I've noticed that there are many women on this forum who are, how shall we put it, independent thinkers. So after putting on my suit of armor and for the sake of education not to mention a bit of nostalgia, I'd like to present the "Good Wife's Guide". Who knows, it may start a trend.

The good wife's guide

1. Have dinner ready. Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal ready, on time for his return. This is a way of letting him know that you have been thinking about him and are concerned about his needs. Most men are hungry when they come home and the prospect of a good meal(especially his favourite dish) is part of the warm welcome needed.

2. Prepare yourself. Take 15 minutes to rest so you'll be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your make-up, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh looking. He has just been with a lot of work weary people.

3. Be a little gay and a little more interesting for him. His boring day may need a lift and one of your duties is to provide it.

4. Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the main part of the house just before your husband arrives.

5. Gather up schoolbooks, toys, paper etc and then run a dustcloth over the tables.

6. Over the cooler months of the year you should prepare and light a fire for him to unwind by. Your husband will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order, and it will give you a lift too. After all, catering for his comfort will provide you with immense personal satisfaction.

7. Prepare the children. Take a few minutes to wash the children's hands and faces(if they are small), comb their hair and, if necessary, change their clothes. They are little treasures and he would like to see them playing the part. Minimize all noise. At the time of his arrival, eliminate all noise of the washer, dryer, or vacuum. Try to encourage the children to be quiet.

8. Be happy to see him.

9. Greet him with a warm smile and show sincerity in your desire to please him.

10. Listen to him. You may have a dozen important things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first- remember, his topics of conversation are more important than yours.

11. Make the evening his. Never complain if he comes home late or goes out to dinner, or other places of entertainment without you. Instead, try to understand his world of strain and pressure and his very real need to be at home and relax.

12. Your goal: Try to make sure your home is a place of peace, order and tranquility where your husband can renew himself in body and spirit.

13. Dont greet him with complaints and problems.

14. Dont complain if he's late home for dinner or even if he stays out all night. Count this as minor compared to what he might have gone through that day.

15. Make him comfortable. Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or have him lie down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him.

16. Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a low, soothing and pleasant voice.

17. Dont ask him questions about his actions or question his judgment or integrity. Remember, he is the master of the house and as such will always exercise his will with fairness and truthfullness. You have no right to question him.

18. A good wife always knows her place.

from an article in Goodhousekeeping May, 1955

A good wife always knows her place -

On the computer....and all the above LOL

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May your awareness be perfection

*sigh* Viv, how it has changed. What happened?


This was common sense. Where did we go wrong? Perhaps I can get a government educational grant to organize a committee of about 15 concerned men to look into this and see where we went wrong. We could rent several rooms at a posh hotel on the beach in the Bahamas for two weeks and with the help of the right food, drinks and waitresses, we would get to the bottom of it I assure you.

Only the medium has changed. Woman sit now a days in front of computers, before that they sat in front of the T.V. and before that in front of a radio, and before that in front of friends. It has always been a womans passion to reach out, communicate and be a part of something greater.

Today we see a change in men too: more men are talking about their feelings.

But much still needs to be done in the area of balance. We women now have the right to work a full time job and take care of the children, the husband, house hold, cooking and cleaning.

Yes, we women are now independent. We can really be proud, we've come along way.

Isn't it great to be a women?

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May your awareness be perfection

I don't know Vivamis. It seems that you describe a lot of sitting around for a lot of women. Perhaps this is the cause of premature secretary spread. The proposed committee will have to analyse this.

Yes men are talking more about their feelings. The Stoics tried so hard to keep this at a minimum but now between Oprah and Dr.Phil, it is back to square one. No justice.

Ah, but as long as men and women can share shrimp cocktail, oysters, and lobster bisque, along with good merlot and let nature take its course, why argue over trifles?

Yes, LOL and you assume women like: shrimp cocktail, oysters, and lobster bisque, along with good merlot and let nature take its course, why argue over trifles?

You do mean truffels right?

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May your awareness be perfection

Viv

By trifles I meant the classic definition as presented in dictionary.com


So as the man and woman are feeding each other shrimp and the merlot is flowing, it is not the time to argue small stuff. Now of course if one is a gourmet and by trifle he assumes it to mean #8 it could be insulting to consider a trifle as a truffle which is not trivial.

People actually use dogs and pigs to sniff out truffles and for a trifle fan it could be demeaning. to have pigs involved with trifles and to consider the matter as trifle can only lead to trouble.

http://www.herbarium.usu.edu/fungi/F...s/Truffind.htm

But then again the fan of the truffle will know that the other party is ignorant of the desert truffle and the costly delicacy it is and will be offended at trivializing the truffle and considering it a trifle matter..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desert_truffles

At this point the argument will get so out of hand that not even an excess of good merlot can bring back the previous atmosphere. It would have been better not to have begun discussing trifles and truffles and like the lesson learned with the trouble with tribbles, even the most harmless things in appearance including trifles and truffles can lead to bedlam in excess.

This is why I believe that it is better to stick with the shrimp, oysters, lobster bisque, and of course the merlot while avoiding trifles and truffles.

I love Truffle : )

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May your awareness be perfection

I was preparing to reply to this topic, but got sidetracked by the truffles

Ceetee

Don't let the truffles become a trifle that hinders your contemplation.

For example, what a wonderful birthday present for a man to have his wife frame the Good Wife's Guide and give it to him with her promise to be a better wife. Now that would be progress.