A Week In the Life
Remember when, not so long ago, women were encouraged to abandon any hopes, dreams, or aspirations they may have once held, to instead conform to the "fulfilling" life of a house-keeping broodmare?
Wives, shackled to their stoves and their scrub buckets, all while their husbands got to go out and put their very own stamp on Corporate America, making a name for themselves.
To then come home at the end of the day, smoking their cigarettes, and sipping their whiskey, dropping ashes as they go, and leaving rings on the freshly polished coffee table, no doubt.
With feet propped up by the fire, rambling on and on about their day, while completely oblivious to the fact that their home is freaking' spotless, and their adoring wife hasn't a single hair out of place...noticing and appreciating nothing! And then having the gall, that's right the gall, to inquire into why his dinner hasn't been served yet?!?!
To then come home at the end of the day, smoking their cigarettes, and sipping their whiskey, dropping ashes as they go, and leaving rings on the freshly polished coffee table, no doubt.
With feet propped up by the fire, rambling on and on about their day, while completely oblivious to the fact that their home is freaking' spotless, and their adoring wife hasn't a single hair out of place...noticing and appreciating nothing! And then having the gall, that's right the gall, to inquire into why his dinner hasn't been served yet?!?!
Do you remember those days?
Well, I don't.
I grew up in the 80's.
Well, I don't.
I grew up in the 80's.
But I've seen enough old movies and TV shows to get the gist of it.
(Although, my take on it may be sliiiiiightly skewed a bit, given the recent feminist uprising.)
(Although, my take on it may be sliiiiiightly skewed a bit, given the recent feminist uprising.)
So what did a typical week look like for the average hard laboring housewife?
Monday - Laundry Day
Tuesday - Ironing Day
Wednesday - Sewing Day (An entire day just for sewing? What the hell were these people getting into?)
Thursday- Market/Visiting Day (Probably spent confiding to a friend, neighbor, or anyone who will listen, about how shitty and unfair this housewife BS truly is, and how abandoning ship sounds like a swell idea right about now. All under the guise of sipping tea and swapping recipes, of course.)
Friday - Cleaning Day
Saturday - Baking Day
Sunday - Church Day (Ah, yes. Thank you Lord for giving me so very much to do!)
And somewhere in there you are ALSO supposed to be pumping out, and caring for, children?!
Yikes.
And NO thanks.
Not unless we can swap out Ironing Day for "Everyone Deals With Their Own Crap Day", and Sewing Day for "Sit On The Couch Sipping Vodka Sours While Binge Watching The Walking Dead Day."
And while we're at it, let's make Baking Day "Order In/Online Shopping Day", and Church Day "All Day Foot Rub Day".
But perhaps it wasn't all that bad.
I'm sure some women found some joy in that kind of lifestyle.
Heck, there's even quaint little tea towels commemorating that way of life.
Yes, adorable little towels to dry your sore, aching hands on while being reminded of the never ending cycle of housework forever needing to be done....by you.
How nice!
And somewhere in there you are ALSO supposed to be pumping out, and caring for, children?!
Yikes.
And NO thanks.
Not unless we can swap out Ironing Day for "Everyone Deals With Their Own Crap Day", and Sewing Day for "Sit On The Couch Sipping Vodka Sours While Binge Watching The Walking Dead Day."
And while we're at it, let's make Baking Day "Order In/Online Shopping Day", and Church Day "All Day Foot Rub Day".
But perhaps it wasn't all that bad.
I'm sure some women found some joy in that kind of lifestyle.
Heck, there's even quaint little tea towels commemorating that way of life.
Yes, adorable little towels to dry your sore, aching hands on while being reminded of the never ending cycle of housework forever needing to be done....by you.
How nice!
And of course, Muriel Joseph George, herself, (yes, FINALLY, there is the Josef tie-in!) thought it fitting to make a series of figurines representing those good ol' days as well.
In fact, she created several "Days of the Week" series, but I'll just touch on the two that clearly represent the typical week of the masochist. Ooops...I mean, housewife.
Firstly, you have the older, yet more common 'Days of the Week' series from the California era, which were also made in alternate colors:
Monday Tuesday
Then there is this later, rarer, set.
So rare in fact, I have never even seen 'Monday' or 'Friday'.
Thursday
Saturday
Sunday
In fact, she created several "Days of the Week" series, but I'll just touch on the two that clearly represent the typical week of the masochist. Ooops...I mean, housewife.
Firstly, you have the older, yet more common 'Days of the Week' series from the California era, which were also made in alternate colors:
Monday Tuesday
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
The California set came with some color variations:
Monday - blue or pink
Tuesday - blue or pink
Wednesday - yellow or pink
Thursday - green or pink
Friday - blue or pink
Saturday - blue or yellow
Sunday - blue or pink
Then there is this later, rarer, set.
So rare in fact, I have never even seen 'Monday' or 'Friday'.
Tuesday
Wednesday
(had to borrow from internet)
Thursday
Saturday
Sunday
(The few that are in the Josef books are either left unnamed, or say "from unknown series." Looks like ol' Jim and Kaye Whitaker weren't able to piece together that they are part of a Days of the Week set. Ha!)
Gee, if being a housewife was nearly as glamorous as this set makes it look, yours truly might actually get on board.
I just love the pretty pastel gowns, and the perfectly primped hair. And not a child in sight.
Although, I'm not sure how I feel about those subservient, down-cast eyes....hey, I'm just saying!
To each their own, I guess.
But me, personally?
I'm more of a "clean up your own goddamn mess!" kind of gal.
Yep.
I've modernized it a bit.
Deal with it.
But me, personally?
I'm more of a "clean up your own goddamn mess!" kind of gal.
Yep.
I've modernized it a bit.
Deal with it.
Those ladies not only were loved and appreciated by their husbands and children, but grew old with them...their husbands, their children, and eventually grandchildren. What do bitter, unpleasant modern women and feminists have? Nothing much!
ReplyDeleteOh, well. Stray cats will also be needing homes, won't they?
Agreed! The true feminist takes care of her home and children. With love, a housewife/stay at home mom.
DeleteSo agreed! I love taking care of my home, my family, and anything in between! Maybe if more women stayed home the world would be in a much better place than it is now!
DeleteIf you are personally happy with that kind of lifestyle, then that's just peachy! Like the post says, "to each their own."
ReplyDeleteHowever, I highly doubt that ALL women who live, or have lived, subservient domestic lifestyles would agree that it's all "love and appreciation" that they get in return. Everyone has different circumstances, so let's be real.