WASHING DAYS AND FLOOR MOPPING

AS I WAS GROWING UP MANY CLOTHS WAS WASHED BY USING THE OLD SCRUB BOARD. THE ROUND TIN TUB WAS FILLED WITH WATER AND SET ON THE OLD MAJESTIC STOVE TO HEAT. THE STOVE ALSO HAD A RESERVOIR ON THE SIDE THAT HAD TO BE KEPT FILLED ALSO. IN GOOD WEATHER THE TUB WAS CARRIED OUT SIDE AND SET ON AN OLD WOODEN BENCH WITH THE SCRUB BOARD PLACED FIRST AMONG THE WHITE CLOTHS THEN COLORS IN ORDER OF DIRTY I'M GUESSING. IF THE WATER WAS GETTING TOO DIRTY IT WAS DUMPED AND MORE CARRIED AND HEATED AND THE PROCESS CONTINUED. ALL THE CLOTHS HAD TO BE RUNG OUT BY HAND AND PUT INTO A TUB OF RINSE WATER IN ORDER TO GET THE LYE HOMEMADE SOAP OUT. AFTER THAT RINSE ARE TWO THE CLOTHS WOULD BE HUNG ON A CLOTHS LINE TO DRY. I CAN'T BEGIN TO SAY HOW MANY TUBS OF WATER WAS USED AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK. MOM TRULY BELIEVED IN "CLEANLINESS IS NEXT TO GODLINESS". OR WHAT EVER THAT PHRASE SAYS. IN WINTER THE SAME WAS DONE BUT HAD TO DONE IN THE KITCHEN. AFTER CLOTHS WERE ALL WASHED AND HUNG TO FREEZE DRY AS BEST COULD BE ,THE FLOORS ALREADY WET WAS SCRUBBED CLEAN. FOR MANY YEARS MOM GOT DOWN ON HANDS AND KNEES TO CLEAN THE FLOORS. ONE TIME SHE MANAGED TO GET A LONG SLIVER OF WOOD UNDER A FINGER NAIL. SHE WASN'T ABLE TO GET IT OUT SO WENT TO SEE DR. ELISON AND HE ASK HOW SHE GOT THAT. AFTER SHE EXPLAINED HE SAID "MILLIE THEY HAVE MOP STICKS NOW YOU GO GET ONE AND NEVER SCRUB ON HANDS AND KNEES AGAIN". THE MOP STICK HELD AN OLD RAG LIKE A PIECE OF A WORN OUT BLANKET OR TOWEL. YOU KNOW WEAR IT OUT OR USE IT AND MAKE DO WITH WHAT YOU HAVE. THE FLOORS WERE MOPPED MORE THAN ONCE A WEEK PROBABLY LIKE ONCE A DAY AT LEAST EXCEPT SUNDAY. I'M NOT SURE MOM EVER FELT THE FLOORS WERE AS CLEAN AS WHEN SHE WAS ON HANDS AND KNEES.
AS TIMES WERE REALLY BAD MOM WENT TO WORK AT THE SEED HOUSE TO HELP SUPPLY OUR NEEDS. DARLEEN AND ALBERTA WAS LEFT IN CHARGE TO WASH CLEAN AND COOK ON SATURDAY. MOM WORKED A 6 DAY WEEK. OUR CUPBOARDS WAS OPEN SHELVES HUNG ON THE WALL AND HAD CURTAINS [HOMEMADE] HUNG OVER TO COVER THE DISHES ETC. WITH SO MANY HANDS GETTING INTO THE CUPBOARDS THE CURTAINS NEEDED WASHED, STARCHED, AND IRONED EVERY WEEK THEN RE HUNG.DARLEEN AND ALBERTA TAUGHT ME LOTS OF THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN GOOD QUALITIES I'VE TRIED TO LIVE BY THESE MANY YEARS.

HORSES
WE HAD A HORSE NAMED 'BEAUTY'. SHE WAS OLD, BLACK AND VERY GENTLE. WE RODE HER BARE BACK WE DIDN'T EVER HAVE A SADDLE. WE WOULD PUT A BRIDLE ON TO GUIDE OUR FAITHFUL FRIEND. WE RODE ONE AT A TIME ARE MOST LIKELY TWO ARE THREE AT A TIME. JACK AND I OFTEN RODE HER TO HERD COWS. JACK RODE HER PROBABLY THE MOST TO HERD COWS, VISIT FRIENDS AND RUN ERRANDS FOR DAD. I DON'T REMEMBER BUT THINK IT WAS THAT HORSE JACK FELL OFF AND BROKE HIS ARM ONE SUMMER. THAT WAS A SCARY TIME AS HE HAD TO GO TO THE DR.S OFFICE. HE CAME HOME WITH A CAST . THE BONE HEALED WELL WITH OUT ANY PROBLEMS. IT DIDN'T SEEM TO SLOW HIM DOWN AS HE CONTINUED RIDING AND DOING WHAT EVER HE'D DONE BEFORE. OH HE COULDN'T GO SWIMMING TILL THE CAST CAME OFF.
WE LEARNED TO RIDE HORSES BY STARTING YOUNG ON STICK HORSES. ANY OLD WILLOW LIMB WORKED FINE AND WE CHASED THE BAD GUYS GOT BUCKED OFF NOW AND THEN. OUR IMAGINATIONS HELPED US ENTERTAIN OUR SELVES. WE PLAYED COWBOYS AND INDIANS. BAKER AND JACK MADE ARROWS AND BOWS FROM WILLOWS. HOW WE SURVIVED WITH OUR EYES INTACT AND NOT TOO MANY BAD SCARS I'LL NEVER KNOW. BAKER ALSO WHITTLED GUNS OUT OF WOOD SCRAPS. BULLETS WAS RUBBER RINGS CUT FROM OLD WORN OUT INNER TUBES. THERE WAS A WOODEN CLOTHS PIN ATTACHED TO THE GUN HANDLE TO HOLD THE RUBBER BANDS. I'M NOT SURE NOW EXACTLY HOW IT ALL WORKED BUT THE BULLETS WENT FLYING OFF INTO THE WILDS. WE SHOT MANY AN INDIAN OR BAD GUY. ALL GOOD IMAGINATION WORKING.


THANKS GIVING
FOR SOME YEARS MOM RAISED TURKEYS. WE HAD TURKEY FOR THANKSGIVING DINNER WITH ALL THE HOME MADE DRESSING MASHED POTATOES WITH GRAVY. THERE WAS A VEGETABLE PROBABLY BEANS OR CORN. MOM MADE PIES FOR DESSERT. AFTER THE TURKEYS GOT OUT AND ROOSTED ON THE RAILROAD TRACKS WE DIDN'T OFTEN HAVE TURKEY FOR SOME YEARS. MOM RAISED HER OWN CHICKENS SO ONE OF THEM WAS SUBSTITUTED. AS YOU KNOW TRAINS DON'T STOP FOR TURKEYS AND THE REST IS HISTORY. I THINK BUT DON'T KNOW FOR SURE BUT THE FOLKS PROBABLY SOLD SOME OF THE TURKEYS EACH YEAR. WE ALWAYS HAD A FEAST FOR THE HOLIDAYS TURKEY ARE CHICKEN.

MORE FROM MY LITTLE BOOK ANOTHER DAY.