One For The Ladies

[Pauljenny]

One For The Ladies

Subject : Sociology of Clotheslines....

THIS IS FUN TO READ AND 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!!!
Remembering Mom’s Clothesline.
THE BASIC RULES FOR CLOTHESLINES: (If you don’t even know what clotheslines are, better skip this.)


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 hanging 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 "whites" with "whites," 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."
9. ALWAYS gather the clothes pins when taking down dry clothes! Pins left on the lines were "tacky"!
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 pegs with the next washed item.
11.. Clothes off of the line before dinnertime, neatly folded in the clothes basket, and ready to be ironed. IRONED??!! Well, that's a whole OTHER subject!
12. Long wooden pole (clothes prop) 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 neighbours passing by,
There were no secrets you could keep, when clothes were hung to dry.
It also was a friendly link, for neighbours always knew
If company had stopped on by, to spend a night or two.
For then you'd see the "fancy sheets", and towels upon the line;
You'd see the "company table cloths", 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 pride!
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 night clothes 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 neighbours 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 neighbours knew each other best... By what hung on the line.




​

 

[Jeanette]

That sounds like me Paul haha ?

 

[Lorraine]

Subject : Sociology of Clotheslines....

THIS IS FUN TO READ AND 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!!!
Remembering Mom’s Clothesline.
THE BASIC RULES FOR CLOTHESLINES: (If you don’t even know what clotheslines are, better skip this.)


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 hanging 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 "whites" with "whites," 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."
9. ALWAYS gather the clothes pins when taking down dry clothes! Pins left on the lines were "tacky"!
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 pegs with the next washed item.
11.. Clothes off of the line before dinnertime, neatly folded in the clothes basket, and ready to be ironed. IRONED??!! Well, that's a whole OTHER subject!
12. Long wooden pole (clothes prop) 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 neighbours passing by,
There were no secrets you could keep, when clothes were hung to dry.
It also was a friendly link, for neighbours always knew
If company had stopped on by, to spend a night or two.
For then you'd see the "fancy sheets", and towels upon the line;
You'd see the "company table cloths", 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 pride!
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 night clothes 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 neighbours 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 neighbours knew each other best... By what hung on the line.




​

Hi Paul & Jenny

Thus oh so true, i still work with these rules now accept 4 and 6 I have never followed suit
No. 8 putting the washing on the line to freeze is no longer what i do, but i used to do that
No 11. the time as never been a priority to me
The wooden prop is now replaced with metal poles with trigger fasteners for the line
i do own a dryer, but i only use it for last resorts, I am too tight to pay the electric bill

In winter i place the washing on the maiden near the heating with the dehumidifier on, doesn't use as much electric as the dryer

When Jeff's mum used to meet her co workers from the mill, they mentioned Mr & Mrs ******* had put there sheets on the line and the only thing that was white on them was the four corners where the pegs had been (the sheet should of been white, and this was mention regular by various later on in life)


When Jeff & I got our first house, it was a terraced in a garden vale and they were all older people
Ina and Edith used to have discussions, which in later days was mentioned to me that I always had clean washing, so it his oh so true, i was judge on my performances of washing

Lorraine (Mrs Jeffmossy

 

[Campervanannie]

I have to say I was bored after reading no 1&2 I know what a washing line is as my mother had one I personally have never owned one preferring the tumble dryer so the rest does not apply rules for using a TD

no1 stop dryer before going on to cold cycle ( last 10 mins) fold clothes neatly or hang on coat hangers and you never need to iron them