Sunday 2 September 2007

The Washing Machine Goes Round and Round

Washing, clothes that is, has been something of a problem around here. Well washing full stop if I'm honest we have only just this week cured the leak on the shower.

But back to the clothes. Today took me back must be oh more than 35 years, to the day my mum got her first automatic washing machine. Like most families we had a twin tub. For anyone who doesn't know this was a washing machine that had, well twin tubs, one for washing the clothes in and one for spinning them. You moved the clothes from one to the other using a giant pair of wooden tongs (because clothes were boiled to within an inch of their lives in those days and yet my school socks were always greyish not like those girls who always had brilliant white socks and the elastic was always a bit shot probably due to the boiling I still have issues with white clothes) anyway when I say spinning boy do I mean spinning. It certainly got the water out but you then had to peel your creased beyond all recognition clothes off the side of the drum and they would have all the marks from the littles holes permanently in them.

I had a twin tub when I first got married. The spin on that was so vicious that it would come dancing across the kitchen to get you disconnecting the hose on the way and flooding the kitchen.

So anyway, mum got an automatic washing machine and we all sat mesmerised watching it go round, even the dog. It was a day of firsts actually because we also tried instant mashed potato that day (not a success).

Today we did the same except for the instant mash and the washer is in the cellar not the kitchen and the cat watched as well as the dog. After six months of hand washing we are the proud owners of a new to us washing machine. My life is transformed.

No, seriously it is. Honest. I don't know how my mum felt all those years ago but after six months of hand washing everything I really really appreciate having a washing machine any washing machine. I draw the line at a twin tub though.

8 comments:

Jen said...

Oh, you must be delirious with washing happiness?

My mother also had one of those lively twintubs... to use 'Smash' in the same blog post probably sums up perfectly how she felt about it!!!

Kitt said...

Thank heavens for the miracles of modern technology! I can't imagine hand-washing everything for that long. You must be ecstatic.

I did have to hand-wash in China for a while, wearing insulated gloves under rubber gloves because the water was so cold it would give you a whole-body migraine. Then some friends got a washing machine and I was SAVED.

Unknown said...

Little do you know you're talking to... LAUNDRY MAN!!!

Imperatrix said...

We jsut got a second- (really, it's probably third-) hand washer this weekend. Over the summer, I used my sister-in-law's washer. Now that we're in our permanent temporary home, we bought a set from a couple moving to London.

Now, to get the girls back in the habit of washing their own clothes!

Breezy said...

Jen words can not describe . . .

Kitt now that is dedication to cleanliness

Hedgewizard Laundry man? If only I'd known for the last six months

Imperatrix the real trick would be to get them washing yours too!

Peaceful/Paisible said...

I quite remember such washing machine, we had one working with gas...I think we should build a statue to the person who invented new washing machines.wondering how old are you ? we have so many similar memories ?

Breezy said...

Mousie I am 46. I was talking with friends last night we agreed that we were lucky to remember pre colour tv and computers and so on

tea and cake said...

Hi Breezy! I remember the day I got my new auto w/machine. I couldn't believe that I could stand and iron stuff while the washing was being done at the same time! Saddo, or what?
kaz xx