It'll all come out in the wash ...

Marlene Terry

“It'll all come out in the wash!” Something my mom used to say whenever I was going through an extraordinarily bad time in my life, or even worse, when I’d done something incredibly stupid, something that almost anyone could have figured out was a bad idea and would have avoided at all costs.

I cringe thinking about how many times I heard that olden days phrase during my growing up years. But by the time I was ready to leave home I was convinced. It was just something that well-meaning people offered up when they didn’t want somebody they cared about to feel bad or worry over problems … especially when it didn't seem those problems would have any serious or long-lasting affect on anything or anyone.

Right! Like the time I used burgundy spray paint on two of my dining room chairs.

… Had a bid from a craftsman who I’m sure would have done a wonderful job in his shop. But, because of the cost, I opted to do it myself in the garage.

So with the chairs placed on large cardboard squares, and me dressed in as close to a HazMat suit as you can get from the local Walmart, I still managed with an aggressive over-spray, to change the white color of every interior wall to a pale pink, my hubby’s brand new running shoes that were sitting innocently by the door, to a slightly darker shade of pink … and I think there are places inside my nose that are still a little rosy, too!

Ended up costing me big bucks and tons of hard work to restore things to a somewhat normal state. It also made me a non believer, at least as far as that particular old saying goes. 
Throughout my life I've tested it many times. And you can believe me when I say that not EVERYTHING will come out in the wash. 

… Proof positive is the 600 or so shredded bits of the paper towel you see in the photo today!

The towel itself that I laundered mistakenly with the rest of the whites survived the washing experience just fine ... and didn't come out until I opened the dryer door instead!

Revised quote?

"It'll all come out whenever you least expect it!"

... So it shall be said. So it shall be written.   

♦ Hope you'll let me share your stories and photos here at my new residence "In a Nutshell." Email me at nutshellstories@gmail.com.