If things get tougher?

BilberryCharlotte

Gigervamp wrote: »

lol! Did your mum make him eat carrots after that?

No, she was very indulgent really. He did take to them in later years though and is now quite an adventurous eater.

School dinners to seem to hold a kind of magic, my son hates fish and always has, in desperation I tried giving him fish fingers which he usually left. When he was about 5 he came home one day and said "the fish fingers at school are nicer than yours" I was cut to the quick and asked why, he said "they are sort of colder than yours". Kids eh?

MRSTITTLEMOUSE

bertiebots wrote: »

I suffer from a height shortage....well at least it costs me less to stay warm.lol.! I think there was a sugar shortage too ...my mil told me about her gran stock piling sugar,infact she had so much she may have been the cause! Correct me if I am wrong but wasnt there also a power shortage in the early 70s...responsible for a mini baby boom. Now I am not going to go that far. My family is large enough thankyou very much!

1971/1972 we had rolling power cuts,you would look in your evening paper to see when you were down for your 8 hours cut off.It was a blessing when you had the evening cut offs as you could prepare so much easier.I remember sitting in the pub with candles and a portable TV run off a car battery.We had our first child in October 1972,I guess no power on a cold winters night made you find other things to do to keep warm.When I went into labour there were a few other ladies at the time who actually could'nt even get a delivery room as they were so busy.Everyone used to laugh and blame it on the power cuts.
My dad used to run lighting and his portable TV on car batteries and was always finding ingenious ways of doing things alternatively.It was'nt hard realy as you just adapted and it became a "normal" way of life for a while,and a lot of fun at times.

Pitlanepiglet

MRSTITTLEMOUSE wrote: »

1971/1972 we had rolling power cuts,you would look in your evening paper to see when you were down for your 8 hours cut off.It was a blessing when you had the evening cut offs as you could prepare so much easier.I remember sitting in the pub with candles and a portable TV run off a car battery.We had our first child in October 1972,I guess no power on a cold winters night made you find other things to do to keep warm.When I went into labour there were a few other ladies at the time who actually could'nt even get a delivery room as they were so busy.Everyone used to laugh and blame it on the power cuts.
My dad used to run lighting and his portable TV on car batteries and was always finding ingenious ways of doing things alternatively.It was'nt hard realy as you just adapted and it became a "normal" way of life for a while,and a lot of fun at times.

I was born at the ail end of 1969 and vividly remember as a very small child, walking with my mum to get paraffin out of some kind of automated machine...I guess that would have been 71/72

kippers

I remember power cuts when i was a child and using candles. I suppose it was a nightmare for my mum, but to me i look back and think it was a very exciting time. I can still see us all sitting round the table with a candle in the middle for light

MRSTITTLEMOUSE

Pitlanepiglet wrote: »

I was born at the ail end of 1969 and vividly remember as a very small child, walking with my mum to get paraffin out of some kind of automated machine...I guess that would have been 71/72

I remember those paraffin heaters,we had two(one upstairs and one down) as we did'nt have any central heating in those days.The only heat we had was a coal fire in the living room and when the miners strikes were on there was'nt only power strikes but coal rationing as well.My husband would have to walk about 5 or 6 miles to the nearest garage sometimes in realy foul weather after work to get paraffin.Sometimes those heaters realy stank and made your eyes smart if the wicks did'nt burn well.They were cosy though and better than freezing to death.

oldMcDonald

MRSTITTLEMOUSE wrote: »

I remember those paraffin heaters,we had two(one upstairs and one down) as we did'nt have any central heating in those days.The only heat we had was a coal fire in the living room and when the miners strikes were on there was'nt only power strikes but coal rationing as well.My husband would have to walk about 5 or 6 miles to the nearest garage sometimes in realy foul weather after work to get paraffin.Sometimes those heaters realy stank and made your eyes smart if the wicks did'nt burn well.They were cosy though and better than freezing to death.

I love the smell of paraffin, I think it is due to the early seventies - I associate the smell with cold, dark evenings, cosily snuggled under a blanket on the sofa with lit candles on the mantle shelf. As I was born early 1970, I assume these are memories of when all the strikes were happening!

Our toilet was one of the outdoor-room-full-of spiders kind and we always used to have a paraffin heater in it overwinter in an attempt to stop the pipes / toilet bowl / cistern freezing.

One of my favorite possesions is an old Aladdin paraffin lamp which I still use occasionally - I have to find excuses such as bonfire night or halloween, as we rarely have power cuts! The kids find it really exciting to sit in a room lit by the lamp, and it takes me back to my childhood and all these memories

mardatha

We have a lot of power cuts anyway, and its amazig how relaxing it feels . You just sort of "slump" . My neighbour says its something to do with all the mobile phone/tv/radio repeaters going off, she says they can affect some people and you don't notice until it stops. I sort of think she has a point, because I feel so much better with the power is off.

Gigervamp

And isn't it quiet when the power goes off? No humming of fridges and freezers and other stuff. Everything is so still.

elona

Me and my Mum and Dad used to go into the kitchenette, put the gas oven on and leave the door open to get some heat and have candles it with a portable battery operated radio on for entertainment.

I was in our local library one night at about six o clock ( forgot we were due a rolling blackout in our area)and suddenly all the lights went out!

The library staff had a lantern to use while they checked out books and as I was the only person who had a torch in her handbag, I ended up leading a load of people out of the library!!!

I remember the potato shortage and I think it was because of a very wet season- the only potatoes you could get were Indian or Egyptian and were not very nice and very expensive.


I also remember the bread shortages in the seventies and a woman I worked with whose husband complained bitterly because there wasn't bread for his sandwiches for work!!!!

If we get rolling blackouts this winter I want to have candles, wind up torches, Thermos flask filled with hot water, hot water bottles,blankets and sit cuddled up with a radio on or else read aloud (Harry Potter is a favourite!!!)

Still need to talk DH into driving me to get a couple of sacks of potatoes, onions etc for winter!

Margaret54

Hi elona, loved reading your post:) Where do you get the windup torches from please? I have bought candles matches hot water bottles we already have a big flask, and are just thinking ahead too as like the other people. Oh and we have our thermal vests bought(first time for everything:)) and some fleecy blankets. Thanks in advance.