Mama and Daddy had seven of us. There were three girls and four boys. I remember the ice man bringing large cubes of ice for the ice box. We had our milk delivered to our front door, when our cow, named Baby, wasn't producing milk. All of us kids had to learn how to kill chickens....and I was the best one at it! I can't even imagine what made me love it, but I did. I guess because I was the fifth child, I needed attention.
Mama bathed each one of us every night in a galvanized tub. We had to haul water from the well across the street first and heat it on the wood stove.
Daddy built houses for a living, so one day he upgraded our outhouse to a three-seater. I remember very clearly the fear I had of going out there the use the bathroom. I was afraid of the dark. And even when it was in the daytime, I feared falling in the hole. And the spiders in there...horrifying! So I decided to be a bed-wetter instead. I was spanked so many times for that. I guess because in the wintertime it made the blankets very cold and I soaked my two sisters too!.
Mama washed our clothes on a srub-board. It is heartbreaking to think of her doing that now. But one sweet day Daddy bought her a brand new Maytag Ringer-Washer!! We still have the old photo of her standing proud, in front of it. My oldest brother got his arm hung in it once when he was helping Mama do the wash. Mama almost had a heart attack, but she finally got his smashed arm loose.
So these are a few of the many memories of my family and the old days. I miss those times with Mama and Daddy the most. They are in heaven now.
In a list
A contest entry
- Contest #217 The good ole days before electricity and indoor plumbing. by daviscth.
1400 points, ended May 13, 10 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Comments
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OH WHAT WONDERFUL MEMORIES!!!
Each one of your wonderful memories take me way back to so many of my own!
The old outhouse! We did not have one but my grandmother did, and oh how cold to sit out there in winter!!! 
My mother had one of those old wringer washers also! So many wonderful memories, sometimes a difficult life and lots of hard work but wonderful just the same!
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I was one of seven also - 4 girls and 3 boys. I was #5, like you! We lived in the city in an apartment - no outhouse, but just 1 bathroom with 1 seat.
This is great! Wow, what memories!
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thats neat Joyce! wow we are #5's
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I Remember...
the ringer washers...lol...We had one of them too..I was so scared of them afraid to get my hands caught in it like your brother did...This is too funny...I didn't have an out house but I had never heard of a three seater...I hate the port a pottys and was always afraid of falling in them even as an adult!!!! Great job here, fantastic imagery carried me through to the end of a hilarious story yet heartwarming as well!!!! Thanks for sharing your gift of writing with me Mary!!!!!~~~~~Toni!!!!!
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Toni thank you as always. So you know where I was coming from in this write! Yes those were the good ole days lol. Did you have to kill chickens too?
Sis
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Wow, sis..memories that are in my memories too..Chickens, and dad on their day hanging them on the clothes line for butchering. Wringer washers and me have a bad memory..like your brother...Thank you for the remembrances...Wonderful write!
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ah the good old days, bathed in the kitchen sink or metal tub, an outside toilet (the world) and plenty of chickens - what more can anyone ever ask for in life - a good old redneck piece of poetry.
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and yes..this is the truth and I'm sticking to it!!
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Wow! A three-seater! You must felt like a little princess with that many seats. We always had only one, and I would really have appreciated some company, especially in the dark. Hugs, Patricia
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I like that comment you left! it was hilarious. I did'ny care if we had a 40 seater lol. I was terrified of that thing.
Thanks again Patricia
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I enjoyed reading this so much. I could almost touch the love flowing from your words. I love the picture. I remember our old washer looked just like this and was the same brand. Thanks for this great contest entry.
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Nostalic piece
Yes this one kind of reminds us of how spoiled we are. Americans are so use to laptops & cell phones that we forget how we depend on electricity alone.
Nice reminder!
~Ron~
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oh yes Ron, I feel so blessed, compared to how my Mama had it in life. Thank you for reading this.
Mary
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Wow, to think we forget about those times, excellent write, delightful. Blessings
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