I’ve taken a bit of a break from blogging…bad, I know. So sorry to all of my loyal subscribers (all three of you) but my only excuse is…wow it’s been busy! Mann Made Time has exploded and I couldn’t be happier about it. Luckily I have a large team, a project manager and an online collaboration tool or I would definitely not be able to handle this! It’s not easy when I also wear the hat of wife and mother - not just successful ‘business Mann’.

Now, I know I’m not the only woman in business that has two small children and a husband at home. There are more and more woman-owned business now than anyone a couple of decades ago probably ever thought possible. We contribute billions of dollars to the economy every year…women rock.

I was doing some shopping for books online today, to read some reviews and stuff, and I came across something on Google that made me laugh…really hard. It’s taken from a 1954 Home Economics text book and explains the steps a young lady should take in order to become a good wife.

I really do love my husband, and I love being domestic. I love cooking, I like to have a clean house, I even like how it feels to have clean laundry. But I’m afraid that I fail terribly in my wife role according to this document. It blows my mind how different the world is now than it must have been in the 1950s, but I have to wonder if it wouldn’t be nice just to be sucked back to a simpler time just for one day when one of my biggest concerns was making sure my hair looked nice for when my poor tired husband got home from a hard day’s work. I guess the biggest difference is that women can be defined as more than only a “wife” these days. After reading this, I wondered what my grandmothers would think about me operating my own business and slacking off as a wife…jeepers, my husband even takes a turn now and again staying with the girls while I work! Egad…

Enjoy:

HOW TO BE A GOOD WIFE

Home Economics High School Text Book, 1954

Have dinner ready. Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal, on time. This is a way of letting him know that you have been thinking about him and are concerned about his needs. Most men are hungry when they come home and the prospect of a good meal are part of the warm welcome needed.

*Something tells me a frozen ‘crock pot’ meal from the grocery store doesn’t count.*

Prepare yourself. Take 15 minutes to rest so that you’ll be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your makeup, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh-looking. He has just been with a lot of work-weary people. Be a little gay and a little more interesting. His boring day may need a lift.

*There’s a good chance that I look much more work-weary than anyone he encountered at his job. And if I looked all fresh and made up when he got home, I might get questioned.

Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the main part of the home just before your husband arrives, gather up schoolbooks, toys, paper, etc. Then run a dust cloth over the tables. Your husband will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order, and it will give you a lift, too.

*This is a fabulous idea, but it’s not happening anytime soon. Um…I don’t even own a “dust cloth”.

Prepare the children. Take a few minutes to wash the children’s hands and faces (if they are small), comb their hair, and if necessary change their clothes. They are little treasures and he would like to see them playing the part.

*But my husband has grown to love the “feral child” look of our daughter…

Minimize all noise. At the time of his arrival, eliminate all noise of the washer, dryer, dishwasher, or vacuum. Try to encourage the children to be quiet. Be happy to see him. Greet him with a warm smile and be glad he is home.

*He’s always greeted with a warm smile and I’m always happy he’s home…especially since then it’s his turn to wrangle the kidlets

Some don’ts: Don’t greet him with problems or complaints. Don’t complain if he is late for dinner. Count this as minor compared with what he might have gone through that day. Make him comfortable. Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or suggest he lie down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him. Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a low, soft, soothing and pleasant voice. Allow him to relax and unwind.

*This one makes ME want to have a cold drink right now. I don’t know how I would keep a straight face, softly asking if I could take off his shoes.

Listen to him. You may have a dozen things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first.

*Ya…..

Make the evening his. Never complain if he does not take you out to dinner or to other places of entertainment. Instead, try to understand his world of strain and pressure, his need to be home and relax.

*I never complain that I don’t get taken places. I need all the spare time I have to darn socks, iron and plan meals for crying out loud.

The Goal: Try to make your home a place of peace and order where your husband can renew himself in body and spirit.

*Are there any women that own businesses that share this goal? Anyone?

Something tells me this was not written by someone that operated a business from home

3 Comments »

I’m all about efficiency, and yesterday I got to thinking…

Why isn’t there a breed of grass that stops growing at an inch tall to prevent the need to cut it?

1 Comment »

So this has absolutely nothing to do with business, but it’s Friday. Let’s be honest. If we were working together, in an office as co-workers, on Friday afternoon at 3:50, we would be loosening up a bit by now.

Just received this in an email, and it’s great for a giggle.

Check this out.

Happy Friday

1 Comment »

I received an email this morning from a friend, and I found it very touching. I never forward on the ‘forwards’ I receive, but this one was too good to keep to myself.

I think we can all learn a lesson from these stories.

*Editor’s note: The author of the following piece is unknown:

1 - First Important Lesson - Cleaning Lady.

During my second month of college, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions until I read the last one:

“What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?” Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50’s, but how would I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade.

“Absolutely,” said the professor. “In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say “hello.” I’ve never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.

2. - Second Important Lesson - Pickup in the Rain

One night, at 11:30 p.m., an older African American woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rain storm. Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride. Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car. A young white man stopped to help her, generally unheard of in those conflict-filled 1960’s. The man took her to safety, helped her get assistance and put her into a taxicab.

She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address and thanked him. Seven days went by and a knock came on the man’s door. To his surprise, a giant console color TV was delivered to his home. A special note was attached.

It read:
“Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night. The rain drenched not only my clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along. Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying husband’s bedside just before he passed away… God bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving others.”

Sincerely,
Mrs. Nat King Cole.

3 - Third Important Lesson - Always remember those who serve.

In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him.

“How much is an ice cream sundae?” he asked.
“Fifty cents,” replied the waitress.
The little boy pulled is hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it.
“Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?” he inquired.
By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient.
“Thirty-five cents,” she brusquely replied.
The little boy again counted his coins. “I’ll have the plain ice cream,” he said.

The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left. When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies..

You see, he couldn’t have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.

4 - Fourth Important Lesson. - The obstacle in Our Path.

In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king’s wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the King for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way.

Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been.

The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the King indicating that the gold was for the person who moved the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many of us never understand!

Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition.

5 - Fifth Important Lesson - Giving When it Counts…

Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare &serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister.

I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, “Yes I’ll do it if it will save her.”

As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheek. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, “Will I start to die right away”.

Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her.

Remember…

“Work like you don’t need the money, love like you’ve never been hurt, and dance like you do when nobody’s watching.”

No Comments yet »

This is totally and completely off topic, but I just had to share!

Many of my readers are busy business women, and we ladies tend to crave chocolate. A lot. (Scott and Darrell, I know you both read my blog every day and you aren’t girls, but you’ll like this too ;))

How would you like a piece of homemade chocolate cake right now? Real chocolate cake in only  minutes…

I found this recipe while searching for something special to make my sweetie for Valentine’s Day. While this won’t be on Thursday’s menu, we had some last night. Yum.

Microwave Chocolate Cake

• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 pinch salt

Directions:

1. Spray a medium microwave-safe bowl with non-stick spray and set aside. In a mixing bowl, combine the butter, sugar, egg, vanilla extract, and milk; blend together. Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt; blend into the mixture until smooth. Pour into greased bowl.
2. Cover and cook in the microwave on high for 2 to 2 1/2 minutes, or until cake springs back when touched. Since all microwaves cook differently, adjust the cooking time to accommodate your machine. To serve, let the cake cool five minutes, then cover the bowl with a plate and turn both bowl and plate upside down so the cake falls onto the plate.

There you have it. An individual sized serving of homemade chocolate cake, to be enjoyed at 3pm, midnight or whenever.

If you love to bake but just never have the time, this is a great recipe for you. If you’d like to get back in the kitchen more often, consider outsourcing those tasks that keep you away to a virtual assistant

6 Comments »