I would

have been a complete failure as a middle class woman in

the early 1900s.

Based on

the British serial "1900 House," which has

aired on PBS, I learned that the main focus of my

existence would have been to cook, clean, wash clothes

and try to maintain my sanity. The dear woman who gave up

all her modern appliances and conveniences to live the

life of a turn-of-the-century drudge for three months

with her career-military husband and four children

deserves a title from the Queen.

Lacing

oneself into a corset every day is bad enough. Layering

another five pounds of clothing over it is staggering. I

can't imagine life before lycra and permanent press.

Washing

clothes was a two-day ordeal in our grandmothers' time.

Start with boiling water, add soap flakes, cottons and

stir. Then it's time to wring them through the

"wringer"- at least an another hour's

work. Great for the pecs, though. Clothespin on line to

dry and pray for sunshine. Finally, the fun part -

ironing cotton.

In between,

there's sweeping, dusting, beating rugs and errant

children, shopping at the market and preparing meals on a

black iron stove that resembles Thomas the Tank Engine.

Evening entertainment might include a game of charades or

reading aloud. I would assume bedtime would be around 8

p.m. so the "lady of the house" could rise with

the chickens the next morning for the next round of

chores.

No wonder a

woman's life span was so short. She literally worked

herself to death!

I wonder if

in another 100 years, there will be a sequel called

"2000 House."

Imagine a

Jetson-like family shaking their heads as they watch Mom

bustling around the kitchen, frantically pressing buttons

on the microwave, talking on the cordless phone and

popping ice cubes from the refrigerator door into a glass

simultaneously. Dad is parading an archaic machine called

a lawn mower from left to right in the front yard and the

children are huddled around a gigantic box called a

television watching animated figures punch each other out

in the name of entertainment.

Ah, life in

the year 2000. Can it get any better than this?

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