tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13024760.post4555527239836769897..comments2023-10-04T06:21:04.949-07:00Comments on Writing into the Sunset: Western Wednesday- Laundry on the TrailPaty Jagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03257614436422105729noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13024760.post-62035357997843295552012-04-22T10:24:03.156-07:002012-04-22T10:24:03.156-07:00I just posted a blog last week on the history of s...I just posted a blog last week on the history of soap. You might find it interesting. www.charleneraddon.blogspot.comAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13024760.post-4921778342423033762012-04-22T10:19:00.355-07:002012-04-22T10:19:00.355-07:00Charlene, Our time conserving appliances are a tre...Charlene, Our time conserving appliances are a treasure. Thank you for stopping in and commenting!<br /><br />Hi Mary Lou, That's a subject for another post- making soap.Paty Jagerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03257614436422105729noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13024760.post-50851351841522587382012-04-21T10:40:37.862-07:002012-04-21T10:40:37.862-07:00this is why they had red, rough hands.
My grannie...this is why they had red, rough hands. <br />My grannie explained clothes washing similar to this too and she didn't live<br /> 'out west". She made the "best" lye soap!anderson, marylounoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13024760.post-49814964376563581402012-04-21T10:09:36.572-07:002012-04-21T10:09:36.572-07:00Makes me so glad I don't have to do laundry th...Makes me so glad I don't have to do laundry that way. But I'm also glad I don't have to do it the way we did it when I was a girl, with a washing machine that was basically a big tub that electronically agitated but did nothing else. After the clothes were washed we put them through the ringer and into a tub of rinse water. After rinsing, they were put back through the wringer into another tub of rinse water, back through the ringer and then hung on the line to dry. That wasn't a lot of fun either.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13024760.post-29531367911031014442012-04-20T14:13:52.726-07:002012-04-20T14:13:52.726-07:00Yes, it does, Sarah!Yes, it does, Sarah!Paty Jagerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03257614436422105729noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13024760.post-83632321607371701992012-04-20T11:49:17.425-07:002012-04-20T11:49:17.425-07:00Makes a body thankful for modern conveniences, doe...Makes a body thankful for modern conveniences, doesn't it?Sarah Rapleehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17076583905680420909noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13024760.post-20506129556998106942012-04-19T06:59:38.833-07:002012-04-19T06:59:38.833-07:00Lauri, I agree, the cheap garments sold at major c...Lauri, I agree, the cheap garments sold at major chain stores wouldn't last through one washing. <br /><br />Hi Margaret! We had an old "boiling pot" when I was growing up but my grandmother planted flowers in it! She was probably glad to use it that way and not for its original use.Paty Jagerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03257614436422105729noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13024760.post-42109444525786947582012-04-19T04:00:57.710-07:002012-04-19T04:00:57.710-07:00Great post Paty.
I won't be complaining about ...Great post Paty.<br />I won't be complaining about doing the laundry any time soon after reading your article. Although being a historical writer myself, I do know how hard laundering the clothes were, but you have just reinforced the view that I am glad I was born in modern times.<br />I do remember my grandmother had a wood fired copper for washing.<br />Cheers<br /><br />MargaretMargaret Tannerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07123830410502520003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13024760.post-67262171612436374462012-04-18T20:21:22.854-07:002012-04-18T20:21:22.854-07:00I have a basket that needs to be folded, too, Paty...I have a basket that needs to be folded, too, Paty! This is a great post! I can't believe the clothes we wear today would hold up against being washed in the 'old fashioned' way.Laurihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13455014446926888377noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13024760.post-3296199535536931872012-04-18T19:27:49.156-07:002012-04-18T19:27:49.156-07:00Hi Ella! I hear ya! I have a basket of clothes sit...Hi Ella! I hear ya! I have a basket of clothes sitting in the living room that needs folded..been there a couple of days...maybe I just do that so my hubby has to walk naked through the house to get his underwear. ;0)<br /><br />Susan, Thanks for stopping in!Paty Jagerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03257614436422105729noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13024760.post-57783961080608996772012-04-18T17:25:36.069-07:002012-04-18T17:25:36.069-07:00Great post. I can't even imagine doing laundr...Great post. I can't even imagine doing laundry that way. I'm thankful I have a washer and dryer.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04419860031645350217noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13024760.post-81823108193996618492012-04-18T14:16:20.321-07:002012-04-18T14:16:20.321-07:00Great post, Paty. I don't like doing the laund...Great post, Paty. I don't like doing the laundry now, I would have really hated it back then.Ella Quinnhttp://ellaquinn.wordpress.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13024760.post-12336591067846412072012-04-18T14:13:07.228-07:002012-04-18T14:13:07.228-07:00Kristen, Amen!
LOL Regan! It is the one appliance...Kristen, Amen!<br /><br />LOL Regan! It is the one appliance I would hate to lose.<br /><br />Callie, True, it's more fun to write the characters into doing what we ourselves wouldn't want to do. ;0)<br /><br />Ally, I remember Sunday afternoon was always ironing day at our house. My grandmother(who lived with us) would iron everythign but the handkerchiefs and my mom's nurse's uniforms. Then I had to iron the handkerchiefs, to learn how to use an iron and my mom ironed her uniforms.<br /><br />Gerri, Me too!<br /><br />LOL Ginger. I have a washboard I inherited. It's a decoration in my laundry room. <br /><br />Paisley, Can you imagine the sweat stains on some of the clothes that they wore for a week before they laundered them?Paty Jagerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03257614436422105729noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13024760.post-23399378629258253362012-04-18T12:57:48.295-07:002012-04-18T12:57:48.295-07:00Does this mean I can't complain about doing la...Does this mean I can't complain about doing laundry anymore? Unfortunately I didn't think ahead and read your article to hubby. :)<br /><br />Another thing to think about - they got real dirty out on the trail so imagine how much dirt had to be beat out of the cloth. :(Paisley Kirkpatrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06401039126457210324noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13024760.post-28624901871844783062012-04-18T12:32:47.119-07:002012-04-18T12:32:47.119-07:00Yep, great minds do think alike. This ties in gre...Yep, great minds do think alike. This ties in greatly with my post today on Cowboy Kisses (http://cowboykisses.blogspot.com) Who would've thought we would mesh so well on the one day of the month allotted to my blog? Thanks for sharing such great info. I remember playing with my grandmother's washboard. Oops...I've revealed I'm older than the dirt in the grooves of it. *lol*Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09683064637626718318noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13024760.post-91463679365335565402012-04-18T11:56:22.566-07:002012-04-18T11:56:22.566-07:00I love washing machines and dryers!I love washing machines and dryers!Gerri Bowenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11517461664702276613noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13024760.post-39431395867423854762012-04-18T11:19:30.942-07:002012-04-18T11:19:30.942-07:00Very interesting. My grandmother used to talk abou...Very interesting. My grandmother used to talk about how they had a wash day every week followed by a day of ironing (this would have been in the 1930s). I can't imagine not having my washer. I would have needed a huge wardrobe or to be rich enough to have servants!Ally Broadfieldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00089318102030393586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13024760.post-75452480233716173302012-04-18T10:28:58.014-07:002012-04-18T10:28:58.014-07:00Loved the article, Paty. So many times I think I w...Loved the article, Paty. So many times I think I would like to time travel myself, and then I read something like this, and think, hmm. Not as much fun as it is when I write historical novels, lol.Calliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08109239327871560240noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13024760.post-10194192830715760642012-04-18T09:52:32.205-07:002012-04-18T09:52:32.205-07:00Wow. So many things we take for granted... I feel ...Wow. So many things we take for granted... I feel the need to go hug my washer!Regan Blackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15408260827542396423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13024760.post-15732478345452230732012-04-18T09:46:15.744-07:002012-04-18T09:46:15.744-07:00Fascinating post, Paty! I remember my grandmothers...Fascinating post, Paty! I remember my grandmothers talking about washing clothes by hand. All I can say is thank God for GE. :o)Kirsten Lynnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05720732595156726142noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13024760.post-90989475477391397842012-04-18T09:45:39.018-07:002012-04-18T09:45:39.018-07:00Hi Alison. I agree with your mother!
Lynda, After...Hi Alison. I agree with your mother!<br /><br />Lynda, After the birth of our first child we lived in a small house and the washer was on the back porch with no insulation. There were many days I washed the clothes in the bathtub and then put them in the dryer because the pump on the washer was froze. <br /><br />Hi Judith, I agree, if I had to do the housework now they did at the time of my books, I'd never have energy to write!<br /><br />Anonymous, That's true to beat the clothes all the time would make them wear out quickly. <br /><br />Hi Meg! I wish my hubby did the laundry. Actually I wish he would do any housework.<br /><br />dm, That is a wonderful memory of wash day to have. In the summer I hang the sheets out because I love that scent. And I hang dry all the jeans year round. I have hanging racks my mother-in law brought from Holland that I use indoors.Paty Jagerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03257614436422105729noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13024760.post-29658740113696336582012-04-18T09:03:58.312-07:002012-04-18T09:03:58.312-07:00I'll bet the three main businesses in a fronti...I'll bet the three main businesses in a frontier town where a saloon, a brothel, and a laundry, not necessarily in that order of importance:-). <br />I remember as a child, my grandmother had an electric wringer/washing machine. This was two big metal tubs, with post agitators, on wheeled legs, that were pushed into the middle of the sunporch on washday. One tub held hot water and soap and one clean cold water. There was a wringer mechanism attachment between them, the rollers could go either way and the clothes were handfed into the wringer. It took skill and attention pull the clothing out of the tubs and to feed just the right amount of fabric through without jamming the mechanism (which might break the wringer)or catching your fingers (which would break your fingers). <br />Monday was wash day..all day. Mom would load up us kids and the baskets of laundry and take us to Grandma's house. After the clothes were sorted for color and damage,hard soil pre-scrubbed by hand, and run through the machine, the laundry was carted outside and hung on the long set of clothes lines in the backyard (these were located on a well-tended lawn between the house and the corn field, just east of the grape arbor). <br />We kids would play hide-n-seek in the arbor, race spread-armed through the billows of white bedsheets and roll in the carpet of sweet, prickly grass. <br />In late afternoon, when everything was dry, folded and packed up, Grandma would make everyone BrownCows. She would set out the tall fluted glasses with the long handled spoons. Then drop a creamy, ivory scoop of French vanilla ice cream into each glass and pour foaming, tangy rootbeer right up to lip of the glass. <br />I am also thankful for my washer and dryer. Heaven knows I have neither the patience or the strength to spend an entire day devoted to laundry. But, to this day the scent of sun dried laundry is like a time machine to a happy place.dmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01532663356995749008noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13024760.post-19682703310243005712012-04-18T08:56:22.584-07:002012-04-18T08:56:22.584-07:00Fabulous info, Paty! I remember my mom using the o...Fabulous info, Paty! I remember my mom using the old fashioned tub with wringer atop for my dad's work clothes, since they were too filthy to put in the regular washer! LOL I'm thankful my hub does the laundry now! ;-DMeghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10734148270217773194noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13024760.post-11847529701856172972012-04-18T08:55:54.163-07:002012-04-18T08:55:54.163-07:00Ever since I had to do the baby's diapers, she...Ever since I had to do the baby's diapers, sheets and clothes by hand in the bath tub, I have considered my washing machine one of the greatest inventions in the world. Even a wringer washing machine is better than a bath tub.<br /> One couldn't have many fine clothes if they were beaten to death every time they were washed.<br /> In houses in towns, they used a slightly lighter touch on some fabrics.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13024760.post-79148464690510229442012-04-18T08:44:25.712-07:002012-04-18T08:44:25.712-07:00I remember we had the tub with washboard and a wri...I remember we had the tub with washboard and a wringer washer growing up. Laundry was a day long event (at least) and hanging clothes on clothes lines in the basement in winter/rainy weather and outside weather permitting was something we kids helped with when we were old enough. We could help take things down before hanging them up.<br /><br />When I was first married, I took the everything to the laundromat but brought them home to hang on racks to dry in the living room where our stove was.<br /><br />Until the 1990's I still washed 'delicates' by hand.<br /><br />Now I have racks I put out when the weather permits and hang clothes out to dry. I love the sunshine fresh smell!<br /><br />I'm very glad I have the conveniences I do...I cana't imagine I'd have the time or energy to write if I did everything the 'old way'.Judith Ashleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04938540978449562798noreply@blogger.com