Going for a Spin

Going for a Spin

I went to my Aunty’s 90th birthday this weekend. She still got a single spin dryer, so a memory came up. I don’t remember my childhood very much so it’s kind of bits and pieces.

We gathered in me Nana’s tiny, one up one down, back-to-back terrace in Yorkshire. We went to see her new-fangled machine! She had come into some money. I think it was a war windows pension or something she had been waiting decades to get. Anyway, we went to see how you feed it clothes, squeezing them out in the sink and plonking them into the open mouth, at the top of the spinner. This all had to take place in the middle of her sitting room because, she only had a tiny kitchen with a bath hidden under a shelf, because she had to pay rates for baths in those days, so she had a hidden bath.

It was quite a performance. There was no room for us all because, neighbours came, me mum and sister.

We all gathered around. She gathered her stuff from the sink and squeezed it as best she could. She possered out some water as well, then, she grabbed a garment and sheet. She twisted it and turned it. It all dribbled down her because, me granny was not known to be neat.

She plonked it in the spinner and then, ‘what we going to do next?’ You had to put the lid down, ‘somebody put the lid down!’ and then it started and took off across the room! I can’t remember who it was. I think it was my sister because she was older than me, she was holding onto it:

‘Somebody sit on it!’ So, I sat on it. Like a big vibrator it was, and everyone gathered round holding it down. ‘Ooooooh!’
Until’ ‘Do you think that would be enough now?’ So, I got off it. Had to press one of the buttons and the lid flicked up.

Then had to see:’ Oh it is all shrunk down the bottom! Can’t see it!’ So, we picked it up and pulled it out! All dry, ready to hang on the line. ‘Oooooh!’

Belinda