Hanging Laundry on the Line
Neighbors may have been immigrants from any country, but all had a laundry day as kind of a common denominator. There was a certain peacefulness and bonding that we middle class people had.
As a child walking to school, it was reassuring to know that Mrs. Clancy was well, as shown by blue overalls all in a row on her laundry day. Or the multiple aprons that Mrs. Ardelaine, the Romanian neighbor displayed so proudly with either lace pockets or the simple broadcloth of her every day aprons.
Neighbors with children had the most interesting variety. My sisters and I could snigger a bit when we'd see our classmate's undies out on the line.
Today, when I see laundry hanging, I am reminded how unusual it has been of late to see the textiles on the wing of the breeze. It's more common to see beach towels and bathing suits flopped over a clothesline, instead.
The lack of middle class pursuit of excellence that made laundry into and art of craftsmanship is gone. Sometimes a line full of clothes may pop into view while driving down the road. It spurs that nostalgia of a day gone by.
Along with that day that's passed is the dwindling existence of a middle class. The median gets smaller all the time. With a focus on getting rich, we watch television and see the fabulously wealthy politicians and movie stars.
We often hear of the poor, and huddled masses of large families on the welfare roles. We may read of the immigrants who are living the good life with their golden babies that provided parents with citizenship, and free hospitalization.
We hardly ever hear anything about middle class people anymore.
So when I see the clotheslines of the few, and the flapping towels and sheets, I am comforted with reminiscences of that bygone day of sincerity and hard working people. Of the short lived peaceful times. Of contentment and heroes home from the war and clean laundry waving in the breeze.
Published by carol gibson
Insatiable curiosity spearheads many endeavors, including occupational pursuits for Carol Gibson. She advocates for literacy by volunteering in a community, donation-based bookstore. Carol enjoys research a... View profile
- Save the Earth with a Simple Change of Lifestyle: 12 Easy Things You Can Do to Les...12 simple eco friendly lifestyle changes that will make a significant impact on the environment
- Washing Laundry by HandHow to wash laundry during a power outage or other times when the laundry machines are not available for use.
A Greener Guide to LaundryA quick look at simple and easy ways to "green" the way you do laundry, save money, and save natural resources in the process.- Reflections on Mother's DayThrough difficult times, my mother raised us with a firm and loving hand.
- Living on Less: 20 Painless Ways to Cut Costs and Save MoneyIs your family budget showing you that you need to cut costs and save money, but you aren't sure where to begin? Here are twenty painless ways to cut costs and keep some of those dollars in your own pocket.
- Natural Laundry Solutions
- Tips for Hanging Laundry on a Clothesline
- Using Passive Solar Energy to Dry Laundry
- The Rise of the Novel Through the Rise of the Middle Class
- Hillary Clinton Wants To Strengthen Middle-Class America
- Quick and Easy Laundry Tips
- Laundry from the Line
8 Comments
Post a CommentWe hang our clothes on the line for as long as we can every season but my partner draws the line at underpants. He insists that we hang those on the indoor clotheslines in our basement. I love the smell of clothes hung outside in the sunshine.
I have a cloths line and hang my laundry when climate permits. Cloths smell better and are more sanitized by the sun. less wear and tear and dryers cost a lot for electricity. I call it my solar powered cloths dryer, Probably the next thing the government will outlaw.
Clotheslines will definitely come back... everything does eventually. And if you dry your clothes in fresh air, you don't need fresh-air scented drier sheets!
One of my first articles on AC was "Where have all the clotheslines gone." With all the flap about using energy, you would think drying clothes outdoors would be favored over the dryer.
I'm still hanging laundry on the line - since losing my job, I have more time on my hands to do that! cheers :)
great memories...my mother worked during my childhood, so I yearned for what my friends had...moms who stayed home and always had hot meals for dinner. My mom just had to work and work was hard...so I never felt like she didn't care, I just was envious of my friends who had that stay home mom. The laundry hanging out was something my mom did though and the smell of those sheets that night, in bed...awesome!!!
Some communities don't allow laundry hanging outside.
My grandmother used to do that. It smelled so good when it came off the line. :-)