The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Greetings to ever one in western Illinois and all readers of The Quill. When ya change the way ya looks at things, the things ya looks at change.
Prayer
Last Sunday whilst sitt'n in a pew in church, a feller was reverently prepare'n fer the service, when he heard a sweet little ole very conservative lady, sitt'n next to him in the pew, quietly whisper'n a prayer.
It was so sweet and sincere that it must be shared with youn's.
She said, Dear Lord, this has been a tough two or three years for me...ya'all has taken my favorite actor Patrick Swayze, my favorite musician Michael Jackson, my favorite salesman Billy Mays, my favorite actress Elizabeth Taylor, my favorite singer Whitney Houston, and now, my favorite announcer Dick Clark. I just wants ya to know my favorite T.V. news show is MSNBC!
And in case ya might figure I's pick'n on the women folk here's a story on a male senior driver.
Senior Drive'n
As a senior was a drive'n down the freeway, his car phone rang. Answer'n, he heard his wife's frantic voice on the other end urgently warn'n him, "Herman, I just heard on the radio news a frightn'n flash thats there's a car going down the wrong way on the same four lane highway ya be a take'n to town today, on Interstate 74. Please be careful and be on the lookout."
"Heck", sez Herman, "it's not just once car. It' a whole passel of em a come'n at me! Swerve'n all over the place, some head'n fer the ditches and make'n mean signs at me, like they've gone mad or something."
Clotheslines
Well, enough on the humor fer now. How many of youn's remember use'n the clothes line as the main clothes dry'n way of years past? Here is some basic rules fer use'n clotheslines a way back then:
1. Ya had to hang socks by the toes...NOT the top.
2. Ya hung pants by the BOTTOM/cuffs...NOT the waistbands.
3. Ya 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. Ya had to hang the clothes in a certain order, and always hang "whitesâ" 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 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 and busybodies, ya'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 ya were efficient, you would line the clothes up so that each item did not need two clothes pins, but shared one of the clothes pins with the next washed item.
11. Clothes off of the line before dinner time, neatly folded in the clothes basket, and ready to be ironed.
12. IRONED???!! Well, that' a whole OTHER subject!
And now, heres a poem fer youn's on the mother...
A clothesline was a news forecast, To neighbors passing by, There were no secrets ya could keep, When clothes were hung to dry.
It also was a friendly link, fer neighbors always knew If company had stopped on by, To spend a night or two.
For then ya'd see the "fancy sheets", And towels upon the line; Ya'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, Ya'd know how much they'd grown!
It also told when illness struck, As extra sheets were hung;
Then nightclothes, and a bathrobe too, Haphazardly were strung.
It also said, "On vacation nowâ" 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 neighbors 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 neighbors knew each other best...By what hung out on that line.
Thar ya has it then. I'm a hope'n it brought back some good memories.
Remember, some minds are like concrete, all mixed up and permanently set!
Hope'n to see youn's in church come'n this weekend. Where ever ya is, what ever ya be a do'n, BE A GOOD ONE!
Keep on Smile'n
Catch ya later
BARNYARD BRUKE