The Good Old Days?

Well, Jess and Angie are off to Disney World and Casey's somewhere on the north coast. Where am I?? Sweating my little booties off in hot, humid Iowa!!! (Not kidding-stand outside for five minutes-no movement required-and the perspiration will start flowing like a mountain stream!) Honestly, how did we ever survive without air conditioning? Yes, I truly do love technology…most of the time.

There are times when I find it annoying-I'm not the brightest bulb in the box when it comes to operating all the gadgets available to us these days, but I don't think I'd make it if I had to live the way my grandmothers and great-grandmothers did. They were definitely made of sterner stuff than me. Can you imagine cooking over a wood burning stove, in the summertime, dressed the way they had to dress? Layers upon layers-chemise, drawers, corset, corset cover, petticoats, stockings, shirtwaist, and skirt. No shorts and tank tops for these women!! (It's no wonder fainting couches were the rage-I'd have keeled over just from dragging the weight of all those clothes around.)

And the work they had to do-unless one had enough money for servants, and I know my family certainly didn't. They were up with the sun cooking, cleaning, gardening, canning, washing, darning, sewing-the list must've gone on and on. I doubt whether they ever had the time to pursue any leisure activities-like simply sitting down and reading a book whenever the notion struck them. It's no wonder women aged so quickly back then-they were worn out by the time they reached their forties!

So back to the good old days? No thanks-I'll keep my air conditioning, microwave, computer, Internet, cell phone and all the other conveniences that I take for granted. And next time I complain about the stress of modern life, I'll think about the kind of life women lived a hundred years ago. Compared to theirs, mine's a piece of cake!!!

That's all for this week!! Stay cool and see you next Thursday!
Best,
Shirley