Intervention

The scales giveth and the scales taketh away.

I stepped on the scale this morning for my weekly weigh-in and found myself right back there at 192. Yep, the same 192 I thought I'd left in the dust a week ago! I'm trying not to panic. That's my first instinct. "You mean to tell me I've been exercising for nothing for the last two weeks!" "OMG, I'll just have to stop eating. Yes, that's it. I'll fast." Fear takes over (followed shortly by quitting the whole thing altogether), but no longer. I don't have the luxury of playing that old routine out once again. This may be a setback, but I know I'm on the right path to success. It just means that it's time for a mid-mission intervention, effective right away.

Fitness
Walk 30 minutes a day, four times during the week. Walk 45 minutes a day, both days during the weekend.

Reducing
This time, I'm adding something: eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day. Let's see if this - in concert with all of the other guidelines I've placed on my eating - can't help me naturally eat a little less each day.

She's Engaged!

Eek! I think I've been using my cold cream improperly!!!

I've been doing a little research in preparation for my next vintage beauty mission and came across a 1947 magazine advertisement for Pond's. You know the type: She's Engaged! She's Lovely! She uses Pond's! The bride of the moment was Priscilla Thompson, "one of Chicago's fashionable young set" and soon to be the wife of a Navy veteran. Along with a close-up shot of Priscilla's engagment ring, the ad describes in detail her twice-daily cold cream regimen:

Rouse face with warm water. Dip deep into Pond's Cold Cream. Swirl it on your receptively moist, warm skin in little creamy "engagement ring" circles up over your face and throat. Tissue off... Swirl about 25 more creamy Pond's circlets over your face. Tissue well. Tingle with cold water. Blot dry.

How come nobody told me all these years that the secret to landing Mr. Right was swirling cold cream onto my face twice a day in creamy engagement ring circlets?

In all seriousness, I had no idea you were supposed to "tissue off" the cold cream! I've been rinsing it off my face with warm water all this time... All that bridal freshness down the drain.

"Lady, Better Lose Those Hips!"

I wish I could tell you that my workouts leave me energized and full of pep, but they don't. At two weeks, I was feeling a new spring in my step. At four weeks, I'm just feeling all broken down. My lower back aches. My left knee feels a little sore. And I had forgotten just how painful 100-degree weather can be. Going outdoors at noon these days feels like climbing inside an oven. (Those lunchtime walks are going to have to shift indoors next week!) I'm hanging in there because I'm seeing results, but the last week has not been easy. I keep wishing I'll get to this magical point when I look forward to my walks. When I can't wait to get out there and move! Nope, still torture.

There are a few things I've begun doing to try and make these walks a little easier on my body. I have been remembering to wear a baseball cap - even at 7:00 in the morning on the weekends - so at least I don't have to worry any longer about getting my scalp or forehead sunburned. I purchased some SPF 55 sunblock this weekend to protect my neck and arms, particularly on those mid-day walks. My knees and back would probably appreciate my bringing some socks and sneakers to work for the week so those lunchtime workouts can be a little easier on my joints. And I've been putting it off, but I really should be doing some stretching after my walks.

Yesterday, I did some looking about online for tips on stretching. What a surprise to learn that you're not supposed to stretch before a walk! Apparently, you can really injure yourself by stretching cold muscles like that. You're supposed to warm the muscles by walking at an easy pace for awhile before speeding up to a brisk pace. The ideal walk should end by doing another stretch at an easy pace, then some simple stretches for the legs, lower back, and shoulders. I'm no personal trainer, so I'll just refer you to one of many interesting websites on this subject. I tried the first three stretches myself after my walk this morning:

http://www.helium.com/items/455379-best-stretches-before-walking-for-exercise

Alas, I haven't been able to find much in the way of vintage advice on post-walk stretching. Lots of advice on stretching for better posture - and lots and lots of "limbering" exercises - but nothing specific to flexing and relaxing the muscles used in a good, brisk walk. 1940s beauty experts acknowledged that walking was an effective way to trim the figure, but they didn't treat it quite as scientifically as they did most things. Betty Clark had a few recommendations in a women's page article titled "Lady, Better Lose Those Hips!" (St. Petersburg Times, September 24, 1943):

Walking, which is the best hip-slimmer known, is pretty difficult to do by the mile when time is at a premium, especially today - unless you are fortunate enough to walk to and from your daily work. This doesn’t mean strolling. Walking, to be effective, should be at a brisk, steady pace.

It is wise to exercise in the morning upon arising. Otherwise, you may find yourself too tired for exertion in the evening.

In a 1940 column, Miss Clark advised wearing sensible shoes when walking for sport --- and, by all means, put some "knee action" into your walk "for the sake of grace"! Helen Follett, another beauty expert of the era, wrote in 1940:

The thigh bulge comes to women who sit at their desks, typewriters or sewing tables all day. They don't get enough exercise to keep the muscles strong. Fibers grow slack, adipose tissue builds up. Squatting exercises are helpful, so is high kicking. Walking at a brisk pace is recommended.

Something that's been troubling me lately is that so many of my shirts are ending up with grease stains. Just one stain per shirt (always in the chest area), but it's enough to make them unsuitable for anything but wearing at home. I'm not sure why I don't notice it when it happens, but by the time I do - usually at the ironing board - it's too late. The shirt has been through the wash, and the stain is set. And it's not that I've been doing that much cooking with hot oil. I'm not sure why I'm ending up with all the grease stains. I guess it's just that I'm cooking more in general. Even scrambling eggs or making an omelet means I'm working over spattering grease. Several shirts later, it's finally occurred to me that there's a reason women used to wear those full aprons with the placket covering the chest. They weren't just for looks! And the half aprons that I usually wear don't do the job. From now on, it's full aprons for me... I've got two of them, and I'm looking for a place in my kitchen where I can keep them within arms' reach. No excuses. I can't afford to keep buying new shirts!!!

It's Sunday, which means it's time for another 1945 dinner. Here's my menu for tonight:

Parsley Potatoes

Baked Broccoli

Lettuce and Tomato Salad

Coconut Blanc Mange

Cherry Sauce

From everything I've heard about Blanc Mange, I'm a little creeped out. I think I'll make as small a batch of dessert tonight as possible!

Damp Dusting

Since I began giving my bedroom a thorough weekly cleaning, I've been gradually adding more and more of the "if necessary" and "when necessary" tasks to my list of chores. What started out as a barebones type of routine has become quite fleshed out, and these days I'm down to the last few of these optional items. One of the missing pieces to the puzzle was the housekeeping required for my only piece of wooden furniture in the bedroom - a white painted wooden nightstand. The manual recommends that housewives "apply wax or polish when necessary," but should painted furniture be waxed or polished? I didn't think so. I've been dusting it every week --- are there any extra steps I can take to keep it in good condition? It took some hunting, but I finally found a brief passage on the care of painted furniture.

Wood or metal furniture that is finished with good quality washable paint is easy to care for. Of course it must be dusted regularly with a clean, soft untreated duster, and occasionally it will benefit by damp dusting with a soft cloth wrung almost dry of clear lukewarm water.

Excessive soil may be removed with mild scouring powder... or with a good commercial paint cleaner.

I'm not sure how durable the coat of paint on this piece is, but it is flaking off a bit on the drawer knobs. So I'm thinking it's probably not the sturdiest of paint jobs! I think I'll make that "damp dusting" a seasonal job rather than trying to do it on even a monthly basis... Here's another of the chores recommended on an as needed basis for bedroom furnishings:

Polish metal hardware if necessary.

While I tie on an apron and scurry off to work, I'll leave you with some pictures of American bedrooms of the era.





This last is a 1944 photograph of a bedroom in an Indianapolis home lovingly cared for by the mother of a gunner's mate in the Navy, gone to war. How carefully she must have worked as she moved about this one room - dusting, polishing, plumping the pillows...

Crushin'

My kitchen and I are becoming friends. I'd never have thought it possible. But as I hoisted my garbage can out from under the sink last Saturday and scrubbed it clean, it became clear that something's shifted in our relationship. I'm not afraid of my kitchen anymore.

Is it the fact that I'm actually learning how the things in my kitchen work? One Saturday, I was cleaning out one of my drawers and rolled the drawer out just a little too far in the process. The little wheel came off its track and, try as I might, I couldn't get it to roll back in properly. For about one minute, I thought I'd just have to leave it sagging there until the landlord could get to it. Something moved me, though, to pull the drawer all the way out, kneel down and poke my head in there so I could figure out how the other drawers operated. Lo and behold, I figured out exactly what I needed to do, and the drawer rolled back into place perfectly! And I had to do some investigating, but I was able to get my microwave functioning again, too.

Maybe it's just the fact that I'm spending so much darn time in there cooking. No longer is my visit to the kitchen just the booty call it takes to reheat a frozen pizza. I'm right in there washing, chopping, peeling, grating, mixing, kneading... doing the stuff it takes to make this relationship work. (I'm not sure I like where this metaphor is going!) I'm not always successful in the kitchen, but I'll not make the same mistake too many times. And all this one-on-one time has really made me notice things I never noticed before. Like that my kitchen sink has a brand name etched into it. Who knew? It's a Kingsford II.

And let's face it, we women like a kitchen that's a little rough around the edges and needs some taming. I've been putting my Saturday cleanings to good use by reorganizing things to make my storage space more efficient. Breakfast cereals are now stored together instead of being mashed into whichever cupboard would have 'em. Likewise with baking staples, canned goods, and dishes that don't get everyday use. Just last weekend, I cleaned out that mysterious fourth drawer I'd forgotten about and put it to use holding my aluminum foil, plastic wrap, freezer bags, cheesecloth, and extra sponges.

Henry Humphrey, the editor of Woman's Home Companion Household Book (1948), tells us that beauty trumps even efficiency when it comes to the kitchen. It is vital that a room in which the average homemaker spends more than four hours per day sustain her spirit with vibrant colors, contrasts in texture, and cheery novelty motifs. Some of his advice is surprisingly practical advice, however. Here are some of my favorites:

• Good kitchen color schemes are bright. Since there is generally so much white in the kitchen (sink, stove and refrigerator), it is advisable to stay away from white walls unless the room must have them to reflect light.



• There are many styles from which to choose when decorating a kitchen. Early American, French Provincial, Mexican, South American, Swedish, Polish, Pennsylvania Dutch all have been used successfully. You may add to the list indefinitely, but your kitchen will be much nicer if you pick a style before beginning to re-decorate.



• Wallpaper is a charming finish for the breakfast nook. It offers both texture contrast and eye-interest as a relief from the smooth kitchen walls. Wallpaper also relieves the feeling that meals are eaten in the kitchen, and gives the effect of a separate room.



• Never hang curtains on a window over or near a stove.



• Breakfast nook windows should be treated in accordance with the view outside. If... nothing can be seen but ash cans, a blank brick wall or your neighbor's kitchen windows, Venetian blinds with a fluffy valance and short window sill-length draperies will make your breakfasts pleasanter and more private.



• In the interest of safety and cleanliness, carpets and rugs of any kind should never be used in the working area of the kitchen.

Humphrey suggests several color schemes for the kitchen, each of them grounded in either a dark colored linoleum or wood floor. Which scheme is your favorite?

lemon-yellow/turquoise
pale turquoise/cherry
yellow/shrimp
apricot/pale green
chartreuse/sea-green
lavender/deep blue-violet

Confessional

Well, today has been a bit of a mixed bag.

It started off with a binge during the wee hours --- the first time I've cheated on my reducing missions. I went to bed with a grumbling tummy and tried to talk myself out of it. Tried to convince myself that I should think of that grumbly feeling as my body mining all those stored fat reserves for energy. That every minute of grumbling equaled one fat cell melting away. That strategy worked at bedtime, but not when I woke up at 1:00 and was still hungry. I'm not sure what possessed me. I was barely even awake. All I know is that I made my way to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. Foiled! Everything in there these days is either healthy or needs a little work to be table-ready. I rummaged about in the cupboard and ate a few Cracked Pepper and Olive Oil Triscuits, then it was on to the freezer where - aha! - some Fudgsicles were hiding. Have you seen that TV spot on nicotine addiction where the guy's just typing away at his computer then these black claws come out of nowhere and drag him violently outdoors and only let go of him when he's taking that first puff? That was totally me.

240 calories later... and I felt terrible about it afterward. I knew I'd continue beating myself up over it unless I got a serious boost. See, that's the hitch that's quashed so many of my best intentions over the years. I'd cheat, beat myself up for lack of willpower, and give up. This time, it's got to be different. My nieces need me to get it right. I've got to approach this like the housekeeping. I wouldn't give up the housekeeping just because I'd forgotten to make the bed one morning or because some last minute social plans interrupted my routine. No way! Sometimes I just need to make some adjustments in my schedule for the week. Sometimes I need to take a mis-step as a hint that I need to work at that mission a bit longer before taking on a new one... So I'm going to take this morning's binge as a sign that I need to continue working at this 7:30 cut-off thing. It isn't quite successful yet. I still think it's a good idea. I need to get my feelings of hunger and cravings back into some sort of control again. They've gotten so out of whack during these years of giving in to every grumbling tummy.

I was worried about myself this morning, though. That cycle I mentioned before is so powerful and so subconscious. I was looking for a boost in self-esteem, so I stepped on the scale even though weigh-in day was still three days away. To my great surprise - and relief - I weighed in at 190! That's 2 pounds lost in 4 days --- and a total of 4 pounds in the 3 1/2 weeks since I started the vintage beauty missions. Boost received. And much needed after last Friday's disappointment.

So I forge ahead. One day at a time. One walk at a time. One 7:30 cut-off at a time. One I-will-not-stop-at-the-convenience-store-for-Cool-Ranch-Doritos at a time. One blog at a time. You keep me honest! Thank you, dear readers.

A Minute on the Lips...

Last night's vintage dinner was a super spicy one - from garlic to cloves, I worked that spice rack like never before! All in all, though, it was very good. I'm actually looking forward to the leftovers. Here's the menu, straight from 1945:

Lima-Bean Casserole

California Beets

Mixed Greens Salad (Iceberg, Romaine)

Honey Rice

The cookbook didn't include a recipe for the very casserole it was pushing in the menu section, but - quite by coincidence - I came across one in an article on reducing in the October 1945 issue of Good Housekeeping. A fortunate turn of events, because the casserole was really yummy. Filling and hearty and fairly easy to make --- though it took some planning.

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Lima-Bean Casserole

1 cup dried lima beans

3 1/2 cups cold water

1 cup chopped fresh or canned tomatoes

1/2 cup minced onion

1/2 cup diced celery

2 tablesp. brown sugar

2 1/2 teasp. salt

1/8 teasp. pepper

Pick over, then wash dried beans. Soak overnight in the cold water in a deep kettle. Then simmer in the same water, covered, over low heat, for 30 min.; drain; return 1 cup of this liquid to beans. Add remaining ingredients; pour into a greased 1 1/2-qt. casserole. Cover; then bake in a slow oven of 300 degrees F. for 2 hrs., or until beans are tender, removing the cover during the last 30 min. Serves 4.

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I substituted garlic here as I'm not a big onion person, but wanted something with equally big flavor. I put the beans on too high a heat during their initial simmer and wish I'd taken my time on this step and let them build to a simmer on a medium heat. The California Beets were a sort of sweet and spicy "pickled" side dish. Small, whole beets - I used canned beets in a nod to commercially-prepared foods - heated in sauce of margarine, lemon juice, cloves, sugar, and pepper. They actually went very nicely with the basic green salad.

The big surprise in last night's menu was the dessert. I had no idea what to expect as I read through the recipe for Honey Rice. Would it turn out like a rice pudding? Nope, no milk or eggs... You should've seen my face as I prepared this dish. I was absolutely sure by the time it was 2/3 done that I wouldn't be able to eat it! What do you know - it wasn't just edible, it was good. Tasted a little like a macaroon or the inside of some delicious chocolate candy. Both the California Beets and Honey Rice are recipes from the special wartime cookery chapter appended to the back of the cookbook. Note: The Honey Rice was very rich. You'll only need a small serving! I cut this recipe in half.

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Honey Rice

1 cup uncooked rice (I used brown basmati rice)

3/4 cup honey

1/2 cup raisins

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup chopped nuts

Cinnamon

Wash rice thoroughly and cook in boiling salted water until tender. Drain. Heat honey in a heavy pan, add rice and raisins and cook about 5 minutes. Pour mixture into a well-buttered shallow baking dish and dot with butter. Bake in a moderate oven (350 degrees F.) until golden brown [mine took about 20 minutes]. Remove from oven and stir in lemon juice and vanilla. Sprinkle with chopped nuts and cinnamon. Serves 8.

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All this talk of food reminds me of a question that came to mind as I was powdering my face this morning. When and where was it proper for women in the '40s to touch up their makeup? I know my dusting of face powder doesn't last out the day, and we've all experienced the need to make a visit to the powder room to touch up our lipstick after a meal - or, in my case, Chapstick! I'd better see what Lily Haxworth Wallace has to say...

It seems useless, and I suppose it is, to tell the girls today that they should not make up in public. That is a duty which should be performed in the privacy of their boudoir or in the semi-privacy of dressing rooms. A girl would be outraged if her escort took out his pocket comb and nail file, smoothing his hair and manicuring his nails at table in a restaurant. However, she does much the same when she ostentatiously applies powder, lipstick, and rouge in the same place. However, some of the persons in the most fashionable sets are guilty of this rudeness - a fact which in no way makes it right. (The New American Etiquette, 1941)

Sounds like she's convinced she's fighting a losing battle. (Oh, dear, what would she have thought of today's women?) Mrs. Wallace also reminds the working girl that "make-up of any kind" should NEVER be applied at any time on the job except when she's in the rest room. Armed with the best vintage advice, I think I'll tuck my new face powder in my purse and take it to work during the week for a little mid-day touch-up in the rest room.

Lighting Up

Have you cleaned your lighting fixtures lately?

One of the tasks at hand every week when I clean my bedroom - every other week when cleaning my kitchen - is dusting the lighting fixtures and washing them when necessary. In the bedroom, this is limited to just the single incandescent lighting fixture on my wall. I have two lighting fixtures in the kitchen --- a rectangular flourescent fixture near the sink and an incandescent globe in the ceiling fan. None of the fixtures is very hard to clean (though I could definitely use a sturdy step stool), but I haven't checked my manual yet to review the instructions on this task. Let's take a look...

A coating of dust on light bulbs and globes reduces the amount of light to a considerable degree. It is economical therefore, to keep bulbs and globes clean so that you get the amount of light you are paying for.

Before the fixtures themselves are cleaned, turn off the current and remove shades, bulbs, etc. Then use the dusting tool of the vacuum cleaner or a duster to clean the fixture.

Wipe the bulbs with a damp cloth, being careful not to get the metal section wet. Dry thoroughly. If the bulbs are extremely dirty, hold each one by the metal end and dip the glass in warm soapsuds. Rinse in clear water in the same fashion. Dry carefully with a clean soft cloth. Always be certain that the bulbs are perfectly dry before replacing them.

If the bulbs still look very dark after they have been cleaned, they should be replaced with new ones.

Did the authors of the manual intend that this advice should apply to cleaning flourescent bulbs as well? I leafed through the chapter on lighting in the home and the word "flourescent" is never referenced. They do mention "recessed tubular lighting" being especially handy above the kitchen sink. Flourescents were just becoming available to American consumers, but the manual seems to ignore them - only advising its readers on how to deal with bulbs with a single metal end.

If I could add one bit of advice to the manual, it would be this: be sure the light bulb is thoroughly cooled before you even attempt to remove it from the fixture! I haven't yet cleaned any of my light bulbs, but I touched one by accident while dusting the fixture. Ouch. The light fixture in my bedroom gets dusted with a rag and washed with soap and water once a week. The bulb in this case is not enclosed, so it could probably use a washing itself once a month. I've been dusting the globe in my kitchen ceiling fan, but keep forgetting about the flourescent fixture. The bulbs inside both these fixtures should be virtually free of dust as they're both enclosed. One of these weeks, I would like to clean the blades of the ceiling fan when I'm dusting the globe. They're very dirty. I'm not sure how often that'll have to be done, but I'm sure the maintenance won't be too tough after I clean them the first time.

The Show Must Go On

I made the first of my newly extended walks early this morning at the park - four laps around the track instead of three. By the end of the fourth lap, I was sweating like crazy. Partly because it was already getting hot, but partly because I was feeling the burn. By the time my car was in sight, I had to really force myself to move those feet and finish the thing. The whole ordeal took me 52 minutes, so I can check off my 45-minute workout for the day. Whew! That's the most exercise I've gotten in years!

The only thing that truly frustrates me when I'm walking at the park is thinking about all the workout opportunities I've wasted over the years because I was too self-conscious to get out there and walk by myself. I would tell myself things like, "If my sister and I could just figure out a good time of day to get out there and walk together." I'm not sure what made me so self-conscious to begin with, because there are oodles of people working out by themselves and probably an even split between people who are fit and trim and people who really have some work to do - like me! Lots of older folks working hard to maintain their health, lots of people walking dogs, lots of moms (or dads) trying to get back in shape. My super self-conscious self has always been an obstacle when it comes to working out in public, but I gotta tell you - if anybody at the park even gives me a second thought, they're probably thinking, "Good for her. Keep it up!" There's a feeling of camraderie there, even as all of these people propel themselves individually around the track at their own paces. We may be strangers and most of us may be rocking out to one thing or another on our iPods, but it's as if we're all a mutual encouragement to one another by getting out there and fighting the good fight.

One thing I'd really like to find is a great pair of cropped workout pants. Shorts always ride up between my legs as I'm walking and I'm constantly having to pull them down. My longer track pants are fine, but they're starting to feel a little warm for this climate - even at 7:15 in the morning. And though I've never really had a desire for one before this, I'd really like to have an iPod myself. Especially on these longer walks when something interesting to listen to could really make the walk go by a little faster. Hey, maybe I could even upload some of my vintage radio episodes and just replace them with new episodes once I've listened to them!

Speaking of radio, I listened to the episode of The Great Gildersleeve the other day which was originally broadcast on December 7, 1941. The program then aired on NBC Red on Sunday evenings at 6:30 Eastern, 3:30 Pacific. In other words, it's only been about five hours since the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor began and only four hours since word of the attack first went out over the radio networks. What's striking to me on this momentous day is just how calm the announcer and cast seem as they go on with the show. The network had not cut away to 24-hour coverage, instead they interrupted the program five times to broadcast a bulletin. The program itself was performed in the studio from beginning to end, but the network cut away from the feed several times for just a minute or so at a time.

The program was broadcast from Hollywood, so the cast and studio audience are much closer to the scene of the battle than were folks on the East Coast. And yet they seem so cool and collected, no signs of emotion or anxiety. I guess most Americans had already accepted the fact that they would be entering the war at some point. They'd listened to news of the war in Europe and in China for more than two years now. They'd seen their country mobilizing, neighborhood boys being drafted, and defense bonds being sold. Americans were mentally much better prepared for the war than they would have been had the attack on Pearl Harbor taken place in 1938 or 1939. Then again, maybe the networks weren't reporting just how devastating the attack had been. They certainly don't give any indication of the number of American lives lost and ships destroyed. The news bulletins are striking in their crisp matter-of-factness, but they are guarded. They also report some optimistic developments that later proved to have been rumors, such as a Japanese aircraft carrier being sunk off Honolulu by American forces. I guess most people listening to the news probably pictured a much more evenly matched battle taking place than was the case.

Oh, I almost forgot. Here's that wartime Gingerbread recipe I promised I'd share a few days ago. Tomorrow's vintage dinner has another wartime dessert recipe in store!

Gingerbread

2 1/2 cups sifted flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ginger

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup boiling water
1 cup molasses

Sift dry ingredients together. Melt shortening in boiling water. Add molasses. Add sifted dry ingredients and mix well. Place in a greased (8-inch) baking pan and bake in moderate oven (350 degrees F.) 30 to 40 minutes.