As The Workhouse Approaches....How To Do Everything To Avoid It, the Old Style Way

EstherH

Lovebargainshatewaste: just put a third cheap brown vinegar in spray bottle with two thirds water. Squirt on windows/mirrors and clean of with scrunched up newspaper. They'll come up sparkling.

lovebargainshatewaste

Thank you, Esther. Will give it a go on my next set of days off. I'm assuming this will work outdoors too? Sorry to sound dim, but washing windows isn't my strenght and they're pretty yukky now. Oops

Charis

stiltwalker wrote: »

Ok idea but in practice it's not good, no safe parking for those of us who live out of town and rubbish buses round here and they don't let you take your pushchairs inside for "Health and Safety!"

If someone comes along and nicks your pushchair will they be responsible for its replacement? Probably not, so they haven't a leg to stand on when they insist that you go to them. When mine were little and we were at the clinic someone stole another mum's dirty washing from the tray underneath the pram, where she'd left it in a laundry bag ready for a trip to the launderette. And that was about three decades ago!

EstherH

Lovebargainshatewaste: I'm sure it will work just as well outside. You may want to use a squeegee kind of thing though before you buff the windows up with newspaper. Maybe more water outside because they will be more dirty. Just put some vinegar, a good slug into a bucket of water and use liberally to get clean outside.

ChocClare

All these reminiscences of schooldays and good, practical skills

I made a gingham apron and a skirt too. Must have been the curriculum. We were also taught pattern drafting which IS useful. However, as I clearly went to a similar school to some of you, needlework was quite strenuously discouraged after the end of the second year for the academic gels. I know my friend Yvonne was practically the only "A" stream girl who took it - but she was absolutely brilliant at needlework and embroidery so they felt she was a suitable exception

No Home Ec OF COURSE - why would we need it?! We did have deportment classes and public speaking classes - I can walk the length of the hall and back with a pile of books on my head, walk down stairs "properly", sit with my legs at a demure angle, speak impromptu for two minutes on any subject, sight-read any document to a public gathering using the glance down, read two lines ahead while looking at your audience technique and - most importantly - get out of any car without flashing me knickers at anyone

All important things for ambassadors' wives... :rotfl:

Luckily, my very down-to-earth mother expected us to know how to do EVERYTHING, so I didn't have to rely on the school for cookery skills.

When I was at university, one of my ex-Etonian friends wanted baked beans so put the tin on the gas ring. It really was a spectacular explosion. Presumably he didn't have Home Ec at Eton either...

mardatha

I had to drop cookery for Latin. I still cant cook after all these years but I can't remember a word of Latin either ! LOL

ChocClare

mardatha wrote: »

I had to drop cookery for Latin. I still cant cook after all these years but I can't remember a word of Latin either ! LOL

In pictura est puella. Puella est Cornelia.

Ecce Romani Book I, Line I. Cornelia had a friend called Flavia. Her brother was called Marcus and his friend was called Sextus. I think.

Cast your mind back, mar. If I can remember it, you can. Repeat after me: I DO remember my Latin

smileyt_2

ChocClare wrote: »

When I was at university, one of my ex-Etonian friends wanted baked beans so put the tin on the gas ring. It really was a spectacular explosion. Presumably he didn't have Home Ec at Eton either...

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

I used to live in a shared household. We decided to take turns to cook, and one of the guys was too scared to tell us he didn't have a clue. I found him miserably poking the large potatoes in a pan, wondering why they weren't cooking. Once I had stopped laughing, I informed him that you are supposed to cut them into small pieces before attempting to boil them :rotfl:

Kittikins

That takes me back, Ecce Romani Loved Latin and Ancient Greek - hated Home Ec and gave it up as soon as possible as I wasn't allowed to cook purely vegetarian food, whilst my Muslim friend was allowed to, that kind of behaviour probably wouldn't be tolerated now I hope!

ceridwen

mardatha wrote: »

I had to drop cookery for Latin. I still cant cook after all these years but I can't remember a word of Latin either ! LOL

"Agricola" = farmer

There y'are lass....THE most important word for an Old Styler - ie those people we rely on to produce our food:rotfl::rotfl:

Does have to remind self I actually learnt Latin for a few years too - but have barely got a handful of words in my noddle - as I spent a lot of the lessons reading something more interesting behind my textbook...:o (cant think how the teacher didnt seem to notice....probably just too grateful for us "quiet" ones...).

Here - ChocClare - how DO you walk down stairs "properly"? Do enlighten us - as I only know how to get out of a car properly (and had to teach myself that...).