Because of last weekend’s downtime a number of great stories were lost

This one from Brenda Shaw

 

POLISHING THE FLOOR FOR CHRISTMAS……

The Christmas of 1955, Sandy was 12, I had just turned 9 and Norma was 10 months old.

We had a beautiful hardwood floor in the front room that was always a chore to keep clean.  First it had to be washed and completely dried and then paste wax had to be applied and let dry.  After the wax dried, the floor had to be polished in four steps.

These were the days when all this had to be done by hand as we didn’t own a floor polisher yet!  The first step was to buff the dried wax coating until it was rubbed into the hardwood floor.  The second step was to go over the floor with a dust mop with a soft cloth wrapped around it.  The third step was to buff the floor until it shone.

Well…..being just kids, Sandy and I figured out a way to incorporate Norma into this chore…after all why should she get to sit around and play while we had to work!

After the wax had dried, Sandy and I would get on our hands and knees and rub the wax into the floor – the first step was done.  Then we got the dust mop and wrapped an old flannel sheet around it and proceeded to give the floor its’ second polishing.
The third polish though, was the one that was needed to really give the floor its’ gleaming shine – no marks or streaks – just a really high gloss look!

For this process, we got another soft, clean cloth and tied it on the mop.  Then we took Norma (all 30 pounds of her) and sat her on top of the mop.  She had her instructions….hang onto the broom handle and don’t let go for anything!!!  We then took turns pushing her and the mop all around the floor; up and down and back and forth and in big circles.  Norma would scream with delight (I think those were screams of delight?) and round and round we went until the floor just gleamed!

The fourth and final process was one of pure joy….Mom would find big heavy woollen socks for Sandy and I and she would put an old sweater on Norma like leggings and Sandy and I would skate around the floor while Norma would twirl around on her behind all across the floor, making it gleam even more! Mom always got lots of compliments on her shiny floor…she would just smile and say the girls did it!