Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-04-20

TOO many housekeepers feel that their
work Is never done, that it pushes
lhem continually, that there is never
hme for "long breath" The mere
thought OF company for week causes
them to gasp in terror; q guest for even
one meal causes confusion
1t often happens that this state Of
affairs is brought about by the fact that
the wetk is never looked squarely in the
face. No apportionment of duties to
days 10 made, no assignment of definite
amounts of time to definite tasks. Dish
washing comes at just any time, or, per-
lhaps, when 1t can be delayed no longer;
i takes more than its due amount of time
because the water is cold, the dishes not
properly cleaned for washing, the food
has dried on, the worker is tired or hur-
Tied, or not properly dressed for work.
The whole thing is a dismal failure.
1t may be there is no definite time for
meals, because they come whenever
other tasks ale not claiming attention.
Perhaps the marketing is done when, one
is hungry, instead of systematically. The
meals may be very unsatisfactory, con
sistlng Of the same sort of food again
and again.. because the menus have not
been carefully planned for the day or
the week. Macaroni, rice and potatoes
at one meal are not very inviting, and
become tiresome after three DAYS. even
though. enriched by chocolate in junket
and cake.
The Housekeeper an Executive
The housekeeper must be more than
drudge; she must be an executive, able
to plan to advantage and to live I'D to
her plans, to a reasonable extent. She
must know which work comes from the
necessities of life and which from the
luxuries. Sometimes she must have the
courage to choose only the necessities.
and the Judgment to adjust her plans to
her conditions.
Where there is no maid and the laun-
dry work is done at home, some such
schedule as the following will be help
full:
MoNDAY-Putting the house in order.
Baking; preparing Tuesdays meals.
Mending clothes for the wash, removing
stains, etc. Planning the weeks market
ing. Putting clothes to soak over night.
TUEsDAY-Wash- day. Folding dry
towels and sheets and putting away.
WEDNEsDAY-Ironing.
I HURSDAY-Up-stairs sw ing
Changing bed and room linen Sweep
ing of attic and putting in order on al
ternate weeks
FR1DAY-Down- stairs sweeping.
Strengthening dining-room closets and
drawers. Cleaning silver. Care of cell
Jar on alternate weeks.
SATURDAY-Thorough cleaning of the
refrigerator. Baking for Sunday. Clean
ing kitchen closets, floors and stoves.
Changing table linen for dinner.
SuNDAY-C Changing table linen for
breakfast and tea. Resting from house
work.
GUEsrs-Dinner on Monday or Sat
urday, or tea on Sunday evening.
MARKErING-On Market DAYS" or
when the fresh vegetables are brought to
the grocery or the door.
Simplifying the Guest Problem
Having guests on certain days sim
plifes the problem Of entertaining. The
guest worth having enjoys feeling that
he is zone of the family Everyone is
at his best, hospitality at its finest Many
family has been robbed of its keenest
pleasure because the mother insisted on
such elaborate preparations for guests.
Rather than see her slave in that way
they have foregone the pleasure of ask
ing friend to meal. Children should
be allowed a certain number of guests
per month. The pleasure will be re-
nlenbered as long as they live.