| Learning
to iron was
one of my
fondest
memories of
grandma.
Washday was
great, and I
never thought
anything could
be more fun,
but I was
wrong, ironing
was definitely
more
fun.
Grandma ironed
everything ~
even
underwear!
I guess it
helped her out
a lot when I
was old enough
for her to
teach me to
iron. I
sure had a lot
of fun helping
grandma with
the ironing
chore!
Back
then, there
weren't
electric
irons, or at
least if there
were, grandma
didn't have
any. She
had big,
heavy, black
irons that you
sat on the hot
cook stove
until they
were burning
hot, then used
a pot holder
to pick them
up, and ironed
the clothes
with
them.
You would iron
until it got
to cool to
take the
wrinkles out,
then took that
iron back to
the stove and
got another
hot one.
There were
always 4 or 5
on the stove
at one time
when it was
ironing day.
Grandma
started me out
ironing the
simple things,
like hankies,
wash cloths,
dish towels,
pillow cases,
nice square
things that
were
easy.
After I could
do that
without any
trouble, she
started
teaching me to
iron bigger
square things,
like towels,
sheets, and
slips.
Like I said,
everything got
ironed at
grandma's
house!
You know, I
don't remember
ever getting
burned on one
of those
irons. I
either had to
much fun to
remember the
burn, or I was
just extra
careful!
Either way, I
loved to iron.
Grandma
inspected
everything and
then when I
was good at
one kind of
clothes, she
would teach me
to iron harder
things, like
skirts,
underwear,
grand-daddy's
pants, things
that didn't
have to many
turns in them
to make it
hard for me.
Of
course, the
learning curve
for ironing
was not an
easy
one. I
can't remember
the
handkerchiefs,
pillow cases
and dish
towels I left
burn marks on
before I
learned just
how long was
long enough to
leave the iron
sitting on the
clothes!
Grandma never
got mad, well
not really
mad, but she
made sure I
learned the
lesson
quickly. She
didn't want
her clothes
ruined by my
slow learning!
Grandma
didn't have an
ironing board,
either.
There was a
big metal
table on the
back porch
where all the
canning and
stuff was
done, and
grandma would
throw a
blanket and
sheet over
that table
and, instant
ironing
board! I
still find
myself trying
that method
sometimes when
I don't want
to fool with
the ironing
board! I
love my
grandma's
style!
When
I am ironing
in my kitchen,
grandma's
kitchen, I
remember those
days like they
were
yesterday. I
am so thankful
to have had
grandma teach
me so many
things that I
still do today
in grandma's
house.
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