It is Monday & in my effort to be worthy to be called a true Joe City Housewife, I do my laundry, as I always do, on Monday. It was a beautiful day, perfect for hanging out clothes to dry. This particular picture is one I took & used for one of our (mine & Julie's) postcards. There is a story behind it that I would love to share. My husband built this clothesline for me, it is in my backyard. The dresses in the picture were Lula Mae Smith's dresses, (Nunna's mother). There is also a baby's coat that was worn by Nunna's youngest sister, Maureen Smith, when she was a child. The "Monday Laundry Day" is a legend among the early pioneer women of this town. Back in the day if you were to go through town on Monday I'm sure the smell of homemade lye soap & laundry must have filled the air. There was an unspoken competition among the women to see who had their laundry on the line first. A confidential source has shared with me the suspicion several of the women had of Geniveve Bushman. They claimed that she didn't really wash that first load of bed sheets, she just got them wet & put them on the line to be the first. What a scandal! I have met Geniveve, she's quite the character, I wouldn't put it past her. There is another story that I love & will share with you. This story involves Uncle Doyle & Aunt Sonja. One particular Monday, Aunt Sonja was very far along in her pregnancy. She felt like if she moved just right her water would break & her labor would start. Well, that's what happened. She was soon in full labor & doing whatever she needed to do to get ready to leave for the hospital when Uncle Doyle said to her, "I guess you won't be doing the laundry today will you". What a true Hansen man he is, but that's a subject I will save for another day.
Monday, April 20, 2009
A Lengend Revealed
It is Monday & in my effort to be worthy to be called a true Joe City Housewife, I do my laundry, as I always do, on Monday. It was a beautiful day, perfect for hanging out clothes to dry. This particular picture is one I took & used for one of our (mine & Julie's) postcards. There is a story behind it that I would love to share. My husband built this clothesline for me, it is in my backyard. The dresses in the picture were Lula Mae Smith's dresses, (Nunna's mother). There is also a baby's coat that was worn by Nunna's youngest sister, Maureen Smith, when she was a child. The "Monday Laundry Day" is a legend among the early pioneer women of this town. Back in the day if you were to go through town on Monday I'm sure the smell of homemade lye soap & laundry must have filled the air. There was an unspoken competition among the women to see who had their laundry on the line first. A confidential source has shared with me the suspicion several of the women had of Geniveve Bushman. They claimed that she didn't really wash that first load of bed sheets, she just got them wet & put them on the line to be the first. What a scandal! I have met Geniveve, she's quite the character, I wouldn't put it past her. There is another story that I love & will share with you. This story involves Uncle Doyle & Aunt Sonja. One particular Monday, Aunt Sonja was very far along in her pregnancy. She felt like if she moved just right her water would break & her labor would start. Well, that's what happened. She was soon in full labor & doing whatever she needed to do to get ready to leave for the hospital when Uncle Doyle said to her, "I guess you won't be doing the laundry today will you". What a true Hansen man he is, but that's a subject I will save for another day.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Well, I can't wait for you to address that subject. I love this post. But it makes me a little homesick. Maybe I'll go do some laundry.
ReplyDeleteHi Cat!
ReplyDeleteI am so glad that I found your blog! It looks like you guys are doing well! Check out our blog. http://katie-itsme.blogspot.com
I loved the stories, plus now I really want a clothes line for my backyard!
ReplyDeleteCat,
ReplyDeleteYou made me want a clothes line too! such cute stories, of course if we hang the clothes on the line we won't need a lufa the towels will have enough sand in them for a body scrub already!!