Saturday, June 6, 2009

Ironing

I washed the curtains yesterday, and hung them on the line to dry. This morning I ironed them. I hoped to get it done before Mom got up, thinking Mom and a hot iron wouldn't mix well. No such luck, Mom got up when I was about half-way through. She watched me for a little bit, then extended her hand and impatiently said, "Come on!" I realized that she wanted the iron. Keeping the iron down on the surface, I guided her hand to it, then put my hand over hers. We ironed a section of curtain that way. And I had a flashback.

Mom's kitchen, the ironing board set up in the middle of it. Mom's sprinkler bottle with the little blue plastic flower head sitting next to the iron. The fresh, cannot-be-duplicated-no-matter-how-the-dryer-sheet-manufacturers-try smell of laundry just off the line. Me on a stool, Mom standing behind me.

This time, it was her hand over mine, guiding the iron.

10 comments:

Marissa said...

Oh, Annie! So sweet.

rilera said...

Nice memory.

Anonymous said...

Awe... Hug your mom for me, will you?

Mare said...

What a sweet memory....Have a great weekend...

MJ said...

Reading this, I had an ironing flashback, too! When I was in middle school, before my mom went back to work, I would frequently come home from school to find mom ironing and watching General Hospital. Same smell, same sprinkler bottle with the flower head - only hers was yellow.

Unknown said...

Beautiful memory.

But I hate ironing and don't do it.

colleenmc said...

My mom used to sprinkle the wash and put them in the garage refrigerator so that they were ready to iron at any moment. I also remember using a big old ironing machine, I think it was called a WARD, that we ran thru the sheets and pillow cases. I remember sitting 2 or 3 of us sitting at it at a time and probably using the piano bench. Tender moments. Great blog.

Unknown said...

Jeez...that makes my eyes well up.

Unknown said...

collenmc - we had an Ironrite from the Ironrite Ironer Company. In fact I kept it when we tore down the old house and have it in storage.

Thing scared me to death when I was a little kid.

Kathy said...

This is an exquisite moment - but also lovely writing. Thanks.