Lady Lydia's Advice for the Single Ladies

[LucySnowe]

Just showed this thread to Mr. Snowe, who (though not at all religious) commented, 'Jesus kind of emphasised people over stuff, didn't he?' (Give away all your possessions and follow me, etc.)

[Pond]

Although you are living alone, it will be a great advantage to cook a meal and serve yourself on real dinnerware, and will aid in your over-all health. If all you do is make a sandwich, it is an act of homemaking which today, not everyone knows how to do. Eating at home increases the domestic atmosphere of the home. The beautiful scent of cooking will linger awhile and make you feel more of a homemaker.

:evil-eye: I knew how to make a sandwich when I was four... Does she really believe sandwich-making requires a special skill???

Eating at home increases the domestic atmosphere??? "Beautiful" scent of cooking will linger and make you feel more of a homemaker??? What has this lady been smoking??? :cray-cray:

ETA: I have to admit, I kinda like sending letters in the mail :p Homemade Christmas cards!! I do admit I have a love/hate relationship with the post office

[DarkAnts]

It's like she is truly in a time warp...I mean who writes letters anymore? And $20 would be approximately 1 drink and the tip in a large city. She has completely lost touch lol.

It costs less to go out with friends if you are the DD. Many bars will give free soft drinks to the DD. I still tip when I am the DD.

[freedomjesusfootball]

It costs less to go out with friends if you are the DD. Many bars will give free soft drinks to the DD. I still tip when I am the DD.

Our local Whole Foods has a bar. Thursday nights the pizzas are $9.99. Pizza+ cheap bottle of wine makes for a pretty awesome $20 date.

Her house must looks like the office of Dolores Um bridge in Harry potter. Lots of plates with kittens and too many cushions.

[Pond]

Maybe she IS trying to be Umbridge... :/

[salex]

Oh the LULZ are strong with this one. Is she next going to tell us how to boil water?

If she does, she may want to check out the Epicurious recipe for boiling water.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Salted-Water-for-Boiling-105591

With comments, ratings and reviews!

[fundiefan]

Honestly, I think that thought would blow the cheap fleece fascinator right off her head.

She wouldn't believe it anyway. There is no room in her tiny little brain for such thoughts.

[Mary C Doates]

In what world people not know how to make sandwiches? Most preschoolers I know can slap together a simple sandwich. I really want to be invited to one of her teas. I bet it would be amazing in a "this woman has lost her mind" sort of way.

Well, there are sandwiches and there are "sandwiches". I assume Lady Lydia's are made with homemade bread, with watercress or cucumber filling, and cut into dainty shapes, presented on her finest rose-patterned china. No pastrami on rye for her!

I think Lady Lydia may have spent too much time in that poppy field.

Lady Lydia, as a single female, I have one message for you:

SHUT UP

Edited because the font wasn't pink enough

[fun2beme]

I belong to a meet-up group specifically for women w/o children. They go to a monthly $5 martini night, so a $20 night is do-able in this instance. Not most of the time, though, since I live betw Baltimore and DC.

No doubt LL thinks we evil feminists sit around, belching and looking sloppy, in manly clothes and talk about how much we hate babies after a day at the office where we bossed men around for 8+ hours before going home to our dirty and undecorated homes. In actuality, the group is really diverse, some ultra-liberal, some conservatives, some who shudder at the thought of kids, some who want children but can't have any, some single, some married. But we get along bc we respect each others' choices. And the combined amount of volunteer work they do is incredible.

And FYI, LL - as a single woman, I eat home-cooked meals almost every day and am hands-down more domestic than my friends with children. I love to have people over and I can assure you that not once have I had anyone comment on the newness of my shower curtain liner - what kind of weirdo looks inside someone's shower anyway? And I'm also well beyond the point in my life where I need to "impress" someone with titles on coffee table books.

[mlady]

Once my living area is decorated to my taste is it ok for me to go socialize with people? I just wonder.

[Handmaiden of Dog]

The beautiful scent of cooking will linger awhile and make you feel more of a homemaker.

Bread, yes. Pound cake, yes. Fried fish, boiled cabbage, curry....not so much.

[Pond]

Bread, yes. Pound cake, yes. Fried fish, boiled cabbage, curry....not so much.

Does she even know what curry is or what it smells like? :?

[Muriel Heslop]

I'd really like to see a blog such as The Year of Living Lydia or some such where someone takes all her advice and makes (and wears/decorates with/gifts) all her stuff.

I nominate Lainey, I think she would do a bang-up job.

[ThatSnark]

Once my living area is decorated to my taste is it ok for me to go socialize with people? I just wonder.

Yeah, this is the part I don't quite comprehend, either. I've lived in my house for ~17 years now. Other than an occasional freshening up of accessories every few years, it's been decorated to my taste since the first weekend. I kind of see my house as more of a BACKGROUND for my life, not the main focus. This was even more true when I was single and pre-children. I don't understand the obsession with piffling around the house.

[aubureck]

If she does, she may want to check out the Epicurious recipe for boiling water.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Salted-Water-for-Boiling-105591

With comments, ratings and reviews!

I am absolutely cracking up over this! Especially some of the "reviews" I can hardly believe they actually put a recipe online for boiling salt water!

[curlytoes79]

Lady Lydia is an older woman, right? In her 60s? I thought I saw somewhere that her husband just turned 70.

I got a kick out of her "Pleasant Respite" entry where she talks about the joys of decorating her personal letters with crayons. The idea of some 65-year-old woman drawing with crayons on a letter.... http://homeliving.blogspot.com/2013/07/ ... spite.html

On the other hand, it's nice to see someone take such joy in simple things. I wish I could slow down long enough to admire a shiny apple or a tea sandwich I just made (and take a pictures of them for my blog).

[Pond]

Lady Lydia is an older woman, right? In her 60s? I thought I saw somewhere that her husband just turned 70.

I got a kick out of her "Pleasant Respite" entry where she talks about the joys of decorating her personal letters with crayons. The idea of some 65-year-old woman drawing with crayons on a letter.... http://homeliving.blogspot.com/2013/07/ ... spite.html

On the other hand, it's nice to see someone take such joy in simple things. I wish I could slow down long enough to admire a shiny apple or a tea sandwich I just made (and take a pictures of them for my blog).

If the picture on Blogger is really her, then I say she's fairly young. Although I don't understand why she's dressed in a fussy Victorian garb.

I might be wrong though.

[Sobeknofret]

If the picture on Blogger is really her, then I say she's fairly young. Although I don't understand why she's dressed in a fussy Victorian garb.

I might be wrong though.

She's an older lady, I'd guess at least over sixty by a few years. Her husband is 70, and she has three grown children and three grandchildren. She does look very good for her age, I think.

[thekate]

I am absolutely cracking up over this! Especially some of the "reviews" I can hardly believe they actually put a recipe online for boiling salt water!

You'll love this recipe for ice. Be sure to click "read all reviews."

http://www.food.com/recipe/ice-cubes-420398

[anniebgood]

She just turned 60, she's got younger brothers and sisters who live in Australia. She acts like she is in her 70's most of the time. Hell, my 88 year old mother is more with it than she is.

[Muriel Heslop]

She just turned 60, she's got younger brothers and sisters who live in Australia.

Does she really? I wonder where?

[DarkAnts]

I don't understand the desire for clutter. Clutter stresses me out. It also creates more work when cleaning.

[Muriel Heslop]

I don't understand the desire for clutter. Clutter stresses me out. It also creates more work when cleaning.

I don't think she really has anything better to do. I know from long experience being stuck at home (with lots of children) that the more time you spend at home staring at the four walls, the more important all those little marks on the wall seem and the Stuff is arranged properly and the more crucial it is that everything is just so -- because that is WHAT YOU DO all damn day. What happens after the kids go? You need to make more work for yourself or you have lost your purpose.

The cure is to get out more, amongst actual real people, and possibly...volunteer? get a job?

[OnceModestTwiceShy]

If LL loves homemaking and arranging comfortable, cozy spaces so much, she should volunteer to do this for elderly folks or stressed moms, even if just the ones in her church. Isn't she a pastor's wife? Isn't that kind of "work outside the home" acceptable? I'm sure there are people in her community who would really appreciate someone putting some extra homey touches on their living space, and she might even be able to donate some of the crap she has doubtless stockpiled.

[Mary C Doates]

Does she really? I wonder where?

She visited family in Victoria earlier this year, I think--somewhere around Mornington, maybe? I remember her rhapsodies about buying lawn in fabric shops there.