Even though ironing is not one of my favorite things...I have many memories of it from my youth.
I remember my mom ironing my dad's business shirts...how did she have time to do that, work full time, and raise me? I just can't imagine it.
I remember my grandmother, ironing my grandpa's work shirts, while watching her "plays" (soap operas!) on a tiny black and white TV, while sprinkling water with her fingers over the fabric to make it easier to iron.
I know exactly where the iron is in the Hubbell cabin, where Robert's grandmother, or maybe his Aunt Della, set the cast iron weight over the flames, on the cast iron stove, and ironed without electricity.
I still feel bad when I think about the time that my mother, excited to attend the church gala that evening in her special dress from the Bea Lewiston boutique, began to iron the skirt of her beautiful emerald dress, and the fabric melted under the iron as she slid the heat over it. She exclaimed, " Now what will I wear!"I don't think I ever saw her as upset. And while I didn't quite get it at the time, I do now. I know she still attended the gala, and all was well in the end, but the loss of her beautiful emerald dress in tatters still haunts me.
And Last Christmas, I remember my Jenny ironing the Christmas stocking that I had just made for her husband. It was a fun crafting evening for both of us.
But today, really the only thing that I iron with any frequency are the napkins that I use for entertaining. And I don't mind ironing those...they have a good memories attached and they are just flat squares! There is something very satisfying about seeing the wrinkles melt away under the heat.
And that's about all I want to say about ironing tonight.
I can't wait to see Coraline in her new Big Sister dress!