Intriguing Tidbits from a Bygone Era

Any other Downton Abbey fans out there?  I first learned about it through Facebook and checked out Season 1 from the library out of general curiosity.  Then I was hooked.  So when I found a book written by the current Countess of Carnavon about the "Real Downton Abbey" I requested it at the library hoping to gain a good idea of just how much of the show was realistic.

The book recounts some of the history of Lady Almina, the Countess of Carnavon during the same period of time that Downton Abbey covers.  Her home was Highclere Castle, which is the location used for shooting some of the show, and some of the events of her life were used as inspiration for the storyline.

I enjoyed the book and was fascinated by some of the details of daily life (both "upstairs" and "downstairs") during an era that has faded out of existence.  One of the things that struck me was how many little details of daily living during that time that are so different from anything we experience.  (For example, all the running upstairs with pots of hot water for bathing or the sheer multitude of candles that the staff would have to light-- and put out-- every evening before the electricity and running water were installed.)  This is stuff that they probably didn't think twice about but was just a regular part of daily life.

It got me to thinking about what things I have responsibility for that I don't even think twice about but people in the future would be surprised by or find baffling.  Of course, it's near impossible to guess what those things would be.  Maybe changing an air filter on the a/c every month or stuffing loads of dirty clothes into a washer several times a week.  Maybe my lucky descendants will be baffled by the concept of loading dishes into a dishwasher or cleaning toilets.  Hard to know....

But it makes me wonder if I should perhaps compile a list of all the mundane tasks that I do, whether it been cooking, cleaning, maintenance or child care related.  It would be boring for those of us who do these things every day, but who knows?  Maybe some future person perusing my journal will find my to do list an enthralling study in early 21st century suburban living!