VACUUMS

 Daddy never taught us boys how to build anything, fix plumbing, or work on a car. Mother didn’t either, but she made sure her three sons weren’t dependent upon their wives to clean house. For as long as I can remember, we did that. One of the biggest jobs was vacuuming. I’m an old man now, and I still break out the vacuum when I clean house. The appliances have sure changed over the years.  

The first vacuum I used was a strange contraption. It was round with a removable bottom. A rubber gasket circled the bottom in which water was poured. No wheels on the bottom made picking the clunky machine up and carrying it from room to room a necessity. What we boys hated was being the last person to use the vacuum because that boy had to take the bottom off again and pour the putrid water from it and rinse it out.  

When that one died, Mother bought an aqua-colored Electrolux tear drop shaped vacuum. All the attachments were on the top of the cannister, and it rolled with ease on three wheels. At first, we boys enjoyed the new vacuum, but eventually, the newness gave way to the boredom of spending every Saturday morning cleaning house. That blue Electrolux had a sturdy motor; Mother still used it long after we boys had gone to college and work and had married.  

Amy and I had an upright vacuum. I hated the thing because it was big and bulky and difficult to maneuver around furniture and from room to room. At some point we bought a cheap vacuum that was tan and white and had the shape of a spaceship. It swallowed dirt, dust, baby powder, and Barbie pieces. I’m not sure, but I think that the motor burned up from using the thing to clean up sawdust and sheetrock dust during one of the house additions/renovations we undertook. 

The best decision we made about house cleaning was installing a built-in system. With several hook-ups throughout the house, the vacuuming job became much easier. One was in the garage, and I could clean car interiors without lugging everything out of and back in the house. We even had a slot in the kitchen that allowed us to sweep the dirt into the system. The 20-foot electrical cord and hose make moving from room to kitchen to den a breeze. 

The other day Amy decided that we need something to quickly vacuum a room or other space So, we are buying a Shark Stick. I’m not sure where we’ll store the thing, and I can only hope that my wife will show me how to use it. Keeping up with technology is important when it comes to vacuums.  

My prayer is that I have plenty of time to use this new vacuum and the built-in one. I never want to live in an assisted living facility where someone comes in to clean things. For 60 years, the vacuum is tool with which I am most skilled. I’d like to say it’s the hammer, but I’m better at cleaning up sawdust than making it.