Today

Finally decided that sheet ironing was a step too far and have been sending sheets and duvet covers to the laundry. Today, as we start the winter swap around, I'm also sending the Summer bedspread to the laundry and giving one blanket its annual dry-clean.

I'm collecting an amazing number of safety pins, as the laundry has stopped using those little plastic tags. And the sheets do feel nice. It's a bit of a logistical problem, sometimes, as I only have 2 of everything, so laundry visits and bed-changing have to be synchronised.

Interesting that I've reverted to linen and cotton sheets and woollen blankets after all these years of dalliance with duvets and poly-cotton.

In My Day

Our sheets and Daddy's shirts went to the laundry. Everything else Mamma did by hand. The laundry was collected and delivered once a fortnight. Dirty bedlinen was brought into the hall. A double sheet was spread out and all items put onto it. Then the corners were drawn together and tied and there you had it - a huge Whittington-esque bundle of dirty linen.

The clean laundry was delivered wrapped in brown paper. Our sheets were changed as follows:
Once a fortnight, top sheet removed and put on bottom, bottom sheet removed and sent to laundry. Which meant that sheets stayed on the bed for four weeks. I suppose we did all wear pyjamas and nighties which saved the sheets.

The sheets were pure cotton and came in white, pink, blue or green. When they got very old, they would split down the middle (I remember once hastening this process by sliding my big toenail all down one sheet). Mamma would rip the sheet down the middle and turn it round and stitch it together by the outer, stronger sides. These "sides-to-middle" sheets only ever went onto the bottom.

It's not cheap - but then, what am I working for?