Old Style Shopping list

bearcub

My mum has a coin gas meter in her garage, but it's been adapted. Her bungalow, like ours (cos it's just across the road), was built in the 70s, so they've not been out of use all that long, really.

ikati5

We had a 50p gas meter and a £1 electricity meter in 1985!!

WeegieWumman

mardatha wrote: »

He says it was a club man who came round the doors and emptied the machine and refilled it. I never saw anything lile that, and my mum & dad smoked like lums.

OMG! Mardy, I can't stop laughing at the thought of someone having a cigarette machine in their house. It was a good enough idea (unless they were burgled). For several years I smoked Major cigarettes which were popular in Ireland. I'd visit a tobacconist in Glasgow city centre and buy at least two or three cartons (400 -600 cigarettes) at a time. I occasionally smoked Sobranie Cocktail & Sobranie Black Russian cigarettes. I'm now a non-smoker.
At one time, many young men tried smoking a pipe. Quite a few would grow a moustache for a while. When did anyone last see a guy take a mouth organ from their pocket and start playing it? It was common to hear men whistling a tune as they walked down the street or went about their daily chores.
Goodnight folks!

mardatha

That's another change - people used to be a lot more musical, didn't they? My dad played violin, mouth organ, and accordion and was much in demand at New Year. My FIL was a singer. When you went to a pub or a house for a "do" there was always somebody who could sing or make music.

WeegieWumman

We were a musical family also. There were also some wonderful storytellers at that time. I went into a pub in Ireland and as usual, I sang. During a conversation with another customer who had brought his accordian I mentioned that I could play. He handed me the instrument which I played all evening. It was only at the end of my second night of playing that I realised that he was the paid accordianist.

bupster

Oh, God, the waterproof loo roll we had at school. The teacher would send you to fetch some if they ran out of tracing paper.

I think half what people buy is utterly bewildering and I was born in 1973. What kind of a muppet buys pre-sliced mushrooms for the love of God? I can just about handle wet wipes for taking makeup off etc, and hair and clothes conditioner, though I know it's a bit of a scam. But ready cooked noodles? They take THREE MINUTES. Who hasn't got three minutes and a kettle?

WeegieWumman

I remember all the little boys wearing short trousers. In winter they wore long socks and you would see their knees which were red with the cold. In winter the little girls wore pixies on their heads and I remember my mother buying me a new straw-type spring bonnet with flowers and ribbon on it every easter. On the first Sunday in May there was the Mayday parade and one Saturday each February was the students rag day where they would dress up in the most wonderful cotumes and go through Glasgow with their cans raising money for charity. All the kids loved it.
I recall seeing some toddlers wearing scarves on top of their coats which were crossed over the front of their chest and the ends fastened together at their backs with a nappy pin.
The one simple but wonderful thing you can buy now is paper hankies.

WeegieWumman

bupster wrote: »

Oh, God, the waterproof loo roll we had at school. The teacher would send you to fetch some if they ran out of tracing paper.

I think half what people buy is utterly bewildering and I was born in 1973. What kind of a muppet buys pre-sliced mushrooms for the love of God? I can just about handle wet wipes for taking makeup off etc, and hair and clothes conditioner, though I know it's a bit of a scam. But ready cooked noodles? They take THREE MINUTES. Who hasn't got three minutes and a kettle?

bupster for some strange reason you aren't displaying a 'thanks button' but I totally agree with you, so here's a thanx from me.

WeegieWumman

Bupster your button has appeared

WeegieWumman

Another (not so good) thing you can get now, are these awful pay day loans with their extortionate interest rates.
How did people cope for loans years ago? On a Monday morning you would see a queue outside the pawnshops. Women would pawn their families best clothes, shoes and also watches. Even their wedding rings. Also things like the clocks etc. On A Friday evening or a Saturday morning there were more queues as the clothes were taken out again for the weekend only to be returned to the pawnbroker each Monday.