I watched Victorian Slum House, episode 2 last night. It was good, again, and pointed out many of our modern perspectives. There seemed to be a focus on single women and children in this episode.
We're so accustomed to single mothers capably providing for their children that it is hard to imagine a time when even if a single mother wanted to find work outside the home there simply weren't many opportunities. I did think that the single mother didn't plan for herself and children as well as perhaps she could have. But maybe that is hindsight. As we discussed the other day, she could have shared housing. I don't know if she completely understood the different attitudes toward public assistance of modern times compared to Victorian times. It is easier to feel like someone will "rescue" us should we make a poor choice, today, than would have been present then. I also feel like children today don't always understand hard work as well as they would have in Victorian times. I'm not criticizing this mother or her children, but it did seem like they brought modern values into their roles. All that aside, aren't we all so fortunate to have comfortable beds to sleep in, a hot cup of tea or coffee each day to wake up with, a decent meal to fill our stomachs, even if it's just a PBJ, and a hot shower to clean off each day?
I found myself stressed over the characters' financial situations. I really wanted the single mother to succeed. I wanted the older gentleman to find work. I wanted the Irish immigrant guy to have a bed to sleep in. I also realized that my feelings were in part due to living in a place and time where I do. In Victorian times, the struggle to survive was so intense in the slums that everyone had to focus on themselves and their own situation.
What I realized watching this episode was that I would not be able to pluck feathers off of a chicken, not and keep my lunch down. Oh my goodness. I felt so sorry for that young woman. But she did what she needed to do, and I admire that in a person. I don't know if I'll be blending milk into butter to stretch it. Perhaps. It occurred to me, though, that with modern mixers this job would be a quick one, perhaps doing this in a bowl with mixer just prior to baking something from scratch, like a cake, which could use any butter on the beaters/bowl in the batter, after scooping out the blended butter to a container. Maybe I will give this a try.
The other residual effect from watching this show was feeling guilty for wasting time. I tried a couple of times during the day to watch the show, but kept feeling like I should "make hay while the sun shines" and get the garden planted and the baking done for the day. As a result, I did get all of the garden, proper, planted, except for cucumbers (they have to wait for slightly warmer soil), and the deck pots. I even planted the carrot seeds that I saved from a carrot plant last summer, and the parsley seeds that I harvested the year prior. I need to select one plant to save seeds from this season, maybe lettuce. And I didn't watch the show until the late evening.
One other funny observation -- the women's hair. I no longer feel bad that my hair sometimes looks less than tidy, when I've been working around the house. I have many days where I jump into work before tending to those pesky tasks like brushing my hair.
In the baking, I made
my favorite scratch brownies. This is a wonderful recipe that can be microwaved or baked in a conventional oven. I was using the oven for hot dog buns, so I chose a conventional oven yesterday. The recipe calls for 1/2 cup of butter. I decided to try using just 2 tablespoons of butter and a scant 3/8 cup of oil, in place of the called-for amount of butter. They turned out well. No complaints at all.
In other butter news, yesterday's post was before I discovered this -- our local Cash & Carry has butter on sale through the 14th for $2.38/lb. For some of you that may sound like a fantastic price. It's a lot more than what I paid for butter when I really stocked up there, 18 months ago, so it's hard to swallow. I'm debating over how much to buy. It won't be a huge stock-up, as that price will be repeated or beat, most likely before the fall baking sales. Some butter will be better than no butter.
What stood out to you about episode 2, if you've watched it, or episode 1 if you're catching up? Did you feel you gained anything from watching, as I did with wanting to make the most of my daytime to work outdoors before the sun set, or rain came back? How did you feel about the attitude towards what is women's work vs. "the more important" men's work? The show raised an important issue that effects today's world, too, that of devaluing the older worker. I think society shortchanges itself when we fail to recognize the value of experience and wisdom in our elder work force. (Okay, stepping off my soapbox now.) Anyways, what were your thoughts?
