Cosy tonight

Henry seems to have passed on and tonight we have been able to relax without the howling wind-whew!

I had a lovely time with my good friend at the Dome for afternoon tea as my birthday treat.
We both remarked how our mothers would have found it somewhat strange to take time out for themselves and have fun like that. Thank goodness things have moved on.

I watched a programme this evening about life in the 1950's and recognised most of the household objects. It was true enough, in those days no-one got a man in to do anything and DIY was the order of the day for my Dad. Mum made all our clothes, curtains, soft furnishings, a three course meal every day from scratch and spent countless hours washing, ironing and mending.

The piles of ironed hankies I sent to the charity shop yesterday testified to that. This was on top of running a business which was our home where numerous tenants lived. My parents provided a full caretaking service for them which included answering the door and phone numerous times a day, in addition to keeping the stove going 24 hours a day for constant hot water (in addition to numerous other chores like emptying their bins!).

In my ignorance I used to tell people that my mum didn't work! No champagne at the Dome for her...