The Modern Housewife

Recently my auntie who was moving gave me, among other things an old book called "Here's a Hint" it was printed in the year I was born (1977 shhhh).  Its a book of hints for all parts of the house, easy way to do things, different homemade chemicals to use and ways to reuse things and save money. Yet again it reminded me of what a throwaway society we live in.  People buy disposable wipes, disposable nappies, disposable cleaning cloths, disposable containers for the kitchen, disposable wraps. Basically everything comes in a disposable version.  But do you know what....... we don't have to follow the norm and all the advertisements selling us another throwaway product.  Because although they may say they are disposable they are only disposable to us, not to the environment, hell half these throwaway products will still be hanging around the dump in 30 years time.  So not only do these products cost us more to buy but they are going to c...

I was in central Wellington today, not a common occurance in my world as I don't really like it.  I had an appointment but also wanted to look for a certain book or set of books for my daughter.  They are Dora reading books that come in levels and encourage word recognition etc.  They are only thin books of about 10 pages each, I have seen them in Palmerston North for $4.50 each.  Well today I went to two city Whitcoulls, to find that the same books were $8.99 in one shop and $10.99 in another.  HELLO they are only 10 pages long and of average paper stock etc.  How can they justify the price tag of $10.99.  Esspecially when at the Whitcoulls online store you can get a 12 pack of these books for just $23 dollars. If you are wondering the reason I was looking in the shops is that I haven't seen many and I want to see what they are like before ordering them online, plus if they were as cheap or close I would have brought them instore.  I couldn't b...

And to be honest I feel totally lost.  I am the type of person that really gets into a book.  I get attached to the characters and feel like I actually know them.  I can visualise the scenery and can picture the character walking down that street.  So when I finish a book, especially a really good one, I miss it.  I miss racing down to my bedroom to sneak a few seconds, of quiet time, with the people I feel like I know and the place that I have been enchanted by.  I suppose at this point I should tell you the name of the book so you can be equally enchanted.  It is written by Rosie Thomas and called Iris and Ruby.  Set in Cairo both in the second world war and today.  It is a moving story of mothers daughters  and the power of memory. I often get attached to Characters and places in books.  I remember when I read Gone with the Wind, it is probably the longest book I have ever read so I was quite proud of myself.  It...