Recycling Las Vegas style

Our dryer, a previously-recycled model bought about 8 years ago for around $100, gave up the ghost about two weeks ago. We've been hanging wet laundry anywhere we could find a hook, doorknob, or shower curtain rod. Because it's been so hot lately, drying really hasn't been a problem and clothes dry in record time. However, it's not so easy to hang sheets and towels, so we were getting a little desperate for a new dryer. Unlike Tokyo, we don't have any of the laundry-hanging gadgets that make drying clothes outside easy. When was the last time you saw anyone using a clothesline like we used in Arizona when I was a kid?

T, the resident super shopper, found an almost brand new gas Maytag that had been returned to Lowe's and was selling for 50% off. It's so beautiful and modern looking! It's HUGE and could easily fluff comforters. It also has a drying rack inside the dryer, so you can put sweaters or canvas sneakers, or whatever, on the rack and the drum remains in place while the drying air circulates around the rack. Cool!

So, after disconnecting the old dryer and carrying it out to the curb, the three of us unloaded the new dryer off the back of the pickup and carried it into the house. It was a breeze to hook up and move into place. As long as we were at it, we decided to do a little work on the washing machine as well. It was never properly installed and the connectors to the hot and cold water were reversed. No one but me seemed to mind, but since all the cycles called for a "cold" rinse, and that meant "hot" in reality, I had to be super careful about washing anything that might shrink in hot water.

Now, everything is working perfectly and we're all very happy.

The funny part is what happened to the old dryer out on the curb. As we sat watching a movie that evening, we suddenly heard what sounded like some machinery being knocked around outside. We ran to the kitchen and looked out into the dark evening to see what was causing the noise. A pickup truck with several scavenged washers and dryers onboard was parked at our curb and our old klunker was being loaded inside. It did my heart good to see that someone could make use of the old model. In Vegas the trash service will pick up appliances, but I worried that it would go to a landfill rather than get recycled.

I hope the guys in the pickup make a few bucks. They're the recycling heroes.