18 & 19 January 1955 "Communism, Television, Cakes, Maids, and Confessions"

January 18, 1955: The Chinese Communist People's Liberation Army seizes the islands from the Republic of China (Taiwan):

The Battle of Yijiangshan Islands was a conflict between forces of the Republic of China Army and the People's Liberation Army of the People's Republic of China, over one of the last strongholds of nationalist (ROC) forces near mainland China on the Yijiangshan Islands. The conflict occurred from Januay 18, 1955 to January 20, 1955 during the First Taiwan Strait Crisis, and resulted in a PLA victory and the complete destruction of the ROC garrison.

[This basically is just the beginning of a growing communist china which still exists today. It is funny to me that we don't mind turning a blind eye to the injustice of this country just so that we can go to walmart and buy a dress for 10 dollars. Sure, some little 5 year old can work 20 hours a day so I can save a few pennies. I hope this is changing. Luckily, I can let this fear slip from my thoughts and focus on the fear of nuclear bombs and rather my cake rises. How does a wife and homemaker find her place in a world, rather it's 1955 or 2009, where injustices are occuring? I suppose it always has and always will be the case. Will the human animal ever change?]

January 19 1955:"The Millionaire" TV program premiered on CBS http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQD9N5bofKg

"The premise was that John Beresford Tipton( the millionare) would give his monetary gifts in part to see what effect they had on the recipients and his/her immediate circle of friends and family; sometimes the effects were good, and sometimes not so good, but was usually entertaining;

The series captured the imagination of the audience who wanted to believe that good fortune could come someday from out of the clear blue sky; Of course the series also included bequests to people who also blew their fortune due to their flawed character, so this series ended up being a kind of modern morality tale."

[It is interesting to note how this sort of hopeful idealism made the 1950's. It seems the result of comeing out of WWII. After WWI we had the 1920's with its reckless abandon and celebration in a sort of "God, it's over and done with. This wretchedness which we have never seen the likes of before and will never have to again, is over: So, Lets dance! Then, after WWII, the seriousness of rebuilding a new and better human race was apparent. The idea of a new and perfect world: throw away all that is old and remake fresh, new and plastic. When we really see that, we can understand so much of why people and our society did what it did in the 1950s. They were hopeful that 'out of the clear blue sky' fortune could come their way. And while they waited for that break, they realized the importance of making families and the return to Home.

I think it funny when people today scoff at the young couples of that time. It is so easy, our generations so far removed from what they had to go through, to say, "Oh, how silly. How unimportant it all is. Who cares?" But, I think we are all starting to realize how important self sufficiency is and how important making a clean happy home is to the value of living. Why do we have to live in one great big commercial which says we need to be Paris Hilton and have 500 dollar shoes and drive expensive cars? I know that advertising concept of 'appearance' began in the 1950's, but when it began it was done in a spirit of rebuilding and making better a society so that there would never be a need to another war and to make a generation that was free of that stress and worry they had, themselves, endured.

I am sure in the backs of all the minds of those smiling faces from faded black and white photos, there was that fear. The full skirts, clean and ordered homes, doors being held opened for women, family units and new homes for all and a car in every drive. Happy smiling shinning new civilization, but they all knew, deep down, "we had better appreciate what we can make now and enjoy one another now. We must love and respect one another, for tomorrow we or our sons may have to go off and face what we have had to face. Let's make as much a utopia as we can, so if and when that time returns, we have it to hold onto."

But, I digress.

Today, January 19 1955, is also the day of the first ever televised news conference with President Eisenhower.

"Eisenhower got some impressive public relations mileage out of this event, because his administration had taken steps to recognize the young field of television journalism...(this was similiar to the fireside chats heard on radio earlier)This gave the objective to 'go directly to the people' with news. It enabled the president to present his message over the head of Congress and other opponents in a way that cannot be criticized."

[again, here in 1955, we see the simple beginnings of the manipulation and propaganda that our current technological media has allowed. We take it for granted now that politicians can use such media and we see why it is they wanted to use it. What is good about 2009 is that with the internet no one agency can control it. It has a life of its own and can be used by the people.]

Well, that is enough news for today.

I apologize for another combined two day post, but I was so busy yesterday. I recieved two new cookbooks saturday and they are rather good. They are more like little mini books almost, but they are jam packed with
great recipes. The French one is even published in 1955! I am itching to try some of the recipes. I used the New England cookbook for sunday morning breakfast. I made Corn Meal Griddle cakes. They were so yummy. I reproduced the page, so when you click on it it should enlarge enough to read. I love the artwork and there are many variations. The basic recipe was rather fun. I loved taking the beaten egg whites and spreading it, like icing, over the batter, then you fold it in. Both of these books have a great bit at the beginning that informs you how to scald milk, fold, etc. That is quite helpful for me, really, as I don't know these things. I am learning. So many of the books of the period assume you know how to scald milk and the like.

As I was cooking up a storm this weekend I thought, "you know if I had a daughter, or a son for that matter if he wanted, I would be showing her these things." There is so much practical living that none of us learned, or maybe I am speaking out of turn, I know that I, at least, did not learn. I mean I am still learning how to do my laundry properly for goodness sake. It's as if the more things become easier i.e. we have to buy things already made for us, the coporate structure of "buy more, we'll do it for you" is making us a load of idiots who cannot make our own clothes, cook our own food, etc. For example, while doing my marketing on saturday, I noticed a new product which was pasta and sauce in a container (more packaging) that you microwave. I mean how hard is it to make pasta and sauce that you have to have it pre-made? I hope I am not too preachy today, but I honestly feel this way. I mean, so much of modern life scoffs at the very basics of living. Silly, really.

Now, back to my cooking frenzy this weekend: I am going to just show the recipes from my cookbook, so if you would like to try them, you will have them. Here are two of the recipes I used for last nights dinner. They both turned out lovely and I added a bit of grated parmesean and extra sharp cheddar to the potatoes and backed them just to melt the cheese. The meat was lovely and juicy. My husband gave me a great compliment at dinner. He said, "Wow, this looks like restaurant food" when it was placed before him. "This tastes so wonderful, I really feel like I am at a fine restaurant," said he. I am not kidding that he wouldn't stop talking about it even after dinner. It does make one feel good to make a happy setting and enjoyable experience for someone else. [I, too, think this is a very 50's concept of giving of oneself for the joy of another. Some might say, 'well, he gets his food cooked and his clothes washed', but I also get to stay home and enjoy making my home while he is out in the city toiling away to earn a living. I think we each give equally for one another and in so doing enjoy the two combined.]

I had one of my 'maid evenings' last night as well. Having her to help do bits and bobs and keep up with the dishes and set the table while I did the cooking was nice. One funny moment, which I guess is a confession of sorts, happened like this: I had the meat browning in fat on the stove, just finished and set aside the custard for the cake to cool, and I had slipped the cakes out of the pan and into the freezer to cool. I had broken up some bread into a bowl to make the stuffing and it called for melted butter so, without thinking, I cut the amount of butter I needed, slipped it into a bowl and popped it into the microwave. As the buzzer went off on the contraption my 'maid' and I both looked at each other; the clock ticked, the fat sizzled, I swear the custard gave one last little bubble. The room hung with the anticipation of what we had just done. I moved, with trepidation, towards the blinking eye of the robotic monster in the wall. Popped open the door and handed the little bowl to her and said, "Well, Gussie, here's a 10,000 dollar bowl of melted butter". We both laughed. When my friend is my maid I call her Gussie after the maid in Mr Blandings Builds a Dream House. She just seems like the perfect family helper. As a microwave WAS invented in 1955, it's cost at 1200 1955 dollars put it somewhere in the range of 10 grand. Oh, well, what's a gal to do. I cannot hide the microwave, as it is built into the wall. If it were a portable, I would have hid it away in the far reaches of the basement, but alas, I must merely fight the temptation to use it.

After this fine meal we had this weeks cake: two layer yellow cake with a custard cream filling and white icing. I LOVE the 7 minute icing. I made the chocolate version last week. I have included the recipes for the cake, filling and the entire page for the 7 minute frostening with all the variations. There is even a pictoral view of the best way to make the frostening. My schedule has now become to bake a new cake on sunday and then it goes in hubby's lunch all week and supplements some desserts after dinner. I had a little problem with my cake this week. All of the recipes say to pour the batter into paper-lined pans. Well, for the past two cakes, I hadn't any paper, so I used shortening and then floured it and it worked out fine. However, this week while marketing I bought some wax paper and the result was not good. Gussie and I decided that the wax in the paper melted into the batter and tore when we tried to remove it. Luckily, I was able to patch it up, it just wasn't as tall as I had hoped. We think I should have used parchment paper. Somtimes I feel like a child reaching for the hot stove and wondering what will happen. I am sure a lot of new wives felt this during this time, though they probably had more 'at home' training than I have ever recieved.

Here are the cake and icing and filling recipes.

So, the dinner went off without a hitch and Gussie, having been turned magically back into my friend, enjoyed the evening with us.

The previous night, Saturday night, is our movie night with our vintage couple. We are taking turns every saturday to have a 'movie and dinner night'. It was her turn this time and of course, we dressed vintage, well I do every day anyway, but I took extra time to do my face and hair. I wore a new hat of navy and white silk. She made baked cod with capers in cream sauce, cucumber and onion salad, and for dessert: our favorite diner food, bread pudding. It was all very yummy.

We just went along with the evening and after dinner the two of us had her cook books out as we went over recipes we want to try and then ended in her sewing room discussing patterns. The 'boys' did most likely what they would have done in the 50's and talked toys. Though, they were discussing computers and Linux and building a computer project they have, it certainly was not unlike two 1955 men discussing the latest television or other technology. It was nice.

I have to decide if this saturday, which is at my house, will be a french cooking theme or a new england theme. Itching to try both of my cookbooks.

Well, I guess I have rattled on long enough as there is laundry to get started. Today is laundry day and that is an all day chore. One nice blogger gave me a link to make my own dry starch from cornstarch, so we shall see how that goes. Hopefully my husband will have a closet full of crisp tidy clean shirts by the end of the day and not some ghastly stiff unwearable shirt-shaped boards. I can't help but think of various sitcom situations involving starch. Maybe, if I starch my girdle good and strong, it will help me to decrease my waist a few inches, hmmmm...

Until tomorrow, then, have a great day all.

16 & 17 January 1955 "Head transplants, Shoes, Vintage Pets, and Starch"

From TIME magazine 17 jauary 1955:

TRANSPLANTED HEAD:

Encouraged by his successes (of dog heart transplants), Dr. Demikhov tried the reverse operation. He removed most of the body of a small puppy and grafted the head and forelegs to the neck of an adult dog. The big dog's heart, as Blok tells the story, pumped blood enough for both heads. When the multiple dog regained consciousness after the operation, the puppy's head woke up and yawned. The big head gave it a puzzled look and tried at first to shake it off.
The puppy's head kept its own personality. Though handicapped by having almost no body of its own, it was as playful as any other puppy. It growled and snarled with mock fierceness or licked the hand that caressed it. The host-dog was bored by all this, but soon became reconciled to the unaccountable puppy that had sprouted out of its neck. When it got thirsty, the puppy got thirsty and lapped milk eagerly. When the laboratory grew hot, both host-dog and puppy put out their tongues and panted to cool off. After six days of life together, both heads and the common body died. (My husband is skeptical of this story and as the article contained no photos, we can only guess at its accuracy. It does show, however, that in this atomic age in which I am living we are working already on how to make us all live longer and healthier lives.)

Here is the cover of Sports Illustrated for today. It looks like there are no bikini clad Brazillian models yet, but bull fighting seems of interest. I know that toreador pants were quite popluar and I think they are basically capri pants. I remember an episode of I Love Lucy where she mentions toreador pants.

Well, I have four new pair of shoes that I am quite excited about. It does a 55 housewife's heart good to take off the apron and adore her feet now and then.

It seems that mid 50's shoes have both rounded toe and fuller heel, as well as the pointed toe and kitten heel that really became de rigeur by 1960. I tried my best to find what I felt looked vintage. I have a large foot (size 10) and it is hard to find vintage shoes in this size. I found three pair of new shoes and one actual vintage pair.

I love this pair. They have a low heel, and though they have the pointy toe, are rather comfortable. They have a nice sparkle to them so they could go to evening as well. They also look good with my grey wool circle skirt I recently made.

I was worried that this heel was maybe too modern, but it has a very vintage feel, I think. They are rather tall so these will be for lunch with the ladies where I have to wear them no longer than a few hours.

I think these look right out of the magazine vintage. They are very comfortable and I wore them ALL day yesterday. You can actually see a little of the salt form being out in the snow with them. The little laces are adorable. I greeted hubby last night wearing these with my full grey skirt and my new full red apron. It looked adorable, and I forgot a picture, but will wear it again and remember to get one.

These are actual vintage shoes and similiar to another pair I have. These may, in fact, be mid to late 60's shoes, but I did find this toe and heel in my mid 50's magazines, so I am unsure. I do know that I love them and they are comfortable for vacuuming in. I picture a fitted red suit for these or a fun red cotton full sundress for summer. I am not sure if these need to stay in my closet until after memorial day, as they are white. But, they also are red, so not sure how the rule of white shoes applies to these. I would probably guess this would be summer shoe what do you think?

I found this great article in my "American Magazine" from 55. It is about this bird hating individual who falls for a parakeet and gets and keeps one as a pet. I guess after the war the importing of birds was relaxed and more Parakeets or Budgies were suddenly available. They became THE pet to have. I love this paragraph from the article where the author quotes one of the largest budgie breeders:

"Mr. Van Wiseman says that men often get some emotional satisfaction from budgies that they dont get from their wives."

The article was quite cute and on further study I found that a parakeet in the home was rather the normal thing in 1950s. Now, I don't want anyone to think that I got my cute new pet as a prop to my experiment. I have often thought of having a parakeet. I had a friend who had one that was so tame it would sit on her cereal bowl as she ate. So, I figured this would be a good opportunity to have one. She, for we think she is a she, sits in our dinning room now. That way she is present at all meals and I move her into my sitting room in the evening when I am on the computer and reading, so she is near me. She is a darling. We are uncertain of her name, as of yet. We thought Peg after Peggy Lee and it does sound rather 50's. Madge or Midge was also toyed with for their vintage sound. I think a 50's housewife may have named it something like cuteypie or sweetie, but I don't know if I can stomach that type of name. Any ideas for names? Maybe if I can get at least three suggestions for names from my readers, we could do a poll here and the winner will become her moniker?

I just won these two books on ebay and am really excited to get them. They are even published in 1955, so how perfect. I can imagine having got them when I purchased my little darling. I bought her from a breeder not a pet shop, as I wanted one hand raised as I have heard they are much easier to train. Here she is, the little darling.

This is her home in the corner of the dinning room. The cage is vintage, though I believe it is from the 1920s. I am on the lookout for a cute 1950's plastic version.

Here is the little darling sitting atop my pen cup on my desk in my sitting room. You can see my guilty afternoon pleasure of an empty cake plate and a half-full pot of tea. You can just make out the picket fence out the window: that is going to be whitewashed this summer. Part of my year is going to be gardening and doing up the house with some 1950's era decorating and gardening books I am getting. No, there won't be any pink flamingos! I don't think I would have had them then. I would be a more 'early american' decorator than the very modish styles of the day.

Now, my laundry challenge is going to be to try and incorporate starch into my monday laundry routine. This is largely due to the great blog "Destination 1940" which I adore. Her list of various breakfasts and laundry from that decade have inspired me to incorporate starch. Honestly, to not have and use starch would probably be unheard of in 1955. I do understand all the adds for rayon and non-wrinkle fabrics in my 50's magazines. The amount of time I now spend on ironing is enough, but I will be adding the starching and I am sure I will be praying to the great scientists in the sky to hurry up and create polyester and any other unnatural fiber to lessen the ironing! I cannot find out when spray starch was first available on the market. Before spray starch was commercially made, it was powdered.

Here are two boxes of starch that I may purchase on ebay. I think the pink one might actually be from the 30's but I know that the second actually has a 1950s date on it. I am intriqued to use a product from that time. I often imagine that inanimate things take on a certain energy of their time. Maybe it is just my romantic notions, but to know it once graced the wall of a laundry room of that time drums up all sorts of imagery. I see its place of importance among the monday wash day. The trail of dirty play clothes marched by it and the endless 'sunday best' dresses and collars it graced. The crinolins it gave stiffness to and the pride it ellicted from it's happy owner. The idea that it will be resecitated from some attic box and instead of some decorative object on a collectors shelf, will, again, be applied with tentative strokes of the irons heat, as the houswife tries her best to make wrinkle-free and sharp and bright, her families clothes.

I did find this bit of info about starch interesting in a modern blog: "And what a funny thing to actually sell, as spray starch is really just corn starch and water. Get some Argo corn starch, mix it with water, buy a plastic atomizer, and you have starch for shirts."

I am not sure if this is true and perhaps in the 19th c., when brands and advertising were not as such a norm, the maids of the day did indeed make spray starch from such a recipe. An interesting aside: I found, while researching starch, that there is somewhat of a resurgance in its purchase now that so many have returned to natural fibers, as they need to be wrinkle-free. Hmmm, maybe we are all becoming the Benjamin Buttons of housework, where instead of physical aging backwards, we are in fact going backwards in the way in which we keep our homes, dress, and respond to the world.

15 January 1955, "west germany, meat loaf, and a girdle"

15 Jan. 1955:U.S.S.R. ends state of war with German Federal Republic, thus the Soviet Union recognized the sovereignty of West Germany.

I promised the meatloaf recipe I used, so here it is:

1950's Betty Crocker cookbook:

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

1 egg, beaten

1 cup of milk

3 pieces of soft white bread, torn into small pieces

1/4 cup chopped onion

3/4 tsp.

salt 1/4 tsp. pepper

1/4 tsp.celery salt

1/4 tsp. garlic salt

1 tbsp. ketchup

1 tbsp. horseradish (I added more as I love horseradish)

1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

(I also added 2 tbs. brown sugar)

Heat oven to 350°F. Mix all ingredients thoroughly. For better browning, shape into loaf in shallow baking pan. Bake 1 1/2 hours or until done.

Here is a new girdle I just won on ebay. I am excited. My vintage friend called me today and we went vintage shopping online. She got a new girdle as well and some seamed stockings. I also got this great peignor. The pic is from ebay so, no, I don't have a creepy mannequin I keep my clothes on.

Again, a busy day. I find myself becoming more engrossed in the normalcy of a 1955 day (or my proximity there of) that I keep forgetting to blog. So, here I am again at the end of the day. Music, television, food, clothes, discussions, so much of my isolated days are 1955 that it can feel quite real. Especially when I have music on or a vintage radio show while vacuuming and cleaning with my vintage tools. Or, just the normalcy of putting my stockings on by hooking them to garters in the morning. It is funny how quickly we, as humans, become accostomed to things. I, by nature now, grab a hat, adjust it in the mirror, get my bag and gloves and reapply lipstick before leaving. It is only when I enter the grocery store that it really hits me. You would think my modern car would be the moment, but with my vintage music in there, as well, it doesn't.

New things that I need to blog about tomorrow, because I have not given myself enough time today to do so:

1.) new shoes ( four new pairs ladies)

2.) new vintage pet

3.)mini-challenge with laundry, yeah or nay?

14 January 1955 "Rock N Roll, More Bacon, Meatloaf and Cake"

January 14 - In New York City, Alan Freed ( also known as Moondog, was an American disc-jockey who became internationally known for promoting African-American rhythm and blues) produces the first rock and roll concert.

I am blogging late today, as I have been busy and my usual schedule didn't allow for my blogging this morning.

Yesterdays 'luncheon' was fun.

Here is my vintage friend entering our hangout. It is an authentic diner. I, of course, forgot any pictures with me in them, but there will be more pics of the diner in the future as we go there alot.

Mmmmm, yummy fried food. They have really good bacon burgers and they are tiny like they probably were in 1955. They have great bread pudding too.

Here is an "artsier" shot. I love the girth of the fellow at the counter (which is where I am heading with the increase of bacon in my diet)

I actually have a funny story about our trip there: My girdle felt extra tight yesterday and half way thru my meal I couldn't take it any longer and had to go into the bathroom and take it off. It is fairly large, even when it is rolled up, so I stuck it in my pocket. I was worried that the waitress would think I was stealing toilet paper, as that was about the size it appeared rolled into my pocket. The short story is I was able to return less restrained and share a great strawberry shortcake for dessert.

Today I was busy lil beaver. I reorganized a closet in the kitchen, hanging shelves and making little bins to keep things in. I also put together a meat loaf and made from scratch creamed corn. I also put together a cake. It was pretty involved. I made a red devils food cake (which was much like a science project with beaten egg whites to which you slowly add sugar. You had to had the baking soda to warm water and mix that BEFORE it was added to the mixture. The shortening and sugar had to be creamed and then flour and iced water had to be mixed in alternately etc.) I then made a new icing, it was a '7 minute' and was interesting in that you use regular sugar as opposed to confectioners sugar. You put that and eggs etc and then in a double boiler with the water boiling use the hand mixer for seven minutes. I added chocolate to this as well. Then I made a homemade recipe for chocolate cream filling. These were all separate recipes but I wanted to combine them in one cake. So the cream filling is in the middle of the two layers with the 7 minute chocolate icing on top. Here is how it turned out. I am rather proud of it and it was yummy.

This time I made the icing more swirly, as I had seen this technique in my 50's cook book. You can see that the color is lighter than my previous chocolate cake.

Well, I am not blogging late again, as I am soo tired and I need to still clean up the kitchen from dinner. All in all, a good busy day. By the end of the day, now, I am quite tired. I think this might be one of the hardest jobs I have really had, and also one of the most rewarding.

As a funny aside, this morning by accident I turned on the radio in the kitchen instead of hitting play so that it would play the old radio songs/ shows cd. The modern music sounded odd and jarring. It felt like a strange cacophony of crashes and electricity. It was an odd feeling.

13 January 1955 "McCarthyism, My first mid-century ennui and a skirt."

I researched Sen. McCarthy this morning, as I wanted to understand the context of where I am now, in 1955, with fear of the 'Reds'. It was interesting to find out that just a month ago (Dec 1954) his reign of fear-mongering had come to an end. As of 2 December 1954 Red Scare: The United States Senate votes 67-22 to condemn Joseph McCarthy for "conduct that tends to bring the Senate into dishonor and disrepute."

Beginning in 1950, McCarthy became the most visible public face of a period of intense anti-communist suspicion inspired by the tensions of the Cold War. He was noted for making claims that there were large numbers of Communists and Soviet spies and sympathizers inside the federal government and elsewhere. Ultimately, McCarthy's tactics and his inability to substantiate his claims led to his being discredited and censured by the United States Senate. He will die of alcoholism in two years (1957)

We often see the 50's as a time of whitebread domesticity with rampant racisim, and certainly it existed. But, what I am finding out, particularly from this year 1955, much of the changes to come to what has brought us the opportunity to have a president of color begins this year. Later in this year is the famous Rosa Parks incident (which I will cover when we get to that date).

I found this interesting from a 1955 magazine, that these african americans, though they would have been called negroes it looks like at this time, were in congress. Times are a changing. It is interesting to see how we have got to where we are now.

Now, for my personal history of today. I think I experienced my first moment of 1955 housewife ennui.

I was preparing breakfast as usual, coffee perking away, bacon in the pan (there are days I don't cook bacon, don't worry) set out the table, lunch prepared. The morning continued onwards. Then, at breakfast, across the table from my husband it sort of hit me. I looked down the long mahogany table. The shine of it (from my own hand the previous day) reflecting him as he ate his breakfast. It was, again, Hitchcockian, in that the table seemed to stretch onward and beyond. It was as if I was looking at my husband thru a pair of binoculars backwards. I looked down at my own plate, untouched. Dry toast points, brittle and mocking. My one strip of bacon, snearing at me with it's congealed grin. My black coffee, perfectly still. I imagined I could hear the water drip in the kitchen, though I am sure I didn't. Yet, there it was. Drip, drip...drop. Into the solidifying fat in the pan. The dishes from breakfasts preparation piled in there, like stones upon a grave. Then, I went thru the checklist of what my morning would contain: do the dishes. clean the counter. wipe down the stove. sweep the floor. I had done it every day for somtime now. It all seemed so pointless. I returned my gaze to my husband who was saying somthing to me. I wondered, 'what point is there to anything. What did it matter if the mattress got flipped or the sheets were ironed. Who cares if my dressing table is tidyed, so I can find my cold cream at night. Who cares.' It was almost overwhelming, the whole moment. And yet, as quick as it came, it's as if time speed back up and my husband was asking me if I was alright.

I wasn't sure.

For that brief moment, as all of us do, no matter our job our what century we live in, we wonder what are we doing, is it worth it, why am I here?

Then, Doris Day saved me.

I have a cd of old radios shows and music playing in the morning and I can hear it in the dinning room. Doris Day singing Que Sera Sera. "whatever will be will be, the futures not ours to see" so says the song. How true. So simple. Then I remembered, how nice it is to slide into clean ironed sheets at night. To have my current novel by the bedside and fresh water in the clean carafe, covered with a cup to keep out the dust, just in case I get thirsty in the night. The joy of opening the drawer in my vanity and knowing my makeup is there on the right. There, on the left, is the little metal box with the sailboat on that my mother in law gave me, it was her mothers, that I keep my hair pins in. The way it feels to run my hand along the just polished dinning room table, neat as a pin. These are mundane things, but they are important to me and my husband at this moment in time. It might be 1955 or 2055, but the daily task of living is what matters. And right now, order, tidyness, red nails, lipstick hat and gloves before I go out, seams straight, patterns cut out and pinned to fabric, lunch at the old diner with friends, cribbage. All of these things are apart of who I am and what I will be for this year.

I think as modern people we have been taught to analyize so much from birth that we have talked ourselves out of happiness. "This is too simple, it can't make you happy. What is happy". we always question. And I don't want to stop, for I feel that questioning IS tantamount to learning, but if I am sitting in my dressing gown in curlers buffing my nails while my husband is dressing to take me out to dinner, I am gonna love that moment for what it is. I am not going to doubt my own purpose. If polishing the dinning room table makes me happy, dammit, then I'm gonna enjoy it!

Now, yesterdays accomplishments included, finishing all of my laundry and ironing (though I worked on it thru the day. Even after dinner and dessert, I had to go finish making the bed and folding towels). I completed a dark grey wool circle skirt that I am now wearing. That felt wonderful to know I had made it on my own and now I was able to include it in my growing wardrobe. I organized my dressing table. I made a wonderful dinner, (potatos au gratin and fried steak and green beans) After we watched "The Martha Ray" show, I read more of the man in the grey flannel suit and researched more magazines. And, of course, I slid into clean wrinklefree sheets and slipped into satisfied sleep.

So, today I will be a 'lady who lunches' though it will hardly be anything fancy. Two of my vintage friends and I are getting dolled up for some shopping and then lunch at the good ole' mill pond diner. Here is a pic, it looks bleak I know, but it's an authentic diner and I will get some shots from inside, if I can remember my camera.

Have a good day all.

12 January 1955 "Movies, maids, hairstyles, and waistlines"

In news today: this was the month that Marilyn Monroe, along with the photographer, Milton Greene, set up the production company "Marilyn Monroe Inc." She was in contract with Fox and they had to go to court over the whole business. Marilyn's company had 100 shares of stock of which she controlled 51 with 49 for Greene. This was probably one of the first moves of a movie star self-branding and considering themselves a commodity. I wonder if Greene's heirs still recieve royalties from all of the Monroe items? There are some great photo sessions of Monroe with Greene, but they are not until next year (1956).

Last night we decided to have an impromptu visit from three of my vintage friends. We got together for cocktails and a few hands of cribbage. My friend and I are MAD for cribbage. I even have a little wooden pocket set I always keep in my purse, just in case. Many a time at a coffee shop after a shopping spree, we settle down to a quick game. I had spent the bulk of the day sewing. I now faced clean up, preparing dinner and snacks for the evening. This is when one of my friends stepped in. Earlier in the week, after discussing our project, we were wondered if I would have had a domestic helper who would come in maybe once a week or if I was giving a party. That sort of thing. In "Mr. Blandings builds a dream house", a movie I really like, we see a post war typical middle class family and they have a live in maid. In the first two seasons of Mad Men which is in the early 60's we still see the middle class couple with a 'woman' who comes in sometimes to clean or cook or help out. We wondered, "would this be somthing I would do?" Then my crazy friend (for anyone getting involved with my project must be crazy, right?) said, "I'll do it".

To which I replied, "You'll do what?"

"I'll be your maid, or domestic helper or whatever".

Crazy, but we thought, well, maybe once a week she would come and help with breakfast and some cleaning or later in the day on one day and help with dinner and serve. She said she wanted to see what it would be like and maybe blog about that herself. So, last night, last minute get together, in the middle of sewing, dinner to be made and hors' dourves to throw together, the living room and 'rumpus room' to tidy. Well, this would be one of those times I might plan on calling my 'domestic'. So, I did.

My friend was great. It was so nice to finish up my sewing and take my time to pick up that mess while she showed up and started dinner. I then popped in to help set the table, while she worked on the hors' dourves.
"Go get ready," she said to me.

"Really?" I responded. And I did. I went upstairs and showered (hair in shower cap). Set my hair in hot rollers and did my nails and dressed. I came down to a warm meal, smiling husband and a tidyed entertainment area. I turned to my friend and said, "Poof, you are now my friend again" and if by magic, she sat herself down to dinner with us.

I have to say, it is the first meal in the house that I have had that was not prepared by me for some time. I was refreshed and ready for the evening. I am not sure if this is cheating, as I most likely would at least have some outside help once a week, I belive. What do you think?

Our plan is to have one day a week that she helps me and for me to decide that week if I want it to be houswork and dinner, or errands etc. This does add an interesting aspect to my weekly planning. So, today is laundry day, which means as I do my usual daily chores, I will be working on the laundry pretty much all day. Ironing takes some time.

I think I will maybe choose Friday for my maid day and have her by noon and set her to chores and we can sit down and plan the meal for that evening, which she will prepare and serve. That will give me the afternoon to get more sewing done, or rearrange my bedroom, which I have been planning.

Here is how my hair turned out last night. this is a sort of creepy shot of me, but I took it myself holding the camera above my head and it makes me look a little deranged, but I wanted to show how I have been wearing my hair. It still has a very late 40's flair and I am thinking, I am coming out of the 1940's so this may be my 'comfort zone' hairstyle. My plan is to segway thru the year into a more 'modern 1950's' style. I know that after Roman Holiday came out the "Italian cut" of short hair became all the rage. I figure I would have been slow to come to it, but come to it I will. I promised myself to drop some pounds, as well. SO:

Here is my weekly trial of a 'lo-cal' lunch out of my 53 Ladies Home Journal. If you click on the picture, I believe you will be able to read it. I love any 'diet' that has a blt on it. We all know how a gal lover her bacon.

Here are a couple of pics from Movie Night. We all wore hats and gloves, only one of us remembered them in our picture taking, though. We really enjoyed the movie and was surprised that the theme involved a younger man and older woman. I love how it was shot and I just adore the way Technicolor makes the colors appear. It has such a brilliant blue/pink sheen to everything.

Well, back to ironing and putting another load in the machine.

11 January 1955 "Day of rest?"

Some days I feel like these ladies. This is from a January cover 1955.

Today was suppose to be a sort of 'free day' for me to catch up with the week. I wanted to spend the day sewing, but once I had cleaned the kitchen and got breakfast on (pancakes, bacon, eggs, oj, coffee, tea) then cleaned up and the kitchen swept, it was noon!

My attempts today with my first dress was not very good and resulted in my sewing the skirt to the bodice inside out. I have people coming over soon for another impromptu 50's night and need to go set my hair and get ready.

Today's blog is short and sweet, while my day was long and busy.

I will try to get pics tonight of our gang to post. And maybe a shot of the breakfast table.

I hope everyone had a good sunday, where does the time go. It's funny how I seem to be doing more than I used to, but the day goes by so quickly that I am often left at the end of it wondering how it is 8:00 and I am still waiting to sit down and take a break. I can't imagine if I threw a kid into the mix. I would probably just work twice as hard, I suppose.

Until tomorrow...

10 january 1955 "news, cakes, and more patterns"

Okay, some quick 'news' of the day.

Congress authorizes all US currency and coins to say "In God We Trust"

No-iron Dacron introduced. Alright!

New at the market - Pillsbury Chocolate Angel Food Cake Mix- "you love it in white... now Pillsbury has it in chocolate too!"

Now, speaking of chocolate cakes, I made my very first from scratch two layer chocolate cake and homemade chocolate icing. The icing has a raw egg in it, so hopefully that will be alright. The recipe came from my Better Homes and Garden. It is really yummy and I am proud of myself. I know that cake mixes are available now, but I have heard that the early ones were not very good. Although the cake mixes from 2009 always make such a light fluffy cake, but I think a good housewife/homemaker would have made it from scratch. In fact, I would have probably been making them since I was a young adult or teen or actually helped my mother when I was young. Anyway, I am proud of it. I am glad it is living happing on my 1950s aluminum cake pan.

My vintage friend stopped by today and gave me this! I am quite excited, I know I have a few patterns already, but i really like the collar on this one. Tomorrow is sewing day for me, so I was glad to recieve this today. I am going to try it tomorrow as well as the dressing gown pattern I showed yesterday. It was a very 1955 moment when she dropped by. I was in the kitchen, knee deep in eggs and butter and cocoa powder. She, as promised, came in vintage. It was one of those, 'neighbors dropping by unexpectedly' moments. I set my batter aside, put some coffee on and we sat down for a good gossip. We both promised to work on our sewing tomorrow.

We took a walk today and I had a skirt on from my grocery shopping, but I put on trousers. I think it would be right and actually with my wide leg trousers and my vintage hair, I looked quite 40's. Having been a young wife in the late 40's I would have some layover habits, and wearing trousers would be one. Not when I go to stores or somthing important, though.

Tonight is movie night. We are going over to our friends with the wall tv to watch, All that heaven allows with Rock Hudson. I will wear a dress and hat and gloves for this occasion. I was promised popcorn during and afterwards cards, possible something jello and cocktails, of course. I mean, it is saturday night. What I really want to find is a place to go dancing. I am going to see if there is a place for Hubby and I to learn old dancing. We have talked about it before, and this would be a good year for it. Especially if we do it with a couple of other couples. How wonderful to be swingin it in vintage gear! Any excuse to show off one of my new hats, right?

This will be a short blog today, I am afraid. The weekends seem busier, as hubby is here. We had our walk and then dinner. Now we are getting ready for the night out. I am going to post my proposed cleaning schedule tomorrow for the coming week. I baked my cake today, so that is hubby's sweet for his lunch until mid-week. Then, not sure what to try next.

I hope everyone in the future is having a fine time, here in 1955 it has been a nice busy saturday with the hope of some vintage fun ahead.

9 January 1955 "Costs, Facts, Gadgets, and shopping"

Here is a list of average prices in 1955:

House: $10,000

Average income:$4,137

Ford car: $1606-$2944

Milk: $.92

Gas: $.23

Bread $.18

Postage stamp: $.03

Sirloin chops: $ .69 lb.

Pot Roast: $.43 lb.

Eggs, doz.: $.61

Coffee: $.93 lb.

Milk, ½ gal. $.43

Potatoes, 10 lb. bag: $.53

Starkist Tuna, 6 ½ oz. can: $.25

Oreo cookies, 11¾ .oz pkg: $.39

Potato Salad, pint: $.29

Cracker Jack, 24 pac: $1.49

Apple cider,½ gal.: $.49

Gum Drops, 1½ lb. pkg: $.29

Ivory Soap, 2 bars: $.29

Mickey Mouse lunchbox: $.88

Slinky: $.88

Nylons, pair: $1.00

Home permanent: $1.50

Baseball Glove: $9.95

Black and White tv: $99.00

According to a site I found a 1955 $1.00 is equivalent to $ 7.93 today. That would make, for example, the gas of then comparable to paying 1.82 a gallon today. Cheaper then, however sirloin chops would be around 5.47 a pound today, and I pay closer to 2.00 on sale. Bread is around 1.82 in modern money, but I pay around 5.00 (of course that was for whole wheat, now I am buying wonder white which is around 2.00 so close in price, really.)

What is interesting to me, minus some glaring differences like the cost of gas, prices seem comparable today. However, the housing seems much cheaper then. Even with the deflated value of the current real estate market you would be hard pressed, at least where I live, to buy a house for the current equivalent of 79,000.00 Again, this depends on where u live in the country. You couldn't even purchase buildable land for that where I live. The tv would be around 700.00 while today it is easy to get a cheap one, however if u want the latest one they would cost more.

Minimum wage in 1955 was raised to $1.00/hr. Am I wrong, or does that make it higher than some state minimums now? My state has a min wage of $8.25 but I am sure that is not true of most states. I know that women were paid about .70 cents on the dollar to men.

When you see the prices you think, "wow," but once you put it into perspective of current dollars it seems food is cheaper now, while housing is through the roof. How do these costs compare to where you live?

The first microwave was introduce this year. It was made by Tappan and cost $1200.00. That's almost $10,000.00! I think there was an earlier version in the late 40's that they called the radarange, and for as long as I could remember, that is what my grandmother called any microwave she encountered. I don't suppose I will get one of these this year! I mean buy a house or a microwave, u decide.

Unemployment rate in 1955: 4.4% while in Jan 2009 7.1%

Now, speaking of money, my compatriot vintage friend and I went shopping last night. We both wore hats, gloves coat heels and hose. Our main objective was to hit Joanne fabrics. I needed some more vintage patterns and fabric. Although this is a modern store, I felt competely normal there. Other people who make clothes/crafts, seem to bat neary an eyelash at two hot dishes with little hats and heels who squeel at the 50% off bin of fabrics.

"OOh," squeeled I , clutching a bolt of sky blue tulle to my bosom, "wouldn't this be dreamy for my opera dress?" (in a previous blog I mention that we are opera bound in april to see don giovonni. There will be three ladies swimming in tool and vintage fur. There WILL be photos, don't worry)

"Oh, if only they had it in pink for me,"says my friend. She spys a bolt of fabric in the pink she is thinking, though it is not the fabric she would choose. "Can I wear pink?" she asks.

My answer needs a moment. I carefully set down my pocket book, gloves, patterns, zippers, and buttons. "Let me see," I ponder: an artist before the blank canvas, "Hmmm..." my tounge sticks out in contemplation as one hand holds the fabric about her neck. "You know, I do think you can pull off pink. It brings such a lightness to your face". Again, in the moment, it all seems rather normal, but then I stop and think, this is a very 1955 moment. Two chums squealing over fabric and dreaming up dresses that will come into being with their industry and creativity.

So, we spent about an hour looking through patterns, gazing dreamy eyed at the walls of fabric. In the discount aisle we would hold a silence, like a pair of scientist perched on the edge of some great discovery. Then, with a determined stab of our hands, one of us would leap forward with a bolt of fabric and pronounce the verdict. As if issuing some great edict or proclamation, we'd unfurl the fabric from it's bolt, thow it about our shoulder or waist, "wouldn't this make a lovely coat, oooh or how about a vest and skirt, this would be the best lining in a swing coat, how about a dress and matching jacket?" then we would either consider the others opinion with the great seriousness of a supreme court judge, or break into peals of laughter due to the ridiculousness of an idea. An evening dress made of terrycloth? A woolen girdle? Silliness and fun. The whole trip in the fabric store was fun and felt quite 'normal' or what normal is coming to mean to me.

When I am hardpressed to go into modern stores, such as Barnes and Noble to meet our friend afterward, I felt odd. Not at the size nor the books, it could have been a dept store in 1955, but the people. The vast amounts of people in their 'modern' garb. It hit me how sloppily dressed we really are as a modern people. We did recieve stares. No one rude or mean, but I noticed little girls, say between 5-12 really noticed us. My first thought would be they would laugh or think we were silly, but really they just looked, almost longingly. I thought what these girls would be wearing if it were 1955 for them. The full skirts and crinolins. Things now most likely only relegated to halloween or the dress upbox, yet if it were 1955 they'd get to wear it every day. The fun of wearing matching gloves hat and shoes. The prim crisp movement of a full skirt. These are things I KNOW little girls love, at least I did when I played dress up. Now, I know it is just clothes, and it is good that we can be more relaxed in public, but somehow I felt a vast array of fun and pride had just slipped out of everything. That to make sure u had a hat on, or that your seams were straight, that these things WERE important and in them made you feel better about yourself and more likely to feel better towards others, seemed valid to me at that moment. I don't know, maybe I am just a kook. That is how I felt, though. Maybe this only seems relevant now as I am outside my own time. I definitely felt an odd pang of regret, or sadness. Strange, indeed.

Now, for the goods:

These are two of the patterns I bought last night. I know they are from 47 abd 48, but I liked them. The dress is definitely the beginning of the New Look and the fitted jacket it going to be a taking off point for me to make some 'copies' of dior from my magazines. Again, I think I would have done this as I am interested in fashion.

I really needed a good dressing gown, and I like this. I want to make a very full skirted 50's one from taffeta, but figure I won't wear it until it is warmer out. This one I am making out of a nice brown plaid wool. It can be practical and keep me warm. I think it would be a good thing to have on in the mornings for breakfast and such. Also, I like the idea that I have some holdover clothes form the 40s. I mean 48 was only seven years ago! I would have clothes I had made prior to the time I am living in, don't you think?

I got this one too, which is from 54. I like the shorter fitted jacket. I think with this basic dress and the jacket I can also 'copy from the magazines of the day'. I will post pics of my failures and success with these patterns.

I need to end now for the day. I think sometime in the next few blogs I want to address the art world a little bit, and discuss the possibility of a little mini project that was inspired by jitterbug and her 1940s blog. I think I should do a week of laundry with the machine and a ringer (no ring cycle) and hang clothes inside to dry. I would not have to do it now, as I am certain I would have the latest washer and dryer, but I would have had to do it when I was a new wife. Let me know what you think of that as a little project within a project. I just really want to have a good historical perspective and feel I understand what lead up to 1955 for a housewife.

Until tomorrow. Have a vintage day! I know I will...

8 January 1955 "some news, some fashion and some bacon fat"

Well, let's start with some news. Here is what hubby and I discussed over breakfast today:

Two Americans return to the free west from a Siberian labor camp and later
report there’s still a third American there. (Pentagon investigators say they have obtained the memoir of a Russian emigre and former prisoner who claims that dozens of American servicemen from World War II and the Korean War were detained in Siberian labor camps in the former Soviet Union. This last bit is from a modern article on it. What is scary is I guess there were some who were never released. Could there still be some there alive now? I shudder to think...)

Chs. Pfizer & Co. announces it has received a patent for the antibiotic drug
tetracycline.

Sarah Churchill, daughter of Winston Churchill is jailed briefly in the County jail in Los Angeles. The charge was common drunkenness.

Fashion news – (this I did NOT discuss with hubby)
Christian Dior comes out against knees, elbows and super sophistication, but he thinks sweaters and pleated skirts are fine. “The knee,” he told the American Woman’s Club of Paris, “is the ugliestspot in a woman’s anatomy.”

As you will recall, gals, Dior gave us the NEW LOOK in 47. It was post war, materials were available, and Rosy the rivertor had to lay down her drill press and be feminine again. I have to say, though, that I adore this look. Here is the snippet about this dress:

"Chérie" exemplifies the "New Look" in all its salient elements: sloped shoulder, raised bustline, narrowed waist, and a monumental volume of skirt falling away from a padded hipline to below the calf. The New Look arrived uncompromised and complete, not as a tentative suggestion or stage in evolution. Here, the skirt is made of the full width of the fabric, selvage to selvage, disposed horizontally. Consequently, at the waist the necessary folding-under of the pleated fullness creates a compressed, thirteen-and-a-half-yard seam allowance, the substantial bulk of which pads the hips. This virtuoso achievement in dressmaking was reached by the compression of vast volume into an adjoining sculptural reduction. Dior prided himself on the handwork in his creations."

Some women actually protested the longer skirt, wanting to show their leg. Really the shorter skirts of the 1940's really developed due to rationing and women also needed the ease of movement that wartime elicted. Prior to the war, the 1930's saw a lengthening of hemlines after the above the knee look of 1926. It is funny how military a look the 40's had with their shoulder pads.

This dress is primarily remembered for having been in the wedding trousseau of Olivia de Havilland (who was married in 1955), this gray wool suit is the transfiguration of the man's suit as an expression of the feminine. More importantly, this suit, long anticipated by Dior's interest in tailoring and in menswear fabrics, is poised on the edge of his move away from the New Look's historicism toward a simpler, increasingly reductive, architectonic geometry. [The essential A-line of the 1960s began here. So says my crystal ball. This would be a good redux to do to an old man's suit from a thrift store. I am not sure if I would do that in 1955, though I would be industrious. I am sure I would have seen it in a magazine of the day as showing a movie stars trousseau would have most likely occured. This does look quite modern. As a housewife I would most likely not afford coture, but as an artistic person I would have copied what I could from my Harpers and my Vogue and let the mouths hang at the club and bridge nights!]

I really like the new look. Since wearing a gridle and finding it secretly wonderful (it can pinch, but it gives more than a corset ever has and I have worn a corset) I would LOVE to get one of these little mini corsets some women wore to get the wasp waist. Some of Diors early New Looks had padding at the hips to help thin the waist and also a version of the 1860s hoop skirt, but these did not take on, as unlike the floor length skirts of their victorian couterparts, the bell like movement with a shorter skirt lenght often lead to revealing more than one wanted. What do you think of this little corselette? What do you think of the new look's feminine soft shoulder, full skirt, small waist, longer skirt? Would you have embraced it or picketed for shorter skirts? Although I do not have kids, I can bet it is easier to move about with a full skirt past your knee with kids in public than the micro-minis that are in the future.

So, today I made homemade pancakes. I came to realize that pancake mix is merely the dry ingredients and the just add water most likely has powdered milk. From scrath, pancakes are quite simple. 1 cup flour, 2 TBS baking powder, 2 TBS sugar ( I added cinnamon too), an egg, and here it is gals, as it read in my 50's cook book (2 tbs oil, melted butter, or BACON FAT). Well, guess which one I chose. I mean, the bacon is there right in front of me frying away. It has become a sort of morning companion of mine. Its sizzle, its aroma mingled with the coffee perk perk perculating away, it's intoxicating I tell you. This moment had a sort of hitchcock movie moment for me. The bacon was snapping away happily in the pan, my finger (nice red nails too) slid down the list of ingredients and bam! I read the words "or Bacon Fat" the music crescendos, I look to the bacon, its inticing hot crispness lures me in. I look back, tremulous, my finger shaking a bit. Did I read write? Could it be? Yes, BACON FAT, it says it right there in black and white. I return my gaze and the camera swoops in "Da Da Daaaahhhhhh" I'm doing it. And I did. They were lovely and yummy. My husband said, after his first mouthful, 'are these homemade?' to which I happily replied, "yes they are, honey". "They are really good" and you know he helped himself to a second stack. I had an image of an old commercial I had seen about coffee where the woman is worried to her neighbor that her husband wasn't happy about how she made the coffee. "he never asks for a second cup at home" she says. So, quitely to myself I thought, 'he always asks for a second stack at home'. And, instead of feeling foolish or silly or unliberated, I actually felt kind of proud. It is these little moments like this when I actually feel I am having a genuine 1955 moment. There is so much modern that I cannot get away from, like this computer I am typing on, but sometimes, when I am at my dressing table curlers in, or in the kitchen in the morning, or cleaning with the loud roar of the kirby in my loafers and rolled dungarees and scarfed head, that I have to stop and say, wait, what year is it?

I have to confess, though, that I did spend some time last evening on the computer. I told myself it was like looking at magazines or reading, and it was to veiw other blogs and such. It is hard to not use it. I would not even mind so much, but it sucked me in so, that when I went to bed I hadn't the energy to do the dinner dishes and there they sat, cold and congealed this morning: A symbol of my housewifery failure. But, let me tell you. I love a dinning room. It used to be that unused space that many people were doing without, but when a wife wants to be a little lazy, a clean ordered dinning room with breakfast all set up and lovely can really make up for that dripping cold faucet of cold congealed fat awaiting one in the kitchen. A happy wave goodbye and then the return to my failings. What is a woman to do? I suppose this happened then, too. There were probably many messy kitchens in the evenings, but this is usually when I do the dishes and hubby helps dry, but we wanted to read last night and I to use the computer. I, however, am not going to make a habit out of it. Can you forgive me my failings, dear readers?