A Good wife's guide from the 50's

[Bob Moyer]

http://www.indiana.edu/~lggender/good_wife.jpg
Note: This does not express the opinion of the poster of the article

[Phyllis Meyer]

Bob,

I'm speechless...and that doesn't happen very often. Don't worry, I'm not offended, this is too funny for that!

Phyllis:)

[Joe Pelonio]

I was 3 at the time this came out. I can only remember back to about age 5, but I can tell you that people did follow this a lot in those days.

Just about 5 years ago my wife and daughters were shocked when we went to a wedding and the preacher asked the bride if she promised to "Love, Honor and Obey". There was actually a collective gasp from the guests.

[Bob Moyer]

Bob,

I'm speechless...and that doesn't happen very often. Don't worry, I'm not offended, this is too funny for that!

Phyllis:)

Did the name Donna Reed come to mind?

[Clint Jones]

Too bad Im too young for the good ole days.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I was 6 when that came out. If the LOML saw that and I agreed with it (which I don't) I wouldn't live to see my next birthday!:D

[Belinda Barfield]

The Good Wife's Guide has been floating around for a while now and I have received it in countless e-mails. Though not a wife, I have discovered from this guide that I am an only halfway decent partner! :eek:

Leanne Bell came up with the following to counter the Wife's guide.

The Good Husband's Guide

* Always make getting and keeping a full-time job with regular raises, benefits, bonuses and the potential for prestigious advancement your number one priority in life. Remember always that you have a wife and children who need your financial support, and that it is your responsibility to provide for them to the best of your ability.


* Always arrive home refreshed and happy - put your bad day or your confrontation with your boss, the traffic, the crowds or the physical exhaustion you might feel aside and try to arrive home as cheery and lighthearted as you possibly can. Your wife has been struggling with the children and the housework all day, she does not need to hear about how bad your day was.

* Be prepared to help with household chores when you get home - let your wife relax or talk on the phone since she has been dealing with these problems all day. Make supper for her often, and offer to clean up afterwards so that she may rest and feel appreciated.

* Do not bore your wife with stories of the troubles you faced at work today. Remember that you are lucky to have a job and that many other men would be happy to trade places with you. Remember that it is not masculine to complain or let worries trouble you. Your job is to provide, and whatever you must go through to achieve this is part of your lot in life. A good husband knows that he is lucky to have a wife at all, and that a woman wants a strong, silent man she can depend on.

* Never expect your wife to have contributed to the smooth operation of the household. She has had a busy day and cannot be expected to provide meals or clean clothes for you. Never insult her by asking her to do such things while you're out earning money. Be mindful always that your wife may think you are being sexist if you ask her to help make a home for your family as part of your partnership.

* Be prepared to account for your whereabouts every minute of the day, including an explanation as to why you were away from the phone when she tried to call or why you were unable to chat with her for twenty minutes when she did get through to you. You must always put her interests first, and be mindful of her natural suspicion about her husband's activities. A good husband knows that men can't be trusted, and that a wife has every reason to believe you will hurt and humiliate her.

* Do not grumble or gripe about handing over your paycheque to her - she is in control of your finances and knows better than you how to spend or invest your money. Never assume that the money you earn is yours to do with as you will - you have a family to think about now, and their needs must always come before your own.

* Listen avidly to your wife's complaints. She leads a hectic life and needs to feel listened to and appreciated. Never suggest ways in which she might solve whatever problem is vexing her. You need only listen; your suggestions are likely insensitive and unfeeling anyway. And do not counter with complaints of your own. She would love to have the chance to leave the house and work, she does not need to hear about how difficult your job is.

* Be prepared to give up your weeknights or weekends to whatever projects or socializing your wife has in mind. If she has determined that cleaning out the garage or painting the upstairs bathroom would be the best use of your time, never complain that you would like to relax or pursue personal interests instead. She has every right to expect that you will make repairs to the house or help her redecorate during your time off. Do not be so selfish as to ask for personal time. You are a family man now, you do not have the luxury of personal time.

* Always be prepared to take over in caring for the children when you get home from work. Your wife has been busy all day and deserves some quiet time. Allow her to watch television or chat with her friends on the phone, go shopping or simply relax. They are your children too, and it is unfair of you to expect to come home from a twelve hour day and simply put your feet up.

* Never grumble about having to support children you didn't want to have. If you were irresponsible enough to help her get pregnant, then it is your duty to pay for that child for the next eighteen years. If you decide to have sex, you must know that pregnancy may result and be fully prepared to take responsibility for it. Remember, you have no right to be a parent and no right not to be a parent, you are just a man. A good husband knows his place.

As stated above, this piece does not reflect the views of the poster.

[Craig Kershaw]

We have this article on the fridge at our office. The ladies love it!

[Lee DeRaud]

I sent both of the articles to GF so she could post them at her office:
she works for a divorce lawyer. :cool::eek:

[Andy Hoyt]

If this was the fifties, it certainly explains the sixties!

[Belinda Barfield]

Just for kicks I decided to see how I was doing in the "Good Wife" department today. Just for the record, my SO and I run a business together.

Here goes . . .

I planned ahead last night for this evening's meal.

I got up 30 minutes before he did in order to make the coffee, feed the mouthy cat, and adjust the AC to the temp he likes for his shower. I showered and applied my spackle in order to be out of the way when it was his turn. I prepared a cup of coffee and placed it beside his bathroom sink just the way he likes it, with just the right amount of cream.

While he showered I made the bed, and threw together the makings of breakfast (which we cook and eat at work), packed my gym bag, fluffed the sofa pillows, and adjusted the blinds to keep out the heat of the day.

I helped him find his cell phone and gently reminded him, with a smile, for the third time, that we really needed to be at work by 7:00.

Arrived at work, fed the shop cat, fixed breakfast.

Shop cat gets stung by something just above the right eye. Calm cat. Assure SO that she hasn't been bitten yet again by a snake.

SO is quietly building cabinets for a neighboring business. Screw slips, screw gun bit goes into left thumb. Bandage bleeding SO and send him back out with a kiss to make it better.

Prepare and serve lunch at work. Listen to today's three new ideas for making a million.

Discover gym bag is still sitting by front door.

Go out to shop and help unload plywood (okay, so that sorta makes up for the gym).

Discover that so far, I don't have the makings of a good wife, but hey . . . you try unloading plywood in pearls and 4" heels!

(Mostly in jest, folks. Although all of the above is true, he's a really good guy!! I just spoil him terribly!):D

[Rob Russell]

Discover that so far, I don't have the makings of a good wife, but hey . . . you try unloading plywood in pearls and 4" heels!


I dunno Belinda - I thought most southern belles just about lived in pearls and heels. That's not true?

[Belinda Barfield]

I dunno Belinda - I thought most southern belles just about lived in pearls and heels. That's not true?

Sadly Rob, the times they are a changin'! Mostly I see southern belles living in pants that ride way too low, and flip flops. Well, other than for the debutante ball of course! It's still pretty much true that most southern belles wouldn't dream of running out to the 7-11 without a touch of lipstick and quick brush of the hair, but that's just common sense because you NEVER KNOW who you might run into. ;) I can remember in the late 60s going shopping with my grandmother. She never worked outside of the home but did raise six kids and would have given June Cleaver a run for her money. Seein' as how we in the south are a little slow to come around to the newer trends, shopping meant going to Savannah to the department stores and we wore our hats, and our gloves, and she wore pearls and heels. Honestly, I think some ladies are missing out on a lot by not having a little femininity in their lives. You can catch more flies with pearls and heels than you can with flip flops, that is, if you're in the market for flies.:rolleyes:

[Al Willits]

I've seen that several times, it only took three of them times and several hundred band aids to convince me of the error of my ways, I no longer show the wife it....

But at 60 I remember the folks and their generation were not all that far removed from that...well, maybe not my dysfunctional family, but all the normal ones seemed to be.

Al

[glenn bradley]

I don't remember dad wearing a hat but his friends certainly did. Mom wore those dresses when I was quite young. By the time I was 6 or 7 she had gone back to her career (an anomoly back then) and dad was "always" at the office till dinner-time. Friends who see pics of when I was young always ask if the Cleavers lived on our block.

[Rafael Carias]

Discover that so far, I don't have the makings of a good wife, but hey . . . you try unloading plywood in pearls and 4" heels!

(Mostly in jest, folks. Although all of the above is true, he's a really good guy!! I just spoil him terribly!):D

Hey Belinda, don't feel bad, most guys in my neck of the woods would kill for a GF or wify that can or does anything remotely close to the routine you just described. ;)

[Ron Jones near Indy]

Did the name Donna Reed come to mind?

Definitely June Cleaver!

[Robert McGowen]

I think I will put a copy on the 'fridge............:rolleyes:

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I think I will put a copy on the 'fridge............:rolleyes:

Having met you and your wife.....I'd recommend you wait until that knee is completely healed before you do it!:D

[Denny Rice]

I was born 50 yrs too late!!!! Story of my life! LOL

[John Schreiber]

If that's what makes a good wife, there never was a good wife.

But a generation of women thought they were bad wives because they couldn't live up to that standard.

By the way, we watched some of the old Leave it to Beaver shows on DVD. June was a hottie.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Hello,
Grins and giggle aside -
PTSD - and how to deal with it - was fairly unknown in the 1950's.
"Dad" in the picture could easily have been a WWII vet.
"Mom" could easily, not have known how to cope.
The "author" could easily have been trying to suggest ways to not "set off dad".

Not that that's the whole thing, just something to consider.

[Belinda Barfield]

Wasn't Valium pretty much handed out like candy to housewives during the 50s? That would certainly explain a lot!

Actually, in all honesty, I'd love to be a June Cleaver. Working for a living just seems to get in the way. Wait . . . I've changed my mind. I want to be Samantha from Bewitched. It always amazed me that she needed to whip up a little magic to quick clean an already spotless house when Darren decided to bring the boss home for dinner. I like Samantha better because she lost her temper at least once per season, and she had a totally dysfunctional family to juggle on the side. June was just a little too perfect.

[Phyllis Meyer]

Thanks Belinda! Both are hilarious!

Married 27 years I still get up with hubby 5:00 A.M., to drink coffee, and pack his lunch. I don't have to...I want to! That is our time to pray, discuss how we will make our million, dream, argue...and begin our day knowing that we can make it in our world today! We aren't June & Mr. Clever, but a good wife/husband I would like to think are made up of: Bob & Carol Brady, Ralph & Alice Kramden, Ricky & Lucy Ricardo, Brett & Deanna Favre (can you imagine their discussions over coffee) oh and let's not forget Archie & Edith Bunker:D

Have a great day everyone!
Phyllis:)

[Lee DeRaud]

...Brett & Deanna Favre (can you imagine their discussions over coffee)...Well, in early summer of every year, it's something along the lines of,
"Would you hurry up and go to training camp already? You're driving me out of my freakin' mind!!"
:D

[Rob Russell]

I reread the magazine clip. The version that I remember seeing also had a line like "Mix his favorite drink and have it when you greet him at the door", or something to that effect.

Right.

There are a couple of days a week when SWMBO doesn't get out of work until 9PM. I'd best have my messes cleaned up by then ...

[Belinda Barfield]

I reread the magazine clip. The version that I remember seeing also had a line like "Mix his favorite drink and have it when you greet him at the door", or something to that effect.

Right.

There are a couple of days a week when SWMBO doesn't get out of work until 9PM. I'd best have my messes cleaned up by then ...

Rob, I've read that same version. "Greet him at the door with his favorite cocktail and a kiss."

[Andy Hoyt]

So Belinda. I'm looking at your photo and can't help but be impressed by the gentleman's cocktail in your left hand, the Maytag washer you're seemingly so attached to, the sun dress, and the hat.

No gloves! No pearls! You're so close to June/Donna/Samantha status. Go for it! :D

[Belinda Barfield]

So Belinda. I'm looking at your photo and can't help but be impressed by the gentleman's cocktail in your left hand, the Maytag washer you're seemingly so attached to, the sun dress, and the hat.

No gloves! No pearls! You're so close to June/Donna/Samantha status. Go for it! :D

Andy,

That cocktail is a Mint Julep, perfectly acceptable for consumption by ladies.

I am not attached to a Maytag washer, that is the countertop divider between the great room and kitchen at a friend's house.

I was so tempted to wear the pearls to that party - Derby party!

I do aspire, but don't hold out much hope for living up to my heroines. ;)

[John Shuk]

Hey,
When will we see the mass e-mails that talk about the sacrifice a husband makes when he goes to work busts his butt working for a company that would love to figure out how to do without him. Works in the heat, the cold, sits in traffic getting there, and deals with stressful nonsense every day so he can come home and turn on the television and watch every man on a show look like a bumbling idiot. Then he cheerfully nudges the wife when he shows her the heartwarming e-mails people send talking about the sacrifice women make every day.

Now I know and appreciate what my wife does and deals with each day.... but it isn't one sided.

[Belinda Barfield]

Hey,
When will we see the mass e-mails that talk about the sacrifice a husband makes when he goes to work busts his butt working for a company that would love to figure out how to do without him. Works in the heat, the cold, sits in traffic getting there, and deals with stressful nonsense every day so he can come home and turn on the television and watch every man on a show look like a bumbling idiot. Then he cheerfully nudges the wife when he shows her the heartwarming e-mails people send talking about the sacrifice women make every day.

Now I know and appreciate what my wife does and deals with each day.... but it isn't one sided.

John,

I understand your point completely. But remember that some women are making the same sacrifices, and drive daily to work in the same dead end jobs as men. On the rare occasion I have time to sit down to watch a TV show I'm inundated by commercials telling me how to keep my home cleaner, and what cereal to buy . . . rarely a commercial that encourages me to go out and have a beer with my buds. As I stated in a couple of my posts, mostly what I wrote was in jest. My SO works very hard every day and I appreciate everything he does. I'm not proud that I have to work in order for our household to make ends meet, but it is the case. We also run a business together and other than some of the heavy lifting, we do basically the same job. I can't speak for anyone else, but my intention was to point out how difficult it can be to be both a working woman, and a "Good Housewife", and how unrealistic it is to expect "Good Housewife" actions in today's world. I'm not saying that it is any more difficult for me than for my SO, but at least folks don't expect him to be both a working man and a "Good Housewife". I'm sure there are a lot of single dads out there who are doing their best to be both, and I'm sure they will agree that it ain't easy. Sorry if I offended you as it was not my intention to offend anyone.

[Rob Russell]

That cocktail is a Mint Julep, perfectly acceptable for consumption by ladies.

Oh man - Mint Juleps (MJs). Those can knock on your backside faster than you realize.


Some wild mint was growing by the back door at my Dad's beach cottage. We used it to make MJs.

Start with some simple syrup (sugar dissolved in water).
Put some in the bottom of a glass.
Drop in a couple fresh mint leaves.
Crush the mint with a ball-end glass stirrer into the sugar syrup so the sugar syrup picks up a really good mint flavor.
Fill the glass with crushed ice.
Fill the glass with bourbon.
Stir to mix.
Drink and enjoy.
Repeat.
Fall over.
MJs are essentially straight bourbon on the rocks, but the sugar and mint make them Ohhhhhhhh so smooth. They taste absolutely great. Because they are straight bourbon - they are powerful.

MJs are also frequently sipped through a straw, but that just makes it easier to suck them down quickly.

You want a drink that will turn your 1950's housefrau into a 1970's disco diva or 2008 karaoke queen? I'll bet that a couple of MJs will do it!



A substitute for real mint is Creme de Menthe, although you might need some extra sugar syrup if the Creme de Menthe doesn't make the Mint Julep as sweet as you want it.

[Belinda Barfield]

Oh man - Mint Juleps (MJs). Those can knock on your backside faster than you realize.

You're absolutely correct Rob. If I can find it, I have a picture I should post from the same party. I wasn't on my backside, but it is rather hilarious nonetheless. The friend who holds the annual Derby Party is from Kentucky. About a year and a half ago he "discovered" Mojitos and has been hooked on them ever since. It took him quite a while to put two and two together and realize a Mojito is simply a MJ made with rum.

I declare, between this thread and the wedding reception punch thread, I'm compiling quite the file of drink recipes. As someone else said, we need to have a party!

[Lee DeRaud]

On the rare occasion I have time to sit down to watch a TV show I'm inundated by commercials telling me how to keep my home cleaner, and what cereal to buy . . . rarely a commercial that encourages me to go out and have a beer with my buds.Different viewing habits, I guess. The ads I see these days seem to break down like this:
35% prescription meds
15% OTC meds
15% beer
15% cars
15% fast-food restaurants
5% other
"Other" will grow to about 50% between now and November, but that's a whole different problem.

(I've omitted from this total the steady barrage of plugs for the show coming on right after the one I'm watching: seems like every show is just a lead-in for the one after it, presumably trying to keep everybody awake until the late-night infomercials. Thank god for DVRs.:cool:)

[larry cronkite]

My first wife and I had been married about 4 months when that article appeared and she was 2 months pregnant.
After our son was born she was a stay-at-home mom and although I didn't appreciate it at the time she exemplified that article for over 30 years.

[Jason Roehl]

Oh man - Mint Juleps (MJs). Those can knock on your backside faster than you realize.


Some wild mint was growing by the back door at my Dad's beach cottage. We used it to make MJs.

Start with some simple syrup (sugar dissolved in water).
Put some in the bottom of a glass.
Drop in a couple fresh mint leaves.
Crush the mint with a ball-end glass stirrer into the sugar syrup so the sugar syrup picks up a really good mint flavor.
Fill the glass with crushed ice.
Fill the glass with bourbon.
Stir to mix.
Drink and enjoy.
Repeat.
Fall over.

MJs are essentially straight bourbon on the rocks, but the sugar and mint make them Ohhhhhhhh so smooth. They taste absolutely great. Because they are straight bourbon - they are powerful.

MJs are also frequently sipped through a straw, but that just makes it easier to suck them down quickly.

You want a drink that will turn your 1950's housefrau into a 1970's disco diva or 2008 karaoke queen? I'll bet that a couple of MJs will do it!



A substitute for real mint is Creme de Menthe, although you might need some extra sugar syrup if the Creme de Menthe doesn't make the Mint Julep as sweet as you want it.



Hey, Rob...you forgot the sprig of fresh mint as a garnish--when you sip an MJ, you are supposed to have your nose practically buried in the fresh mint. They are good, but good bourbon doesn't need any mint...(Can you say, "Woodford Reserve"?)

Belinda, too bad my bartending days are long past, not that I really had an interesting repertoire, as it was only a few months at a country club, so 90% of what I poured was beer and wine for the servers (didn't see jack in tips from those drinks, either). Other than that, it was a Manhattan here and there or a Jack and Coke--bunch of wannabes--no real interesting drinks. Anyway, I'm up for a cocktail party...!

[Rob Russell]

If I can find it, I have a picture I should post from the same party. I wasn't on my backside, but it is rather hilarious nonetheless.

We won't believe it until we see the picture. So far, you're just the perfect picture of a southern lady who's tantalizing us with stories!

[Belinda Barfield]

Different viewing habits, I guess.
Thank god for DVRs.:cool:)

Lee,
I'm sure you're right about the difference in viewing habits. I do agree with your breakdown. I guess I tend to tune out the vehicle and drug ads. I try to catch the news while I'm preparing dinner. I watch Antiques Roadshow, which is basically commercial free. There is one show I follow on Fox. The only other times I tune in are to Dicovery Channel, History Channel, or the Science Channel. For some reason my ears just seem to perk up when I hear about the newest Swiffer Wetjet, or duster with more fluff to catch more dust. Just got a DVR yesterday (yeah, I'm a little behind on technology).:)


We won't believe it until we see the picture. So far, you're just the perfect picture of a southern lady who's tantalizing us with stories!

Rob,
I'll have to see if I can work up the nerve to post the pic. My friend who took the photo captions everything and the caption for the pic is "See, I told you this stuff would make you go blind." It's just a cryin' shame there doesn't seem to be much appreciation these days for southern ladies. I just can't understand it when we make the most divine cheese grits in the world. :D;)

[Lee DeRaud]

I just can't understand it when we make the most divine cheese grits in the world. :D;)Well, it's official, you're a Certified Southerner: nobody else would use "divine" and "grits" in the same sentence.:eek:

(I speak with some authority on this subject: my mother was from Georgia and thinks "damnyankee" is one word.:p)

[Ken Fitzgerald]

. The only other times I tune in are to Dicovery Channel, History Channel, or the Science Channel. :)

It's just a cryin' shame there doesn't seem to be much appreciation these days for southern ladies. I just can't understand it when we make the most divine cheese grits in the world. :D;)


Belinda,

I like your channel selection but it's the cheese grits (and boiled okra) that is robbing southern ladies of the deserved appreciation. You really have work on learning to make hashbrowns, blackberry cobbler and a scratch pecan pie. :rolleyes::D

[Belinda Barfield]

I speak with some authority on this subject: my mother was from Georgia and thinks "damnyankee" is one word.:p

Isn't it? :p Actually, the best dish from the south is Shrimp and Grits.


Belinda,

I like your channel selection but it's the cheese grits (and boiled okra) that is robbing southern ladies of the deserved appreciation. You really have work on learning to make hashbrowns, blackberry cobbler and a scratch pecan pie. :rolleyes::D

Ken,

I absolutely DO NOT touch boiled okra :eek:(my skin crawls just thinking about it). I make decent hashbrowns and actually prefer them over grits when eating out. I make a killer blackberry or peach cobbler, and the only way I make a pecan pie is from scratch. I even make miniature pecan pies with a cream cheese based crust.

Now, where do you guys stand on boiled peanuts? That's the real test.

[Rob Russell]

Now, where do you guys stand on boiled peanuts? That's the real test.

Love 'em, but that doesn't make me a southerner.

About the only folks who'd call me a southerner are my cousins up in VT and they also call us flatlanders.

[Lee DeRaud]

Now, where do you guys stand on boiled peanuts?On top of them, wearing very heavy boots. :cool:

Pecans OTOH are Good Food.

[Belinda Barfield]

Love 'em, but that doesn't make me a southerner.

No, Rob, that doesn't make you a southerner, more's the pity. ;) Boiled peanuts just seem to be one of those things that folks from other parts of the country just don't like. I think boiled peanuts are like grits, if you haven't had them properly prepared you won't like them. You may not even if they've been properly prepared, but at least they stand a fighting chance that way.

My apologies also to our thread host for my having strayed so far off topic.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Now, where do you guys stand on boiled peanuts? That's the real test.

Belinda,

I spent 6 of my 8 years in the Navy in the deep South....Mississippi, Geogia, South Carolina and Texas. I have tried grits and boiled peanuts many different ways. I was always told when I mentioned my distaste for same "Well....you haven't had'em my way of fixin' 'em ".

I find the way I like boiled peanuts and grits is on someone else's plate!:D

[Glenn Clabo]

Forgive my confusion...I'm a product of a mixed marriage. My dad is a southerner...born and raise in the hills of TN...my mom is a northerner ...born and raised in New England. I seem to remember my dad cooking grits for breakfast...and then there was hominy (sp?) grits. Grits always reminded me a little of polenta (the Italian version) and hominy just tasted like soap. Also...my dad introduced boiled peanuts to me when I was young and when I lived in VA I used to find some real good ones. Haven't had any in 10 years.

[Belinda Barfield]

Forgive my confusion...I'm a product of a mixed marriage. My dad is a southerner...born and raise in the hills of TN...my mom is a northerner ...born and raised in New England. I seem to remember my dad cooking grits for breakfast...and then there was hominy (sp?) grits. Grits always reminded me a little of polenta (the Italian version) and hominy just tasted like soap. Also...my dad introduced boiled peanuts to me when I was young and when I lived in VA I used to find some real good ones. Haven't had any in 10 years.

Glenn,
I think being a product of a mixed marriage is a good thing. I'm sure you are a much more well rounded person than I am as a result. For those not acquainted with grits, Glenn is correct that good grits are very similiar to Italian polenta, which I love by the way. I pass on hominy. Funny you said it tasted like soap since traditional hominy is processed using lye. My parents grow their own corn for grinding into grits and cornmeal. I don't like their grits because the grind is too coarse, but the cornmeal is in great demand. I'm sorry you haven't had VA peanuts in ten years, that's a real shame as they grow some really good ones there.

I do understand Ken's take on "being properly prepared" as I've never met a lima bean that I liked - no matter who cooked it!

[Rob Russell]

I do understand Ken's take on "being properly prepared" as I've never met a lima bean that I liked - no matter who cooked it!

Ohhhh - you can't make real succotash without fresh lima beans! ;) Pole beans will work if you can't get the limas ...

[Lee DeRaud]

Ohhhh - you can't make real succotash without fresh lima beans! ;) Pole beans will work if you can't get the limas ...Why did the phrase "waste of perfectly good corn" just jump into my head?

[Belinda Barfield]

Yeah, what Lee said! I don't do succotash.

[John Shuk]

John,

I understand your point completely. But remember that some women are making the same sacrifices, and drive daily to work in the same dead end jobs as men. On the rare occasion I have time to sit down to watch a TV show I'm inundated by commercials telling me how to keep my home cleaner, and what cereal to buy . . . rarely a commercial that encourages me to go out and have a beer with my buds. As I stated in a couple of my posts, mostly what I wrote was in jest. My SO works very hard every day and I appreciate everything he does. I'm not proud that I have to work in order for our household to make ends meet, but it is the case. We also run a business together and other than some of the heavy lifting, we do basically the same job. I can't speak for anyone else, but my intention was to point out how difficult it can be to be both a working woman, and a "Good Housewife", and how unrealistic it is to expect "Good Housewife" actions in today's world. I'm not saying that it is any more difficult for me than for my SO, but at least folks don't expect him to be both a working man and a "Good Housewife". I'm sure there are a lot of single dads out there who are doing their best to be both, and I'm sure they will agree that it ain't easy. Sorry if I offended you as it was not my intention to offend anyone.

I'm not offended at all. What is hard about forums is to see that I type this with a smile on my face. I'm not disgruntled just an observation.
We all work hard. I don't take that away from anyone.

[Jason Roehl]

I do understand Ken's take on "being properly prepared" as I've never met a lima bean that I liked - no matter who cooked it!

My long-lost sister! Lima beans are NASTY!

I'll eat just about anything (I'm brave enough to try anything once--so far). However, that does not include lima beans. I've not ever tried boiled peanuts, and I don't think I've ever had hominy, but I do like grits. Never had boiled okra, but I could eat it breaded and fried all day long.

Oh, and I like fried chicken. How the heck was I born in MI, and the farthest south I've ever lived in the U.S. is Madison, IN on the Ohio River?

[mike holden]

When it comes to Lima beans, I guess I must be the luckiest guy here. I dont care for them although my wife loves them. Then a few years ago the doctors finally found the reason for my occasional kidney stones - now I am on a low purine diet - and one of the high purine foods - yep! Lima beans!
I now have a doctors note that says I should not eat them! GRINNNNNNN!!!!!
Mike

[Belinda Barfield]

When it comes to Lima beans, I guess I must be the luckiest guy here. I dont care for them although my wife loves them. Then a few years ago the doctors finally found the reason for my occasional kidney stones - now I am on a low purine diet - and one of the high purine foods - yep! Lima beans!
I now have a doctors note that says I should not eat them! GRINNNNNNN!!!!!
Mike

Can I get your doctor's name? To this day my mother still tries to get me to "just try them". When I was young my parents were a struggling young couple and many times "supper" was lima beans and cornbread. I was a very finicky eater and really didn't like any vegetables. Frustrated and at her wit's end, one night my mother made me sit at the table with my plate of lima beans and said I would not be allowed to leave the table until I ate them all. I sat there for five hours before my daddy took pity on me and threw them in the trash. I think that would be considered child abuse today. Mama and I are both still pretty stubborn, but I'm still winning in the battle of wills over lima beans. :D

[Rob Russell]

Everyone has their "sat there as a kid with a plate of xxx in front of me" story. Here's mine ... :D

Growing up, my Mom used to serve something she called "mixed grill". Their stove was an oversize one and had a stainless steel griddle on the the right hand side. Mixed grill was when she'd cook some bacon or sausage, some minute steaks that she'd cut up into strips and ... now the good part ... both kidney and liver. This assortment of grilled meat was generally served with mashed potatoes (good!) and some sort of green cooked veggie (also OK). The tough part was getting the liver and kidney down. You could try a piece of each with a bit of either bacon/sausage or steak, but it didn't mask the flavor enough.

I remember running out of bacon/sausage and steak and having liver and kidney left - and having to sit there until I ate it. You think cold lima beans are bad? Try cold kidney or cold liver. Yuck.

[Belinda Barfield]

You win so far Rob!

[mike holden]

Belinda -
Trust me, you dont want the kidney stones that goes with the diagnosis.
As far as sitting with cold food goes, I dont have any stories - BUT -
My sisters are 13 and 15 years older than I, and the story goes thus:
My mother made pea soup (not my sisters favorite) and after setting the serving bowl down and turning back to the stove (50's kitchen remember), I as a 2 year old, got out of my highchair, ran across the table, and kicked over the soup, then ran back and got into my highchair before my mother could turn around!
This is one of those family stories that gets pulled out every time we get together.
I will probably never know who knocked the soup over, but at this point, I dont care.
Its much more fun to look innocent and point at my sister(s) when the tell the story (grin)
Mike

[Dennis Peacock]

Somebody cooking up some nice grits today??? I'll take a healthy helping of'em if your serving them up.!!! Toss in some nice homemade biscuits, fried ham, fresh hen eggs, and a nice hot cup of joe....and I'll be all set. :D

[steve reeves]

Lima beans, grits and boiled peanuts.... sounds like a feast to me!

My wife and I are both southerners, she from south florida and I from south alabama.

While she doesn't match the 50's ideal wife, she comes close if you leave out the cooking, cleaning, pillow fluffing and keeping her day and opinions to herself!

She's a fantastic cook, hates a messy house... but alas she works a minimum of 50 hours a week (CPA) in a very fast paced high stress manufacturing plant that is a 40 minute commute each way and is litterly "whipped" when she gets home in the evening. 12 hours of stress a day will do that..

When she has the time and desire to cook, it's fabulous. Otherwise I do most of the cooking and cleaning and yard work (never buy a house on 1.5 acres if you don't love yard work. I hate it).

I give her time to "unwind" when she gets home, make sure there's plenty of merlot, and listen to the travails of her day and tell her I love her often.

I'm semi-retired but still manage to work 30-40hrs a week doing things that I like but still make a decent amount of money..

My wife has been and is a gift from god (and I'm no religious zealot) but that's the only way I could ever really desribe how I feel about her.

She'll hunt, fish and debate with the best of them but the only interest she has is woodwork is telling me that it needs dusting... LOL

And I don't mean to infer that I do all the housework, I certainly don't. But I didn't marry her to replace my mother.

My mom was as near June Cleaver as you'd ever find and while I appreciated her to no end, she never really had a "life of her own" so to speak. Once all the kids moved away, she was pretty much lost.

and as to the original good wife article I'd be shocked if the writer lived up to what she wrote... reads like a MCP wrote it anyway (or that's what my wife said it read like! LOL)

Guess we did hijack this thread... sorry

[Belinda Barfield]

Steve, you are one sweet guy and your wife is very lucky!