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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 10, Issue 10 (January 1, 1936)

Our Women'S Section — Timely Notes and Useful Hints

page 57

Our Women'S Section
Timely Notes and Useful Hints.

Our Women's Section
Timely Notes and Useful Hints.

Bounding that corner of “garden” was a wall—not one of mellowed brick, lovely to the eye, restful to the spirit as the green of lawns and fringe of flowerbeds—not a wall at all, in fact, but a fence—a utilitarian monstrosity of corrugated iron, baldly supported on the inside by posts and battens, available on the outside for the production by means of sticks, pencils, hands, of the cacophony dear to the ears of the young. This love of sound, by the way, should be disciplined, developed—percussion bands, perhaps, in our schools.

…….

The space enclosed by the aforesaid fence bore a fine crop of grasses, “Almost sufficient,” remarked Joyce, “to support one angora rabbit, or even two. And I hear that some people do well out of collecting grass-seed. It's a pity we haven't a canary.” —Which elicited from Bob a dissertation on the feeding habits of rabbits and canaries. Joyce having been reduced to helpless laughter, Bob proceeded to survey his future kingdom with a gloomy eye.

…….

That was three years ago. At first Joyce considered painting that eyesore of a fence, but decided to let Bob carry out his plans for the garden first. After the ground was cleared and deeply trenched, a late crop of potatoes was sown. For some time after that Bob's gardening seemed to consist of hoeing, weeding and earthing up, the family motto for the moment being “Death to weeds.” Labour had its reward—a good crop of tubers and a fairly clean soil.

Strenuous activity with shovel and wheelbarrow enabled Bob to give the ground a gradual slope up to the fence. The sloped part, about three yards in width, was to form a flowerbed. The rest was prepared for a lawn.

Joyce's, interest revived at the mention of flowers, and there were earnest discussions over nurserymen's catalogues as to the right size of shrubs or perennials for the background “to hide the fence.” Seasons of flowering complicated matters, as did the necessity for graduated sizes towards the front of the garden. Border plants were chosen, and Joyce claimed the spacès immediately behind the borders for groups of annuals.

……..

Summer visitors to the Joyce-Bob ménage now prefer afternoon tea on the lawn— “So delightfully private, my dear—and those clumps of flowers against the greenery—so charming!” and no-one even notices the fence, which, after all, was the prime mover in the planning of the garden.

……..

Colour In The Small Home.

The Hallway.

The physicists explain colour in terms of light, caused by a certain set of wave-lengths of varying frequencies and ranging from the unseen ultra-violet rays through the gamut of perceived colours to the unseen infra-red rays. Psychologists do not concern themselves with what colour is, but with what it does to us. Red excites or over-excites us; blue, green and violet (the colour background of nature) are cooling and soothing; yellow is a sunshine tonic.

…………

Our reactions to colour are so important to our mental well-being, that it is important to have our homes, where we spend so much of our time, suitably coloured according to aspect, size, and our own temperament. To the excitable “up-anddown” person an undue use of red in home decorating will put the nerves on edge, whereas blues and greens have a calming effect. Yellow is cheering, and can give a surprising impress of sunshine to the gloomiest room.

Claustrophobia, a fear of enclosed spaces, is present in more or less degree in many people. That is why we have a hatred of cluttered rooms. A clear floor-space is not only easy for the housekeeper, but pleasing to the eye and soothing to the nerves.

A narrow entrance-hall can give that prison feeling, after hours spent out of doors. Much can be done to minimise this effect by a judicious use of colour. A cool colour and light tints, especially blues, will tend to make the space look wider. Narrow spaces also seem to increase wall-height. Counteract this by painting the ceiling a warm colour which will seem to bring it closer; or the walls may be painted to eye-level in the chosen shade and a lighter colour above.

If blue or blue-green colours are used for the hallway, woodwork is best stained a light oak. A splash of colour may be provided by a bowl of orange flowers, orange pottery or an orange lamp-shade. Remember that yellow or orange light gives blue a greyish tint.

…………..

For Summer Dance Frocks.
A Ribbon Pochette Six and a-half Inches by Four Inches.

Materials required:- 9 yds. half-inch ribbon. 1/4 yd. sateen. 1/4 yd. silk lining. Tailors' canvas or other stiffener.

The design sketched (on p. 58) was carried out in two shades of green ribbon. Cut an oblong of sateen 6 1/2in. by 11in. and tack stiffener to it. Cut thirteen strips of pale - green ribbon 11in. long, and twenty-two strips of mid-green 6 1/2in. long. Tack the strips of palegreen to one end of the sateen and the strips of mid-green to one side. Machine stitch them to position. Weave the strip of mid-green next the stitched end over and under the pale-green strips and pin at the opposite edge. Continue to weave the page 58 strips across until all are pinned in position. Now pull the pale-green strips firmly into position and tack. Machine stitch the remaining two edges of oblong and press.

One end of the oblong must be cut to a curve or point for the flap of the bag. Machine ribbon firmly to sateen just within where you intend to cut. Cut bias strips from the lining silk and bias bind the oblong. Fold the oblong at four inch intervals to form the pochette. The sides should be machine stitched at the inner edge of the binding. Make up the silk lining separately and attach to pochette. If desired, a tiny pocket with domed flap may be attached to the lining and serve as a purse Lingerie braid makes a dainty finish to the lining inside the flap.

A plaited pochette of the same material as a frock may be made. Printed taffeta would be very suitable. Have a sufficient amount of material hemstitched in half-inch widths, and cut to form picot-edged “ribbons.”

……….

Hints For The Home Laundress.

Tennis Flannels.

If a little care is taken, tennis flannels can be laundered at home without fear of shrinking. The best way to make a soap solution is to cut the soap up finely and put into a saucepan with boiling water. Keep boiling until the soap is thoroughly dissolved and then stand aside to cool. From this jelly prepare your solution for the flannels and allow them to soak thoroughly before kneading and squeezing; on no account rub, as this destroys the soft surface.

When this water has become dirty put the flannels into another fresh warm solution and continue the same process of kneading, etc., and when clean rinse three or four times in warm water. Then shake well and hang out to dry in a good breezy, shady place.

Stains.

Mud must be brushed off carefully when dry, and any remaining marks should then be covered with a fine paste of methylated spirit and pipeclay, or, for more obstinate stains, use boracic acid and ammonia. This should be allowed to dry and then brushed off.

Grass stains are removed by gently sponging them with a weak ammonia solution.

……………

Holiday Relaxation.

Now that the Christmas and New Year excitement is over a number of families are planning a fortnight's camping at the seaside, the country, or at one of the many ideal camping grounds that are growing up in various convenient places in New Zealand, where a family can be transplanted and life moves on very easily and comfortably for the mother—and the father—if the children will take their share of the work. This is the time when the children can come to the help of the mother, who has had all the planning of the home—and often mostly all the work—for the past year or more. Camp life is ideal for the children, but mother—taking with her the burden of cooking the meals—longs for the time when on holiday bent she is able to afford the luxury of a first-class hotel, and makes a firm resolve that this is the last time she will be cajoled into a camping holiday, although perhaps it is the only one that they can afford.

…………..

How different camp life would be if it were operated as a joint concern, with a schedule of duties drawn up, involving the preparation beforehand as well as the actual work at the camp. I know of an instance where the mother went on strike and absolutely refused to entertain the idea of another holiday where she alone seemed to have to put up with the inconveniences incidental to camp life.

The family was staggered by mother's attitude, but after consideration, Mary (aged sixteen) saw her mother's point of view and, talking matters over with Jack (fourteen), they drew up a plan which they submitted to their mother. They were to take charge of the two younger children—eleven and seven—and sought her co-operation in the planning of the meals. Mother, realising that this camp promised a certain amount of relaxation for her, readily consented to withdraw her opposition, and amongst them they planned the following meals, which contained all the nourishment necessary for a healthy existence and with a minimum of work:

Breakfast: Citrus fruit or dessert prunes; “Ready-to-eat” cereals; wholemeal bread; butter; marmalade; coffee or tea.

Kept From Work By Backache

Suffered for Three Years.
Says He Owes Joy and Health to Kruschen.

Backache may be just bothersome; on the other hand, it may creep on and become chronic, and render you incapable of earning your living. Such was the unhappy state of the man who wrote the letter below. He experimented in vain with various remedies until at length he was induced to try Kruschen. To-day he has a different tale to tell. He is healthy and happy. Here is his story:—

“For three years I was badly troubled with my kidneys. They caused me such severe pain in the back that I had to quit working. I tried many prescriptions, but they wouldn't do me any good. One day I saw a Kruschen Salts advertisement in a newspaper. After using three bottles, my backache was entirely gone, and I can now work as never before. I shall never be without Kruschen Salts again. I owe all my joy and health to these Salts.”—J.E.

Pains in the back mean poisons in the blood—poisonous waste products which tired kidneys are failing to filter from the system. When these poisons settle in the regions around the kidneys they inflame the tissues and cause those excruciating pains.

The six salts in Kruschen will coax your kidneys back to healthy, normal action so that they will rid your bloodstream of every particle of poisonous waste matter. As an immediate result you will experience joyous relief from those old, dragging pains. And as you persevere with the “little daily dose” of Kruschen the twinges will become less and less frequent until finally your backache will be no more than the memory of a bad dream.

Kruschen Salts is obtainable at all Chemists and Stores at 2/6 per bottle.*

page 59

Lunch: Fresh or stewed fruit; lettuce; tomatoes; eggs; glass of milk.

Dinner: Meat; green vegetable; potatoes; stewed fruit.

Supper: Glass of milk and a biscuit.

A plentiful supply of barley water and Imperial drink was available, so that each member of the camp was able to have the requisite two quarts of liquid each day.

Mary undertook to see that these meals would be prepared without mother's assistance—although perhaps not without her advice—and drew up a list of the duties allotted to each member, who faithfully promised to do the work according to the time table. Jack—being the co-organiser—had to see that the supply of barley water and Imperial drink was sufficient for the needs of the campers. He obtained the following recipes:

Barley Water.

1 tablespoon of barley.

1 quart water.

Boil for two hours. Then strain and add juice of a lemon and a little sugar.

Imperial Drink.

1 lemon.

1 quart water.

2 teaspoons sugar.

Level teaspoon cream of tartar.

Mary was insistent that the three meals would be sufficient for the day. At first it was somewhat difficult to reconcile the younger ones to this idea—except, perhaps, for an apple or so—but after a day or two everything went well, and the whole family returned home feeling that it had been the most wonderful camping holiday it had experienced. Mother, wonderfully rejuvenated, was enthusiastic and never failed to impress on her friends the way to enjoy camp life.

The Skin's Story.

During the month of November we have, in Wellington, experienced cold and changeable weather, but now, with the advent of the Christmas month we have the promise of warm, even hot temperatures, which we hope will favour us for many weeks to come.

Has it ever occurred to you to ask why, no matter what the atmospheric temperature may be, the temperature of a normal healthy body remains always the same, 98.4 degrees Farenheit?

Now, to answer this question we must tell you a little about your skin, which perhaps you regard as merely the covering for your body—the wrapping round the parcel, as it were, and of no more importance.

However, it is of much more importance than this, being the largest and one of the most important of the organs of the body.

In structure it is composed of three main layers, the outermost, commonly called the epidermis, is composed of layers of cells which, with wear, are being continually cast off, and in which there are no blood vessels or nerves. The middle layer is composed of fibrous and elastic tissues containing blood vessels, nerves and lymphatics, while the innermost layer is composed of looser tissues and fat cells in which the hair follicles and sweat glands begin, eventually finding their way to the surface through the other layers.

Attached to each hair follicle is a little gland which secrets an oily substance (sebum), while the sweat glands, quite independent of the former, secrete a watery substance.

The four main functions of the skin are: 1, Protective; 2, Sensory; 3, Heat Regulating; 4, Secretory.

1. Protective: The skin resists physical injury and protects underlying structures. It also prevents the ingress of germs. Furthermore it forms, amongst other substances, the much talked of Vitamin D, which is a protection against bone diseases such as rickets and dental caries.

2. Sensory: The nerves which permeate the second layer provide for the appreciation of touch, heat, cold, pain and pressure.

3. Heat Regulating: Heat, resulting from either external temperature, or from exertion, causes the superficial blood vessels to dilate and the skin to redden, so that a larger volume of blood comes to the surface, and consequently heat is lost from the body by process of increased radiation, the reverse taking place on exposure to cold which causes the vessels to contract, the skin to blanch, thereby preventing loss of heat by radiation.

As we will see later, the sweat glands also play a most important part in the matter of heat regulation.

4. Secretory: The glands of the hair follicles secrete an oily substance which lubricates the hair and forms a protective film on the skin surface. The watery secretion from the sweat glands normally equals the amount of urine passed by the bladder, the quantity increasing with heat, thereby reducing body temperature, and decreasing with cold, thereby conserving body temperature. The sweat glands also aid in ridding the body of impurities.

Now you will realise what an important organ the skin is, and appreciate the necessity of caring for it just as much as you care, or should care, for the stomach.

Its duties are manifold and complex Cleansing is essential in order to prevent blocking of the secretory glands, and to remove impurities given off by the sweat glands.

Correct clothing must be worn to suit atmospheric conditions, thus aiding the skin to maintain normal body temperature. Changing of clothing must be attended to, as it becomes contaminated by the skin secretions.

Avoid exposing the skin to sudden changes of temperature which gives rise to chills.

Above all, remember that the skin is one of the most important organs of your body, and give it the care and attention which it demands and deserves.

page 60