2017 17:30

I see England, I see France
I see X's underpants
Not too big, not too small
Just the size of Montreal

JDEE72 · 27/05/2017 17:33

Can you live stream the man to man conversation? 🍿

VerbenaGirl · 27/05/2017 17:33

She is a lunatic!

happyhebe · 27/05/2017 17:34

She'd hate our neighbours as they hang out their pants with two pegs that are stretched out along the line in full view a la aliens love underpants. You should buy your NDN a copy of the book.

Iamastonished · 27/05/2017 17:35

"I don't because I don't want my neighbours seeing them!"

Really! Why? Most people wear underwear. And it isn't common to put undies on the line Hmm

Craigie · 27/05/2017 17:51

I would ONLY hang underwear out for the next few weeks. Maybe she'll self combust.

ChrisPrattsFace · 27/05/2017 17:57

Your DH sounds amazing. He can come and defend my laundry...
Also.. your kitten is adorable.

alisonddp · 27/05/2017 18:12

my beautiful cotton victorian bloomers are a hoot - they're mid calf length and completely crotchless - now that really would offend!

only just discovered these posts/strings on Mumsnet - best entertainment ever - goodbye spider solitaire - this is much more compulsive

did you give age of NDN laundryninja? not that it matters but still adds to the picture

BumBumPooBum · 27/05/2017 18:13

When I was growing up there was a local pervert who stole women's underwear off washing lines. So I have never hung bras and pants on the line. I think at this point I would be quite embarrassed to do so. I don't WANT my neighbours to see my underwear!

louisejxxx · 27/05/2017 18:18

This is hilarious Grin

EweAreHere · 27/05/2017 18:24

Lightning ... burning undies ... karma. Grin

Your DH is awesome