Originally Posted by BellaBoo

The only thing I remember I wish for now is everyone having was a big front porch with lots of chairs and a big porch swing. The wringer washer? I remember my mother and grandmother doing laundry with one. It was hard work and took all day. Nope, don't want ever to go back to backbreaking housework with no modern appliances.

Originally Posted by Faintly Artistic

Yes to all of the above! Plus having neighbors I know and who help each other. Don't know or trust most around here. Porch swings, folks out in the evening...

Originally Posted by cashs_mom

I have one. It does have it's advantages.

I'm not joined at the hip to my electronics. I wish people could just put them away and pay attention to what is actually going on around them. I'm so tired of having to watch out for driver's who are too busy texting or talking to drive and people in the stores and supermarkets who are on their phones and run into you or block aisles and have no idea there are others around.

Originally Posted by bearisgray

I had a wringer washer for many many years - as did my mother and my mother-in-law.

By the time the dirty farm clothes were put in the washer, the water was getting very murky - in some cases it was close to thin mud and there was a layer of dirt in the bottom of the machine that had to be flushed out.
So - were clothes cleaner? I don't know how one can get clean clothes out of dirty water. They were less dirty after going through murky rinses than they were before they were washed - but not nearly as clean as if these filthy garments had been the first batch of items washed.

The guys would wear their work/farm/barn/mecahnic clothes/coveralls until they were very very dirty - my mom described it as "being able to stand up by themselves".

Originally Posted by bearisgray

When one carried water to the washing machine and carried water out - it made one very conscious of water usage.

Originally Posted by popover

At least obesity and diabetes was rare because of it.

Originally Posted by popover

I have a landline, with an answering machine and shows who is calling. Sometimes I even answer it. NOT carrying one of the dang things around with me means I'm better able to avoid those who don't have sense enough to put theirs down.

Originally Posted by bearisgray

I wish for less light pollution.

I would like to put that in big black underlined capital letters.

Originally Posted by popover

Another reason why I live way out here. When I turn out the lights at night, its DARK! I can see the stars.