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What a lovely post Grandma Donna. I do so yearn for a simpler time, and your post made me realise that I can have a simpler time even living in this modern era, by choosing to enjoy all the simple pleasures that are part of daily life. Just pottering around the house or in my garden brings me so much enjoyment, and I much prefer preparing a simple rotational menu of simple, basic meals, which can be just as delicious and nutritious as trying new gourmet recipes all the time. Perhaps its mostly a matter of mindset and choosing to slow down and enjoy these things intentionally - being content with what we already have, rather than always wanting more.

I look forward to hearing everyone else's thoughts.

Rebekah

I enjoy reading your posts. They help me to think more about simplifying life. I try to do some of the things you show us as my life permits. 

I really appreciate all the detail of daily life at the end of 1941. And it looks like I'll be learning to knit in the new year. :) We got some paper gift certificates, not plastic gift cards, from the locally-owned hamburger stand by us to give to the regular service people in our life as Christmas tokens of appreciation. I loved that they were old-fashioned paper gift certificates, and that we weren't contributing to plastic pollution. :) Since I'm still in 1930 for a couple of weeks, I learned that gift certificates were used in 1930. My son got a volunteer position at the local historical society. They use high schoolers to help them process their archives. The museum is close enough for him to walk or ride the bike, and to practice his driving for his driver's license. I'm looking forward to learning more about the past where I live. In February, there will be a talk at the museum about the one-room schools we used to have. Eventually, I'll go see what they have specifically related to WWII.

It's very hot here so I am dressing in a light linen skirt and top, which I handwash each night with my "smalls" and then throw the water onto the flower garden or flower pots. 

I'm enjoying the simplicity of not making decisions each day about what to wear, and the economy of using simple soap and water which can then be used in rotation on different plants.

How this relates to the study is the bigger theme of simplicity and routine bringing calm in a time of uncertainty, and potential anxiety.

This is always the message here on this forum and in Grandma Donna's articles.  However it really came home to me when I became very distressed recently and couldn't put my finger on why.

Talking to my husband,  we realised that I had started to get swept up in the hype around Christmas. 

We've had quite the frugal year but he finally started a new job about six weeks ago.

I lost my head and have gone overboard buying gifts for our daughters.

This is despite having made a start on home made gifts that I had carefully planned and was really looking forward to making and giving. 

My husband is philosophical and forgiving, and I am at peace with the situation now.

The level of inner turmoil I experienced means that the lesson will stay with me!

 I read Grandma Donna's article to my husband and he pointed out that we characteristically don't "follow the herd". This is probably why I became upset with myself: going against our grain.

I feel lucky to have found this community; I will buckle down and keep the study more central.

I am very fortunate that there is an exhibition about 40 min drive from us which is all about the Homefront in World War 2!

Thank you Grandma Donna and everyone for your information and steady influence!

I've been learning to knit recently too and plan to do more of it. I'm also doing lots of gardening, with many vegetables growing now and more to come. Fortunately, it hasn't been too hot here so everything is thriving.

In today's newspaper (Sydney Morning Herald 20th Dec 1941) I read that there's a shortage of aluminium so they're building warplane parts out of wood. One letter writer said we should do the same as the Germans, who he claims are making invisible planes out of plastic -- so it seems "misinformation" was already around in the 1940s. And rampant, deceptive advertising was around too, as on page 13 of the paper there's an ad for a brand of cigarettes that are “so wonderfully cool and smooth and never tire your palate — they are made specially to prevent sore throats.”

The government has banned all workers from taking holidays until further notice, and there is to be no motoring for ‘holiday’ reasons. Heavy fines will apply for anyone using their car if it isn't strictly necessary. Taxes are higher than ever to pay for the war effort, but many small businesses are in danger of collapsing because the tax is so high.

The day’s roll of honour had six reported killed in action, one 18 years old, two 21, one 43 and the others age not stated. 

In light of the Japanese attacks in Malaya, Hong Kong, Thailand, the Philippines and the US in the last two weeks, a production of The Mikado in Sydney has been cancelled.