Lifestyle Choices

I took my first unconscious step towards female emancipation and away from martyrdom when I decided that, instead of teaching the au pair girl to cook for the children, it might be a better investment of time to teach the children to cook for the au pair. After all, I don’t change the children every year. For the first time they always ate what was put before them and they eventually asked to do the shopping, a task which they performed far more frugally than I.

The next step was to find a new job for the au pair, and to invest the money saved on wages in anti-drudge machines. One was the fridge-freezer, the other was the dishwasher, and any working woman with a family could regard these as business investments to offset against her wages in the family budget. The cost of both machines was equivalent to the au pair’s wages for eighteen months, not taking her keep into account. Furthermore, I’ll never have to do the freezer’s homework and the dishwasher is hardly likely to have an affair with my husband. (more…)

Never underestimate the statement-making impact of the right shoes; the right pair can really carry your look! Never before have there been so many shapes, styles, materials, and colors from which to choose. Study the list below; how many of these do you own?

• Ballerina flats. Round-toed, flat pumps that are graceful and flattering for all but the very shortest of girls. Have several pair in a variety of colors to meet almost any fashion need, from prom dress to toreador pants.
• D’Orsay pump. A strapless, slip-on shoe with a wedge-shaped heel that widens at top, then tapers to a point.
• Espadrille. A flat shoe with a canvas upper and a flexible, rope or hemp sole. A great summer choice. Try a pair that lace up your ankles teamed with a long, flowing skirt.

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Sailing

Sailing is a delight for the freedom of moving with the wind in the fresh air, but it is more often than not a lot of hard work too—both mentally and physically. Problems appear from nowhere and you have to cope—and you do. It is a demanding, rigorous sport and it gives you a great sense of achievement every time you do it. You can be any age to learn to sail, and you don’t have to be fit in order to take it up. Start either by joining a club where you can get instruction or by crewing on friends’ boats. If you don’t know any sailors, look at the advertisements in one of the yachting magazines; there are always people looking for crew, either experienced or inexperienced, and it costs you nothing— they get help on the boat and you get experience. (more…)

This is not to say that sunglasses don’t serve a purpose. They do. Wear them when your eyes are exposed to excessive quantities of light to which they are not accustomed—when you are near the sea, for instance, or when you go skiing. A good pair of sunglasses can be a great boon, for your eyes need time to accustom themselves to the increase in light, and wearing sunglasses can make the changeover easier. Also, prolonged exposure of unaccustomed eyes to large doses of ultraviolet light may lead to the inflammation of the cornea known as snow blindness, while too-intense infrared rays can burn the retina. The skin covering the front of your eyes is transparent. (more…)