Thank you, MMe M, accepted. I think we're clear now, we've both apologized to each other!
Well, I know what you're referring to re your grandparents. I grew up on a non-electric old fashioned farm in North Carolina. True, it was a harder life physically, and that's what those large families were about -- you needed a work force to grow the family's food! It's only us, the generations since the 1960s, who have gotten so soft. In my situation, I carry water as part of what I do every day without really thinking about it. I do laundry by hand and don't even have a wringer, but I wouldn't turn it down if someone handed me one!
When I said whiners I was thinking of people who would always be looking backward to this era we live in, which is just the tiniest pocket of about 60 years in the whole history of humankind. That's why I've found Baggywrinkle's info so helpful, helping to re-educate us to other ways of doing things.
Peace, M, no bad feelings here.