The Old-fashioned Way

This is a true story of how we helped our Mam-maw wash clothes in the hot summer time when we were children.  This process took place, not in the house, but in the workshop.  Well water was used to fill the tub.  We used old empty 1-gallon paint cans to carry the water for the flowers.  Not a drop was wasted.

Wash Day

Mam-maw washed with a wringer washing machine,

It did a great job getting everything clean,

But the effort it took to wash clothes and then dry,

Was extremely painstaking and I remember why,

Surrounded by his paints, ladders, tools and a table saw,

The wringer washer was kept in the workshop of my Pap-paw,

My Mam-maw was cautious in letting us help,

“Get away from the wringer” she would constantly yelp,

Using the same soapy water, she washed while we sat,

From the wringer, she took them, flatter than flat,

The wash water was drained into small buckets for us,

To carry and water her flowers:  daisies, iris…dianthus,

A new tub of fresh water was drawn for the rinsing,

By now, we were bored and needed convincing,

To help her out, because the job was not done,

Oh, but we were tired and it was no fun,

Rinsing clothes took on the same routine,

Now the clothes were all flat, but they were pristine,

With an apron full of clothespins, she hung them end to end,

Like a beautiful necklace strung in the yard, she strategically pinned,

At dusk, the taking-down began;  the tub of rinse water was drained,

We had to water flowers again, because it had not rained,

Wash day the old-fashioned way is a laborious task,

Of course, I would do it all again, if my Mam-maw were to ask.

Tammy Harvey

Written: 6/11/2016