a week's work for a housewife?

I've just discovered after moseying around Flickr that you can search Life and end up here.  Oh. my. goodness. hours. and. hours. of. fun. This is my favourite. She looks so happy. For more than a few moments I feel envious and wish I didn't have to go back to work next week and could live in that moment in time and place and class when modern was shiny and new, not a whole lot of stuff in landfill and when mothers (mostly) stayed at home with their children. Then I slapped myself.

The caption reads "Housewife Marjorie McWeeney w. broom amidst symbolic display of her week's housework at Bloomingdale's store incl. 35 beds to be made, 750 items of glass & china, 400 pieces of silverware to wash, 174 lbs. of food to prepare, some of 250 pieces of laundry."

It was taken in New York, NY, US, in June 1947. Already I'm asking herself why she made every body's bed. Although if the truth be told, I do most of the bed making around here. It all looks a bit neat and there certainly isn't enough laundry for five people for a week. I do rather like her washing machine though. As an object of beauty. Not as something I'd like to use. Although I do imagine that one would develop awesome back and arm muscles working that mangle.

new washing machine

Well. We did go out and buy a new washing machine. And quite lovely it is too. The washing seems to slosh around gently. The spin sounds like a well mannered jet rather than a clunky old car on a dirt road. I have been using it quite alot. Especially since I've been on holidays. And the only moment I've had that was a little snarky was when I was hanging washing out one night while G was away and I was thinking, he's in Queensland and here I am in the bloody freezing cold doing everything, including hanging washing out the night before because I have to get Grace to childcare by 7.45am so I won't be late for my shrink appointment. And we've run out of clean clothes. Then I  looked up at the frostily beautiful night sky, went inside, got warm and got over it.

There are lots of things to like about the new washing machine. It lights up. It doesn't shred my clothes. It has an approved wool cycle and a handwash cycle, so I may never ever have to get my hands wet ever again. It's really easy to pull the wet washing out into a basket on the floor. The only thing I'm not loving the unrenovated laundry, but I have visions for the future. And most days it does look more ordered than this.

As might be able to see in the above photo, I also learned that it is important not to add too much detergent or washing determent as Grace calls it. She loves the new washing machine too and is always keen to add the determent and push the button. Or all of the buttons. And climb into the machine. Sigh. But we do love the machine.