Dietary Guidelines

Kate, at Hillside Cottage, posted these fascinating dietary guidelines from the late 30's-early 40's. As a HUGE fan of real food, these guidelines are something I can follow! Thanks Kate!

MILK: 1 quart daily for each child, 1 pint for each adult
VEGETABLES AND FRUITS: 41/2 to 5 or more servings per person daily, 1 serving daily of potatoes, 1 serving daily of tomatoes or citrus fruits, 1 serving daily of leafy green or yellow vegetables, 3 to 5 servings per week of other vegetables, 1 serving daily of fruit
EGGS: 2 to 3 a week for adults, 4 to 5 for young children, a few for cooking
MEAT, FISH OR POULTRY: About 5 times a week or daily if prepared in combination with cereals or vegetables
CEREALS: Daily, preferably at least half made from whole grains
BREAD AND BUTTER OR ALTERNATIVE: At every meal

CALORIES:
Daily Requirements:
Man, moderately active 3000 cal.
Woman, moderately active 2500 cal.
Child 1-6 years 1200-1600
6 to 12 years 1600-2500
Girl 12-15 years 2800
Girl 15-20 years 2400
Boy 12-15 years 3200
Boy 15-20 years 3800

Tiny Pinecones and Toasty Kitty

The Only Way to Mop

After trial and error, I conclude that the best way to clean my floors appears to be on my hands and knees with a bucket and a bundle of rags.

I know that it sounds miserable. Every time I do this, I am reminded of Father Tim's horror when he sees Puny doing the same thing. I'll admit that it isn't especially easy on the knees, but the method gets the floor clean without streaks, and it's quick: with the proper tools, I can speed through my kitchen/dining room combo in about twenty minutes.

You need lots of rags. I like them because they're hearty and reusable. McNASA and I tend to be pretty gentle on clothes, so instead of making rags I buy washcloths at Target. They're the cheap ones (a bundle of twelve for three dollars) and they come in pretty colors.

You also need a bucket of warm water and an all-purpose cleaner. I'm partial to Caldrea because they smell lovely, work well, and don't leave a residue. Right now I'm on a bottle of Citrus Mint Ylang-Ylang and it smells like minted lemonade.

Dump some of the cleaner into the water (1/4 cup to 1 gallon) and stir it around. Using one cloth at a time, soak it in the mixture, then scrub the floor with it. When you're ready for more water, set the used rag aside and get a fresh one. If you never put a dirty rag back into the bucket, your wash water stays clean!

An Old Fashioned Girl

"'Things worry me sometimes, but I just catch up a broom and sweep, or wash hard, or walk, or go at something with all my might, and I usually find that by the time I get through the worry is gone, or I've got courage enough to bear it without grumbling,' answered Polly, cutting the brown loaf energetically."

- An Old Fashioned Girl, by Louisa May Alcott

Scenes from Southwesternburgh

Since It Seems I Will Never Work Again...

I am never going to have a real job again.

I have been out of work since the school year ended in June and it is now January. I have fretted, sighed, applied, and suffered. Now I accept the painful truth that my new job is going to be housekeeper.

So on this cloudy, open-window-warm Monday, I have a To-Do list.

- mop the downstairs
- laundry
- change sheets
- clean bathroom
- vacuum bedroom
- bake something

In my head I am formulating a rant about how my mother NEVER taught me how to do any of those things and now McNASA and I are suffering the consequences. It's coming. I swear.