Machine Wash Cold, Delicate Cycle

I have great respect for my laundry. In spirit, at least, if not always in actuality. It is because of this respect that I would not, for example, wash my down blanket (a gift from my parents) in hot water and dry it on high. No matter what the health benefits of doing so may be.

Lately, my laundry and I, in fact, my house and I, wait no--my sanity and I, have faced some challenges. Wait, let me say this correctly--my husband and I, our respective sanities, and our home and laundry--have faced some challenges.

The most recent challenge has been fleas. Did you know (and I quote roughly from memory) that 10 mama fleas, over 30 days, with just the right conditions, can multiply to over a quarter million fleas? A quarter million fleas. Did you know that (and I again quote roughly from memory) that a flea pupa (please don't ask me to describe that further) can apparently go dormant and survive for 8 months? Did you know that flea larvae and pupae do not need regular blood to continue living? No, they can survive happily for a long time on dead skin, other organic matter, and (sorry) the dried-blood poo of their parents. Think about the implications of that for a moment.

What that means is that now that Justin and I went to the SPCA, now that we unknowingly brought home a few fleas that promptly found our cat, now that we learn that their life span and reproductive abilities are almost supernatural--we must clean and clean and clean. You see, (and I quote roughly from memory), "a cat with fleas is like a salt shaker walking around the house, dropping eggs."

Great. A salt shaker is walking around my house, depositing flea eggs, which will turn into pupae that defy reasonable expectation in their ability to survive for 8 months.

Which brings me back to the title. I do not want to wash my down blanket. I also do not want it to house flea eggs. I already have to wash and vacuum and rewash and revacuum practically everything else in the house, because of the chance that an egg may have fallen onto it from the cat (who is now contained, in case you're wondering). Oh, and I ought to do this daily "for one to two weeks" to be sure they're gone. (That's just because we caught them early--I suppose it might be longer under other circumstances.)

Which again brings me back to the title. I would like to have a tag on me that says "Machine Wash [Warm], Delicate Cycle [Only]." I am delicate. I do not like hardship or frustration or too much work at a time (or work at all, come to think of it). I hate fleas and other parasites. Dang it, I don't even like normal bugs that much! And of late in addition to the fleas, we have had ants all over and wasps coming in; did I mention that? And yesterday besides beginning the epic flea removal drama, did I mention that my automatic car window ceased its function? It's supposed to rain tonight, and the window will not budge, and the part will not come in for "three to four days." And quite honestly, I hadn't planned on deep cleaning my house OR needing my husband to repair my car window this week--I'd imagined painting the bathroom, since that was a legitimate project we had planned for this month when we have fewer responsibilities than normal.

Ugh. Lord, I know in my head that You have a plan for this, but I'm not doing so well praising You and being thankful through the frustrations. Help, please! And please help me have energy to vacuum the whole house again today. Thank You. In Jesus' name I pray...