One hindrance to cleaning up that which George Carlin called “God damn stuff” is that you find things that need your full and immediate attention. This relic from 1950 is one of them. It educated young women on the things they were created to do. Things like:

• managing efficient kitchens;
• dishwashing;
• care of the garbage-can, refrigerators, coolers, and stoves (gas, electric, or coal);
• pasteurizing milk;
• care of the bread-box and milk bottles;
• cleaning silver, copper, brass, granite, aluminum, nickel, tin, etc.

But this book instructs on other old favourites:

• meal planning and table service;
• preserving foods;
• filling lunch boxes;
• cleaning floors and windows and caring for furniture;
• how to remove stains, launder, starch, iron, and fold.

The book is full of recipes and has advice on feeding people of all ages, including infants and “invalids.” It also reminds us that everyone should be hydrated:

Use water externally, internally, and eternally.

But that valuable book is not the only thing found today. I suspect number one son hung around the Pacific Coliseum and gathered the signatures of several professionals kind enough to please a young adolescent who might have been dreaming of reaching the NHL himself.

The youngster went on to be a teacher, not a pro hockey player. One scout said he was “too nice” when he was on the ice. Mom and Dad thought that was okay.

George Carlin went on to meet his maker too soon. But his words remain. This is one of my favourites: