My Life as a Mid-Century Housewife - an Update

It's been four months since I wrote about my plans to be more like a 1950s, mid-century housewife (which you can read here).  So how have I done?

Well, coincidently this four months has also been a time or little income - the trials of being self-employed - so things like making all meals from scratch have been a necessity.  We treat our selves with takeaway for lunch once a week - usually sushi for me and noodles for my husband.  We do sit and have lunch together every day, which as we work together is usually easy,despite the odd phone-call.  My meal planning has consisted of me going to the supermarket, grabbing what ever meat and veg are on special and planning from there for the next few days.  I usually shop twice a week, to ensure we always have fresh greens - we are green smoothie nuts, and all six of us have one every morning.  And my vegie garden was planted - although it's almost finished now as it's hard to keep growing through summer here.

Napro tint cream, 1960

I have been trimming and colouring my own hair, which has saved a lot of money over the last six months, and as I have gone darker, this is easy to do.   I have also invested in pin-clips and setting lotion (which you can find here) and been experimenting with pin curls instead of using my heated rollers - which I think my hair is happy about.  And I've gone back to using real lipstick instead of the 8 hour stuff - the colour is so much better.

Cut a pretty figure, 1952

My wardrobe.  Well I did re-evaluate it.  And planned.  And then I bought a new dress with some birthday money from my lovely MIL.  I am sewing something though - a dress for my daughter (more on that later).

I have been working 8.30 to 3,picking up kids from school, going home and organising dinner, laundry and homework and then driving back to collect  my husband from the office (it's a 10 to 15 minute drive), so I haven't done that much housework.   It gets wept and mopped, toilets scrubbed etc, but the windows haven't been cleaned.  Now it's school holidays I may enlist the kids to help, but it's so hot we spend most of the day in the pool or at the beach. And truly, trying to keep it tidy with them all home is tiring!

Pledge spray wax, perfect for that timber laminate dining table, 1961

I have even been doing the ironing - I watch an old movie on the weekend and get it all done.  Keeping him happy in the bedroom though - I must admit not really.  I think we have both been too exhausted - and did just have our 23rd wedding anniversary - but I shall try these holidays!

Now that the rain is here the pool needs extra cleaning and the nature strip needs mowing - if I am lucky my husband will attend to those jobs. I must admit that I did get a bit slack with exercise, only walking a couple of times a week,   but now we walk every afternoon and play cricket with the kids.

So what are my goals now?

• to be fashionable and attractive - like the ideal housewife - but happy in my own skin;
• to get fitter and eat healthier - and drink less red wine;
• to have a lovely, tidy home that we like to spend time in and is always ready for company;
• to cook and prepare healthy meals that everyone loves, and avoid processed foods; 
• to actually sew and make an amazing dress- for me!
• to get involved in a community or volunteering event that I will also enjoy;
• to be more romantic with my husband; and
• to have a weekly family outing - a drive somewhere different and a picnic perhaps.

Of course I also need to make sure all the Christmas presents are bought and wrapped, and sent, and I am thinking about taking the kids on a road trip to the Sunshine Coast after Christmas.  Otherwise we may just pitch the tent in the back yard by the pool!

Deb xx

2 January 1913 and vintage coffee making

The cover of Good Housekeeping magazine for January 1913:

Postum, the instant coffee alternative that made marriage possible. Personally, we need coffee in our marriage!  In 1913 there were not many coffee drinkers in Australia, but even instant coffee was available.  It was actually invented by a gentleman from New Zealand, Mr David Strang,  in 1890, who patented his ‘dry, hot-air process’ and sold his product under the trading name Strang's Coffee.

"Strang’s soluble coffee and chicory powder"c 1900. source

A  Japanese scientist later introduced his version of the powdered substance at the Pan-American Exposition in New York in 1901, and American-Belgian inventor George Constant Louis Washington also  perfected a method of  mass producing instant coffee , founding the  G. Washington Coffee Company in 1910.  It was actually marketed as the coffee that didn't cause you indigestion.

Washington Coffee Company ad from 1914 source

The Nescafé brand later introduced a more advanced coffee refining process in the 1930s.  For real coffee you may have used this coffee maker in 1913.
    source
The Caffeta used a spirit burner to heat the coffee, came in 3 sizes - 4, 6 & 8 cups – and were made of silver plated nickel or copper . I would love a copper one!

Coffee how to in 1913 (from  Click Americana)

“Either for boiled or drip coffee, I allow a full tablespoon of finely-ground coffee to a cup of boiling water. If for breakfast coffee, the cup is the breakfast size; if for after dinner coffee, the size of the spoon is the same, but the cup is the small, or “demitasse” size.
When I make boiled coffee, I stir in the shell and white of an egg, with a little water with the ground coffee, pour on my measured boiling water, bring it to a boll, and cook for ten or fifteen minutes, boiling steadily, but not permitting it to boil over. Then I throw in a little cold water to check the boil suddenly, stand the coffee pot to one side so that it will settle, and pour the coffee off carefully so as not to stir up the grounds.
When I make drip coffee, I pour the boiling water slowly upon the ground coffee in the percolator, and after it is dripped through, turn the water into a heated vessel, and then let it again drip through the coffee grounds. The oftener the dripping process is repeated, the stronger the coffee. Never let it boil in a drip pot of any sort.
I always make the coffee with freshly-boiled water and do not let the coffee stand after it is made.”

I wonder if the painting below is of an instant coffee factory, or more a bean sorting room.

Moll, Carl (1861-1945) - 1900 The Coffee Factory  source

Which ever, it goes on my list of ‘jobs for women in 1913'!

Must be time for a cup – cheers, Deb xxx


For more coffee and vintage photos, go to tumblr!