his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first - remember, his topics of conversation are more important than yours."

2007 If you listen carefully, you may hear more than a grunt as he walks in the door. Followed by some futile attempts to break up the kid's squabbling.

1955 "Make him comfortable. Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or have him lie down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him."

2007 While hubby leans back in a comfortable chair and promptly falls asleep in front of the TV, open a bottle of wine, take a good swig straight from the bottle then head for the bubble bath. A glass is optional.

1955 "Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a l

I think I'm having a heart attack..... maybe not. Then it must be high blood pressure, my face is beet red. Could be a major allergy reaction...that's it! I can't breathe, my heart is pounding, my eyes are squeezed shut. Pass the EpiPen, I'm definitely very allergic to something I just read:

"The Good Wife's Guide" from Housekeeping Monthly Magazine, May 1955 issue.

This was painful reading. And I'm not going to submit you to the agony of the entire article, just a few quotes, but what I will do is create an allergy shot of humor just in case you succumb.

Now to demonstrate just how far we women have come during the past 52 years.

The article deals solely with how to greet and treat your husband when he arrives home from work for dinner and a relaxing evening.

1955 "Have dinner ready. Plan ahead to have a delicious meal ready in time for his return. 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 (especially his favourite dish) is part of the warm welcome needed."

2007 Upon leaving your place of work and on the drive home, cell phone your husband, who is picking up the kids from school and daycare, to say you are running late and that you will skid by the drive thru and grab something for dinner. If it's still warm when you get home that's a bonus.

1955 "Prepare yourself. Take 15 minutes to rest so 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".

2007 Prepare yourself. If you can't quite achieve "fresh" looking, at least try to stay upright a bit longer. If you can manage a bathroom break before the herd comes stampeding through the door, consider yourself rested. Ribbons? Huh?

1955 "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. Minimize all noise. At the time of his arrival, eliminate the noise of the washer, dryer or vacuum. Try to encourage the children to be quiet."

2007 Prepare the children. Holler "Go wash up!" loud enough for them to hear over the TV. Try to ignore their hair and clothes. Don't worry, the words "treasure" and "child" will never enter your brain together in the same hour. As you dish out fried chicken from the bucket ask your husband to transfer the load of clothes from the washer to the dryer and would he prefer to do the dishes or vacuum the house after dinner.

1955 "Your goal: try to make sure your home is a place of peace, order and tranquillity where your husband can renew himself in body and spirit".

2007 Don't we have spas for that now?

1955 "Listen to him. You may have a dozen important things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first - remember, his topics of conversation are more important than yours."

2007 If you listen carefully, you may hear more than a grunt as he walks in the door. Followed by some futile attempts to break up the kid's squabbling.

1955 "Make him comfortable. Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or have him lie down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him."

2007 While hubby leans back in a comfortable chair and promptly falls asleep in front of the TV, open a bottle of wine, take a good swig straight from the bottle then head for the bubble bath. A glass is optional.

1955 "Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a lo

ing.

1955 "Have dinner ready. Plan ahead to have a delicious meal ready in time for his return. 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 (especially his favourite dish) is part of the warm welcome needed."

2007 Upon leaving your place of work and on the drive home, cell phone your husband, who is picking up the kids from school and daycare, to say you are running late and that you will skid by the drive thru and grab something for dinner. If it's still warm when you get home that's a bonus.

1955 "Prepare yourself. Take 15 minutes to rest so 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".

2007 Prepare yourself. If you can't quite achieve "fresh" looking, at least try to stay upright a bit longer. If you can manage a bathroom break before the herd comes stampeding through the door, consider yourself rested. Ribbons? Huh?

1955 "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. Minimize all noise. At the time of his arrival, eliminate the noise of the washer, dryer or vacuum. Try to encourage the children to be quiet."

2007 Prepare the children. Holler "Go wash up!" loud enough for them to hear over the TV. Try to ignore their hair and clothes. Don't worry, the words "treasure" and "child" will never enter your brain together in the same hour. As you dish out fried chicken from the bucket ask your husband to transfer the load of clothes from the washer to the dryer and would he prefer to do the dishes or vacuum the house after dinner.

1955 "Your goal: try to make sure your home is a place of peace, order and tranquillity where your husband can renew himself in body and spirit".

2007 Don't we have spas for that now?

1955 "Listen to him. You may have a dozen important things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first - remember, his topics of conversation are more important than yours."

2007 If you listen carefully, you may hear more than a grunt as he walks in the door. Followed by some futile attempts to break up the kid's squabbling.

1955 "Make him comfortable. Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or have him lie down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him."

2007 While hubby leans back in a comfortable chair and promptly falls asleep in front of the TV, open a bottle of wine, take a good swig straight from the bottle then head for the bubble bath. A glass is optional.

1955 "Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a l

ur makeup, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh looking. He has just been with a lot of work-weary people".

2007 Prepare yourself. If you can't quite achieve "fresh" looking, at least try to stay upright a bit longer. If you can manage a bathroom break before the herd comes stampeding through the door, consider yourself rested. Ribbons? Huh?

1955 "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. Minimize all noise. At the time of his arrival, eliminate the noise of the washer, dryer or vacuum. Try to encourage the children to be quiet."

2007 Prepare the children. Holler "Go wash up!" loud enough for them to hear over the TV. Try to ignore their hair and clothes. Don't worry, the words "treasure" and "child" will never enter your brain together in the same hour. As you dish out fried chicken from the bucket ask your husband to transfer the load of clothes from the washer to the dryer and would he prefer to do the dishes or vacuum the house after dinner.

1955 "Your goal: try to make sure your home is a place of peace, order and tranquillity where your husband can renew himself in body and spirit".

2007 Don't we have spas for that now?

1955 "Listen to him. You may have a dozen important things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first - remember, his topics of conversation are more important than yours."

2007 If you listen carefully, you may hear more than a grunt as he walks in the door. Followed by some futile attempts to break up the kid's squabbling.

1955 "Make him comfortable. Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or have him lie down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him."

2007 While hubby leans back in a comfortable chair and promptly falls asleep in front of the TV, open a bottle of wine, take a good swig straight from the bottle then head for the bubble bath. A glass is optional.

1955 "Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a l

Prepare the children. Holler "Go wash up!" loud enough for them to hear over the TV. Try to ignore their hair and clothes. Don't worry, the words "treasure" and "child" will never enter your brain together in the same hour. As you dish out fried chicken from the bucket ask your husband to transfer the load of clothes from the washer to the dryer and would he prefer to do the dishes or vacuum the house after dinner.

1955 "Your goal: try to make sure your home is a place of peace, order and tranquillity where your husband can renew himself in body and spirit".

2007 Don't we have spas for that now?

1955 "Listen to him. You may have a dozen important things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first - remember, his topics of conversation are more important than yours."

2007 If you listen carefully, you may hear more than a grunt as he walks in the door. Followed by some futile attempts to break up the kid's squabbling.

1955 "Make him comfortable. Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or have him lie down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him."

2007 While hubby leans back in a comfortable chair and promptly falls asleep in front of the TV, open a bottle of wine, take a good swig straight from the bottle then head for the bubble bath. A glass is optional.

1955 "Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a l

his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first - remember, his topics of conversation are more important than yours."

2007 If you listen carefully, you may hear more than a grunt as he walks in the door. Followed by some futile attempts to break up the kid's squabbling.

1955 "Make him comfortable. Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or have him lie down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him."

2007 While hubby leans back in a comfortable chair and promptly falls asleep in front of the TV, open a bottle of wine, take a good swig straight from the bottle then head for the bubble bath. A glass is optional.

1955 "Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a low, soothing and pleasant voice."

2007 Retrieve your pillow from the floor where it fell that morning when you got up after too little sleep. Offer to turn out the light, fall into bed and wish hubby a muffled "G'night".

Okay, in which era would you choose to live? My parents were the 1955 version, but I have no recollection of any of the above "guide" lines present let alone being followed in our home. The closest we would come would be a glimpse of these fairy stories on "Father Knows Best". If my Mum ever attempted to follow any of the advice in this article, Dad would have wondered what space creatures had invaded the bodies of his loved ones. Besides, she was much too busy working as a legal secretary, operating a household and helping raise three kids! But then she was in the minority and way ahead of her time.

Thanks for trailblazing for us, Mum!

(c) 2007 Lynn Moore