The Old Ways

[Hinotori]

I like to read. I also frequent fanfiction sites. I have a decent text to speech reader on my phone so I can set one of those to play while I work.

 

[tortoise]

How old are we talking here?

 

[Mini Horses]

Another old way's thing...I actually LIKE to work. I know that's a dirty word in today's society, but I view work as a blessing rather than a curse. I love working hard all day, coming in tired and extremely dirty, taking a wonderful hot shower and falling into my soft bed to sleep. Sure, I hurt like the dickens nowadays when I do that, but it's still worth it.

Especially in the mornings!! I do a lot of stretching exercises to work out the sore & stiff muscles, convincing them to work again.

A great number of the current younger population do not seem to feel work should be physical. Combine that with a seeming lack of pride in their work results, poor work ethics -- don't ask for results on their assignment, just send them $$$, Sad.

 

[baymule]

My Great Grandmother did lots of crafts. She made hook rugs. I was 6 years old and she showed me how to hook a rug. I never forgot it. years after she was gone, my Grandmother had 3 rugs up in her attic and said I could have them. They were in bad shape. I was able to mend and restore them because of that rug hooking lesson years and years before. They are now in my guest room.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I used to crochet a lot. I loved to work on Afghans in the winter. I rarely see them anymore with the influx of cheap (but cute) lap throws you can get at Wally World. Made one and gave it to my mom about 40 years ago.... Flood got it.

I'd love to do that kind of work again but my hands refuse to cooperate for more than a few minutes. Hard to crochet when you've got no feeling in your fingers. Ugh!

 

[Beekissed]

My grandma and also my parents always enjoyed tomatoes sliced with mayo, salt and pepper on them. That was their fave way to eat a mater. Though I like it that way, my favorite way involves bread and onions too.

My grandma used to wash her chicken carcass' skin with Cheer. Yep, the laundry detergent. She'd get that bird in the sink, sprinkle some of that on there and wash the bird all over, rinsing well before proceeding further in turning it into a meal. Guess she figured that skin was pretty dirty and could use an extra scrubbing prior to eating.

She used to wash her dishes in lye soap, then would use that soapy dishwater to slop the hogs..said the dishwater kept them healthy. She didn't know about the soap acting as a surfactant to the oils on a parasite's skin, allowing the soap to dissolve their protective oil layers, thereby letting the digestive acids kill them~an effective dewormer~but she knew it helped keep the hogs healthy. There's all kinds of smart and folks back then had a lot of common sense learned through experience.

 

[milkmansdaughter]

I have a favorite quilt that I wrap up in. It's old and has holes in it, but my aunt handstitched it for me for my 18th birthday. She always told me that she wanted me to USE it, not just stick it in a cupboard somewhere to keep it clean. This quilt has been used!! A few days ago, I wrapped my granddaughter in it, and was showing her the hand stitching, and telling her about my aunt who made it for me. We laid it out and counted the squares (36 handstitched horseshoes with horse heads inside). Then we talked about my aunt who used to tell us to bring her flowers "and don't tell me you can't afford carnations! I want them now, not when I'm dead!" And each time she came, she'd had my brother and I each a quarter, and would say, "Be good to your dad because he's been good to me." This aunt also made homemade donuts. Now THAT got my granddaughter's attention! Sooo, we made homemade donuts for breakfast... (I have quilted, and like flowers-especially carnations, and I loved my dad dearly and was good to him until he died...) And I make homemade donuts, and use my handstitched quilts rather than store them forever. (I also use my "good" china...)

 

[Beekissed]

I love that story, LU, and I think I would have loved your Aunt Leona too. What a wonderful thing a worn old quilt is..there's no softness exactly like that.

 

[baymule]

Love it!

 

[sumi]

She sounds wonderful and I love that quilt! I hand stitch quilts too (because I cannot figure out sewing machines). So many people are surprised that I make them and by hand, but I find it so rewarding and they are so special for the people they end up with.