Doing Laundry....Again

Well it may be Christmas, but laundry has no respect for the Holiday Season. It is one of those jobs that I can never cross off my to do list. No matter how much I wash, there's always more coming.

Mind you, I can't call it hard work, after all the machine does most of it.

It wasn't like that in my grandmother's day. Nana had a twin tub washer that was dragged out every Monday and took centre stage in the kitchen. The pipes were precariously connected to the taps and the hose draped over the sink so the water could gurgle its way down the plughole. The house was filled with steam and it took all day to get the laundry done.

Before the twin tub, Nana used to use a clothes dolly and a mangle, like the one above. According to the stories my aunt tells me, boiling water was put in a zinc tub and the clothes were aggitated with a wooden three legged dolly. She would get the stains out by rubbing the clothes on a scrubbing board. It wasn't easy work.

Nana always seemed to be doing laundry, with ten in the house it was essential. And everyone had to help, either twisting the dolly. or passing the wet washing through the heavy mangle in the back yard, even if you were on your lunch break from school. You would get very wet and your hands would get chapped from the cold. My children used to grumble when they were reminded to put their laundry in the hamper.

Her washing was always sparkling though

I know I go on about how much I wish things were like they were in the old days, but honestly, give me my automatic washing machine anytime.

Love and Hugs

Phoebe x