The Clothesline For Fun...
May 27, 2016 19:23:21 #
Don G. Dinsdale
Loc: El Cajon, CA (San Diego County)
SOME OF YOU WILL REMEMBER THIS!!!
I remember, my wife several years ago went to the Ace hardware store in El Cajon, CA and she need a thin rope, so she ask the kid for some clothesline 'rope', he had no idea what she was talking about, ha... Don D. đ±
Brian C. Posted On Fri, May 27, 2016
This is fun to read and quite true. We are probably the last generation that will remember what a clothesline was. And in lots of places they are illegal.
It's the poem at the end that's the best!
THE BASIC RULES FOR CLOTHESLINES:
1. You had to hang the socks by the toes... NOT the top.
2. You hung pants by the BOTTOM/cuffs... NOT the waistbands.
3. You had to WASH the clothesline(s) before h*****g any clothes - walk the entire length of each line with a damp cloth around the lines.
4. You had to hang the clothes in a certain order, and always hang "w****s" with "w****s," and hang them first.
5. You NEVER hung a shirt by the shoulders - always by the tail! What would the neighbors think?
6. Wash day on a Monday! NEVER hang clothes on the weekend, or on Sunday, for Heaven's sake!
7. Hang the sheets and towels on the OUTSIDE lines so you could hide your "unmentionables" in the middle (perverts & busybodies, y'know!)
8. It didn't matter if it was sub-zero weather... clothes would "freeze-dry.â
9. ALWAYS gather the clothes pins when taking down dry clothes! Pins left on the lines were "tackyâ!
10. If you were efficient, you would line the clothes up so that each item did not need two clothes pins, but shared one of the clothes pins with the next item.
11. Clothes off of the line before dinner time, neatly folded in the clothes basket, and ready to be ironed. IRONED??!! Well, that's a whole OTHER subject!
12. Long wooden pole (clothes pole) that was used to push the clotheslines up so that longer items (sheets/pants/etc.) didn't brush the ground and get dirty.
And Now The POEM...
A clothesline was a news forecast,
To neighbors passing by,
There were no secrets you could keep,
When clothes were hung to dry.
It also was a friendly link,
For neighbors always knew,
If company had stopped on by,
to spend a night or two.
For then you'd see the "fancy sheetsâ,
And towels upon the line;
You'd see the "company table clothsâ,
With intricate designs.
The line announced a baby's birth,
From folks who lived inside,
As brand new infant clothes were hung,
So carefully with p***e!
The ages of the children could,
So readily be known,
By watching how the sizes changed,
You'd know how much they'd grown!
It also told when illness struck,
As extra sheets were hung;
Then nightclothes, and a bathrobe too,
Haphazardly were strung.
It also said, "On vacation now,"
When lines hung limp and bare.
It told, "We're back!" when full lines sagged,
With not an inch to spare!
New folks in town were scorned upon,
If wash was dingy and gray,
As neighbors carefully raised their brows,
And looked the other way.
But clotheslines now are of the past,
For dryers make work much less.
Now what goes on inside a home,
Is anybody's guess!
I really miss that way of life,
It was a friendly sign,
When neighbors knew each other best...
By what hung on the line.
I remember, my wife several years ago went to the Ace hardware store in El Cajon, CA and she need a thin rope, so she ask the kid for some clothesline 'rope', he had no idea what she was talking about, ha... Don D. đ±
Brian C. Posted On Fri, May 27, 2016
This is fun to read and quite true. We are probably the last generation that will remember what a clothesline was. And in lots of places they are illegal.
It's the poem at the end that's the best!
THE BASIC RULES FOR CLOTHESLINES:
1. You had to hang the socks by the toes... NOT the top.
2. You hung pants by the BOTTOM/cuffs... NOT the waistbands.
3. You had to WASH the clothesline(s) before h*****g any clothes - walk the entire length of each line with a damp cloth around the lines.
4. You had to hang the clothes in a certain order, and always hang "w****s" with "w****s," and hang them first.
5. You NEVER hung a shirt by the shoulders - always by the tail! What would the neighbors think?
6. Wash day on a Monday! NEVER hang clothes on the weekend, or on Sunday, for Heaven's sake!
7. Hang the sheets and towels on the OUTSIDE lines so you could hide your "unmentionables" in the middle (perverts & busybodies, y'know!)
8. It didn't matter if it was sub-zero weather... clothes would "freeze-dry.â
9. ALWAYS gather the clothes pins when taking down dry clothes! Pins left on the lines were "tackyâ!
10. If you were efficient, you would line the clothes up so that each item did not need two clothes pins, but shared one of the clothes pins with the next item.
11. Clothes off of the line before dinner time, neatly folded in the clothes basket, and ready to be ironed. IRONED??!! Well, that's a whole OTHER subject!
12. Long wooden pole (clothes pole) that was used to push the clotheslines up so that longer items (sheets/pants/etc.) didn't brush the ground and get dirty.
And Now The POEM...
A clothesline was a news forecast,
To neighbors passing by,
There were no secrets you could keep,
When clothes were hung to dry.
It also was a friendly link,
For neighbors always knew,
If company had stopped on by,
to spend a night or two.
For then you'd see the "fancy sheetsâ,
And towels upon the line;
You'd see the "company table clothsâ,
With intricate designs.
The line announced a baby's birth,
From folks who lived inside,
As brand new infant clothes were hung,
So carefully with p***e!
The ages of the children could,
So readily be known,
By watching how the sizes changed,
You'd know how much they'd grown!
It also told when illness struck,
As extra sheets were hung;
Then nightclothes, and a bathrobe too,
Haphazardly were strung.
It also said, "On vacation now,"
When lines hung limp and bare.
It told, "We're back!" when full lines sagged,
With not an inch to spare!
New folks in town were scorned upon,
If wash was dingy and gray,
As neighbors carefully raised their brows,
And looked the other way.
But clotheslines now are of the past,
For dryers make work much less.
Now what goes on inside a home,
Is anybody's guess!
I really miss that way of life,
It was a friendly sign,
When neighbors knew each other best...
By what hung on the line.
May 27, 2016 19:49:16 #
I always h**ed to use a towel that was hung on a line, but I sure do remember helping Mom hang and take down the laundry.
May 28, 2016 07:13:26 #
Alicia
Loc: NYC
Don G. Dinsdale wrote:
SOME OF YOU WILL REMEMBER THIS!!! br br I remembe... (show quote)
*************
I do remember them. The poem is right on!
May 28, 2016 11:50:30 #
I remember the horror of being sure not to get your hands caught in the wringer. I remeber heating the water outside over a fire. I remember moving the kitchen table and chairs to set up the washer and rinse tubs. I never did understand bluing making things white????????????
May 28, 2016 15:37:25 #
Don G. Dinsdale wrote:
SOME OF YOU WILL REMEMBER THIS!!! br br I remembe... (show quote)
does bring back memories
I used to have to help my mother hang the wash and then bring them in the house
being careful that nothing touched the ground
I've seen Mama labor over the ironing board for hours
Mama was a strong woman
she kept my family together during the depression
never complaining,just doing what was needed
May 28, 2016 15:39:53 #
Armageddun wrote:
I remember the horror of being sure not to get your hands caught in the wringer. I remeber heating the water outside over a fire. I remember moving the kitchen table and chairs to set up the washer and rinse tubs. I never did understand bluing making things white????????????
you are telling your age my friend
May 28, 2016 23:44:54 #
badbobby wrote:
you are telling your age my friend
At this stage of life, age is just a number.. The Bible says three score and 10, I'm living on bonus time.
May 29, 2016 00:18:40 #
Alicia
Loc: NYC
badbobby wrote:
does bring back memories
I used to have to help my mother hang the wash and then bring them in the house
being careful that nothing touched the ground
I've seen Mama labor over the ironing board for hours
Mama was a strong woman
she kept my family together during the depression
never complaining,just doing what was needed
I used to have to help my mother hang the wash and then bring them in the house
being careful that nothing touched the ground
I've seen Mama labor over the ironing board for hours
Mama was a strong woman
she kept my family together during the depression
never complaining,just doing what was needed
********************
Having been a city girl, we lived on the third floor. I would worry constantly when Mom reached outside our window to hang the clothes. She also sat on the windowsill to clean the outside of the windows. I tried it once, even having her holding my legs, and broke into tears.
May 30, 2016 12:30:57 #
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