1940's Housewife?

So we are back down at my grandmama's home. As much as I love being with our families, I am glad for the break. And tomorrow I am seeing a friend, and we're all heading to a couple festivals, so I am hoping for a gorgeous day!

I was given a couple aprons the other night, along with some other linens, and told where to locate more. So of course the first thing I did last night was locate everything. I now have over a dozen half aprons, and my mother has a few more for me from when a family friend passed. I love looking at these things and imagining the great women who wore them. Some of my grandmama's things came from older relatives. Several of the table linens were my great grandmother's (she would write her name carefully on the underside). I have been ironing up a storm, pressing everything nice and neat (wearing an old kerchief to keep my hair back), and as I did so, I was lost in thought about my family.

We also located my grandmama's stove top perculator and made coffee. Too good! And I've washed the plates for the hostess sets, although I have yet to get to the cups. I cannot wait to do the type of enertaining my grandmama did when she was younger. She's always been involved in church and Eastern Star, so having ladies over was common. And she played bridge.....enough said.

I have felt better than I have in a long time. I have also had to come to some hard realizations. First, I can give my opinion, but I cannot change a person's actions. I love my parents very much, but this trip has made me question how often we will come home. G and I had already privately made some decisions about how often we will be coming home, but they may need to be re-evaluated. I have a brother who continually has messed up, at my parents expense of time and money, but they reach the end of their rope, say they are cutting him off (even asking G and I if we will help get some things from his apt), only to cool down, and give him another chance. We've been home 3 weeks and I have seen several cycles of this. Unfortunately I am of the old school of allowing someone to hit rock bottom and pick themselves up. I had to learn to survive on my own and am a better person for it, and feel strongly that he needs that hard knocks lesson.

Secondly, I really need to work on my housewife skills. I mean, seriously, I got LAZY over in England, with G pitching in more than I care to admit (yes, I understand that part of it was being down because of life over there). But since coming home I let him help when he insists, but generally send him off to watch a movie, or just have him sit and talk to me while I work. I want to run a tight ship in MD, so I am practicing now. Today while I ironed (and ironed, and ironed...) he watched To Catch a Thief with Cary Grant and Grace Kelly. He'd never seen it, so he watched and I glanced up as I worked.

Third, I've realized that the downside to being a responsible adult is that others tend to assume they can count on you to do things at a moment's notice. And if I am doing nothing I have no problem helping out, but this week I felt taken advantage of and my stress levels soared. If I am busy I will drop everything to help you if you need it, but if you call and simply assume I will, it angers me.

I also got to see my niece again yesterday for a short while, but will not see her again until Christmas time. My heart hurts for my darling niece. So yesterday I was determined to keep her laughing, swooping down over the puppies, blowing raspberries at her and snuggling with lots of kisses. I really wish her parents would grow up and put her first, but they both seem more concerned with themselves. Perhaps this is why God made her such a happy baby, to be able to weather this mess?

Now I am off to finish dishes, and prep the coffee for the morning. I am hoping to put pics up soon, our camera died and the battery is charging!