Labour saving devices??? Give me a boat anytime - 8:59 PM, Jun. 19, 2006

Dishwashers

When I was a lass, washing up was done by the kids.When I first met Popeye, wahing up was done by no-one -we used to have "dirty dishes" strikes and go off to (separate) pubs to avoid having to confront the problem. Circa 1980, we acquired our first dishwaher, and for a while, all was bliss.After a time, social unrest set in again, as no-one would load / unload the labour saving device,so back to square one. Recently replaced the dishwasher, with a guarantee until 2011, by which time we'll be liveaboards, with very little labour to save.

Washing machines 

The current one is about to give up the ghost, so it looks like another (last) investment is in order. But why do we get through one every 5 years? Maybe because I do about 10 loads a week. Lord knows why - if this is "labour saving" how did me poor old Grandma manage? Recent cruising experience shows that while clothes washing in a bucket is a viable (but labour intensive) method, the absolute top is throwing your clothes on the floor of the marina shower stall ( even though there are "no laundry" signs about), givin' em a good sprinkle of shower soap, and a good trample.

Other electrical thingies

Mostly gifts over the years, but only brought out a couple of times a year, and in the meantime require storage space equivalent to the 37 footer which will become our home. Sorry if I hurt any of the gift givers, but.... a toasted sandwich machine, an electric wok, can opener, bread slicer, bread maker, foot spa......?

Water + electricity to power these damn gadgets

Having acqcuired (and become dependent) on these "friends", I still have to feed them. Our water and electricty bills are probably close to the GDP of an average African country.

Is this progress? Probably not, but I guess I've got another learning curve coming with water makers, alternative sources of electricity and the like.