If you’re wondering what the hell does the title mean, it means you’re part of a wider audience than my lil Romanian friends and you’ve just stumbled across a guide written in the 70s about what a 40 year old female should be. And what she should do. And don’t let anyone else tell her what to do and what to think 🙂

I found this in my mom’s books and I’d love to think that her, just like me, when approaching her 40s decided to get a guide. No, kidding, it must have been a gag gift as my mother is was definitely not known for being feminine. She’s gone now but the book stays and it makes me happy to think that she once chuckled at the advice therein just as much as I did.

The book itself covers the dreaded menopause, the hormonal changes, the irritability, the nerves, the bloating, the facial hair and it is more scary than what you nowadays find online about the CHANGE. It also has some chapters about what a woman should do if her skin is bad and wrinkled, creams and lotions she should cater for, what type of skincare routines she should handle. I mean 730 applications of makeup remover per year? Visits to the hair salon occasionally – I do get, but not monthly! Hair dyes, makeup application, clothing selections and manners. All these things make a woman look and feel nice.

There is even a chapter dedicated to weight loss and how to plan your diet so you look good for the holidays.

The recipes presented for a 1-2Kg loss is mostly consuming vegetable soup / stock three times a day, with the occasional egg or ham thrown in for protein.

I mean yea, you will loose weight if you mostly drink tea, no sugars, and loads of stock. I think people did it in the 1800s with chicken soup.

But let me tell you something – you – as in you reading this – you look good wherever you are and you don’t need no damn soup that often. I bet your pee will smell like parsnip when you’re done.

Also – it’s well encouraged in the book not to feel to bad about weight gain post menopause as the body tends to slow down and not burn as many calories as before, unless the activity level is upped and there’s yoga, cycling and walking on the menu. I don’t think they did TRX and BodyPump in the 70s, especially for women.

What really cracked me up though was the nightgown choice of clothing for staying in. I’m not sure if your mothers have had “the nightgown” but we had it in Romania and it was a craze. All my friend’s mothers had one.

Yes, people would dress up when going out but behind closed doors, that mumu was the best choice.

Do I recommend this book? Nah, it’s outdated. Like most of the advice. But it’s a good read. I love that we don’t have mercury creams anymore for skin whitening and that we no longer believe wearing ballet shoes would cause a flat-foot.

Will try some of the organic advice on helping your tired feet feel better: oat baths – 20-30 degree celsius warm water with oats. It helps with blisters and swollen feet.
And I’ll definitely try a strawberry face mask when summertime comes.

Sending love!