Be a real man!

[British Red]

When we talked about Fiona's injuries recently we were quite surprised at the number of comments that we received saying that "my husband couldn't cope if I was laid up".

When you think about living on a smallholding (or farm / homestead), it's a pretty poor chap who can't carry out all the important tasks on a homestead if their partner was laid up. I know for a fact that there are very few things that I do that Fiona isn't capable of doing if necessary!

This week, we look at what it takes to be a "real man" on a modern homestead

 

[Pattree]

A while back now, a neighbour who needed to spend time with her sick mother arranged for her husband to get his meals with the people next door.

A guy that I worked with in Inverinan forest (Argylle)sent his washing home to Essex to his mum.

It wasn’t all that surprising when I was young.

I could have hoped that two generations later, helpless men were few and far between.

Well done mate. Of course you get stuck in but it’s still good to see.
Hope that leg heals just a bit quicker than you are expecting - some “women’s work” Is fun and you need to share it as soon as possible!

 

[British Red]

A while back now, a neighbour who needed to spend time with her sick mother arranged for her husband to get his meals with the people next door.

A guy that I worked with in Inverinan forest (Argylle)sent his washing home to Essex to his mum.

It wasn’t all that surprising when I was young.

I could have hoped that two generations later, helpless men were few and far between.

Well done mate. Of course you get stuck in but it’s still good to see.
Hope that leg heals just a bit quicker than you are expecting - some “women’s work” Is fun and you need to share it as soon as possible!

I suspect that there aren't too many bushcrafters that are like that - they would starve in the woods, but there's still a few who seem to take pride in their incompetence. It's weird isn't it?

Cast is getting cut off in 10 days for more X-rays & images. We'll know more then.

 

[Chris]

My Dad, for any faults he had, would always do ironing and cooking and things at home if my Mum was busy.

Personally I ask this question:

What kind of man, if they are in good health, can’t look after themselves and those they love?

 

[Broch]

Yep, a real man cooks, irons (when absolutely necessary), washes, occasionally 'hoovers' (let's be honest, we don't need the place as tidy as the ladies want) and can even darn and sew - if one can't be independent when one needs to be, one is not a real man IMO

I hope all is well upon the new inspection!

 

[British Red]

My Dad, for any faults he had, would always do ironing and cooking and things at home if my Mum was busy.

Personally I ask this question:

What kind of man, if they are in good health, can’t look after themselves and those they love?

Exactly so

 

[British Red]

I hope all is well upon the new inspection!

Thanks mate - I'm crossing everything

 

[oldtimer]

My great uncle Caleb was a shellback: that is, he had been round Cape Horn under sail on a square rigger. He started in the Royal Navy as a seaman and retired as a Commander. He could sew, knit, mend shoes and cooked and kept house for himself and my great aunt who was wheelchair bound by severe arthritis. He sold me my first knife for a penny when I was about seven.

Uncle Caleb had no time for men who couldn't look after themselves. As a Naval Officer, he would never order a man under his command to do anything he was not prepared to do himself.

He looked and dressed just like Popeye, including the pipe, and I worshipped him.

 

[TLM]

There is the problem with most household machines that they are designed to be used by women. Their operating logic(alness) and user interface are just plain impossible for even a fairly schooled male. Falling back to more primitive methods is in most cases not possible. (Edit: not so seriously.)

 

[Paul_B]

Like what household machines? I guess you're not talking about hair straighteners, but what?

 

[Pattree]

There is the problem with most household machines that they are designed to be used by women. Their operating logic(alness) and user interface are just plain impossible for even a fairly schooled male. Falling back to more primitive methods is in most cases not possible.

Now that’s interesting.
Most of the time my wife hits the big blue “just-get-on-with-it” over-ride button on the washing machine.
It’s me who selects a program and messes about.
Same with the microwave.

I dust with the vacuum cleaner tools.

It makes sense to me but it’s “faffing” as far as my wife is concerned.

I guess we guys are just as different from each other on the domestic front as we are on every other.

 

[Paul_B]

When I was a teenager my mum taught me the basics of cooking. Whilst she was a good cook I'd have learnt more from my dad who was a better cook. This skill did me well at uni. I lived, well fed on a tenner a week. Left me more for beer money! I cooked in bulk.

As to other things I picked up knowledge from so many sources. I don't really know what I know to do as I only remember when I need it. However, for me knowing isn't the same as doing. I'm quite happy with the idea n of picking and choosing what we do and what we pay others to do. Just because I pay a fencer to install fencing doesn't mean I can't or haven't done it before. It just means I value my time doing other things. I will admit I'm not as efficient or as good as a pro at the jobs I do or have done. If a pro does something in two days I'm likely to take a few weekends or longer. I've not got the tools or experience of the pro and have to bodge more I reckon with the tools I do have.

 

[demented dale]

My great uncle Caleb was a shellback: that is, he had been round Cape Horn under sail on a square rigger. He started in the Royal Navy as a seaman and retired as a Commander. He could sew, knit, mend shoes and cooked and kept house for himself and my great aunt who was wheelchair bound by severe arthritis. He sold me my first knife for a penny when I was about seven.

Uncle Caleb had no time for men who couldn't look after themselves. As a Naval Officer, he would never order a man under his command to do anything he was not prepared to do himself.

He looked and dressed just like Popeye, including the pipe, and I worshipped him.

He sold you a knife? was that to teach you about trade or did he need the money?

 

[Broch]

He sold you a knife? was that to teach you about trade or did he need the money?

Probably superstition - knives must always be exchanged for coin.

 

[Paul_B]

My gran said silver coin for anything sharp. If you don't you'll have sharp words! That was 5p or more. Either my gran was a bit too mercenary or inflation. Probably the latter because I was born early 70s so lived through the basket case economy years. Inflation was something I knew about in primary school, mars bars got put out of my price range by it!

 

[Damascus]

I’m pretty self sufficient at home, in fact I do all the ironing as my wife says I’m better at it! During our time in the military I always pressed her uniform and bulled her shoes. I find ironing quite therapeutic.
In the case of the knife, never give a knife as it will cut your friendship and it was always a piece of silver.

 

[British Red]

My great uncle Caleb was a shellback: that is, he had been round Cape Horn under sail on a square rigger. He started in the Royal Navy as a seaman and retired as a Commander. He could sew, knit, mend shoes and cooked and kept house for himself and my great aunt who was wheelchair bound by severe arthritis. He sold me my first knife for a penny when I was about seven.

Uncle Caleb had no time for men who couldn't look after themselves. As a Naval Officer, he would never order a man under his command to do anything he was not prepared to do himself.

He looked and dressed just like Popeye, including the pipe, and I worshipped him.

That's quite a man - would love to have had a natter

 

[British Red]

Now that’s interesting.
Most of the time my wife hits the big blue “just-get-on-with-it” over-ride button on the washing machine.
It’s me who selects a program and messes about.
Same with the microwave.

I dust with the vacuum cleaner tools.

It makes sense to me but it’s “faffing” as far as my wife is concerned.

I guess we guys are just as different from each other on the domestic front as we are on every other.

Makes sense to me. I like (live in) wool. You soon learn to wash it properly!

 

[British Red]

When I was a teenager my mum taught me the basics of cooking. Whilst she was a good cook I'd have learnt more from my dad who was a better cook. This skill did me well at uni. I lived, well fed on a tenner a week. Left me more for beer money! I cooked in bulk.

As to other things I picked up knowledge from so many sources. I don't really know what I know to do as I only remember when I need it. However, for me knowing isn't the same as doing. I'm quite happy with the idea n of picking and choosing what we do and what we pay others to do.

Of course, but I'm sure you can make a decent meal for your partner when appropriate!

 

[Pattree]

My gran said silver coin for anything sharp. If you don't you'll have sharp words! That was 5p

Nope. It was probably 2.5p (sixpence) but could have been 1.25p as silver threepenny bits were still legal tender.

A lot of demobbed men wouldn’t do “women’s work” in those days. There was an enormous fear of looking stupid, looking ignorant or “weak”.