Things a lady should know...

I just had to share this with you.

Over the weekend we headed into town for the Brisbane Lifeline Bookfest. 2 million books, spread over 4 kilometers, 3 hours later, $129 poorer we ended up with 5 big fat bags full of gorgeous books. Some to read, some just look at, and some to just make me chuckle.

Take for example Things A Lady Would Like To Know Concerning Domestic Management, written of course by a male this 1970s book has had me rolling around on the floor laughing.

With rules for Adulterations, Hints for Home Comforts, rules for managing your Mistresses and Servants and best of all your Duty of Cheerfulness, its all part of the recipe for making a dutiful wife for her husband.

After all a woman's role is treasure her husbands worldly goods and the "utmost of a woman's character is contained in domestic life, and it is that there she us the most blameworthy or praiseworthy".

And her children? "Well allowing children to talk incessantly is a mistake. We do not mean that they should be restricted from talking in proper seasons, but they should know when it is proper for them to cease".

And for home decorating " thick curtains closely drawn around the bed are very injurious because they not only contain the effluvia thrown off our bodies whilst in bed, but interrupt the current of pure air".

And when it comes to laundry " A bonnet and trimmings may be worn a much longer time, if the dust be brushed well after walking" .

So get to it ladies, go dust off that bonnet, stop injuring yourself with your curtains and go tape your kids mouths shut. Go on, your not a really good housewife unless you do so.