A new 'tougher' thread... and so it continues

westcoastscot

Hi,
Talk of bathroom colours reminds me that ours when we lived on the island was pink, with pink flowery tiles. I found out shortly after I moved there that all the houses along the coast had the same bathrooms! no-one really remembered when they came but rumour had it that a puffer had gone aground :rotfl: the rest of the house was pretty mundane.

I was "asked to leave" home ec at school in the first week for arguing with the teacher. We were bread making and she was putting it in a plastic bag to rise - I was suggesting it was easier to use a damp teatowel as I did everyday at home - Mrs Bacon wasn't impressed and I wasn't allowed back!

WCS

katieowl_2

I remember being IN home economics...and I can vaguely mentally picture the room, and I remember the smell of cheap marg and really cheap cheese - but I don't remember anything we did there? How strange!

I do remember we had to make an apron as our first project in needlework, in our 'house' colours which we had to wear in the home ec. kitchen, mine was yellow and white stripes. I was teachers pet in Needlework, as I could already sew, having been taught by my gran, and I got top marks in CSE needlework *insert smug smiley* grade 1 was it? or A?

Kate

EstherH

Katieowl: It would have been grade one in CSE. Equivalent to a 'C' at 'O'level. I hated sewing at school and have never learnt, it put me off for life. I do remember that the apron was the first thing we made. Second year it was a skirt and third year a pinafore. After that I dropped it and did domestic science for CSE. My mum finished off both the skirt and pinafore after the term had finished. We did one term cooking, one term sewing and one term woodwork. I don't remember much about woodwork except making a bracelet/bangle that was metal and an egg timer.

Esther x

kidcat

katie thank you for the recipe. Will try later in week.

Well another busy one here, been up with DS13 in night so have has two off school sick.

DS7 went to school but his normal teacher back and already causing grief, had one of his classmates parents call this evening upset with what she had seen and been told, so am trying to get the whole class parents together to discuss next step. Is it only me that finds it offensive for a teacher to announce that they are taking the children swimming on weds, with no letter, consultation or explanation of their plan? I personally expect a letter requesting my permission to take my child out of school.

Made up huge batch of batter for pancakes but only cooked a few as with two sick, sky here yet again (still not working) and my dad having to put a new curtain rail up on DS7 bedroom - he keeps swinging from the rail like a monkey, I only had a very small time to actually cook, so batter in fridge for tomorrow.

I remember being banned from sewing class for breaking the machines - all of them, wasnt deliberate but they all seemed to just break when I used them, ironically I got a machine for my Christmas a couple of years later and its still going strong now. Cooking was very hit and miss, I still remember the teacher that decided to change the recipe at last minute(as we walked into the classroom) - none of us had the right ingredients with us, which I tried to explain gently, so she gave us a detention. I cant say I learnt anything useful in cookery though, I also was able to do woodwork (we made a catamaran that sunk), metal work (was banned for safety reasons - they were terrified I would get injured and not be able to sit exams) and another tech class that I cannot remember at all.
Car mechanics girls werent allowed to do - although I did sneak in once and undo the HT leads, they spent two lessons trying to fix it

meme30

Oh I remember cookery lessons. I had a basket with a plastic (shower cap type) cover with a hole for the handle to go through.
Yes, we had to take our own ingredients...The looks I got off my Mam when the recipe needed herbs! Some of them were unheard of in my house. Bouquet Garni was met with a blank look. :rotfl:
I do remember making a Summer Pudding which leaked fruit juices through the basket and on to my knees on the bus home. What a mess I was in! Have never made it since! I still have my '4North' cookery book and still use some of the recipes in it. It's backed with plastic not Wallpaper which all my other books were backed with.:)
What was that all about!? The first thing you had to do at the start of the autumn term was 'back' your books! Everyone did it but at the start of the year none of the books were backed. It just occurred to me that the teachers must have ripped the last persons wallpaper off so you had to do it again. It sounds so archaic now.

PIC:- Hope you are feeling a bit better now. :grouphug:

MRSCHIP:- all that dust will be worth it. Not being split into two locations will be a relief for your stress levels. As one who is struggling to cope with the (ridiculous amount) contents of three wardrobes, the thought of the extra stuff from another house is daunting.Waiting for people to get back to you on Freecycle...frustrating!

SDG:- I know what you mean about proper butchers. Very few and far between here. We are lucky our caravan is in the Wear Valley. Some of the villages have small butchers and I find I often buy from them and take the meat home to freeze. Daft, I know but the meat really does taste better.

KATIEOWL:- Crimpline! :eek: OMG had forgotten all about that stuff. I know someone who had a three piece suit made at John Colliers in Crimpline! In Burgundy/Wine colour! Very Jason King!!:rotfl:

charlies-aunt

OMG! Crimplene! I remember being forced into ths as a child/teenager - sweaty and harsh - horrible!

I started Grammar School on a scholarhip in 1968 and we wore gymslips with sashes, badged berets and blazers and boaters in summer...and two pairs of knickers - white inners and navy blue volumious outers! No practicality to the uniform - just maintain a snobby status quo from the local comprehensive

In the First Year, we had a speech, deportment and drama lessons - in a vain attempt to rid us of our unsophisicated, uncultured, country ways and help us "fit in". Epic Faulure for me although it did give me a certain something - a massive inferiority complex for the rest of my school days

[Deleted User]

I can remember with horror the moment the boys from the Technical School emptied my lovingly made Raspberry Blanchmange out of the top window of the bus on to an unsuspecting line of people waiting at a bus stop. Retribution from the Headmistress was instant and fierce but luckily I wasn't suspended like some of them were. Got grounded for a month by the parents though - happy days!

rachbc

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

I can remember with horror the moment the boys from the Technical School emptied my lovingly made Raspberry Blanchmange out of the top window of the bus on to an unsuspecting line of people waiting at a bus stop. Retribution from the Headmistress was instant and fierce but luckily I wasn't suspended like some of them were. Got grounded for a month by the parents though - happy days!

Ahh this just made me laugh out loud at the desk! Brilliant.

Catbells

Morning everyone. Had a helluva week without a car and I have to say I wish I had a man around at times like this - to sort the car out as my brain seems to resist anything under the bonnet. Mind you many friends with men say that their men do sod all when it comes to house, car and DIY - they do it themselves.

The talk about school brought back memories for me too. Our mother died when we were young so domestic science didn't resonate with us at all. We ate what you called 'high teas' almost every day with cold meats, bread, cheese, fruit and nuts and bought cakes. My father was working and simply didn't cook for us but we were well nourished all the same. He did used to steam fish though but we would eat it by itself with butter and white pepper! Fish was plentiful since we lived on the coast. Funny the things you remember. The only times I had hot meals was at school or my grandmothers. I used to love school dinners! It took me ages to learn how to cook as an adult. Much of it was on account of a boyfriend I had - we used to make each other meals every weekend and he was much better at it than I was so I had to prove myself in this and got Delia's book - and that was the start.I love cooking now I'm not bad at it although I don't do cakes much. I remember my husband being surprised that I couldn't cook but it was never a problem really.

My school was a Grammar School which has long gone. Only a small percentage of girls went to university the rest were funnelled into: teaching, banking or civil service and a few into nursing. I ended up teaching and I did a degree long after I left school along with 4 other ex girl pupils from my old school!

prepareathome Thoroughly enjoyed reading your memories of growing up. I also went through my dad's things after he died a few years ago and found a lot of diaries which I read and could remember some of the events albeit from a different angle. It completed the circle so to speak.

katieowl Crimpeline! Heck I had forgotten about that. And nylons with suspender belts! Remember them? They were superceded by tights just around the time I came of age but I did wear them for a few months. They used to sort of gather in a crumpled pile around my ankles which made my dad laugh. And were the colour of strong tea:rotfl: My first (and only) suspender belt and bra too was the pink and white Rosebud design from Woollies. Wish I had kept it.
meme30 Backing books with wallpaper brings back memories too and I remember having a blitz one day with one of those old wallpaper books. I still have some of the books still in their 1960s wallpaper! We started using the clear plastic stuff after that.
Our school had berets for the girls too and special hats for the 6th form prefects. We hated them but were told off if we didn't wear them out of school while in uniform. How times change.

SDG31000

Morning All

I was at Secondary School in the '80s so belong to the generation that was surprised when school was actually open with teachers there willing to teach us. I don't remember getting taught any English Grammer at all and certainly no Latin. Cookery classes were ok, but we only ever seemed to make cakes and puddings. I don't remember cooking an actual meal. I do remember teaching techniques to other pupils and the teacher being shocked by it. I've been baking since I was old enough to hold a spoon thanks to my Godmother and Great Auntie.
Sewing/Needlework was a disaster. I'm another one that used to jam machines and break needles. My friend Marie has offered to teach me to use a sewing machine and time will tell if I've improved at all. D&T was the same. I'm not good at practical skills/DIY.
I did love Art classes and got good GCSE grades as I was a total swot. I was bullied/ignored by the in crowd until their homework was due and they needed answers.

Today I'm going to cook the huge ham I brought last week, so DH and DS2 will be very happy. Some of it will be for dinner with mashed potato, veg and parsley sauce and the rest will be divided up and put in the freezer. I also have to post my Student Loan deferment forms off as they are 3 weeks late, Ooops.
Time to go and actually do something. Bye for now everyone xxx