Drying Laundry In December

I hung a load of laundry outside last week just before a thaw. I had dried three other loads in the preceding days without a hitch. But the thaw brought rain.

I thought, "Ah well, a little rain, a little sun, a little more cold dry weather, the clothes will dry." Most likely they've been dry, or mostly dry, in the past week, but with the short days and our driving schedule, I was not home before dark on any of those days.

Then it rained for two days.

Then it froze last night and stayed below freezing all day.

I brought them in to dry by the fire.