1950s

Cleaning Grandma’s Way ~ by Pam Crooks

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As some of you may know, my latest release, ARMED & MARVELOUS, is set in 1955, an era of my birth and growing-up years. It truly was a different time than what we live in today. Families are smaller, more women are working outside the home, and attitudes have changed. In some ways, life has gotten harder since the simpler times of mid-century. In others, it has gotten easier. There are fewer stay-at-home moms and housewives, which inevitably leads to more hectic lives and more ways to simplify them.

My grandmother and mother were both practical housewives. I was, too, until I returned to the workforce for 17 years to pay tuition to our daughters’ private schools. But my stay-at-home housewife years were a happy time for me, and now that I’m retired, I’ve reverted to simplicity whenever I can.

Of course, I’m grateful for the machines that make our lives easier today. Labor-saving washing machines, dryers, dishwashers, hand vacs, air fryers, Instant Pots…the list goes on and on, and never mind the sanitary wipes, paper towels, spray cleaners, and all those disposables that we use.

But there are some skills that our grandmothers used that should not be discarded. They are still simple, effective, and cost-saving, and I can’t help but think Rexanna, the heroine in ARMED & MARVELOUS, who gave up her wild game hunting career to be a ranch wife, would have used these same skills. Ditto with her beloved grandmother, the heroine of HARRIETT.

I don’t ever remember my grandmother having a messy house. She was a hard worker, devoted to her home and family, and it showed. Like my mother, she grew a large garden and canned the produce. Also like my mother, she kept life on a routine. No surprises on the clock, and in my opinion, families thrive on routine.

ARMED & MARVELOUS – Book #8 Pink Pistol Sweet Romance Series – Buy on Amazon

HARRIETT – Book #1 – Cupids & Cowboys Sweet Romance Series – Buy on Amazon

Here are a few tips to keep a clean house:

Housekeep Every Day

Make the beds, put things away where they belong, wash those straggly dishes you don’t put in the dishwasher throughout the day. A tidy house and clean kitchen is a huge mood-lifter. Something else – we have a Golden Retriever, and we vacuum floors and steps every single day. If we didn’t keep up on it, we’d be drowning in dog hair–and that’s just gross.

Make a Laundry Day

I have always done this. Monday is my day to do laundry, and my hamper is empty when I’m done. Very gratifying. I also use a clothesline – can’t beat that fresh air smell – and it saves electricity, too. Plus, if you can’t get to the dryer’s laundry to fold right away, you avoid a wrinkly heap letting the laundry hang. The ironing can wait for another day.

Vinegar is your friend.

Environmentally friendly, economical, and non-toxic. Make your own cleaning solution–just mix equal parts of vinegar and water and put in a spray bottle. I also use a mix of Pine-Sol and water (about 1/4 cup for a 32 oz spray bottle of multi-purpose cleaner like Lysol or Simple Green). Cheap, cheap.

Wash Dishes While you Cook–and Afterward, too!

My husband does this. He always has a sink of soapy water to wash the cutting boards, knives, bowls, and skillets we use as we cook. Since I’m a little fussy about what I put in my dishwasher, it’s so nice not having a mountain of dishes to wash after dinner. This way, clean-up is minimal.

The sun is your friend, too.

See above. Use the sun to dry linens, dish towels, comforters, etc. One recommendation – spray the bulky items with a vinegar and water solution to freshen and sanitize, then hang on the line for several hours. Sun kills bacteria. I remember hanging diapers on the line hundreds, maybe thousands of times, over the course of four babies. Disposable diapers were just coming onto the scene with our fourth daughter, but I stuck to the cloth diapers and saved a ton of money. Even better, they were always visibly whiter and sanitized afterward.

Don’t get overwhelmed!  Make a schedule.

You’ll only have to think of that one task on one day.  Remember those embroidered dish towels with chores for every day of the week? There’s wisdom in those towels. Hold yourself accountable! Here’s an example. Adjust as needed.

Monday – Laundry, change bedding
Tuesday – Clean bathrooms. Wash mirrors/handprints, doggie slobber, etc. off door glass. Newspapers work great and leave the glass sparkling. No newspapers anymore? Flour sack towels work great. No lint and easy to wash.
Wednesday – Mop/Vacuum floors
Thursday – Dust furniture/blinds. Use a micro-fiber cloth. They’re amazing for collecting the dust.
Friday – Wipe down kitchen appliances.
Weekends – Meal planning, grocery-shopping, lawn work

Have Children?

Give them their own chores. Fifteen minutes a day to help mom out will teach them to be responsible adults/employees later. Trust me on this. I’ve seen it with my own children and grandchildren. And like I said, a routine is comforting. Same time for meals, wake-up and bedtimes. It works!

Take time to Relax and Have Fun!

A clean house leads to a happier family. Evenings are for relaxing. Make a date night happen or movie night with the kids. Just be sure to pick up the popcorn bowls later! There are few things worse than waking up to a messy kitchen or TV room!

Note: There are lots of housekeeping sites online, but one of my favorites is the Flylady method. http://www.flylady.net. 

Another is http://www.retrohousewifegoesgreen.com

Do you have a favorite cleaning tip from your grandmother or mother? 

Do you have a favorite housekeeping hack to share? 

What is your favorite housekeeping chore?

From the Pixie to the Beehive! by Pam Crooks

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The farther along I get on my new book in my new series (big announcement coming next month!!!), the more I’m enjoying the 1950s.  Such a refreshing change from what I normally write.

Of course, developing characters is a must for every writer.  My process is to get that all figured out before I start Page 1.  Hence, I do a lot of research.  Put me in a new era, like the 1950s, and my research intensifies.

One of the things I had to familiar myself with was how my heroine would look and dress and what everything was called.  It was fun to be reminded that hairstyles of the 1950s are iconic.  Coming off World War II, America evolved into a more prosperous time.  Television catapulted in popularity, more American homes began to have one, and given the fascination with the moving screen, men and women alike began to fixate on (and imitate) beautiful actresses and handsome actors.

Here are some of the most popular hairstyles.

The Poodle Cut.  This one is a no-brainer.  Permed and tight curls resembled – can you guess it? – the hair on a poodle.  Lucille Ball, whether she wore her hair longer, upswept, or short, she always had her signature tight curls.

The Bouffant.  Required lots of backcombing and hairspray.  My mother wore her hair like this for years.  Here’s Connie Stevens with her do.

The Beehive. A spin-off of the bouffant. Sophia Loren brought the popularity of her beehive from Europe.

The Pixie. On the other side of the spectrum is Audrey Hepburn’s super-short style with wispy bangs. With her slender build, she was so cute, but I could never wear a style like this! On the other hand, I chose this style for one of my secondary characters.

The Bubble Cut. Who can forget the beautiful Jackie Kennedy and her signature style first worn for her wedding and emulated by countless women around the world? My mother also wore her hair much like this – a variation of the bouffant and the beehive styles and likely easier for a woman to do herself.

The Veronica Lake. This petite actress (known for being only 4′ 11″) inspired the “peek-a-boo” style while starring in a movie. Her hair accidentally fell over her face, and since she happened to be playing an inebriated character, she didn’t bother to brush the errant locks off her eye. Women of all ages latched onto this mysterious and sultry look which remains popular to this day.

We can’t forget the guys, can we?

The Pompadour. Reflected some of the rebelliousness of the 50s era. Here’s James Dean – be still my heart – and of course, Elvis Presley shared the look, too. Longer hair was swept up on top and slicked down on the sides, inspiring the term “Greasers.”

The Ducktail. A variation of the pompadour where the hair is again slicked back but the top finger-combed into disarray with untidy strands over the forehead. Tony Curtis made this style popular and fed into that rebel look women loved so much.

These actors and actresses make the styles look flattering and easy, but they likely had a team of hairstylists to help them, right? Beauty salons flourished and helped the average woman emulate her favorite actresses.

Which is your favorite of these hairstyles?

If you lived in the 1950s, how did you style YOUR hair? 

Or if you could be thrown back in time, which style would you choose and why?

1955 Songs & Performers WINNER!

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It was great fun to bring back these songs, performers, and the catchy tunes they made together.  They are still fresh in our memories 70 years later.  WOW!!

Did you guess correctly?

 

 

And now – sh-boom, sh-boom – here’s my winner!

Patricia B!

(Winner chosen by random.org.  US entries only)

 

Name that 1955 Song ~ BONUS – Holiday Royalty, too!

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You may recall that I’ve got a new book in a new series coming next year.  And that new book is set in 1955, a somewhat rare time frame for romance.  I can’t wait to share more details, but I have to be patient.  In the meantime, I’ve done a couple of blogs on that era, and since I was born in that year, they were a lot of fun.

My “1955 was a Very Good Year” blog featured some of the items that debuted then. (You can view it HERE),

My “1955 Trivia Challenge” poked your memories and proved how really good many of you were at remembering details we once took for granted.  (You can view it HERE)

So a blog on 1955 songs should fit right in, shouldn’t it?

Ah, the 1950s had some of the best music EVER.  The songs were a huge transition from 1940s big band music and evolved from jazz and the blues, gospel and country western, and eventually became known as rock and roll.

Thanks to performers like the Crew-Cuts (Sh-Boom), Sheb Wooley (“The Purple People Eater”), Johnny Horton (“The Battle of New Orleans”), and of COURSE Elvis Presley, rock and roll swelled into popularity in this country and throughout the world.

The music world hasn’t been the same since.

Since I know many of you are familiar with the 1950s, let’s see how good you are at popular 1955 songs, shall we?

Those who guess all 8 songs correctly will be eligible for this adorable set of wintry bookmarks, plus a Christmas ornament of the Nativity I brought back from Bethlehem, made from olive wood that is so popular over there.

 Put on your saddle shoes and bobby socks, dig out your poodle skirt, and let’s rock and roll!

(US Entries Only.)

BONUS!!  Y’all might recall Tanya Hanson, who was a filly awhile back, and once a filly sister, always a filly sister.  I’m happy to give Tanya’s newest book a shout-out today.

Royalty at the Ranch by Tanya Hanson

Merry Christmas, fillies and friends! My years in the Petticoats and Pistols corral are among my happiest writer memories, and best of all are the authors here who still help support my books. I specially need to thank Pam today for letting me piggy-back on her post—I’m flying home from Hawaii (a lock-down trip we had to use now or lose), so I won’t be able to comment…but anybody interested in receiving a complimentary arc to read and afterward leave an honest review at Amazon etc, please email me at tanhanson@aol.com.

Now, I know these are busy days, but Royalty at the Ranch is a short and sweet faith-based (but not judgy) Christmas e-story. How can a prince also be a cowboy? Well, “Brodie” is incognito at Hearts Crossing Ranch until dedicated royal-watcher Addie recognizes him…but knows he’d never be interested in her. Too many scars from a childhood accident. Will she ever be surprised!

I so enjoyed creating my fictional kingdom of Dornfeld and naming my cowboy prince after our little Danish grandson. His mama was our exchange student when she was fourteen. Now married with a family of her own, she still calls us Mom and Dad! Although no DNA, she’s always the daughter of our heart!

AMAZON

Wishing you all tons of holiday blessings!

~Tanya

http://www.tanyahanson.com

 

1955 Was a Very Good Year ~ by Pam Crooks

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Remember the popular song by Frank Sinatra from the 60s, “It Was a Very Good Year”?

When I was seventeen

It was a very good year

It was a very good year for small town girls

And soft summer nights

Well, that song has been going through my mind a lot lately.  In fact, the very good year that I’ve been thinking about is 1955 for 2 reasons.

  1. It was the year I was born.  (Maybe I shouldn’t say that too loudly.)
  2. It’s the year that my newest book will be set.

You see, I’m part of a new series that’s coming up (big announcement later), and the books will be set over a span of more than a century.  I’m looking forward to writing in the 1950s, but it’s not anything I’ve ever done before.  In fact, I’m pretty sure I’ve never even read a romance set in the 1950s.

But I’m looking forward to it. A lot.  And the research has been so fun!  Some things I remember, and others I don’t. (I was very young, you know.)  Since I suspect many of you reading this blog are around my age, I thought it’d be a big trip down memory lane to share some of the uniqueness of the 1950s.

World War II had ended a decade earlier, and the country was flourishing.  Women who had entered the work force during the war remained there, and disposable income was high.  Busy suburban lives required families obtain a second automobile, virtually unheard of at the time.  Convenience items for the home like frozen foods and kitchen appliances were soaring, television was hugely popular, and entertainment was in high demand.

Here’s a little trivia:

The 1955 Studebaker was touted as having America’s newest and smartest two-toning, geared toward a wife’s (or any woman’s) tastes.

Pillsbury Quick Cinnamon Rolls were introduced.

This I do NOT remember.  I guess it’d be handy to know what produce you had on hand, right?

Green Bean casserole was created by the Campbell Soup Company.

The Mickey Mouse Club debuts on ABC.  (My favorite show EVER when I was a kid!)

As you can see, 1955 was a fun year.  Lots happening.  And it makes me even more excited to start my new book.

One more thing I’d like to share with you – an original 1955 Recipe!  It really brought me back when I read that you make this dessert in a ‘refrigerator tray.’  I’m thinking it could be an ice cube tray, too.  My mother used to make a frozen dessert in an ice cube tray – remember when you had to pull up a lever and break the ice, and that you could lift the little ice cube compartment thing right out?

Four-Flavor Freeze

  • 1 1/4 cup finely crushed chocolate cookie crumbs
  • 2 Tb. sugar
  • 1/3 cup melted butter or margarine
  • 1 pint vanilla ice cream
  • 1 cup mashed, ripe bananas
  • 1/2 cup chopped black walnuts
  • 1 Tb. sugar
  • 1 cup heavy cream, whipped
  • 2 – 3 Tb. shaved semisweet chocolate (I used chocolate chips)

Combine cookie crumbs, 2 Tb. sugar, and melted butter.  Press into refrigerator tray and chill.

Break ice cream into chunks: beat till smooth (with electric beater, spoon, or rotary beater).

Quickly fold in bananas and nuts.  Pour into crumb crust and freeze till firm.

Fold 1 Tb. sugar into whipped cream.  Spread on ice cream.

Sprinkle chocolate over whipped cream.  Freeze.

When ready to serve, place tray on warm, damp cloth for a few minutes to loosen crust.

Serves 6.

 

         

As you can see, this is a nice-sized recipe for small families or empty nesters.  The dessert was delicious!  Refreshing with a subtle banana taste.  I highly recommend it!

Be sure to join me on October 24th!  I have a fun 1955 trivia game planned for you.

Until then, I’d love to know if you have read a romance set in the 1950s before?

What is your favorite 1950s memory?