The (Wash) Cycle of Life

Two nights ago I went to bed early. This was not because:

1. I was tired (even though I was);
or
2. I wanted to read more of my book (even though I did). 

Nope. It was because Ivie stank. 

I thought I'd become immune to farm smells but it seems my nostrils still have an ounce of sensitivity left. 

During lambing Ivie basically lives in his working clothes. He gets up, puts the same clothes on as yesterday, works, checks the lambing shed, snoozes on the sofa, checks the lambing shed again and comes to bed somewhere between midnight and 2am. 'Putting the same clothes on as yesterday' generally lasts a week then the whole lot goes in the washing machine and he moves on to the next set of working clothes for a bit of variety. 

This was ok when we didn't live together because my weekly visit was a marker for him to swap clothes. Not so much this year, especially during isolation when neither of us is entirely sure what day it is. 

Not Lambs (I'm learning...)

I'd already had a hint that working clothes were a complicated business when I tried to get him to put his long johns in the bin about a fortnight ago. They were like a spider's web with more holes than Swiss cheese (how's that for mixed metaphors?). 

Me: Don't you have another pair of long johns in the wardrobe? 

Ivie: Yes but they're my good ones. 

Me: But they'd keep you warm in the lambing shed. 

Ivie: I can't just wear them during lambing! They're my good ones! 

Me: Sigh. 

As far as I can make out, the working clothes system basically involves keeping every item of clothing ever purchased and filtering it through convoluted and unexplained categories such as working clothes, good working clothes, clothes for lambing and a 'polo shirt I was given in 1996 that was too big for me even then'. 

Our friend, Una, who you'll remember from this blog, suggested that this is something farmers learn alongside crop rotation. It's certainly impenetrable to the uninitiated. 

To save you from nightmares I have not included a photograph of the aforementioned thermals. You're welcome.