Sunday, July 31, 2011

* Nostalgic Sundays *

It's time for another Nostalgic Sunday

I wasn't sure what I would write about today because I had quite a few ideas popping in and out of my head...which is an ongoing occurrence.
(courtesy: google)
But I finally decided to write about ironing. Yes....ironing.
I don't know if spray starch was available when I was a little girl, because if it was, we didn't use it.
I remember watching my mom and older sister take the dried clothes from a clothes basket, lay them flat out on the kitchen table, one at a time, and sprinkle them with water. They ususally used a plastic bottle that I assume was made just for that little task. Then after each item was dampened, it was rolled up like a jelly roll and placed to the side. This continued until every piece of clothing that required ironing was drizzled. All were placed inside a small plastic bag and put in the refrigerator for a certain amount of time, and then voile', they were ready to be ironed. 

*For any young readers, back in the Old Days, clothes were primarily made from cotton and needed to be ironed. Polyester and nylon either hadn't been discovered, manufactured, or used for clothing yet.*
Addendum: Thank you, Marydon for the info about nylon! I appreciate it!

(courtesy: google.)
(I'm assuming it's okay to use this, since Life Magazine is no longer around.)
I hadn't thought of that routine for eons until just this morning. (It's a long story why ironing popped into my head, so I won't bore you with that! Aren't you glad?!) Then, another long ago memory materialized....Soon after my parents split up, money was very scarce, and for a while my mother ironed other families' clothes. I think someone would drop them off at our little apartment and mother was paid 'per piece'. I know it certainly wasn't much. Probably something like 25 cents maybe? I think the term for that was "taking in ironing", and considered a lowly job. Does anyone else remember this?

One last thing. I LOVE to iron, but only a couple of things at a time. Then I'm tired and ready to quit! Unless I'm watching something really good on TV like the woman in the photo, then I'm okay. (Also, I much rather iron MY clothes, than The Ronald's because his are at least twice the size of mine!)

Also welcome to my newest follower: Randi! I hope you'll stop by often and always enjoy what you read and see! Thank you!
My second favorite household chore is ironing. My first being hitting my head on the top bunk bed until I faint. -- Erma Bombeck
I'm eighteen years behind in my ironing. -- Phyllis Diller