The 50's Homemaker Trial
I just read a blog about a young woman who decided that for 2 weeks she would live the life of a 50's housewife. It was pretty funny considering that at 31 years old, she was far away from the 1950's and some of her findings about that lifestyle were so foreign and surprising to her. .How I even came upon this blog had to do with a search for 50's lifestyle after complaining to a friend that I just want to go back in time...a less stressful time...where life was simple, options were limited, people were kinder to each other with what used to be called "Common Courtesy" and most everything made sense. I said..."you know, Like the 1950's, early 60's" Okay, I know not everyone lived in the "everything made sense" life, The Black Americans were on the cusp of the Civil Rights fight and rightfully so..but for me, a white girl from New England, that looked like a time that everyone had a place with which they fit and lived it out peacefully. This may be pie in the sky thinking, but it sure as heck is not 2017 with a new President and a most divided Nation as I have ever seen in these "United" States. Anyway, back to the blog, I thought that I would like to try to do this...get off the computer for the most part, except to blog my findings on this life...live simply with simple purpose.The difference is that I have had a touch of this 50's life. I am a baby boomer born in 1957. My mom was an at home mom...like so many before her...and tried to live the picture perfect example of those times. Our house was always clean, Cookie jar was always filled, she sewed some of our clothes, knit some of our sweaters and basically didn't have much of a life outside of us kids. This experiment would also be different in that my kids are grown. I have 2 Adult Children still at home, who work and have that outside social life, so it won't be like a Mommy experiment, but I just took an early retirement and am, once again, a full time Homemaker.
So, February 1st...Tomorrow...I am going to launch a month long 50's campaign. I am really going to try to stay as true to the times as possible. Using only the appliances available to them along with what entertainment there was TV, Radio, Music. I have actually gone so far as to see if there are old soap operas available to watch. If I could have found some I figured streaming them on here would be like watching a TV screen. TV switched to using our rooftop Antennae only...yes we have one. Some things I will not be doing.,Eating canned vegetables, TV Dinners and tons of meat. We hardly eat meat at all and not going to go so far as to change our healthy ways for unhealthy. I won't be dressing in period "costumes" either, although I will be getting dressed down to my shoes and my hair and makeup will be done even if I am not going anywhere for the day. I am guilty, like the rest of the modern world, who will make a run to Walmart not looking, shall we say, put together. I don't do outdoor PJs but no self respecting 50's housewife would leave the house looking like I do sometimes.
I also, still have my "homestead" to take care of. I put the words in quotes because who knows what a homestead is really. I always think of it as off the beaten bath, acres and acres of land, off grid, Pumping water from a well and being pretty much self sufficient, all while wearing overalls and plaid shirts. I have only 1.5 Acres...4000 square feet are Vegetable Gardens, I do have 40 Fruit and Berry Trees, Grape vines, chickens and Honey bees... A Greenhouse hoop house, Rain Barrel water catchment system with 4200 gallons of rain water available on a good day...hmmmm...I guess I am a homesteader. :)
On the Homestead I will be working on getting my seed inventory done, planning on what I am going to can and dehydrate through the season, starting some seeds for transplanting. Organizing and painting my "Summer Kitchen" and continue to take care of my little Chicklets who run to me whenever I am outside and they hear my voice...not love...mostly seeking some handout from either the scratch Barrel or my leftovers.
Today...my 89 year old Mom and I are spending the day at thrift stores and then out to lunch. I need to go pack up a few dozen eggs for my sister and get dressed...down to my shoes, hair and makeup. I might as well start a day early with that one.
