The Apron

Abstract

The other day there I saw something I had not seen in years. A simple little thing that seems to have gone the way of so many things. I saw an old lady wearing an apron. It was a apron with two pockets in the front of it. 

I immediately saw a picture of my old grandmother. She wore an apron every day that I ever stayed with her. My mother also wore one but it is my grandmothers I remember.

I don't think young people know what an apron is. The principle use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath because she only had a few. It was also because it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and aprons used less material. But along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven.

It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.

From the larder in the back room, the apron was used for carrying eggs, vegetables and fruit, and all the ingredients to make those delicious scones.

When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy me, yes I was shy.

And when the weather was cold, Grandma wrapped it around her arms.

Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot coal stove.

Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.

From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.

 When unexpected company was seen coming up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.

When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and  I knew it was time to come in from playing to dinner.

It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that 'old-time apron' that served so many purposes.

Grandma used to set her hot baked apple pies and scones on the window sill to cool. Now so often it is the frozen meal that is put there to defrost.   

They would go crazy now trying to figure out how many germs were on that apron.

I don't think I ever caught anything from an apron - but love.