Random Gratitudes and Complaints

Nothing is more responsible for the good old days than a bad memory. 

Robert Benchley

I am an avid reader.  I have been since grade school it is an ongoing obsession.  When I was young I daydreamed about how it would have been so great to live in a previous era.  As I grew older and faced some of the harsher realities of life I realized that I wouldn't have lived very long if I had been born in a different time.

It is very likely I would have died from the pneumonia I had at age 6 or the appendicitis I had at age 10.  Modern medicine has saved me several times and I am grateful even though I complain about the number of pills I take daily.  I am thankful for all the great modern conveniences we have too.

Here are the pictures of a few from the good old days that I'm glad I don't have to use.  I do remember helping my Mother use a wringer washer when I was very young.  I wasn't allowed near it most of the time but the turning of the handle fascinated me.  The tub was electric but the water had to be drained and filled with the hose.  No automatic cycles just an agitator.  I saw one very similar but didn't get a picture at one of the Antique Malls on vacation.  

I had heard of Coleman Irons but never seen one.  This one was in great shape and a pretty blue.  Have you known anyone that used one?  I have a couple of the old Sad Irons that my Mother used before she had electricity.  The were just heated at the fire or on the wood stove.

 This is a tabletop wringer.  It clamps to the table.  These things were very hard on buttons.  That's why Grandmother always kept a button box.

This contraption unfolded on each side to hold a wash and rinse tub.  The wringer is in the middle.  It was the smallest model I've seen.  There were some that were much larger.

Just think of having to pump the water at the well, heat it at the fire or wood stove and then move it to the wash bucket.  Scrub the clothes.  Rinse them, then hang them to dry.  There would have been a lot of children to keep clean.  Having baby diapers to deal with in the winter would not have been a small chore either.

Aren't you glad for modern washers and dryers?

This display reminded me of some of my all time favorite commercials.  Do you remember the ones from the California Raisin Commission?

Are you singing 'I heard it from the grape vine' yet?  I think these were in the McDonald's kids meals for a while.  I know my kids had a few of them but I'd never seen this many.  My other all time favorite commercial is the Taco Bell chihuahua saying "Lizard, Lizard".  I had hoped that they would do another round of those with the new Godzilla movie but they didn't.  We went to see it last week.  It was good, it lasts over 2 hours so I felt like I was getting my monies' worth.  ( I feel cheated by the short ones! )

You'd think that a major chain would have a proof reader check the spelling on their packaging before thousands are produced.  Even spell check should have caught this one.

Just to prove I am a normal quilter here is a picture of the stash enhancement that found it's way home with me.  Batiks and black and white prints.  Alas there has been a few more purchases since these were made also.  I need to get back on the fabric diet.  There was also a Hoffman Batik strip pack that I didn't get a picture of.  The rainbow stripe will make a great binding.  

I have been doing some sewing and got a top together this week.  I share it soon as well as some of the other special things I've been working on.

Exciting News!  I went over the 100,000 pageview mark this week!  I'll be announcing a Giveaway for my followers in the next few days.  I've also written over 200 posts now and went over the 300 followers mark on Bloglovin.  Thank you all for reading my ramblings!