Grandma's Handy Hints.

I was turning out a drawer the other day when I came across a relic from a bygone age - my grandmother’s old cookery book. Tattered and old and lacking both back and front cover plus several pages besides, I cannot remember a time when this book was not a part of my life. Originally it belonged to my grandmother and later was used by my own mother throughout my childhood years - it is something of an old friend. 

Apart from the recipes, which all seem to call for the use of four large fresh eggs, it has a wonderful section on household hints and it is when you read this section that it is forcibly brought home just how much life has changed for people over the last one hundred years or so. It is amazing just how many of these "hints" involve the use of vinegar or paraffin. The advice ranges over many subjects, from how to beat stuffed furnishings to making a bleaching lotion to treat stained hands and arms. I would imagine that many such remedies would now fall foul of the Health and Safety regulations of the 21st century and for this reason I am leaving many out - amusing though they may be!

I cannot imagine that too many people today would be interested in how to clean the glass mantles of gas lamps, or how to cure the problem of shiny elbows on a gentleman’s suit. Gone are the days when a man bought a new suit for his wedding and expected it to last for the next 20 to 30 years and considered it was the duty of his wife to keep the material looking presentable. However, I do love the proposed solution to cure worn and shiny shoe soles...’paint the soles with varnish and sprinkle sand on them’! For those people troubled by worn linoleum (most people had lino’ in all rooms in those days) you were advised to break up and crush corks, mix with a liquid glue and then fill the hole, or holes, with the resultant mixture. Level the surface as much as possible with a knife and then use oil paint to match the pattern. 

When boots were required for use in very wet or snowy weather, heat mutton fat and run it around each boot between the uppers and the sole paying particular attention to the instep, and this should keep out the wet. To revive the colour of old carpets, grate a couple of potatoes and cover with hot water. Let stand for 2 hours and then strain, apply the resultant water, with a brush, to the carpet. To remove ink stains from a carpet, use vinegar, then place blotting paper over the offending area and leave to dry. It may take two or three applications. To stop colours from running when doing the washing - add a little vinegar to the washing and rinsing water.

I would not advocate the use of any of the above to my readers but it does go to show the lengths people went to in order to preserve their possessions. However, some of the following sound more reasonable.

To remove candle grease from fabrics, remove as much grease as possible with a knife and then place blotting paper over the affected area and place a warm iron on top. When a candle is too large to fit the candle stick, plunge the end of the candle into hot water until the wax softens and then press firmly into the candle holder.

Should your house be invaded by beetles or ants strew powdered borax across the runs - I cannot speak for borax but I have used scouring powder to stop ants and they will not cross the stuff! To ease a drawer that constantly sticks, remove the drawer and apply a good coat of furniture polish. (A remedy I have used is candle wax). To clean stains on wallpaper - remove the crust from a slice of stale bread and rub the rest of the slice over the stained area as it will not leave marks as when using an India rubber. However, the contents of a loaf of bread today may be somewhat different from when this book was written.

 My two favourites are as follows : "Rainy weather plays havoc with silk stockings. However, if 3 or 4 drops of methylated spirits are placed in the last rinsing water when washing, there will be no spotty marks, caused by raindrops, on stockings." "If the snap fastener on your gloves will not work properly there is usually a simple remedy. If it will not stay fastened it is because the dome is not wide enough. Give it a tap with a hammer." I tried this on a loose press-stud on one of my jackets. It worked fine for a couple of days and then worked loose again. I am now trying to work up the courage to give it a heavier whack from the hammer!  

Barbara Corley

A big thank you to Roma Garon and her friends for organising our very lively Line Dancing evening. She had gone to a great deal of trouble to put together two routines for us to learn. Even the most left footed of us managed to perform something that resembled what we had been taught. Not content with that she and her friends preformed three much more complicated routines for our enjoyment, enabling us to stand, sit and admire while we caught our breath. The evening was a great success, thoroughly enjoyed by all the members.

This will be in the Village Hall on Tuesday March 9^th at 7.30 p.m. We are looking forward to welcoming Mike Wynne the paramedic based at Harrold Surgery who will give us a insight into his work.

Hostesses this month are Audrey Dempsey and Joyce Knight. Our competition is ‘A mythical cure or remedy.’

Tel: 720358/720572 for more information or for the collection of any jumble. The Hall will be open from 10 am-11.30 am for any donations of jumble. Please help us to keep the W.I. active in Odell.

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Last revised: February 29, 2004.