HINTS AND SUGGESTIONS.

Otago Witness, Issue 4042, 1 September 1931, Page 59

HINTS AND SUGGESTIONS.

Next to earning money the most important work in the household is spending it. Though this is admitted, the necessity of spending wisely is not fully realised by the average housewife. The fundamentals of “ saving by spend ing ” is in knowing what you want where you can get it, and in avoiding all waste when you have purchased it. Before shopping it is just as well to recognise a few shopping facts. No one gets so well served as the shopper at the counter. Here can be seen the goods, the prices, and the quality. Having decided what you want and how much, proceed to the likeliest store, but, of course, be guided by what is in season and wlia* is in good supply. For instance, in stormy weather avoid fish, for, if only a few boats get out, supplies are short, this in turn tightening the prices to the consumer. Apples in mid-summer are at their dearest and should be avoided in favour of rhubarb. Thus, by watching the seasons, many pennies can be saved. A good plan is to shop in different stores so that you get to know exactly what each one has cheapest and best. But, remember that the cheapest is not always the most economical. This applies especially to butcher’s meat, eggs, and butter.

For those who preserve cuttings, recipes, etc., by pasting them in books, the following ensures a good sticking agent that will keep indefinitely:— Boil together a half teaspoonful of powdered alum and half pint of water. Mix one tablespoonful of plain flour to a smooth paste and stir it into the boiling liquid. When clear like starch remove from the fire and add half a teaspoonful of essence of cloves. Bottle in wide-mouthed jars and keep covered from dust. Ever so little spread by means of the finger tips wall suffice.

The desire for a slim figure can be carried to a dangerous extreme. The health of many women has been com pletely ruined by long fasts and danger-

ous, reducing drugs. Never, on any account, buy slimming medicines, which are only too likely to derange your digestion and undermine your health. Massage is useful, but it should al ways take second place to dieting and exercise. Turkish baths are liable to be weakening, and those who have any sus picion of heart trouble should avoid them. '

Don’t rely on tight elastic belts. More often than not they only succeed in compressing the fat in one place so that it pops out in another. No doubt the advisability of taking more exercise has been drummed into you. But you must observe caution in this. It is very foolish to take it too earnestly, especially ‘at first. Start slowly for the first week or so.

Just add a smart half-hour walk in the fresh air to your ordinary activities until you have accommodated yourself to your new regime. Then extend it gradu ally until you are doing three miles ox more every day. Morning “ physical jerks ” are all very well for the healthy’ girl and young woman, but the older woman should hesitate before she adopts the usual rather too vigorous systems. Occasional hot baths help in the removal of fat, but since they are weakening, don’t soak in them too long. "Don’t drink with y’our meals, but otherwise you can take as much as you like within reason. Avoid cocoa, coffee, and all forms of alcohol. The great thing is to reduce the fatty and carbohydrate materials in your diet, but you should not significantly reduce protein materials, sueh as lean meat, poultry (ex cept duck), fish (except salmon, herrings, and sardines), eggs, and cheese. Sugar must be strictly limited, and so must bread, chocolate, sweet stuffs, and root vegetables.

Green vegetables (except peas, bears, and broccoli) are most desirable, particularly’ spinach and lettuce. Eat plenty of apples and oranges, but avoil bananas. All forms of fat (except butter) should be cut out of the dietary Morning salines should be taken regularly’ during your regime. Before starting any system of weight reduction, it is well to ask your doctor to examine you m case you have any organic trouble, which may’ be the cause of your overweight.

Spanish women are noted for their beautiful hair, which owes much of it-’ loveliness to the use of rosemary. As this old-fashioned herb is found in most English gardens, it might well be utilised in the Spanish way’. Pour boiling water over a fair-sized bunch of rosemary. Let it stand for at least half an hour, then strain off. After shampooing the the hair either with one’s favourite shampoo or pure soap, rinse it thoroughly in the rosemary tea, allowing the hair to steep in the mixture for a few minutes. This brings out the beautiful lights, and is, in addition, a tonic.

Faith in life and our fellow creatures is like a very’ precious and frail flower: it is so easily destroyed. A child’s faith in us is a wonderful thing, and it is while children are younsr that we can help to guard that beautiful bloom for them so that it grows with them to maturity. To promise a child something and then break that promise without compunction is a serious matter, because we destroy that child’s faith and trust in us; so even if it means a little sacrifice on our part to do so, we should try our best to keep that promise. Another point to this question is the fact that we cannot expect to teach children the necessity of keeping their promises if we don’t keep ours. Children are very often far more logical than grown-ups, and you cannot convince them that there is any difference between their broken promises and yours: so if you want to instil into them the. importance of keeping faith, it is up to you to lead the way.

If you add a piece of lard the size of a walnut to the boiling water with which you make starch, it will prevent the iron sticking and impart an excellent gloss to your linen.

Ink stains on the fingers can be removed by brushing with a soft nail brush dipped in pure vinegar, and then in salt. Ink stains on material should be washed in vinegar and then rinsed well.

Wash-leather gloves should always be rinsed in warm, soapy water after the first wash. It makes them soft and pliable when dried.

It i s worth while expending a little care when arranging a room, for its appearance can be so easily marred by nonattention to quite small points. If you possibly can, see that the furniture is neither too large nor too small for- the room in proportion to its size. Also, if you can arrange for all the furniture to be of one kind and period, so much the better. So often the effect is spoiled by the addition of one solitary chair or other odd piece of furniture which does not “go with” anything eke in the room.

Other mixtures can easily be avoided by distributing one’s belongings to other parts of the house when such removal would mean improvement. So many possessions look well when in their appropriate “setting,” while their appearance and value are belittled otherwise. A room can be ruined by the injudicious

mixture of china with copper ornaments, rich hangings with those of a much cheaper quality, or pictures with both plain wood and heavy gilt frames. Pictures look much better when they are uniform as regards type and framing. Water colours and etchings when hung i side by side lose their effect, the beauty of each being entirely spoiled by the proximity of the other. Pictures containing a wealth of detail or rich colouring should be placed in a good light. Ornaments should “go with ” ea->h other well as regards character, material, > and colour. Avoid placing a white china ] vase next to a bronze statuette, for in- , stance. Silver needs dark furniture and a note < of warmth such as could be obtained bj i rose or other warm-coloured hangings. i If your window faces south, and the < colour scheme of the room will allow, it is a good plan to place a ruby or orange glass bowl or vase in the window so that the light reflected through it will , give a welcome note of warmth and colour. ■—