I was born in Vancouver in the early 50's, and our Mom didn't go to work til I was about 12 or 13 years old. Our home always smelled wonderful with something cooking in the oven or simmering on the stove top. When Mom went to work, my sister and I started getting meals ready, so Mom could put finishing touches on when she got home each day. Dad had been a chef in the 40's and early 50's and had his own restaurant in New Westminster. He was also a wonderful cook, but him having more cooking patience than Mom, he put more flare in his meals, and cooked more ethnic meals, using more ingredients than Mom did. I love to put together Ethnic meals, stir frying, healthy and heart wise, and because I work full time, I prepare a lot of crock pot meals. I still have a lot of my Mom and Dad's recipes that I refer to now and then. My sister got all the baking skills, and me not being much of a baker (probably just as well), we have very few desserts in our home). As a girl, my Mom had a routine with meals. For example, Sunday - Roast beef, Monday - meatloaf, Tuesday - country fried chicken, Wednesday - spaghetti, etc. Remember, these were the 50' and 60's, so meals were not as heart wise as they are today, but Mom made sure there was veggies at every meal. We didn't eat a lot of junky snacks. Sometimes she would hand us a chunk of turnip or potato to munch on til dinner. There was always good wholesome meals. Mom was also a wonderful baker. A couple of times a week, she would bake a pie or a cake. Now and then Dad would step in and cook up a meal of maybe Chinese food, corn beef with cabbage, or our favorite recipe from my Grandmother...perogys with onions and bacon.