Time travellers Diary

Another long week has passed in the 1950s house,And I’m thus far hanging on in there, although once again temptation has tried its damndest to lure me back into the present 2023. Hasnt helped much, what I in the beginning took to be a harmless head cold, turned into “the Franken-cold” or Covid to the less well initiated. It has made the week Novel that’s for sure, .one thing i just have to mention though, is I’ve developed a whole new found respect for woman of this era,. It’s one thing to clean house without our use of the usual 2023 wizardry when your feeling well, but when your fighting off an illness, this becomes a stupendous battle of wills as I recently found out. And in fairness to those heroines of their time, I’m only cleaning a one bed tiny apartment, not a three bed, two floor semi…

It’s funny though, as I work about here during the day memories of our old council home flood back to the fore, the sounds, smells constantly interupt my thoughts, crashing through my mind, like so many unwelcome visitors at a function, .. Take a Sunday for instance, I find it difficult to imagine any woman cooking that full Sunday Roast dinner for a family, getting it plated up quickly enough, before it went cold, I find this hard enough for myself, but woman like my mother had larger families back then,(five or six children being the norm) . Most weeks after dinner mum would normally produce some kind of dessert or other, after all this though there would be the inevitable sink load of washing up to face,(no dish washer in existence back then) all this done with the aid of kettles and pans of boiling water(we grew up in a home without the luxury of hot water on tap, working instead in a steam filled kitchen, not only tedious but thankless, I hated when it was my turn to do the dishes….it was nearly always my turn 😊, my siblings choosing to disappear magically the moment dinner was eaten…

As I delve deeper into the lifestyle, I have realised things take that much longer, (even for a small flat with just myself), Even making the bed is no longer just a matter of pulling over the Duvet, No now there’s sheets and the three layers of fleece blankets to consider, all have to be straightened out, after my fight with them in the night, it’s a bind, but I keep in mind All the while I’m worth the extra effort, plus the comfort of a well made bed is a must,(not up to hospital corners as of yet though😁).

Through no fault of my own, I do have to make use of my air fryer, microwave and small one ring electric hob, this is only because the stove here is obsolete and probably lethal it sits in its corner untouched, I mainly use the oven part of it as much needed storage 😁, I’m still trying to stick to my weekly budget, which I’m finding easier as the weeks pass, occasionally I go slightly over when I treat myself to some fresh fruit or need detergent.

Apart from more time consumption, and putting in more hard graft one things for sure when the weather changes, so do your days, trying to get your washing dry for instance can take three or four days, just in time for the next lot, here’s where I get all inventive and open a window, stick the airer in front of it, which is fine but when it’s wet and chilly outide, then of course inside, I sit about huddled hiding under numerous blankets around a solitary hand warmer while it merrily blows a gale throughout..😁,

Whether or not to match the era or I just felt so inclined😁, I had a fancy to play 50s and 60s music, as I dash my trusty Ewbank carpet sweeper up and down the carpets, somehow songs like working on the chain gang almost feels appropriate in its own way, ..as time goes on though I would like to find ways be more energy efficient or actually self sufficient, I’m still unsure how or if I can manage this, I have to believe there is a way forward…I cannot use solar panels as I would dearly like to as this is a privately owned property, I am however extremely inventive and will come up with more ways to cut corners and more importantly these ever rising bills…Once more before I leave I really would like to give a shout out to all those woman who kept house without the aid of gadgetry you have my new deep found respect…Ladies you were all heroes, as are the many parents of today who not only raise families, keep house but then do full time jobs, …Anyhow enough of this, I’ve carpets to beat, and sofa to attack with the dustpan and brush…take care all and stay safe out there ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤