It’s summer…yup, it is definitely summer in my house-full-o-teens and this year so far summer has meant lots of trips to the grocery store, the ever-ringing phone, other parents calling to see if I have seen their offspring, me trying to piece together work during all sorts of strange hours, and a perpetually-sparse linen closet. This seems to be the summer that the towels are really getting a work-out…
I heard my two older daughters this morning getting ready to go for a swim in the pool. Since it is supposed to be nearly 90 degrees on this typical Fourth of July, a 10:30 am swim is not such a kooky idea. One calls up to the other: “Did you get towels?” and the other answers back:
“I got my two towels, you’ll have to get your own.” TWO towels? Why on earth do they each need two towels. My daughter explains that they need one for their hair–to keep it from getting too much sun. Hmmm…well that explains where four clean towels are going this morning! I’m assuming that they will need a “fresh” towel when the come back in and take a shower after swimming.
Well, I’m sure I’m not sharing any complicated or secret math here when I ask you to imagine what three teenagers and their friends–swimming, showering, bathing, having water balloon fights, and wading in the nearby river (not to mention shaving legs, coloring hair, and cooking projects)–can do with a couple shelves full of freshly laundered towels. My house is literally become buried under piles of wet, used towels…and it is only the first week in July!
I suppose I should cherish these times and memories (at least that is what the wise old grandparents say) as they will soon be over. I do know that the days are flying fast and it probably won’t be too long until I’m asking myself why I even HAVE so many towels in the first place–since won’t be anyone around to use them up as soon as I get them back in the hall linen closet…
See Also: The “School’s Out” Crash