Ah, yes there were those stretchers also. Our sons, then in the military, had to wear heavily starched uniforms. My son Ernie was in Viet Nam, as was her son, during those starched days. Our soldiers now at least have comfortable easy-care fabric to wear. Most guys back then, if they could afford it or were where they could, just sent their uniforms to the laundry to be done. They really were stiff like boards.

Those pant stretchers were busy though we also stretched blue jeans on them. Oh those blue jeans, they always shrank a good bit. The guys would put on a brand new pair jump in the horse tank, or the creek, soak them thoroughly and then let them dry on them. The result: They couldn’t even get their hands in their pockets.

All before the days of automatic washers and dryers, and if you are under 40 you don’t remember those days either.

This old world is just moving too fast. Don’t get me wrong: I appreciate what we have today, I just can’t seem to keep up.

— Aunt Norie, P.O. Box 265, Tonganoxie 66086; auntnorie@bdc.net.