MaryJanesFarm Farmgirl Connection
Join in ... sign up
 
Home | Profile | Register | Active Topics | Members | Search | FAQ
 All Forums
 General Chat Forum
 Across the Fence
 The Good Wife's Guide from 1955

Note: You must be logged in to post.
To log in, click here.
To register, click here. Registration is FREE!

Screensize:
UserName:
Password:
Format Mode:
Format: BoldItalicizedUnderlineStrikethrough Align LeftCenteredAlign Right Insert QuoteInsert List Horizontal Rule Insert EmailInsert Hyperlink Insert Image ManuallyUpload Image Embed Video
   
Message:

* HTML is OFF
* Forum Code is ON
Smilies
Smile [:)] Big Smile [:D] Cool [8D] Blush [:I]
Tongue [:P] Evil [):] Wink [;)] Clown [:o)]
Black Eye [B)] Eight Ball [8] Frown [:(] Shy [8)]
Shocked [:0] Angry [:(!] Dead [xx(] Sleepy [|)]
Kisses [:X] Approve [^] Disapprove [V] Question [?]

 
Check here to subscribe to this topic.
   

T O P I C    R E V I E W
Past Blessings Posted - Apr 02 2008 : 2:36:26 PM
This is such a funny article . . . my husband has shared this with friends and relatives for years! When we get into a playful argument, he likes to remind me, "Remember, my topics of conversation are more important than yours!" LOL!

Enjoy a good laugh!

Hugs & blessings,

Brenda

This was from Housekeeping Monthly, May, 1955:

The Good Wife's Guide

Have dinner ready. Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal ready, on time for his return. This is a way of letting him know that you have been thinking about him and are concerned about his needs. Most men are hungry when they come home and the prospect of a good meal (especially his favorite dish) is part of the warm welcome needed.

Prepare yourself. Take 15 minutes to rest so you'll be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your make-up, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh looking. He has just been with a lot of work-weary people.

Be a little gay and a little more interesting for him. His boring day may need a lift and one of your duties is to provide it.

Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the main part of the house just before your husband arrives.

Gather up school books, toys, paper, etc. and then run a dustcloth over the tables.

Over the cooler months of the year, you should prepare and light a fire for him to unwind by. Your husband will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order, and it will give you a lift too. After all, caring for his comfort will provide you with immense personal satisfaction.

Prepare the children. Take a few minutes to wash the children's hands and faces (if they are small), comb their hair and if necessary, change their clothes. They are little treasures and he would like to see them playing the parts. Minimise all noise. At the time of his arrival, eliminate all noise of the washer, dryer or vacuum. Try to encourage the children to be quiet.

Be happy to see him.

Greet him with a warm smile and show sincerity in your desire to please him.

Listen to him. You may have a dozen important things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first - remember, his topics of conversation are more important than yours.

Make the evening his. Never complain if he comes home late or goes out to dinner, or other places of entertainment without you. Instead, try to understand his world of strain and pressure and his very real need to be at home and relax.

Your goal: Try to make sure your home is a place of peace, order and tranquility where your husband can renew himself in body and spirit.

Don't greet him with complaints and problems.

Dont complain if he's late home for dinner or even if he stays out all night. Count this as minor compared to what he might have gone through that day.

Make him comfortable. Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or have him lie down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him.

Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a low, soothing and pleasant voice.

Don't ask him questions about his actions or questions about his judgment or integrity. Remember, he is the master of the house and as such will always exercise his will with fairness and truthfulness. You have no right to question him.

A good wife always knows her place.



Past Blessings . . . Celebrating Life as it used to be . . . when people loved God, loved their families and loved their country.
25   L A T E S T    R E P L I E S    (Newest First)
Alee Posted - Apr 13 2008 : 08:19:44 AM
I read this to Doug and he laughed but looked kind of uncomfortable at some points! LOL Although I know my guy would never think that my opinions didn't count or that his day was "more important" than mine.

Aren't we lucky to have choices available to us? I am so glad we can choose to be in the workplace or work at home (Because raising children and taking care of the house IS work!)

Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
Please come visit Nora and me on our new blog:
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
kissmekate Posted - Apr 12 2008 : 11:31:00 PM
This just cracks me up. No wonder I am not married any more.
My first husband thought this was how marriage was-you know the Donna Reed show type of situation. Right down to doing the house work in pumps and pearls in full dress.
My second husband, well shoot, he was just fun to be married to, for a while anyways. He would have laughed out loud at this and pointed out this is definitely NOT for me!!!

Still chuckling.

Don't miss out on a blessing, just because it isn't packaged the way you expected. ~MaryJo Copeland
EllynAnne Posted - Apr 10 2008 : 4:01:55 PM
Brenda, when I see you in Spokane in June, I'd love to see that photocopy!

ea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!
KYgurlsrbest Posted - Apr 10 2008 : 09:26:54 AM
This is so funny, right? I just printed it out for our law clerk who is getting married in 4 weeks--she's going to be an attorney and he's doing his residency at a local hospital...I'm thinking she's not going to have much time to practice servitude :)

Farmgirl Sister #80, thanks to a very special farmgirl from the Bluegrass..."She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian.
http://www.buyhandmade.org/
Past Blessings Posted - Apr 10 2008 : 06:06:06 AM
My mom, who grew up during this era, has always been a "pants" girl and probably broke just about all those rules! LOL! But my daddy loves her dearly and they both treat each other like royalty. Notice we aren't seeing any good husband guides?! Did they not have any responsibility toward how they treated her? Apparently not. I am just thankful we have come a long way since then.

Hugs & blessings,

Brenda

Past Blessings . . . Celebrating Life as it used to be . . . when people loved God, loved their families and loved their country.
Annab Posted - Apr 10 2008 : 03:25:53 AM
His legs 'aint broke! Neither are his arms for that matter.......unless the issue gets pressed further

I know a nice elderly mad who is now living w/ his daughter. This guy's wife passed away a few years ago rendering this poor man helpless-literally. The daughter still carrys on the lifestyle and makes most of her father's meals.

All I can say is MY dad makes a mean pizza, can cook and not just grill --and that's where I learned how to also make a killer chili.

It's a funny joke and I'm glad to be living in this century! 'Course, I'd have been one of those rebel gals who would wear pants and be thought of as unconventional.

Always have been a free spirit and non-conformist
kydeere40744 Posted - Apr 09 2008 : 8:53:34 PM
I have gotten the biggest laugh over this. Wooowee....what a hoot! At least we can say our fellers should be happy that they get a good home cooked meal, clean undies, and a kiss goodnight after all we have to put up with whether or not you have kids.

~Jessica in Kentucky & Farmgirl Sisterhood #137~
Be sure to visit my blog & Crafty Clipart for some of my photographs:
http://bluegrassprincess.blogspot.com/
http://www.craftyclipart.com
Past Blessings Posted - Apr 09 2008 : 8:50:05 PM
Not sure where you received this info. from EllynAnne, but I actually have the photocopy from the magazine, which was Housekeeping Monthly. It was from the May, 1955 issue. This was a real magazine and really was published. Not sure why someone would claim to have written it in the last 10 years.

Brenda

Past Blessings . . . Celebrating Life as it used to be . . . when people loved God, loved their families and loved their country.
EllynAnne Posted - Apr 04 2008 : 4:23:15 PM
Hey! I think I've received this article as many or more times than that internet poem about grandmother's apron! In fact, because so many people sent it to me, I wondered about the author, and with a bit of google, discovered the article was written in the last decade, not decades ago. A witty soul, that writer - who many believe to be in advertising.

ea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!
www.apronmemories.com






queenofdreamsz4u Posted - Apr 03 2008 : 11:00:38 PM
Well I certainly pamper my Thomas..love every second of it and he pampers me...My, My we women have come along way from being observed as "servants".

Steph
Past Blessings Posted - Apr 03 2008 : 9:51:47 PM
Most men just love this article! LOL! Especially the part about staying out all night and the fact that his topics of conversation are more important than mine! LOL!

Hugs & blessings,

Brenda

Past Blessings . . . Celebrating Life as it used to be . . . when people loved God, loved their families and loved their country.
Lainey Posted - Apr 03 2008 : 08:20:25 AM
My husband and I had a laugh over that one before. I agree, it sounds like a man wrote this. hehe

Farmgirl Sister #25

http://countrygirldreams.blogspot.com/
chicken necker Posted - Apr 03 2008 : 08:07:15 AM
If I did that one day, my husband would run out of the house backwards, crossing himself, straight to a priest to have me exorcized! ROFLOL!

FarmGirl Sister #123

Crafty Bay FarmGirls Chapter

Don't argue with an idiot; people watching may not be able to tell the difference.
Past Blessings Posted - Apr 03 2008 : 06:55:15 AM
Well, maybe if we wore gas masks, we could take off their shoes! LOL!

Hugs & blessings,

Brenda

Past Blessings . . . Celebrating Life as it used to be . . . when people loved God, loved their families and loved their country.
Aunt Jenny Posted - Apr 02 2008 : 9:10:26 PM
Take off his shoes??????????????? I don't think so.

Jenny in Utah
Proud Farmgirl sister #24
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com
CountryBorn Posted - Apr 02 2008 : 5:26:13 PM
I think that article was secretly written by a man !!


MJ

There can be no happiness if the things we believe in are different from the things we do. Freya Stark
Tina Michelle Posted - Apr 02 2008 : 4:29:46 PM
phooey on that. LOL

~Seize the Day! Live, Love, Laugh~
visit me at:
http://gardengoose.blogspot.com/
and at www.stliving.net
you can also check out my etsy shops at:http://GardenGooseGifts.etsy.com
pinkroses Posted - Apr 02 2008 : 4:26:37 PM
Thee Hee,
I have seen this on other forums
Can you imagine?
Back then they really had funny ideas
Thanks for the laugh pinkroses

www.ohkayteagirl2.blogspot.com
Alee Posted - Apr 02 2008 : 3:40:36 PM
I agree- it starts out not being so bad- in fact I found myself thing "that's a good suggestion" more than once- but towards the end- BOY O BOY! LOL

Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
Please come visit Nora and me on our new blog:
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
Past Blessings Posted - Apr 02 2008 : 3:28:13 PM
There are SOME things that are good . . . such as being happy to see him, keeping a neat house, etc. but it seems more like it was written to the made than the wife! LOL!

Hugs & blessings,

Brenda

Past Blessings . . . Celebrating Life as it used to be . . . when people loved God, loved their families and loved their country.
Prairie Princess Posted - Apr 02 2008 : 3:26:33 PM
My coworker's husband emailed this to her a couple weeks ago. We passed it around here at work and got our chuckle for the day. All the guys couldn't understand what was so funny about it... LOL

Anywho, my coworker sent a three-letter response to her husband...

"In your dreams!"

~Jodi

"Women are like teabags...you never know how strong they are until they get into hot water." Eleanor Roosevelt
Farmtopia Posted - Apr 02 2008 : 3:15:47 PM
Hey, HAVE a copy of that article. I keep it above my desk...as a HISTORY lesson....yikes!

~*~Dream all you dreamers~*~

View my work:
www.bigtownfarmer.com
www.pumpkinpatchparlor.etsy.com

And Blogs:
agriculture: www.bigtownfarmer.blogspot.com
art: www.queenofcrows.blogspot.com
animals: www.big-luv.blogspot.com
Past Blessings Posted - Apr 02 2008 : 3:07:37 PM
The first time my husband read it to everyone was a Christmas. The "woman folk" all decided to put bows in our hair while we washed the dishes! LOL!

Hugs & blessings,

Brenda

Past Blessings . . . Celebrating Life as it used to be . . . when people loved God, loved their families and loved their country.
miss wilma Posted - Apr 02 2008 : 2:58:58 PM
Brenda that sounds just like my momma, cant figure how she raised such an independent gal like me

Farm Girl #96

http://www.picturetrail.com/misswilmasplace

http://misswilma.blogspot.com/
Past Blessings Posted - Apr 02 2008 : 2:53:20 PM
Yes, the article I have shows the woman pulling a pie out of the oven as hubby walks in the door. The children are surrounding him, with their heads bowed like he is a king. Too funny!

Hugs & blessings,

Brenda

Past Blessings . . . Celebrating Life as it used to be . . . when people loved God, loved their families and loved their country.

Snitz Forums 2000 Go To Top Of Page