Fourteen years ago, I blogged about Doris and Ken - a sweet old couple who once lived on the corner of our street. They had no living family in England - just a niece in Lower Hutt, New Zealand.
As a family, we befriended them and I oversaw some key matters for them as their lives entered the endgame - arranging residential home places, their funerals and the clearance and sale of their house.
In some ways, their home was like a museum that accommodated so much evidence of the wholesome lives they had lived. They had both been born before World War One.
Doris was involved in girl guiding, first as a girl guide and then later as a guide leader. Amongst her many papers I found an edition of "The Guide" dated November 11th, 1922 - "A journal for lovers of the open air, camping, hobbies etc.." That flimsy magazine is now 103 years old and it is in effect washed up historical detritus from a very different age.
I just want to share two features from this magazine with you. First of all, I am aware that nowadays many lady bloggers and visitors have little idea how to make full use of their aprons....
I do not know if you can read that but essentially readers are being advised to hook their aprons to the table in order to create a kind of hammock. Very useful for peeling vegetables, shelling peas or polishing shoes etc.. And below there's great advice for fashion-conscious lady bloggers who who are not quite sure how to put their hair up into bobs. Again, it might be tricky to read but both styles being addressed require several fine hair pins. As Edna Yorke who sent in the item declared, "These ideas will be found quite easy and practicable." Thank you for your attention to this matter!!! And thanks also to Edna for her sterling work with girl guides in Rugeley, Staffordshire. It was a long time ago.
Laugh if you will, but I love aprons and have many, always wearing one in the kitchen. I've never hooked one to a table for food prep, but I've used one to carry stuff. They also make a great bib if left on during the meal (not that I'm a messy eater!).
ReplyDeleteAprons are good accessories. I hate to see TV chefs in just their regular clothes.
DeleteFor your entertainment: https://ksrgmck.wordpress.com/2017/11/15/aprons-again/
DeletePlease pardon the one that is non-PC. I'm not sure I even still have that one.
What a lot you did for Doris and Ken. Looking after old people and estates etc is necessary and honourable but exhausting
ReplyDeleteI did it with love because they were so nice.
DeleteI suppose the vegetable peelings went right out to the yard for the chickens.
ReplyDelete--Bonnie in Minneapolis
I suspect that your guess is correct Bonnie. That generation were not as wasteful.
DeleteJeez, just what I wanted to know. I have a fine chef's apron but it hangs on the back of a door into a pantry and I frequently forget to put it on. "Doesn't work if you don't use it!"
ReplyDeleteMr Pudding, you are a kind man.
ReplyDeleteLooking back, I am proud of what I did for Doris and Ken.
DeletePotato peelings sounds ok but shelling peas into the hooked apron sounds way too risky. The phone could ring, or the doorbell, or the dog jump up, or if you have a nervous tremor. As I remember, shelling peas was the most boring thing on earth, even worse than ironing.
ReplyDeleteI wonder at times about what happens when someone dies and they have no relatives or friends. I suppose a government organisation takes over, with costs deducted from the estate, if there is money.
Nothing is as boring as ironing in my humble opinion Andrew.
DeleteAprons really are useful in the kitchen, but I must admit I simply don't do enough cooking and baking to justify wearing one. My Mum has quite a collection of them, some were handmade by her Mum and are now around 100 years old, too.
ReplyDeleteAs for hairpins... I have never possessed enough hair to warrant their use.
You could grow your hair out and then put up bobs. OK would probably go wild.
DeleteI wear an apron only when I am frying something that might "spit" such as eggs or steak, sausages too. I very rarely fry bacon, don't even buy it, but when I do it goes into the oven instead of the frypan. Or an extra deep non stick pan to catch most of the spitting fat. I wonder about hooking up an apron in that fashion, what if someone came knocking at the door or a child needed help in a hurry?
ReplyDeleteThe hairdo is just too much trouble in my opinion.
I always put on an apron if I am about to put roasting potatoes into hot fat.
DeleteIt was so kind of you to befriend the couple and care for them in their old age. What an amazing find, the guide magazine from 1922. The articles make one smile, so different from now days. I wonder what treasures people will find when today's generations leave the mortal coil. There will be less printed matter to find.
ReplyDeleteThey are sure to find my huge collection of Hull City football programmes.
DeleteI'm with Kelly. I've got about 6 aprons that I wear in rotation whilst cooking, washing up and even eating. Not sure I'd wear one to catch veg peelings as it would make it damp but an interesting idea. How kind of you to look after that sweet couple in their need.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the idea seems quite daft. Six aprons? Hell, you must be made of money Addy!
DeleteI really should wear an apron when cooking. White jumpers and bolognese sauce do not fare well together in my kitchen.
ReplyDeleteI bet you don't have an apron, but you will have a pinny.
DeleteActually Tasker, I possess three aprons. One of them has "GRUMPY OLD MAN" printed on the front. You should get one too.
DeleteI have one of my great-grandmother's aprons; I treasure it. She always, always wore one about the house. You are a good soul, taking care of your neighbors. So many of us on our own; may we all have such a kind person as you in our lives.
ReplyDeleteDo you wear that old apron Elle?
DeleteI do! At first I thought I should keep it up in the china closet or something, so I didn't "ruin" it. And then I realized how silly that was. Nana would love that I was wearing something of hers.
DeleteYou are a good, kind man, sir, a good kind decent human,
ReplyDeleteYou are making me blush Bob!
DeleteMy mum was a Girl Guide around the time the Guide was published. I don't know if she ever used her apron to catch potato peelings. Seems like a rather messy way to get your nice clean apron dirty. And I don't think she had "bobbed" hair. Well done, looking after the old couple. I hope some angel looks after me like that when I need it.
ReplyDeleteIf you want bobbed hair Shammy, I could send you the magazine.
DeleteHow kind of you to look after your elderly neighbours.
ReplyDeleteAs for aprons - I don't possess one.
They needed me and I could not say no. Besides, they were always very grateful.
DeleteA collectors item.
ReplyDeleteYou are too David!
DeleteI spoke recently about how wearing a skirt while shelling peas is helpful as the peas which try to escape often fall into the skirt, making it easy to collect them. So, yes, I can see the utility of that apron idea but like Addy, it seems like the apron would be a mess before the peelings were removed. But, aprons are meant to get messy.
ReplyDeleteThe thought of two people in their last years with no family is overwhelmingly sad. I am glad you were able to help them.
Have you got an apron Mary? Maybe it has got this printed on the front: "I don't know shit".
DeleteI have a couple of aprons to wear when I am cooking something messy. It's nice that you are a helpful person, Neil. I am that way, too, and have been the driver for many friends, family and neighbors who have medical appointments to get to. I inherited the trait from my Mom who was always helpful to others, too.
ReplyDeleteHelping people is usually uplifting isn't it Ellen? We feel better about ourselves.
Delete