Why I need a rocking chair

I realize my blog has now become an email forward, which makes me the person who forwards you stuff and you sorta cringe when you see their name in your inbox.

But. I just want to say that a part of me loves this description of the way things used to be. My cousin Ami sent me this email and mentioned that this is probably the way our grandmothers did the wash as young women. I could muster the energy to wash a tub of clothes by hand, in boiling water, with a broom handle, if I could be promised the same ending as this.


Years ago an Alabama grandmother gave a new bride the following recipe:
This is an exact copy as written and found in an old scrapbook -
With spelling errors and all.

WARSHING CLOTHES


Build 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 boilin' 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.



How much do you love that!? Even though my friends at Whirlpool help me with the laundry, who says I can't put on a clean dress at the end of the day, make some tea, sit a spell (I don't have a rocker), and count my blessings?

That's the best advice for a homemaker that I've heard in a long time.

The next time I'm at the vintage flea market, I'm looking for hair combs. (And maybe a washboard as a reminder!)