Housewife.

My name is Lynda and I am a housewife. That sounds like an admission of guilt and it feels that way too. When did housewife become a dirty word?

All the blogging advice articles  tell me I should narrow my focus and pick a niche. That’s not how housewifery  works. I’m a jack-of-all-trades, mistress of none.

I’m a voracious reader, mostly of literary fiction but I’ll often settle for Young Adult fiction that my teenagers leave lying around, cookbooks, glossy house magazines, backs of cereal packets…I’m likely to waffle on about anything interesting that crosses my path.

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I learned to cook from my mother and my grandmother, both fine cooks and obsessive about good food. Fancy dinner parties are few and far between around here but we eat well. My children usually let me know which highs (and lows) are worth blogging.

Carrageen Moss Pudding with Bramble Jam.

 

When it comes to gardening I am more greenhorn than green-fingered but I remain optimistic. Growing flowers and food  sustains me. Digging, dead-heading, weeding, seeding…these are the most deeply satisfying activities. My face is freckled and my fingernails are ruined but I love it.

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When I’m feeling angry I clean and when I’m anxious I crochet. On rare days, when I’m feeling particularly energetic, I undertake overly ambitious home renovation projects.

All of these things fill the mind and the days of this housewife.

This is my place to let it out. My shout out to the universe. My barbaric yawp.

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Here I am, holding the camera at arm’s length and praying for the miracle of a flattering photograph. This one’s not too bad; what I meet in the mirror every morning is much scarier.

Laugh at me, learn from me, despair of me, advise me but, please, be kind to me.

 

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54 thoughts on “Housewife.

  1. Hello Lynda.Your profile looks great.You should see some of the silly selfies of me I have posted. Dirt and sweat on my face.
    I look forward to reading your blog. Getting to know more about Ireland. They’s a story there but I will leave it for another time.
    have a good weekend. Sarah

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      1. Hi Lynda,
        My nose has never been a problem. It is very normal looking. That said: one day I saw a photo of someone in our house (we were restoring it at the time and living in our RV) one day. Danny was also in the photo.
        I almost had to ask him who the person in the photo was.
        It looked like they had a very pointed nose.
        Of course it was me.
        It really shocked me.
        I enjoyed my quick visit on your blog. I look forward to reading more.
        Much more.

        Liked by 1 person

    1. I forgot to add, I wish I Would clean when I was angry. I’d have a clean house all the time. I do miss knitting. Never really got into crocheting. An I don’t do renovation projects if I can help it.
      It’s been 4 years since we gutted and restored this house. 3 years since we stopped working on it.
      Although, I long back on the whole project and am glad to have done what we did. It was a wonderful experience.

      Liked by 1 person

  2. It’s four years since we gutted and restored our house too: unfortunately we haven’t managed to get finished, sob! The angry cleaning thing is pretty sporadic and often pointless; like maybe cleaning out the garden shed or something that no one is going to appreciate. It’s can be very therapeutic!

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  3. Hi Lynda, it’s lovely to meet you. Your ‘selfie’ looks lovely! I wish mine looked half as good, but I know age is not my friend. You look so nice and friendly, whereas I generally scowl at the mere sight of a camera. Reading your Profile made me smile, and brought back memories of my years of bringing up 6 children. I’ve never resorted to crochet, simply because I’ve always been very happy to knit.
    I’ll look forward to reading more of your interesting posts.

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      1. I can tell you that we’ve been financially exhausted for years because we didn’t stick at four, or fewer! But seriously, big families are a lot of fun, aren’t they? Four is a big family, too. Our elderst is 42 and the youngest is 31, so they’re all well grown up and ‘doing their own thing’.

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  4. Very fun to read about me. I see myself in many things you say about yourself … from home renovation occasions to crochet. Nice to meet you!

    Liked by 1 person

  5. Hi Lynda, a friend of Lynn’s (Lynz Real Cooking) is a friend of mine 🙂 and of course she speaks so highly of you. I just had to pop over and say hello. Not only that, but thank you for the lovely post you did of thanks to Lynn. You are a wonderful woman. I look forward to reading more from your blog. Hope you enjoy the rest of the weekend and take care.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you so much for thinking of me, I genuinely appreciate this. In general, I avoid doing challenges/awards because I’m pressed for time but this one really appeals to me. I’ve been mulling over a ‘quote of the day’ post so this has given me the push I needed. I’ll hopefully get to this next week.
      PS. I followed the links to your other two nominees; they are beautiful blogs and I have followed both. Feeling honoured 🙂

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  6. Lynda, your blog is easy to click follow, Osyth has never led me to a blah blog.. And you look like my Aunt Dorothy ! Gathering from the little I’ve seen in here so far, I just had to click !

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  8. Just found your blog. No apologies for being house orientated. I have just left London and being an accountant, to self sufficiency in France growing tomatoes, sewing and cooking. Loving it and blogging too. Cant wait to grab a cuppa later and read more 🙂

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  9. I was wondering the other day about the negative connotations associated with the word housewife and how it is more politically correct to chirp homemaker instead. The world is such a sensitive place 🙂 As for me, I am a freelance writer but I own ‘housewife’ with gusto and pride. Chuffed to be here.

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  10. I am freelance too but would say I live also a traditional “housewife” life of home cooking, washing, gardening and “home-making”. My mother was a housewife, but to be honest the type that just sits in a chair, while others earn the money, and moaned. I don’t apologise for feeling this way, when as a mother and housewife you neglect to create a home loving family atmosphere that I feel all housewives should create – as they have the time, working mothers do not.
    This blog is a case in point – being at home means you can create, add humour and experience to the world by sharing your life exploits and thoughts. I like home-maker best if I had to choose – because making a “home” isn’t easy – its the well-being and neutering element. But wife shows commitment to the house and its running on a more physical and practical level. I think both have a place and whatever you feel works is good for me.

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  11. Lynda – I miss you! I miss your blog posts! I miss connecting across the ocean. But guess what??!!! I am coming to Ireland soon!!!! And I would love to connect with you about it! A dream coming true!!! Hope you get this message. Hugs from Mars!

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