Those "clunky" irons were called sad irons. For a reason too! We had one until we sold our home a few years ago. It belonged to my mother-in-law who used it as a teenager in the early 1900's when she lived on a farm. We used it as a door stop and my son has it today. We bought a mangle after WW II for $15.00 and used it for several years and then my sister-in-law bought it. We used to make coffee when we were camping by just putting the ground coffee in the bottom of an aluminum coffee pot and dropping an egg shell into it and adding water. We brought it to a boil on a wood fire and let the grounds settle before pouring the first cup. It was delicious on cool or cold mornings when we were camping in the mountains. juanita > My aunt had a mangle. Only one I ever saw. > > Once in awhile during the summer I would live two weeks with my > grandmother. > > She had a clunky iron that she heated on top of a wood burning stove. > > I also remember she had a coffee percolator. Coffee came out full of > grounds. > > I like my Mr. Coffee much better, and am thankful for modern > conveniences. > > But I also hand it to my ancestors for surviving in times when > everything every day was a fire drill.....a struggle to survive. > > donkelly > ----- Original Message ----- > From: juanita <juanita2@cox.net> > To: Iowa@rootsweb.com, Fergsbks@aol.com > Sent: Fri, 13 Mar 2009 15:29:45 +0000 (UTC) > Subject: Re: [IOWA] Ironing and the mangle > > I never lived in Iowa but I did many of the same chores Bob describes > and remember them well. The "good ole days", insofar as I'm > concerned, are gone for good! I didn't think they were fun then and I > sure wouldn't today. My friends were in the same boat so perhaps we > had no alternative. We're spoiled with all the conveniences we have > today but I'm thankful for ea. one and wish my parents were here to > enjoy them with me. > > juanita