TBT: Rob out witted us for 20 years!

I grew up during the ‘60s when Women’s Lib and feminism rocked the world of the likes of Mrs. Cleaver (Leave it to Beaver – sitcom about the traditional all-American family). The dad went to work and earned the bacon while mom tended to the children, cooking, and laundry. So when we took a 6-week trip to Europe and stayed in 3-consecutive home exchanges, I insisted that we all take turns doing daily chores. Simple things like turning on a washing machine was difficult and was often the source of much aggravation. So I delegated Rob to being the family launderer for the 6 weeks. Big mistake!

Rob grumbled as he headed out the store to buy laundry detergent in a town south of London, and he did just about everything but kick the washer and dryer to get it to work.  After he pulled out his first load of clothes from the dryer, Nicole and Jaclyn were horrified. All of our clothes had turned a grayish-green! We were in England so the instructions were written in English, hence, there was no reason Rob could have mixed up the detergent with something else. But he did. In one load of laundry, Rob managed to ruin all of our clothes that we’re supposed to wear for 6 weeks!

That is where I now realize, 20 years later, that Rob out witted us.  Although he won’t admit this, I think he poured green dye into the washing machine to – YUP – get the reaction he got, so that I would tell him to never touch the laundry again! In hindsight, none of Rob’s clothes were ruined… He got us!