LETS GO GOSSIPING

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 53, Issue 3825, 23 October 1936, Page 4

LETS GO GOSSIPING

WOMEN’S INTERESTS: THE HOME.

(By

MISS MARY TALLIS.

-Special Service to Te Awamutu Courier.)

BEAUTY. SPRING DAYS. Spring brings its own beauty routine, of course. It means a little extra care about make-up; a little preliminary attention to such matters as arms and legs; a little extra fastidiousness about being fragrantly fresh; lots more prinking of white clothes and cleaning of white shoes. But spring comes only once a year, and who would grudge the time to greet it in the way it deserves? First, your skin. To tan or not to tan; that is indeed the question. Lucky you, if your complexion is the sort that turns slowly and easily to a honey-brown colour. Use very little make up; it’s, smart to be shiny this year! Some fashion leaders on the Riviera are going to immense pains to cultivate a shiny skin, and it certainly gives a wholesome little girl effect that is most attractive on the tennis courts or in the country. Your lip stick and your rouge, if you use it, •should gradually go brighter as .your skin turns dark. Choose vivid, nearorange shades that will accentuate the coffee colour of your skin, and when you do use powder, make sure that it is dark enough. One of the cleverest women I know keeps a box of dark “suntan” powder on her dressing table, and gradually mixes a little more with her ordinary shade as spring and summer progresses. But, alas, there are some skins that simply won’t turn gold. They will turn red, then they will freckle, they will blister agonisingly and peel off—anything but tan. If yours is one of these skins, the sooner you face facts the better. Not for you the nut brown _ majd effect You must rely on shady hats, chiffon scarves, and a make-up that cunningly enhances your type arid at the same time protects your skin from the sun. A soft foundation cream in a pale, wild rose pink, a generous layer of powder that matches your complexion, just a trace of rosy lipstick and rouge—your cue is feminity. Tf you do catch the sun while playing tennis or lying on the beach fly to calomine lotion. You can buy it from any chemist, and it soothes and heals sun-scorched skin in a most miraculous way. THE HOME. BEAUTIFUL BEDCLOTHES. Something entirely new in bed coverings is a fabric that is rather hard to describe, but consists of a pure wool pile on a cotton backing. Most people would probably use a coverlet of this kind to replace a delicate bedspread which is removed at night to prevent it being crushed or soiled, but it can also be used instead of ordinary blankets. The deep pile encloses plenty of air, which makes a very warm, but at the same time, light bed covering. Anyone contemplating the refurnishing of their beds should certainly inspect these new covers. Like all other modern bedclothes, they are obtainable in a wide range of shades, and although a recent innovation they can be obtained at most large stores. When selecting purely decorative bed coverings there is unlimited range for the exercise of personal taste. In rooms where curtain materials are patterned and of rather substantial material, the same fabric is often used for the bed cover, the advantage being that there is no risk of striking a discordant note as might occur if a different figured material or embroidered spread was used. Where both hangings and walls are plain, then the bed cover can afford to be a centre of interest. From beautifully embroidered bedspreads, costing many pounds, to cotton woven fabrics costing a few shillings, there are covers for simple and more formal rooms at a price to suit everyone. HEALTH. SORE THROATS. The causes of sore throats are

numerous, ranging from diptheria and scarlet fever to the so-called relaxed throat. When the soft palate and back of the throat are chiefly involved, it is a case of pharyngitis. Acute pharyngitis is usually a feature in the course 1 of a common cold. A severe form is rheumatic pharyngitis, and the pharymx may be the part chiefly involved in diphtheria or scarlet fever. The symptoms of pharyngitis from whatever cause are redness and swelling of the roof of the mouth and soft palate. The mouth and throat feel dry, and swallowing is painful. Chronic pharyngitis is usually caused by chronic catarrh of the nose. The symptoms are redness and dryness of the back of the throat and palate and irritation and hoarseness. This is what is known as relaxed throat and smoking, alcohol and condiments should be avoided and the underlying nasal condition treated. Tonsilitis is the type of sore throat that comes on suddenly. The usual form is known as follicular tonsilitis, and in this there are white raised spots visible on the tonsils. This is frequently refried to as ulcerated throat, but there is no real ulceration. There is high fever and pain in the joints and limbs, and the glands of the neck are usually painful and swollen and can be felt. It is distinguished from diptheria by the fact that the spots on the tonsils are white instead of grey, can be swabbed off without bleeding, and never wander from the tonsils to other parts. Diptheria is less sudden in onset, and takes several days to become alarming. Many cases of diptheria of the mild type resemble follicular tonsilitis closely, and in all such cases a swab should be taken and examined bacteriologically, especially in children, in whom diptheria is an especially dangerous disease. Quinsy consists of an abscess behind the tonsil. There is severe pain and swallowing becomes almost impossible. One side of the soft palate is red and swollen. The condition lasts for a week or more unless relieved by operation. The only effective treatment is the surgical opening of the abscess, but hot foments externally and ice to suck gives some relief. If there are repeated attacks of quinsy, the tonsils should be removed between attacks. i COOKING. A FEW PUDDINGS. When making a crust for a savoury pudding, or a fruit dumpling, use half quantity flour and half quantity stale breadcrumbs. If you like your savoury dishes well seasoned, add a little minced parsley and crushed herbs to ingredients for suet crust. Always be sure to have your gravy or stock at a full roily boil when you wish to cook suet dumplings. Never let the water in saucepan go off the boil when steaming a sweet or savoury pudding. Meat Roly Poly: Chop 1 lb liver or cold meat and 1 onion. Mix with 4 lb flour, 4 ozs shredded suet and 4 teaspoon salt. Moisten with 1 gill water to make a fairly stiff paste, roll lightly and shape into a roll. Lay the roll on a scalded and floured pudding cloth. Roll up in cloth and secure ends tightly. Place in a saucepan of boiling water and boil for 2 hours. When cooked, remove cloth and serve with 1 gill gravy or rich stock heated and poured over. Sausage Pudding: Finely shred 4 ozs suet. Add to 4 lb flour which has been sifted with } teaspoonful salt and I teaspon baking powder. Add enough cold water to make into a fairly stiff paste. Roll the pastry out »cn a floured board and line a well greased basin with it. Mix 14 lbs sausage meat with 4 pint gravy or rich stock. Turn the mixture into the basin. Cover with the remainder of suet crust, then with greased-paper Tie down. Place the basin in a pan of boiling water, coming J-way up the sides, and steam for 2J-3 hours.

Steak and Kidney Pudding: Wash 1 lb bones, place them in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and skim then season to taste and simmer for 3 hours. Cut 1} lbs stewing steak and J lb ox kidney into small pieces, roll in flour seasoned with pepper and salt to taste. Sift J lb flour and a pinch of salt into a basin. Mix in 6 ozs shredded suet and add enough water to make a stiff paste. Cut off 1-3 of the paste for a lid. Roll out remainder of paste and line a greased pudding basin with it. Put in the steak and kidney. Almost fill basin with stock from the bones; If more needed, use water. Roll out paste for lid and fix over basin, pressing edges well together. Covei- with greased paper and then with a floured pudding cloth. Tie down with string. Place basin in a saucepan of boiling water to cover, put on the lid and boil for 34-4 hours. GENERAL. JUDGE YOURSELF. It may possibly occur that at some time you may be offered certain work, if you can measure up to near the standard of the perfect woman. To help you in judging if you have the figure and appearance for this work, here is a set standard by which you may judge yourself. Take a piece of paper, a pencil, and a tape measure and go into your bedroom. Take off your clothes and measure your bust, waist and hips (just below the hip bone), and height (against the door). These measurements are most important. Here are five ideal sets of measurements: • Height sft 6in, bust 33, waist 26, hips 34. Height sft 7in, bust 34, waist 27, hips 35. Height sft 9in, bust 35, waist 28, hips 36. Height sft lOin, bust 35, waist 28, hips 37. We will presume that you fit into one of these categories. Now stand naturally ~ with your arms at your sides in front of a long mirror. Your head should be small and well balanced on a long neck. Your bust should be high and firm. Your waist must not be small. Now we come to the hips—the greatest stumbling block in most cases. The outside hip measurement is 37in, and that allows for no fat. If the odd inch is due to a plump seat, do not despair. This, and other minor figure faults can be remedied. So much for the figure—now let’s have a good look at your face. Tie your hair back with a towel and take a disinterested view. It is hard to describe a “photogenic” face. It must have good bones and not fat on the cheeks. By good bones I mean a wide forehead, high cheek bones and a small, square chin. Eyes should be large and well opened, far apart and not too deep set. • CAREERS FOR GIRLS. NURSING. This is something more than a career, it is a vocation. While sympathy, patience and the ability to work under direction and to submit to the discipline necessary in a large hospital are essential, certain physical qualifications are also necessary. The probationer must be the possessor of good health, a sound constitution and equally sound nerves, for nursing is never a ‘soft job.” A sound education is also an advantage (although not a necessity), for the standard of.the nursing profession has been raised considerably during recent years. Nowadays nursing offers two very real advantages. One is that there are always vacancies for the right type of girl. The other is that training is free, while the probationer receives free board, lodging and uniform, and is paid a salary during her probationership. As there are hospitals all over the country, it is often possible for a girl to take her training not far from her home. , And now for an answer to the question it is natural for every girl to ask; “What shall I earn?” Even for the fully qualified and registered nurse there is no fixed rate of pay, but nurses in a general hospital may expect from £5O upwards a year; staff nurses and sisters, of course, receive considerably more. The “plums” of the profession are, of course, matronships, and every

young probationer treading softly about a hospital ward dreams of the day when she will be head of a hospital and hold a very responsible position, with a good salary. HINTS. To clean kettles when the spouts are nearly blocked up, fill with cold water and add 4 lb soda. Boil for some hours. Next day repeat this, then break off the hard pieces. Rinse well and the spouts will pour freely. To clean a looking glass, use powdered blue. If very badly soiled, dip a clean sponge into spirits of wine, rub it rapidly over the mirror, dust it with powdered blue, and then polish with an old silk handkerchief. To remove egg stains from spoons and forks, take a little common salt between the finger and thumb and rub briskly.