Soap Nut Saga

I left the soap nut bundle in the washing machine and so the rinse water which we collect, to water the non edible plants and fruit trees, was a little soapier than usual.

'That's it' declares my other half 'I am going to buy my own detergent and wash my own clothes and the children's, I hate the feeling that they are still full of detergent'
I foolishly used an in wash booster the other day  and the yellowing sheets came out a sparling white. Another nail in the coffin of the soap nut.
'But its harmless natural soap' I splutter 'the other stuff has all sorts of nasties in it!!!! Use it on the kids clothes. No way!'
My heart actually sunk. Off I walked, my internal monologue whirling. 'He doesn't have the same values as me, what about the earth, what about toxins? Not on the same page'....and so on.

Innocent bystanders

From the beginning I feel he has a vendetta against the soap nut. What irritates him so much? He loves plants and natural things. He thinks it is an expensive gimmick, although I have showed him the maths and they are actually very reasonably priced. I think they clean as well as any environmentally friendly clothes washing liquid, which unfortunately isn't as good as their more chemical cousins. But nothing smells, surely that is all that matters?  But I wonder at my reaction why am I so attached to the soap nuts? why does criticism of them feel like a personal attack? Should I just get over it? Its just washing detergent after all. But I think I just desperately want there to be a natural alternative that works, a small step towards solving the worlds problems and lessening our impact (although they are flown over from Nepal).

He is a little bit right though, leaving the soap nuts in for the rinse cycle does make the rinse a little bit more soapy.  But its pretty annoying having to sort through the laundry in between wash and rinse. Am I just annoyed because he is catching me out being lazy? No no no I am sure that's not it. ;) I will make another batch of soap nut concentrate ( boil up some soap nuts in water and then drain of the liquid) which can be used like a detergent, this would solve the dilemma.

I huffed and puffed some more, even refusing to let him help me put the clothes on the line.

A little later he is standing in the kitchen boiling up some Bunya nuts on the stove. He is a little grumpy with me. I go over and give him a hug from behind. My hands run through his hairy comforting chest. 
'When you criticise the soap nuts it really hurts my heart' I say, we pause and then both burst out laughing.