I don't know who the author of this is. If anyone knows, please let me know. I put this in my laundryroom area for those days when it seems overwhelming.
Years ago an Alabama grandmother gave the new bride the following recipe:
This is an exact copy as written and found in an old scrapbook -with spelling errors and all.
WASHING CLOTHESBuild fire in backyard to heat kettle of rain water.
Set tubs so smoke wont blow in eyes if wind is pert.
Shave one hole cake of lie soap in boiling water.Sort things, make 3 piles
1 pile white,
1 pile colored,
1 pile work britches and rags.
To make starch, stir flour in cool water to smooth, then thin down with boiling water. Take white things, rub dirty spots on board, scrub hard, and boil,
then rub colored don't boil just wrench and starch.Take things out of kettle with broom stick handle, then wrench, and starch. Hang old rags on fence. Spread tea towels on grass. Pore wrench water in flower bed. Scrub porch with hot soapy water. Turn tubs upside down.
Go put on clean dress, smooth hair with hair combs. Brew cup of tea, sit and rock a spell and count your blessings.
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For you non-southerners - 'wrench' means rinse.
2 comments:
Ah, now I know why women back then were built like houses and had arms like trees!!
Boy, do I have it easy, I can just ask my wife to do it! :-)
(after I spent three weeks paychecks on a good washer)
And that's what they call "the Good Old Days". . . :)
~Laura
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