Please note that I said “irons”, NOT ironing. I DO know how to iron. But apparently I’ve forgotten basic facts about irons. The woman has difficulty changing lightbulbs, doesn’t know how to make an iron work – sheesh. Get her some household help!!!!
Why don’t I have much experience with an iron? Over 30 years ago one of the most productive moments of my life occurred. I was talking with my next-door neighbor, drinking coffee on her front steps. My husband came out and asked me some innocuous question about the ironing and if/when it would happen. *laughing* Janice jumped in before I could even draw breath and read my husband the riot act about how HE could iron, he was PERFECTLY competent to run an iron, he didn’t need ME to do his ironing, and he could wear permanent press shirts if he wanted ironed shirts. *laughing and laughing* My husband said not a word but turned and went back to our house (always a good idea to avoid getting into it with Janice). From that day forth, my children, my husband did the ironing in our house. Of course he did it HIS (male) way: sitting on the couch watching TV as he ironed. I decided that the ironing did NOT have to get done my way and indeed, my clothes have been ironed quite well. It’s been a long time since I spent any amount of time ironing.
I’m still working from home due to the weather today. I decided to skip eating on my lunch hour and iron some tops instead. I had one top that needed repair, and I was going to try an iron-on patch. I headed to the basement, set up the ironing board, turned on the iron. (Plugging it in involved climbing over laundry baskets to reach the plug. THIS summer’s big excitement is to bring order to the basement. I fight the basement wars weekly, if not daily.) I got the patch on and it is okay. Not quite as neat a repair as I was hoping it would be but for this shirt and for my purposes it will suffice.
Flushed with success I decided to iron more tops. The first one was no problem – a blend. I set the iron and got to work. The next ones were all cotton. The first cotton was okay, but not really pressed looking. They got worse after that. Now in MY day, Sonny, we had silver irons with black handles and a little hole into which you poured water until a skinny indicator showed full. You pressed the little red button DOWN if you wanted steam and you left the little red button UP if you did NOT want steam. Easy, peasy. My current iron is much more attractive, as you can see from the photo. It is also MUCH more temperamental. Apparently, and this is anecdotal evidence only, if it runs out of water, it doesn’t stay hot. I was ironing with a rapidly cooling iron. *shakes head, befuddled* Look, if I can change a halogen light bulb in my range hood, I can make an iron WORK, by golly!! I eyed the opponent, saw no water, and decided that perhaps water was the answer. Poured in some water, heard pleasing hot-iron-noises, and finished the tops.
Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? Or have her relearn old ones. I left the rest for my husband. 🙂
Would someone PLEASE fix the weather so I can go back to the office and not stay home to run the a/c for the cats??????? There are NO chores in my office!!!!!
WARNING!!!! The following video is sexist, dated and undoubtedly offensive in a variety of ways. It’s also, taken in context, a very funny moment from “A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum“. If you are offended by dated, sexist, paternalistic material, don’t watch the video. (lyrics)
My thanks to mrboombasticx who posted this video on YouTube.
Ahuva's Blog 
Great blast from the past! And good writing as usual.
Great blast from the past. And great writing as usual.
Thank you!