Day 3: Yesterday Morning I made Biscuits from an old Betty Crocker Cookbook while Watching Perry Mason. I got to use some Vintage stuff I collect in the process. I do use what I collect on a regular basis but it meant more trying to live authentically. The Recipe said that it made 20 Biscuits...I stretched it to get 12 smallish, thinner than I would have wanted, but tasty biscuits. I am wondering about portion sizes in the 50's. If this recipe is an indicator...they were smaller and thus the tiny sized people versus today.
So, Last night we watched a movie...David's choice and I am not making my family stick to 50's rules as I said...So it wasn't an old movie but it was an old way to watch it. Usually I watch sitting in my chair on the other side of the room, perusing Facebook and playing Candy Crush or something like that while watching. But Last night, for the first time in a long time, I sat next to my husband on the couch. He made Old Time Popcorn which we actually prefer over the microwave version, so it wasn't because of my experiment. The movie he chose I have seen multiple times, but it ended up being a complete surprise. I felt like I hardly remembered any of it, mostly because of being distracted by the computer. That was eye opening. And as corny as this may sound...I loved sitting next to my husband just enjoying a movie together without being distracted.
Grocery Shopping:
Okay, the next thing I had to change...or change back to from long ago, is to make a menu and shopping list for the week. I had done that for years and years in the past, but as I said, I have been running my own business for 14 years and running back and forth to the store seemed to become normal. I found my wallet. I remembered I had put it in the Glove compartment a few years ago. I have no idea why. But...it had a bunch of change in it and weighed a ton and am thinking that might have been the reason. LOL I took out the card carrier and left it home.
I was tempted to put my debit card in my wallet just in case but decided against the 21st century Fall Back Insurance.I have to admit it was scary to walk out with only the cash in my pocket book. I had my grocery list and even put on "reddish" lipstick before I left the house.( I may be getting too into this) When I got to the grocery Store...or should I be calling it The "Market"? I started putting things in my cart, per usual, and then stopped and thought...."I need to keep track of what I am spending here and try to keep to the Grocery list...no impulse buying because it sounds yummy" Housewives used to try to be frugal, it was seen as an attribute of a good wife. So, I bought 2 cans of smoked Oysters which were not on my list...David loves them. But with pen and paper in hand I kept to not only the list but below the budget. I kept thinking about those little hand held clicker things that used to be used to keep track of $ spent at the store. When I got back home and took care of everything I went on EBAY...ummm...wasn't Ebay around in the 50's? And found it...and purchased it. YAY! It gets here by Wednesday!
This morning, I had 2017 coffee as the perk I have is faulty. I need to go to an antique store/or/thrift store and try to find a real one that I can use. As I was figuring out Dinner...thinking of making Spaghetti Sauce, I took the Italian Sausage out of the Freezer...opened the Microwave...and stopped...well..We are having Vegetable Lasagna for dinner. Thinking ahead is another thing we have not had to do much in our modern life. Everything is easier and quick...instant. Well, On to that lovely word...housework, but even that hasn't been the interruption I have always seen it as. Not much else going on in the 50's at this point anyway.
I was tempted to put my debit card in my wallet just in case but decided against the 21st century Fall Back Insurance.I have to admit it was scary to walk out with only the cash in my pocket book. I had my grocery list and even put on "reddish" lipstick before I left the house.( I may be getting too into this) When I got to the grocery Store...or should I be calling it The "Market"? I started putting things in my cart, per usual, and then stopped and thought...."I need to keep track of what I am spending here and try to keep to the Grocery list...no impulse buying because it sounds yummy" Housewives used to try to be frugal, it was seen as an attribute of a good wife. So, I bought 2 cans of smoked Oysters which were not on my list...David loves them. But with pen and paper in hand I kept to not only the list but below the budget. I kept thinking about those little hand held clicker things that used to be used to keep track of $ spent at the store. When I got back home and took care of everything I went on EBAY...ummm...wasn't Ebay around in the 50's? And found it...and purchased it. YAY! It gets here by Wednesday!
This morning, I had 2017 coffee as the perk I have is faulty. I need to go to an antique store/or/thrift store and try to find a real one that I can use. As I was figuring out Dinner...thinking of making Spaghetti Sauce, I took the Italian Sausage out of the Freezer...opened the Microwave...and stopped...well..We are having Vegetable Lasagna for dinner. Thinking ahead is another thing we have not had to do much in our modern life. Everything is easier and quick...instant. Well, On to that lovely word...housework, but even that hasn't been the interruption I have always seen it as. Not much else going on in the 50's at this point anyway.
It was not the 50's but 60's and I remember my mom watching the soap opera's in the afternoon with rollers in her hair, cigarette in her mouth and a coke bottle filled with water, a sprinkler head in the top of it, ironing clothes. Sometimes during the day she'd be over a neighbor friends house smoking a fag as they called them and drinking coffee many times both ladies with rollers and a scarf around their hair.
ReplyDeleteShe made bread nearly every day and just before dad came home put on a dress, heels and red lipstick. I think she was Mrs Clever. LOL
Living back then was no easy task and I had a taste of it when I went to Portugal back in 87' in fact it was more like living in the 40's as I had to wash diapers on a board sink ( cut my knuckles more than a few time on that thing)and the washer that only washed the clothing and rinsed, you had to ring it by hand and hang it out to dry (try doing that with jeans!) They had an outdoor kitchen and a small gas stove/oven inside. May I say that I thought when I arrived that I was going to hate it ( I thought sure I die), by the time I left 2 months later I lost 5lbs and I ate very well everyday (the best tasting food ever) and I was thin then so those 5 lbs were a surprise to lose. When I got over needing everything done in 5 mins , the stores closing daily from 12-2pm and no fast food anywhere except Pizza Hut that had just arrived. I was so relaxed and stress free I didn't want to come home. I hope you enjoy your experiment! Get a percolator you'll make really good coffee in it with some coffee grounds at times but that will remind you of the 50's. ;-)
WOW...What a great experience you had! I am going to go to some antique mart and find something. Still using the maxwell house (not loving it) but in my Ninja. And there is much more work in the 50's than I thought but I am also getting much more done than I thought I would.
DeleteIt cracks me up that the idea of using rolling pins and stoneware bowls is considered "primitive kitchen" I haven't used my hand mixer for so long I had to have my husband check it out for current use. I just mix by hand. 50 vigorous strokes was considered "beating"
ReplyDeleteI found a recipe for a whole wheat quick bread I want to eat less bread anyway so having a small quickbread loaf for toast might work out well.
I have always loved, "Old, Primitive, Vintage"stuff-I figure if I couldn't have purchased it in a store by the time I was married (1981) then the stuff is vintage. :)
DeleteI found a quick adder and ordered it! It only has 3 buttons so only goes to $20. That should keep my spending down. I suppose $20 per food category (produce, meat, etc)?
ReplyDeletelol... I guess if you break it down into catagories you would be alright. I am just glad that I have something to use to count and paying attention again. I was on a food budget once upon a time, when the kids were little. I don't know why I stopped and just bought whatever I wanted whenever I wanted. I was just at Hobby Lobby, as they had Simplicity Patterns on sale for 99 cents each which is crazy cheap, and because I only had $20 in my wallet I put back a few things...including a few of those patterns. I ended up spending $13 and that included the material I bought for a dress.
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