Monday, May 4, 2009

Laundry Day

I remember fondly wash day at our house. This usually took place on Mondays. Back then it was a big deal and only got done once a week as it was so time consuming for a family of 7.

We had a wringer washing machine and wash tubs sitting at each end. We also lined dried everything. All of us had apart in this. There was fresh water to put in the tubs to rinse the clothes, helping to hand wring the delicate ones, hanging the clothes on the line, taking them down, folding them and sprinkling the ones to be ironed the next day.

One of my favorite things about wash day was that there was no time to cook. We got to have sandwiches!!! This was a big deal for us as our Mother and Grandmother raised a big garden and cooked the food from it every day. Have you ever had a Bologna sandwich with a big slice of home grown tomato and a green onion?? A little piece of heaven on earth.

I love to smell the sweet aroma of the line dried sheets. We would take them down at dusk and put them back on the bed. Crisp, warm, white, and smelling so good they were a much welcomed comfort.

I did not appreciate all the hard work my Mom and Grandmother did to keep us all in clean clothes. I do now!!! To this very day I prefer lined dried sheets. I also like white ones best. To me they look so pretty on your bed.

Thanks Mom!!!!

29 comments:

a Bohemian Market said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
a Bohemian Market said...

Oh Mary:
I remember wash days too : ) I got to hang the clothes out on the line. One time I forgot and I had to go out in the dark and they were stiff and cold : )
I got my arm caught in the wringer many times : )
I liked when my Mom used bluing to make sheets super white and the starch she cooked on top of the stove; kind of felt like liquid jello.
What great memories you gave to me with your post!!!
peace & hugs
carole
I sent Kiley a comment too
I deleted my 1st comment because I spelled words incorrectly : (

a portland granny said...

Mary-Thanks for bringing back some great memories. We had the same set-up you described, the two tubs and the agitater washing machine. Many a Monday, during the summers, I had to do the hanging out in the sunshine. I used to organize everything before I hung it....and it took me forever! I can still hear mom's call to me from the basement, "Hurry, Joanie, I have another basket ready to hang!"

Such good memories, and such happy times! (I'm with you on the white sheets right from the line!!)

Sandi McBride said...

I line dry my sheets and towels...the turkish towels are much thirstier when line dried and dry you off better! Lovely post!
Sandi

Vee said...

We didn't have good old-fashioned Monday washdays. Ours were more often Saturday at the laundromat. My parents had a well and it killed most washers because the cycles would get confused...doesn't happen with new machines. At one point, my mom did buy a small portable washer with a wringer that hooked up to the sink. Now that was a chore and a half.

I really enjoyed reading about your washdays. What a lot of work for the women of that time! I'd remember the sandwiches, too, if I had one as delicious as that sounds...must try one soon!

bluemuf said...

Mary, I always love to read your reminiscence of years gone by. I do hope you also are keeping these wonderful memories in a notebook for your grandchildren to read some day.

Hugs karen

BittersweetPunkin said...

Saturday is usually my laundry day and often it spills over to Sunday. I have tried to do more loads throughout the week but I just can't get ion the habit...

Hugs,
robin

vivian said...

I love to line dry when the weather is nice! especially sheets!
have a sweet day!
hugs
vivian

Chris said...

Hi Mary! Thanks so much for stoppping by And leaving the sweet comment.

I have enjoyed reading your post this morning. Line-dried sheets...what a treat!

Looking forward to reading more!

Chris

Unknown said...

OH I love this post!!! I have fond memories of hanging fresh clean laundry out on the clothesline with my sweet grandma. I always loved doing that with her. Such wonderful memories! I keep asking my hubby to put a clothesline up for me but he hasnt yet. Thank you for sharing this wonderful post!
Hugs,
Amy

Catherine Holman said...

Sheets fresh from the clothesline is one of my favorite memories. I need to get my hubby to put up a clothesline so I can bring that memory back to life!
Blessings,
Catherine

PCovi said...

I can talk about bologna!
:)
My daddy sold meat from a refrigerated truck. Our bologna was sliced off the stick at home. He said he sold enough that if he placed them end to end they would go from Hopkinsville to Clarksville and back!

Carole Burant said...

What a coincidence that you should post about this because I've just come in from bringing in my laundry that I had hung on my clothesline this morning:-) Like you, I just LOVE the smell of line dried sheets!! I remember helping my mom on laundry day...she had a wringer washer and when she'd put the clothes through the wringer, I'd watch them come through all flat and would giggle like crazy! hehe Wonderful memeories! xoxo

GARAGE SALE GAL said...

Hi Mary,
I also enjoy sheets from the clothes line on my bed:) Seems like I sleep better too.
Warmly,
Deb :)

Cathy ~ Tadpoles and Teacups said...

What a ton of work! We're so spoiled now with our washing machines and dryers. But, I agree, nothing is better in this world than sheets fresh off the cloethes line!

Jackie said...

While I really don't like ironing, it does give a person plenty of time to think. I can remember my mom sprinkling the clothes and rolling them up before ironing them the next day. She even ironed my unmentionables!

God bless.

Justabeachkat said...

Hi sweet friend!

I'm back and it's fun to be blogging again. I've had fun reading all your posts I've missed. What exciting news about Kiley's baptism! I know you're so proud of her.

Hugs!
Kat

Susie Q said...

Congratulations to Kiley on her baptism!

I loved this post Mary! I well remember having a wringer washer at my garndparent's homes and even in our home when I was small. I was fascinated by it!
And I loved the sheets hanging on the line outside...what fun to play hide and seek in them!

Love,
Sue

Mary said...

Mary,

I haven't owned a pair of white sheets in years, but remember how nice they looked on the bed...and there's nothing like the fragrance of line-dried clothes.

We also had a wringer washer, but Grandma had one that you had to pump the handle. When I was young, I thought my arm would fall off before those clothes were clean.

Yes, we did work hard but those were much simplier days. Not so fast paced nor so stressful.

Enjoyed your memories.
Blessings,
Mary

Vickie said...

Hi, Mary - thanks for coming by with your sweet sentiments. I really appreciate it!

I've been trying to catch up on my blog reading. I see you've been a busy lady! I'm so proud for your little Kiley being saved. That is the ultimate thing we can be thankful for our children!!

I remember my mama hanging out the wash on the clothesline. She made me and my sister hang it out sometimes, too. She had a washing machine. My grandmother had a wringer washer.

It was not our favorite chore to go out and hang the laundry in the cold. Our hands would freeze!

Thanks for some good memories!

Margaret Cloud said...

This brings back lots of memories for me, we did exactly as your family did on wash day and ours was on Mondays also. Thank you for coming by.

Anonymous said...

Lovely post ! I enjoyed reading it ! Have a lovely day :) xo

Darla said...

I recall that set up for laundry as well. I still line dry quite a few things, sheets being my first preference.

Darla

Unknown said...

Mary,
What lovely memories. I too love the smell of freshly dried linens that have been hung to dry. I remember how sweet the sheets smelled the first night they came off the line.

More recently I have a friend who on wash day lets her little ones romp around in their bathing suits. The only clean clothes left in their dresser, tee hee. She cracks me up. I love her nonchalant attitude and how her kids will grow to be so appreciative of her great attitude.

Have a lovely day.

Karen

Carol Anne's Boutique said...

Hi Mary,
What a lovely post, brought back wonderful memories! I can still see my Mom hanging up the sheets when I was little! There really isn't anything like the smell and feel of line dryed sheets!
Thanks so much for stopping by my my blog and leaving your sweet comment! I enjoy hearing from you!
Hope it has stopped raining where you live so you can put out your pretty fowers!
Happy Thursday!!
xoxo
Carol Anne

Theresa @ Take A Sentimental Journey said...

Thanks Mary for taking me down memory lane.I used to want to run the clothes through the wringer,but my grandmother always helped me, she was afraid I would get my little arm caught in the wringer.

Betty said...

I remember wash days and my mom's wringer washing machine! Wow! That was a lot of work. I also love line dried sheets but it is too dusty here for that. I feel like I live in the dust bowl sometimes.

tea time and roses said...

Hello Mary!

Thank you so much, your beautiful post brought back memories of our family wash day! :o) We too had a wringer washer! Remember when the wringer would pop if it could not handle the thickness of the clothing passing through!:o) Mother would pull some of the bulk out and clamp it down and start again! Oh and smell of lined dried sheet, the very best! You are so right Mary, as children we had no idea just how hard our Mothers work to take good care of us children. Beautiful post my friend!

Smiles...

Beverly

GingerLouise Clothing said...

Hi Mary1 Love that post, thats another thing I miss about living in the city one of my favorite smells--clean sheets coming off the line--it brings back a lot of childhood memories--although there are also the memories of freezing fingers pulling frozen clothespins and rock hard sheets and towels off the line!