#52Stories, Week 40, What was life like growing up, who did the chores, what were meal times like ?

Well, the boxes have arrived, but I've not been able to find that list I made back in July of blog topics to keep me busy and catch up. I think I am almost on track - I just have to count to be sure that today is the 40th Sunday of the year...or maybe that was last week.

I did have something else in mind for this week, but I was reading Kim Wolterman's blog posts as part of this challenge tonight and she had a couple which I thought seemed interesting. So I have combined them into one.

Life pretty much ran like clockwork, following a routine set by Mum and Dad - and probably learned from their parents and adapted to suit each other.

Mum did most chores in the house and Dad did the outside ones - until we were old enough to start helping out. So washing, cooking cleaning, vacuuming were Mum's domain and lawns, rubbish and gardening were Dad's. Other things like putting out the milk bottles and dishes were shared - until they became ours to do. They were also a great team when it came to planning and transforming the garden or redecorating. Wallpaperers extraordinaire - a real production line process.

Mum organised the shopping too. She'd phone the butcher and place an order to last a week - and he would deliver it all in his little van. If we had a car - sometimes we would go and collect it instead. Groceries mostly were from the Four Square at Five Cross Roads - where McDonalds is now. A lot of time was spent waiting, waiting, waiting on our behalf while Mum chatted with Bubbles and Digger (the owners, and only staff members I ever saw there). I wonder what their real names were. Last name Morris i think because it was called the Morris Building from memory. Fruit and veges came from the greengrocer over the road - and if we were good we might get a treat from Gailer's to take home (cream cakes and pastries !)

Meal times were all around the table with our best table manners. No elbows, eating everything on our plates - even the PEAS ! Even if it took until bedtime ! We had a jar too that we were meant to put 2 cents into if we said "Eh".

Breakfast too was everyone together to start the day. Big breakfasts as well. Mum would say it didn't matter then if we didn't eat our lunches - she knew we had had a monster meal to start the day. Cereal plus egg on toast , toast as well sometimes and juice to drink.

Both meals were great opportunities to share plans for the day, and later reflect on what had happened.

I've not been so good at keeping that tradition myself. Initially I did try, but lack of space, lack of furniture and busy lifestyles - eating on our laps became our thing. Still together though and still talking about our day. I do miss that. Maybe I will get it back very soon. It is in my plan.