I remember my mother had a schedule and it was kept no matter what.(I am 62) Monday was washing and ironing, Tuesday was bread making, Wednesday mending and sewing, etc. And each and every day there was a home cooked meal on the table, usually with a chicken she had killed and cleaned that morning and a home made cake or pie with some fruit she had gathered or been given. I also remember that every piece of laundry was starched, except towels and underwear. The pieces were so stiff they would stand up on their own. She had a vinegar bottle filled with water with a cork and sprinker head on it and us kids had to sprinkle the clothes to get them damp while she ironed. And I never heard her complain about anything.