Sunday, October 07, 2007

I am Getting Old - Part Twenty-one

I am getting old because…as I unloaded the washer, putting clothes in the dryer, my mind drifted back to my childhood and thoughts of hanging our clothes outside in the fresh air and sunshine. I remembered our Maytag wringer washer and big aluminum tub for the rinse water being filled on washday, which was usually Monday. I remember putting “stretchers” in the legs of the blue jeans that had been starched. I remember “cooking” the starch for the clothes and my beloved “can-can” slips worn with pride under full skirts to make them “stand out”. I remembered getting the ironing board and iron ready. No steam iron back then so we “sprinkled” the clothes with water and rolled them in a towel to keep them damp so they would be easier to iron. We ironed everything: sheets, pillowcases, handkerchiefs, clothes. Washday was an all day affair at our home and thank goodness it only came once a week.

It is funny how the simplest of tasks can trigger such good memories.

4 comments:

Shelby said...

oh I simply loved reading this! and your sweet comment on my blog - you don't have to be sorry for being absent from your blog!! But I do miss you even so.. we all have things we have to do - and sometimes blogging isn't one of the most important - imagine that!! :)

I am glad you are back tho.. take care and have a happy rest of the weekend!

Jeni said...

I remember this routine - not from doing it myself but from watching my grandmother do laundry every Monday, hanging clothes out to dry and that evening, she would sprinkle them, roll them in a ball and the entire basketful of laundry would be covered, sitting, waiting for her to start in early Tuesday morning to spend the entire day standing at the ironing board and pressing EVERYTHING - even the bath towels and wash clothes too! I'm not sure where the iron and ironing board is today - I know it's here someplace but it's been so long since it was used - who knows where it's hidden!
Welcome back!

Anonymous said...

Hi Sylvia,

Thanks for the comments. Really appreciate it.

Hope you're in the best of health Sylvia. Do drop by whenever you're free. I'm glad you've started blogging again. I really really missed you.

Take care, my friend. Greetings and lotta loves from Malaysia.

RUTH said...

Oh I remember those days. You could always "smell" that iit was washday. And the mangle (wringer?0 was wonderful. The sheets were almost dry and ironed by the time they came through it. Ahhh......... memories :o)
Rx