Memories: Spring Cleaning and Derby Day

Memories: Spring Cleaning and Derby Day

by daughter - Anne

I can remember as we were growing up that Derby Day was our spring house cleaning day. We would all get up really early, have a good breakfast, and then go to work. Our goal was to get everything done, inside and out, before the Kentucky Derby started so we could sit down in front of the TV to shout for our pick to win the Derby.

Danny and Dad would go outside to work on the yard or in the garden while we women did what we were suppose to do – clean house and cook.

There were hardwood floors all the way through the house. We would move all the furniture out of a room; sweep down the walls; scrub the woodwork; then sweep, mop and wax the hardwood floors. The whole time music was going with all of us singing along.

When the hardwood was ready for shining mother would give us socks for our feet and light weight blankets to use for shining the floors. Then she would crank up the music and the fun part of our spring cleaning would begin.

Jean and I would take turns pulling each other around on those blankets and then we would do the twist to the music so we could get into the corners. Sometimes we would just skate from one end of the room to the other. Mother was always right in the middle with us; usually dancing along and keeping time with the music.

Mother loved music and dancing as much as she loved cooking and eating. When she was growing up she did a lot of roller skating. I was told she could tap dance on roller skates; as I remember the way she used to dance I can believe that without even trying! Jean inherited mother’s rhythm and dancing ability; but I inherited Dad’s two left feet.


On Derby Day our house was filled with laughter and music. I believe we all enjoyed those days of spring cleaning almost as much as we enjoyed watching the Derby when we were through.