during WWII we had a clothesline out the second floor window that we used through a window (in NYC). it attached to a tall pole. if the wind blew something off it was long gone. LOL. i helped my grandma by handing her the push clothespins. and then taking them back. that was in a brownstone apartment.
years later my mom had a wringer washer that emptied into a sink. it had tall legs. by then my dad was home and mom and i weren't living with the grands anymore. all i remember is diapers, diapers, and more diapers. first my dbro's and then my dsis's.
it was such a chore then, but so nice now. it's like alone time. your mind is free to wander. you don't have to think about what you're doing. you're on automatic pilot. no noise. no interruptions. just you and sun.