Tuesday, October 13, 2009
BATHLESS BOB
HUNNA MAKES THE SOAP Sept. 15, 2009
“Bobby,get up. Aunt Hunna is expecting you to mow the lawn for her today. She said
she would make you some of that Ripe Tomato Marmelade__you love. , if you stayed for lunch. . And while you are at Hunna’s, find out how she makes that stuff. Get out of bed., now. “
“What’s the rush, it’s only 11:30, “ I grumbled, but I didn’t want to miss out on going to Hunna’s house. She was a great cook I was hoping for chocolate pudding, but I was flexible.
I jumped into my faded ,ragged worn out plaid knickers, the ones
with the buckles on the worn through knees, pulled on my knee length stockings, the ones that look like baseball socks because my toes and heels stuck out, got my old bike with no fender on the back, hoped we would get no rain because with no back fender, the tire would thrown water all over my back and lit out to the usual big hug and warm welcome I always got from Hunna..
I must have looked a little sweaty and unwashed, because Hunna said “I’m making some of that hard soap today and you look like you could use a bath.. You can help me make it. I’ll teach you how, and maybe you can take some home.
“First I want you to run over to the store and pick up some things I need to make the soap. I already have the five pounds of grease, but I still need a can of potash, some borax, and oil of citronella. I havc the other stuff, sugar, kerosene, and ammonia. Guess that’s all I need. Just tell Mike, the store man to charge it, so you won’t have to bring any money.” I never heard of putting all those things in soap, but I took her word for it, and rode over to the neighborhood store.
When I got back, Hunna was already melting the grease in a big pan. I had to go out in the barn to get a quarter of a cup of kerosene, hoping all the time Hunna knew what she was doing putting kerosene in the soap. I was afraid the kitchen stove would explode, or something, But I brought the kerosene into the house and awaited developments. Hunna dumped the whole can of potash into one quart of cold water along with the tablespoon of borax and let it dissolve.
Then she added the two tablespoons of ammonia, one tablespoon of sugar. One tablespoon of kerosene, and two tablespOons of oil of citronella to make the soap smell decent. She slowly poured the mixture into the melted grease stirring constantly until it was the consistency of honey. Finally, she poured
the mixture into a flat pan to cool before cutting.
It was then that I cut out. I skipped lunch. The Ripe Tomato Marmelade and its recipe would have to wait. I didn’t want the Hard Soap on my skin.
I went back another day to cut the grass when I didn’t look like I needed a bath.
“Bobby,get up. Aunt Hunna is expecting you to mow the lawn for her today. She said
she would make you some of that Ripe Tomato Marmelade__you love. , if you stayed for lunch. . And while you are at Hunna’s, find out how she makes that stuff. Get out of bed., now. “
“What’s the rush, it’s only 11:30, “ I grumbled, but I didn’t want to miss out on going to Hunna’s house. She was a great cook I was hoping for chocolate pudding, but I was flexible.
I jumped into my faded ,ragged worn out plaid knickers, the ones
with the buckles on the worn through knees, pulled on my knee length stockings, the ones that look like baseball socks because my toes and heels stuck out, got my old bike with no fender on the back, hoped we would get no rain because with no back fender, the tire would thrown water all over my back and lit out to the usual big hug and warm welcome I always got from Hunna..
I must have looked a little sweaty and unwashed, because Hunna said “I’m making some of that hard soap today and you look like you could use a bath.. You can help me make it. I’ll teach you how, and maybe you can take some home.
“First I want you to run over to the store and pick up some things I need to make the soap. I already have the five pounds of grease, but I still need a can of potash, some borax, and oil of citronella. I havc the other stuff, sugar, kerosene, and ammonia. Guess that’s all I need. Just tell Mike, the store man to charge it, so you won’t have to bring any money.” I never heard of putting all those things in soap, but I took her word for it, and rode over to the neighborhood store.
When I got back, Hunna was already melting the grease in a big pan. I had to go out in the barn to get a quarter of a cup of kerosene, hoping all the time Hunna knew what she was doing putting kerosene in the soap. I was afraid the kitchen stove would explode, or something, But I brought the kerosene into the house and awaited developments. Hunna dumped the whole can of potash into one quart of cold water along with the tablespoon of borax and let it dissolve.
Then she added the two tablespoons of ammonia, one tablespoon of sugar. One tablespoon of kerosene, and two tablespOons of oil of citronella to make the soap smell decent. She slowly poured the mixture into the melted grease stirring constantly until it was the consistency of honey. Finally, she poured
the mixture into a flat pan to cool before cutting.
It was then that I cut out. I skipped lunch. The Ripe Tomato Marmelade and its recipe would have to wait. I didn’t want the Hard Soap on my skin.
I went back another day to cut the grass when I didn’t look like I needed a bath.
# posted by Noonski @ 7:24 AM 
