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Monday, March 27, 2017
It's Monday, Did You Do Your Wash?
In the 50's most women did their laundry on Mondays except down here a lot of people called it their wash. It was a hot job standing around the big black pot with a fire under it. A stick in hand to swirl the white sheets around. My mother in law, bless her heart thought it was a law to wash on Monday. I think if someone died she would still do the wash on Monday. I knew one woman whom you better not drop in to visit because she had to do her wash. Another newly married lady used to add a whole box of soap powder. Must not have been any germs left back then. Then came the wash board but probably by then most had a wringer machine. Many a head scarf or arm accidentally got caught in those. If I remember correctly there was something to press to release the tightness of the wringer to release the arm or scarf. You ask why scarf, a lot of women wore them on their head back then. When you bent over the wringer to put the clothes through to squeeze the water out the end of the scarf could be pulled in. I was a brazen hussy today, my clothes hamper was three fourths full and I didn't do my wash. Must have felt guilty, so I thought of this and wrote about it this Monday. Anyone have any laundry memories?
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8 comments:
Been there and done it all. All the old days were not too bad, but do not want to do this again. I was born during the depression.
Stopping by and saying hello - and guess what - I am doing laundry now!
Chatty is out back with the black pot and some lye soap! LOL The Chatty one is one sweet lady.
Yeah, I remember the progress from the black pot (for most things) to the washing machine with the water heated in the black pot. Mama let me put some things in the wringer and I ws warned NEVER do it with out her near. BUT I did and yep my fingers went in. Mama's was adjusted to jump open when it tried to pass a 'wad' in clothes and I guess a hand counted at that, so it kicked open enough that it did not break anything. Mama said, "Now you know cow horns will hook son!"
Lots of jokes about those wringers too. And Yes, I remember Mondays and I know she had a order of hanging.
Washers and driers are NICE!
Oh the memories....
Oh those button breaking wringer washers! I think I was maybe 13 or 14 and got my pony tail caught when I was fishing for some small items. My brother had a big chuckle as I flayed my arms around to pound the release bar.
My grandma used a washboard down at the stream to wash clothes. But my mom had a wringer washing machine. i never heard the monday bit though.
brazen hussy heehee
I did some laundry yesterday
my Mom scrubbed
my cloth diapers
on a washboard
I say a prayer
every time
I use my Kenmores
I have written about laundry a couple times....look here and here. I still like laundry, except when sick or something happening where I cannot get to it. And since hubby had his stroke, I really like to keep things done up.
My only real laundry memory is playing among the clothesline rows and Mama threatening me not to rub my hands on the clothes!
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