Mattie On The Homefront

Latest Episodes:

No to Mrs. Miniver, but Yes to Cranberry Salad and Chili - [Nov 23, 1942] Jun 24, 2026

Show notes

It's the week of Thanksgiving, and there's a lot of socializing to be done. Mattie visits and visits and visits, and bemoans that visiting will get much harder with coffee rationing taking away the pleasure of a cup of joe with your pals.

One thing that won't get done is going to see Mrs. Miniver, even if it is a good movie. Mattie learns about Ken's housing, and we learn about how much housing they needed to house the mobile workforce and the Army in 1942. Plus, how amazing the writing was in National Geographic.

And, we finally hear from Bud! After nearly 2 months of being out-of-touch, he has written.

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Characters This Week:

Florence Glindmier (friend)
Alice (friend)
Virginia (Ken's fiancée)
Susan (Virginia's sister)
Gennrich's (friends)
Hanson's (friends)
Aunt Martha (Matt's aunt)
Bud (stepson)
Chuck Giertsen (Ken's best friend)
Cousin Ella (niece)

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Website: moth.family

Get notified about new episodes

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Mattie On The Homefront is produced by Hans Buetow. It is hosted by Hans Buetow and Steve Buetow. The theme music is by Matt Buetow. The graphic design is by Amy Kirkpatrick.

The Old Man and His Son and His Son and His Son - [Nov 18 & 20, 1942] Jun 17, 2026

Show notes

Steve and Hans are joined in the shop by Cathy - Hans' mom!

For us, it's father's day, the perfect time for an introduction to Carl, Mattie's ex-husband, Ken's father, and a huge figure in all of our lives. Carl was a difficult (awful?) man, and a tyrant of a husband and father, and looms large in the relationship between Mattie and Ken. And, in a lot of ways, with all of us. The legacy of a father to a son, and then down to his son and his - do these things carry on?

In Mattie's world, It's only a week until Thanksgiving, so it's time to talk about Christmas, and how much she'll miss the boys for Turkey Day. But there's plenty of volunteering to do, and things to accomplish, and Mattie tirelessly takes us through late November.

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Characters This Week:

Gwen (niece)
George (niece's fiancé)
Georgine (friend)
Gennrich's (friends)
Gram (mother)
Grandma Mick (husband's mother)
Carl (ex-husband)
Bud (stepson)

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Website: moth.family

Get notified about new episodes

––––

Mattie On The Homefront is produced by Hans Buetow. It is hosted by Hans Buetow and Steve Buetow. The theme music is by Matt Buetow. The graphic design is by Amy Kirkpatrick.

Until We Could Hardly Wiggle - Cousin Gwen & George's Wedding - [Nov 16, 1942] Jun 10, 2026

Show notes

Steve and Hans are joined by Mattie's great-granddaughter Becky, great-grandson-in-law Kevin, and great-great-granddaughter Mia, officially turning us into a five generation podcast.

Today, we get the details on George & Gwen's Wedding, including her dress, the flowers, Alvin's singing, and the door than knocked down poor Mrs. Buelow. We also speculate on the military job we imagine Ken should have had, and whether Mattie would have stood on business (she would have, obvsly.)

Both Matt and Mattie are also both out volunteering this week, including for Every Member Canvas and Ladies' Aid. And Mattie is cleaning - for herself but also maybe to feel normal.

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Characters This Week:

Gwen (niece)
George (niece's fiancé)
Gram (mother)
Flo (daughter-in-law)
Genevieve (sister-in-law)
Aunt Ella (sister)
Uncle Herb (brother)
Aunt Dolly (sister-in-law)
The Peters' (friends)
Bud (stepson)

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Website: moth.family

Get notified about new episodes

––––

Mattie On The Homefront is produced by Hans Buetow. It is hosted by Hans Buetow and Steve Buetow. The theme music is by Matt Buetow. The graphic design is by Amy Kirkpatrick.

The Scarlet Scourge - [Nov 9, 1942] Jun 03, 2026

Show notes

It's a rainy fall day in November, and Mattie is sitting down to write to Ken.

Today, there is drama. She got a call from her older sister, who used to be one of her closest friends. But now, it seems, there is bitterness as Mattie reports telling Ella "well, Old Girl, you are just getting a dose of your own medicine, now you know how it feels to slight a child of yours."

Steve reveals that, just a few years from now, Ella will get a lobotomy, and though she lives until the 2000's, she will spend the rest of her life in an institution.

In happier news - we hear about WWII going better in North Africa (for now), a glimmer of hope in Stalingrad (but not yet), and a new movie.

Plus, we learn all about V-Mail, and Mattie meets her dress form lookalike.

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Links:

1942 U.S. Midterm Elections
1942 Election results in the MN 4th District
The Socialist Appeal

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Characters This Week:

Aunt Ella (older sister)
Uncle Herb (younger brother)
Aunt Dolly (younger brother's wife)
Chuck Giertsen (Ken's best friend)
Virginia (Ken's fiancée)

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Website: moth.family

Get notified about new episodes

––––

Mattie On The Homefront is produced by Hans Buetow. It is hosted by Hans Buetow and Steve Buetow. The theme music is by Matt Buetow. The graphic design is by Amy Kirkpatrick.

Cheap Spangles and All Very Skimpy - Fashion of 1942 - [Nov 4, 1942] May 26, 2026

Show notes

We are joined by our first ever guest, Amy Kirkpatrick, sewist and designer, who breaks down one of Mattie's big passions - fashion, sewing, crafts, and making. We learn so much about clothing in 1942 - what's regulated and what's not, what's in fashion and what's not, and what's available and what's not.

In family news, everyone is worried, with no news from Bud for the past month. Mattie is feeling a bit lonesome, but is so very proud of Ken.

Plus, a survey of the movies currently out that Mattie is not going to see.

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Links:

LIFE Magazine (April, 1942)
Sew for Victory
Make Do and Mend
Claire McCardell (Blackbird Spyplane)
Pop-Over Dress (The Met)
Logo photo: Betty Grable at Fort Bragg (1942)

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Characters This Week:

Bud (stepson)
Chuck Giertsen (Ken's best friend)
Florence (Wes' wife)
Glad Gennrich (friend)

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Website: moth.family

Get notified about new episodes

––––

Mattie On The Homefront is produced by Hans Buetow. It is hosted by Hans Buetow and Steve Buetow. The theme music is by Matt Buetow. The graphic design is by Amy Kirkpatrick.

We Had The Usual Amount of Good Time - [Nov 1, 1942] May 19, 2026

Show notes

November has arrived, along with a big storm up at the cabin. But they manage to get up through the snow, and put the cabin to rest for the winter.

Back in the Twin Cities, Mattie is volunteering, gambling and listening to football, but not all at the same time.

Plus, we get to know a few more friends, and hear about upcoming Christmas boxes.

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Characters This Week:

Ruby Moe (neighbor and Ken's Latin teacher)
Gwen (Ken's cousin) & George (Gwen's fiancé)
Bob & Glad Gennrich (friends)
The Giertsen's (friends)

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Website: moth.family

Get notified about new episodes

––––

Mattie On The Homefront is produced by Hans Buetow. It is hosted by Hans Buetow and Steve Buetow. The theme music is by Matt Buetow. The graphic design is by Amy Kirkpatrick.

Put Away So Carefully We Couldn't Find It - [Oct 26, 1942] May 13, 2026

Show notes

It's only October, but in a cold year, and winter is settling in. The temps are dropping, the car needs winterizing, the tires need vulcanizing, and Wes can't be relied on to get that done.

Mattie is trying to sleuth out where Ken is stationed (spoiler: Prince Rupert - the rainiest city in Canada), and is pretty sure she's got it.

Also, Mattie buys a new suit, so we speculate on what material she would have picked, and how she felt about the ecosystem of department stores in downtown St. Paul.

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Characters This Week:

Wes (eldest son)
Gram (mom)
Gennrich's (friends from Minneapolis)
Aunt Martha (aunt-in-law)

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Website: moth.family

Get notified about new episodes

––––

Mattie On The Homefront is produced by Hans Buetow. It is hosted by Hans Buetow and Steve Buetow. The theme music is by Matt Buetow. The graphic design is by Amy Kirkpatrick.

You too can look like this after 20 months in the Army - [Oct 20, 1942] May 06, 2026

Show notes

This week, we wrap up several ongoing sagas (the watch! the mouse!) as we learn about the Rickety-Rackety Bridge, and shoot a partridge first thing.

We also learn a lot about Mattie's pastor, Joseph Simonson, and the future he will have, many years after he presides over the funeral of Matt's Uncle Berndt.

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Characters This Week:

Uncle Berndt (uncle-in-law)
Aunt Martha (aunt-in-law)
Pastor Joseph Simonson
Gram (mother)

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Website: moth.family

Get notified about new episodes

––––

Mattie On The Homefront is produced by Hans Buetow. It is hosted by Hans Buetow and Steve Buetow. The theme music is by Matt Buetow. The graphic design is by Amy Kirkpatrick.

You May Have Cousins That You Don't Know About - [Oct 8, 1942] Apr 28, 2026

Show notes

This week, Mattie has feelings, and they're pretty blue. The reality of Ken's departure is hitting her enough to mention it. So she writes him a letter to tell him what she's been up to all week, day-by-day.

Plus, one of the most mysterious figures in our story, Mattie's eldest son Wes, takes center stage in our imagination this week as Steve opens up the possibility that he might have had kids we don't know about. There might be more of us just out there, not knowing each other!

We spend a lot of time on Wes and his wife, Flo, and how Mattie might have felt about them - TL;DR - much less charitable than her other son. And Steve has an interesting theory why.

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Characters This Week:

Grandma Mick (mother-in-law)
Uncle Berndt (uncle-in-law)
Wes (eldest son)
Flo (eldest son's wife)
Ruth Mae (stepdaughter)
Diane (step grandchild)

––––

Website: moth.family

Get notified about new episodes

––––

Mattie On The Homefront is produced by Hans Buetow. It is hosted by Hans Buetow and Steve Buetow. The theme music is by Matt Buetow. The graphic design is by Amy Kirkpatrick.

Mattie Saves the Party - [Oct 5, 1942] Apr 22, 2026

Show notes

While writing, Matt sees a car accident in front of the house. We update ourselves about the state of the war, and Mattie hosts a progressive dinner.

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Links:

Hermann Göring's Thanksgiving speech
Mayor LaGuardia says "no" to Christmas lights
Cardinals defeat Yankees in the World Series
American Society of Heating and Ventilating Engineers outline oil restrictions

––––

Website: moth.family

Get notified about new episodes

––––

Mattie On The Homefront is produced by Hans Buetow. It is hosted by Hans Buetow and Steve Buetow. The theme music is by Matt Buetow. The graphic design is by Amy Kirkpatrick.

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