Household Hints From Old Housewives
Actually, the title of this article is a little misleading. I came across a gem of a little book at my mother’s home the other day – “500 HOUSEHOLD HINTS by 500 HOUSEWIVES”. Published in 1926, it’s a compilation of cleaning and cooking tips for the 1920s housekeeper that is a looking glass into life during the early part of the 20th century. And, rather surprisingly, some of the hints are still pertinent today.
Not that I need to know how to wash my ebony hair brush or re-use my old, starched cuffs or use glycerine and egg yolk to get grass stains out of my tennis flannels. But the real message from the book is that absolutely nothing went to waste. Even wood ashes from the fireplace were used to aid in cleaning brick floors, aluminum and tile (which was very modern at the time). Here are a few more “hints” that you might actually be able to use. Try with care, however. These are untested :
Olive oil. Mix with salt and place on the white marks left by your hot coffe cup on polished tables. (I actually am going to try this on an old aluminum tray table. For all I know it might take the finish completely off but I’ll let you know.)
Tea. Use warm tea to take dirty marks off varnished paint or enamel. (I’m not sure what this says about the effects of tea on your stomach!)
Blood stains. To remove stains, mix a little starch to a paste and spread it on the stains. Leave for a few hours then wash. (I have an easier method that I’ve used with great success – hydrogen peroxide. Just pour it on and let it bubble the stain out. Works on old stains, too).
Washing white silk. OK, you probably don’t have white silk any more than I do but I’m going to try this tip on a white (now off-white) chiffon blouse. Add a little milk into the rinse water and, supposedly, it will keep the silk from dulling or yellowing. Can’t hurt!
Removing an unpleasant odor. One housewife suggests buring coffee grounds in a shovel for a few minutes. A more practical idea is to light a match, though neither of these solutions do more than mask the odor for a while. Still, if like me you’re allergic to all those perfumy, chemical odor eliminators, any alternative is a better option.
Moth prevention. The simplest suggestion in the book is to sprinkle epsom salts among clothing, in closets, under carpets,etc. For something that will also add a pleasant aroma, try this: 1/2 lb dried rosemary, 1/2 lb dried mint, 4oz thyme, 4oz tansy, 2 tablespoon ground cloves. Mix and scatter.
Happy housekeeping!
Wanna Cheap Date For Valentine’s?
So you’re broke! Doesn’t mean you can’t still do something special for your Valentine to show how much you care.
Here are some ideas for a cheap, but romantic, date:
1. Nothing wrong with going for a walk. Just make it somewhere special – a place with a view, somewhere that brings happy memories, go window shopping for things you dream about. Just be sure to hold hands.
2. If you can cook, go for the candlelit dinner at home. A little mood music in the background and you’ve got it made.
3. If you can’t cook, so what? Stop at the grocery store, get a ready cooked chicken and a bag of salad, the rest is the same.
4. If dinner doesn’t excite you, how about running a warm bath? Have the candles and music ready, maybe a bottle of wine and two big, soft towels for later.
5. A picnic is always a great idea. And if it’s too cold to be outside, create a space indoors! Clear an area where you can put a couple of beach chairs or towels. Play Beach Boys or reggae music. Wear sunglasses and shorts. You get the idea! Then have your picnic with paper plates, plastic cups and all.
6. Give a promise list. So you can’t afford everything you’d like to give now; make a promise in writing instead. In fact, your promise doesn’t have to be for anything that costs money. You could promise to quit smoking if that would make your lover happy. Don’t go overboard, though. Remember, you have to keep the promise. And to make it more of a special event, hand write your promise and put it in a box.
7. Forget dinner! Go straight for dessert. How about something typically Valentine like chocolate covered strawberries? Then get a few red flowers (the cheapest variety you can find) and scatter the petals to create a trail to the bedroom. (Assuming your relationship is at this point, of course).
8. Give Love Coupons. Create coupons that your special person can “cash in”. Could be for 10 kisses a day for a month, wearing those sexy undies that he/she likes so much but you hate, giving a massage. Use your imagination.
9. Then there’s always a movie. Just be sure to get something you both like, and it’s probably not a good idea to go for something like the Terminator, unless that turns you both on. A movie marathon of romantic oldies is a winner.
10. There may be poetry readings or lectures that your other half would like. You may hate it, but that’s not the point, is it?
11. Here’s a novel thought if your sweetheart is the altruistic kind. Volunteer together. Not only will your partner be impressed with your selflessness, you actually will be doing good for someone else.
12. Is your date the sporty kind? Challenge him/her to a game of one-on-one; go running together; play beer-can pong; think of something! Assuming you’re up to it, of course.
13. Plan a treasure hunt. This will take some effort to set up. Plan a route that is meaningful to both of you. Write clues to lead your partner from one place to the next. The final destination could be the place you first met, a favorite bar where you could have a drink, wherever.
14. One of my favorites – museums! It’s easy to spend hours in a museum. Imagine yourselves back in time; think what it might have been like to meet in a different era. And if the past isn’t your thing, consider art galleries, the planetarium, the zoo.
15. Here’s a neat one – a photo shoot! Get the digital camera, create a space or go to a favorite place and take pictures of each other. Blow kisses, get goofy or just smile. Later, you can print your favorite shots and you’ll have a wonderful memento for years to come.
So I hope this helps, but whatever else you do, don’t follow my ex-husband’s example. On our first Valentine’s Day together he turned up with two potted plants, telling me that they were “us”. As long as the plants flourished, so would our love (he said). So I put “Liz” and “Skip” in the window and the next day the dog got hold of “Liz” and had a wonderful time dragging the plant around the house until it was nothing more than a limp, masticated twig. I did say my ex husband, didn’t I?
