Under Wraps - Wisdom from My Memere

My Memere lived during the Great Depression.

Going through times like that has an impact on a person. Everyday items were rationed so she received amounts of sugar, coffee, meat and other foods; this amount depended on how many were in the household. Recipes were altered to use less sugar and God forbid, you didn’t throw anything away. Was it any wonder that when my children were young, if they only took a bite of their bread and butter, Memere would cut off the part they’d bitten and save the rest?


They weren't able to get nylon stockings because they needed to make parachutes during the war. We think nothing of this today but, women didn’t go bare-legged back then. It was a cultural thing. Ladies wore stockings.

Memere is also a wealth of ideas for recycling. Like, using empty toilet paper rolls to keep your scarves from getting lost in your drawer and for keeping extension cords from getting tangled together. Her favorite thing to read is the Hints from Heloise column in the newspaper. She loves sharing her findings with anyone who will listen.
 

Living in 2013, we have no idea about these things. Everything is disposable. Food is wasted by the ton. Thriftiness is a skill we may need coaching in if we continue to see job loss and inflation taking away our buying power. So if you see a “My Memere says…” column pop up on social media, you’ll know you can trust the advice.

Another thing my Memere does, is to save the “good” things for company. The nice towels are wrapped in tissue paper in a box under her bed. She has nightgowns and robes with the tags still attached. Instead, she uses her elbow patched sweater with the holes in the pockets because it’s “just fine”. And, if the gift box is just too pretty, she won’t open it. I think that goes for the two-year old Panettone with the tulle bow I saw in her room last week.

At age 95, she isn’t about to change. But, sometimes I think there may be glimmers of hope. Like last week when she asked to eat dinner in the dining room with the candles lit. That’s called living in the moment. It’s enjoying the gift of today. She probably came to the table in her old comfy sweater, but changes happen one step at a time.  Dinner by candlelight is a great start.

Thomas Jefferson said, don’t put off till tomorrow what you can do today (No, I don’t think my Memere ever met him). I think that applies to candlelight dinners and taking tags off the new towels. That goes for our eternity too. The closer we get to death the more we realize the importance of facing our mortality. Settling that now frees us up to enjoy today with no regrets.

I think I’ll serve tea with my china set today—why keep it under wraps? When else am I going to enjoy it?

Happy 95th Birthday, Memere!!

Love you forever,

                                Jeanne

Do you have any questions for Memere?
And, I know she would love to get your birthday notes, so leave a message and I will deliver them to her.

 

Discover recipes and ways of life during the Depression years and Hints from Heloise: 

Day 18 - 31 Day Blog Challenge