We lived in discipline from birth. Mothers did not work outside the home, but most of them helped in the farm and worked as hard as men did, plus they tended the house, did the laundry in big vats outside. There was no warm water faucet then. The water was cold as ice coming from the wells. The clothe-line was our yesterday's dryer. Women use to see each other and talk to each other while putting their clean sheets on the clothe line. It seemed to me, as a child, that the clothes line was like a meeting place for women to exchange a little gossip. Every thing was made at home, from butter to yogurts, from fruit preserves to cured ham and sausage. Spaghetti were rolled and cut on a dough-board, then hung on a string or left on the table to dry before cooking them. My grand parent's cellar was always full with wooden barrel filled with home made wine which was decanted every so often. Smaller barrel contained olive oil. Grand mother had a canteen style restaurant. She cooked on request and offered good wine. Lots of men just came in to drink. The wise old woman would serve the strongest, best wine at first, but as she saw people getting inebriated she served the lighter, cheaper wine, eventually she even added water to make sure the men would be able to ride their horse or walk at home.
In my young childhood cars were only a luxury for rich people, television did not exist. We had a radio and never missed to listen to "The adventures of Zorro". In our world the good people always won defeating the bad ones.
Our sweater were home made, our dresses were home made. We only had 3 dresses, two were to change during the week and one was only to be worn on Sunday. We hang our clothes or laid them on a chair folded correctly. We never even thought to throw them on the floor as children do today. We respected and treasured the few things we had. Our grown up age was 21 not 18 as it is today. The brain stops growing at age 21 that's when we were considered adults and we were expected to act like adults. Girls most always married older men for they expected the men to be settled and able to support them and the up-coming children. The man was expected to furnish a house to shelter, food to nourish and clothes to stay warm.
Most marriages were arranged by the parents based on the financial value of the man and his ability to be able to support a family. Love came after the marriage with respect, trust and togetherness. Love at first sight was only a dream. Grand mother told me many times before I married. "Remember, when the stomach growls empty love goes out of the window". She was right, love has to nourish the body and the soul at the same time for a starving body changes the thoughts and the soul of a person.
