DAY 2: Coffee Part 2...Money & Hair

Day 2: More than likely these loooong posts are going to shorten as time goes on and the learning "curve" straightens out a bit. But right now it seems that at every turn I am trying to figure something out. There are so many things that I would already know if I were actually a 50's housewife, like what had been invented already...LOL. So, I am still going to be checking in with Google when I just don't know if I can do a certain thing. Also, There are items that had been invented that the general population did not use, couldn't afford etc. I am trying to hit the middle class here and if it wasn't something I remember in my house growing up in the 1960's I am going to go without using it in my 50's experiment.

Cashless = No Cash

     So before I started all of this I actually did some searching online so that I would be ready to go. What has amazed me the most so far, is how NOT ready I was. We have changed so much! I had no idea how much regular old day to day had changed!!!
     So, I went to the market to pick up some Maxwell House Yesterday. I was hoping that they might have had a vintage can as they do sometimes...no luck. I walked up to the register and went to pay my $7.20 and took out my debit card. Just as I was about to swipe it...I stopped...This isn't right. People used Cash in the 50's. Maybe an occasional check but I actually only saw my parent's use checks to pay bills and large purchases, (not saying I remember everything). But definitely not for a cannister of coffee. Well, I had maybe close to a dollar in change in my pocketbook...down at the bottom...which has been there for who knows how long.

          I knew I had some cash at home and will grab it to stick in my wallet...ummmm....wait...I don't have a "wallet" anymore. I only have this little card carrier. I used to have a wallet. It had places for pictures for goodness sakes...remember that!?!?!!? People kept pictures of loved ones in their wallets to show them off to people. School Pictures would come at each grade with a sleeve of "Wallet Size" that you cut out and gave to relatives that didn't warrant a 5 x 7. They also had longer pockets for your bills and a zipper part for change. Credit cards pockets? Not back in those days. The First International Credit Card was the Diner's Club Card (1950) and it wasn't to purchase just anywhere, but at a few select places that accepted it It wasn't till the late 70's that card were really used frequently. I know people still use wallets...I just don't, because I haven't needed one...until now. I have one...somewhere and will dig it out. 

Bathing and Beauty Routine

     Well What do you know? Calgon has been taking us away since 1946. Only I don't have any...but I do still love baths over showers. I think it is the lazy part of me. A shower demands that you get on with washing and get out, where a bath you can take all the time you want...taking breaks after washing your hair etc. I just realized this blog is probably going to reveal my crazy self a bit more than expected. 
     So, my real issue when getting ready for this experiment was a hair dryer. Not the ones that are like putting a shower cap on your head but a hand held blow dryer.

I do remember my mom having some heavy crazy thing that was never used as far as I remember but was stuck in the linen closet. I was hoping that there was one actually in the 1950's and Yyaaassss!! Let me introduce to you Handy Hannah Hair Dryer!!!

This thing looks like your arm would be worn out in no time using this heavy looking thing. Well, I don't own one of these so I just used my Connie Conair Cyclone Dryer on my head and pretended it was the same one. Maybe if I get the dumbbells out and start doing some curls I will feel the same as if I used this behemoth.

Coffee Part 2

Woke up this morning ready to make my 1950's Coffee with a perk. Measured out 4 cups of water and 4 scoops of Maxwell House and lit the burner...once it starts perking it will take 8 minutes till it is ready. That isn't bad...my Ninja takes 3 but that isn't that much longer to wait. So it starts boiling while I am cleaning some dishes and I turn it down. I open the lid and realize that it isn't perking so I turn it back up to boil and go back to dishes noting how long another 8 minutes is. At 8 minutes, I decide to let it perk a little longer as I like strong coffee, so at the 13 minute mark  I turn it off and start to pour myself a cup of "Good to the Last Drop" Maxwell house.

What the heck? Not only is my "coffee" just boiling water but my 4 cups have miraculously been reduced to 2 1/2 cups of water.  So, I thought...oh forget this I am using my Ninja. But...I rebuke myself and say, If you were in the 50's there is No Ninja to fall back on...you would have to figure it out! So, I start to pour the water on top of the filter in the percolator and I  go to turn on the electric kettle for more boiling water...and think...did they have electric kettles? Well, I am not going to take any more time to check google I will just heat water in a pan. So, that finally boils and after multiple times of pouring the water over the grounds the coffee looks dark enough. So...I pour my cup of coffee, sugar and cream and take a sip!

This has to be the absolute worst cup of coffee I have ever had in my life...and I have had some crappy cups of coffee. (I was in the Army in the 70's and they do not have drinkable coffee in the mess hall) So...Was I doomed to Drink this to the last drop? Nope...I ran into 2017 and mixed a bit of Starbucks fresh ground with 1/2 Maxwell house (trying to at least be a little authentic) and put it in my Ninja. Okay, so it is drinkable...sort of. Just like making an omelet with "mostly" good eggs and one rotten one...the Maxwell House has overcome and broken through and overpowered all that is good and right with morning coffee. This entire process took almost an hour! What I have learned. 1.  Maxwell House Commercials lie! 2. Not everything was Good in the Good Old Days 3. I need a plan...or I need to drink tea in the morning for the next 26 days.