KonMari 2017 - The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up

elona

I remember threepenny bits and silver sixpences and even once found a farthing :eek:

DDs think I grew up with dinosaurs and when I tell them things like nobody used to have a phone in the house or fitted carpets or central heating and we used to have a coal range in the kitchen rather than a cooker and toast bread in front of the fire they can't envisage it.

Middle dd was quite impressed when I told her the log fire she had could have orange peel burnt in it or a cinnamon stick to give a lovely aroma.

DH talking about a tin bath in front of the fire when he was little and an outside loo had them :eek: By comparison I was "posh" with out own indoor loo and a proper bathroom.

GreyQueen

The cottage my parents rented at the start of their marriage had an outside privy and the sole concession to plumbing was one cold tap in the kitchen (there was no bathroom). Want a bath? Take the galv bath off the nail outside where it hung, evict wildlife, carry indoors and place in front of living room fire.

Take buckets of water from kitchen tap to the copper built into corner of the kitchen. Fill. Light fire underneath to heat water. Bail water to the tin bath, cool to taste and bathe. Reverse process to empty bath.

This was in the early 1960s and no one even thought that there was something odd about having home births in these circumstances.

I could laugh like a drain when young mums throw wobblies if they haven't got access to a tub of water for a day to bath little 'uns, never seem to have heard of a sponge bath in a bowl, bless 'em.

greenbee

You know GQ, your pal really ought to give you a permanent job... you are clearly invaluable to his business.

I'm lucky and have always lived with indoor phones and plumbing - my dad was a GP so a phone was essential (my grandfather was also a GP, so he'd had a phone in the house too). We had an outdoor loo when we went on holiday and my grandmother provided chamber pots in the bedrooms as most kids would put off going out in the rain in the middle of the night!

When we moved to my childhood home, the village we lived in was mostly farmworkers' cottages - I remember my dad insisting to the landowner that the lady who had two artificial hips couldn't walk to the standpipe in the lane (there was one between each pair of semi-detached 2-up 2 down cottages) for her water, so she had a tap installed outside her kitchen - and was overwhelmed by the luxury and convenience. The cottages had elsan toilets in outhouses, and the nightsoil cart came weekly. Before this I think the waste went on the veg gardens...

I think they got proper plumbing in the 70s but I'm not sure when they got drainage. Possibly sometime in the 80s.

GreyQueen

greenbee wrote: »

You know GQ, your pal really ought to give you a permanent job... you are clearly invaluable to his business.

He's been trying to lure my away from the local authority post for a few years now but I feel I have to stay with a proper job as pal is already over seventy (and I am in my early fifties and will have to work until 67) so a secure (ish) job with a pension is important to me, particularly as a single lady.

Playing shops at the juntique place is such fun, I really like dealing with people, and I love kondo-ing, and it's such a target-rich environment for the latter, you can hardly believe the opportunities. Some of which are seasoned with precious-metal-finding opportunities, which isn't something which happens at my flat, I can assure you! :rotfl:

Plus I shall be at the parental home over Crimble and have already achieved agreement-in-principle to tackle the understair cupboard. Plus I have Secret Designs on various other spaces, which I will wheedle my way into, given half a chance.

Onwards! The allotment gets the GQ treatment this morning, once the frost has gone over.

greent

Bag for CS coming together - so far 1 smart/ work top (never really liked it), 2 dresses of DD's (bought for work experience and not worn since...), a brand new pair of earrings still with £20 price tag on (I was given them by someone else who didn't want them ) and 3 Xmas ornaments. Suspect they will only be interested in the ornaments (and maybe earrings)

daisy_1571

Strangest thing/reason for an item in cs box this week: an unopened set of stickies but not your ordinary yellow ones. These are beautiful pastel colours, are a variety of square and oblong shapes and have checks, daisies, butterflies and hearts.

Reason they are in cs box: they are so pretty and cute I just know I am NEVER going to break the cellophane and use them. They def spark joy but someone else will use them so off they go and in ten minutes I will have forgotten I ever owned them

Loving all the stories this week, gq well done at the shop, ladies well done on weeding out the things that no longer work re Xmas cards and dec's, love the old fashioned stories too keep them coming.

I'm only 50odd so had lots of modern luxuries but shivered in the hall on the phone (trim phone at one point - ooh get us) being told that the phone is for "making arrangements not for chatting". :rotfl:

Daisy xx

[Deleted User]

catshark88 wrote: »

Are you guys sending the usual number of cards this year?

definitely not, just 4 to people I want to stay in touch with and never see. I was dithering this morning, got 3 posted through the door from village people, I almost went out and bought a box but am staying strong. I see them, often, no need to say happy greetings via a card. Someone has to break the cycle

Those days long past, thank heavens. Tin bath in front of the one fire and pity help the last one to get in, 7 siblings. Outside lav, newspaper toilet paper, paraffin lamp in there over winter but the pipes still froze. Midwife coming on a bicycle with a bag. Real old fashioned family christmas, home made gifts, a big chicken

VJsmum

Morning all,

Been AWOL.. Sadly my dad passed away suddenly last week and kondoing has understandably not been happening.

However, I did put on a top the other day that I immediately consigned to the chazzer bag. I can't work out why something I loved and which looked good on me suddenly is neither loved nor looks good. Anyhow it's gone.

We have to clear our office and lounge immediately after new year as our ongoing drainage issue is about to be resolved, pipe is going to be changed and new boxing installed. Then we have to decorate and re carpet both rooms together. I have a vision of the office being a cozy room we work in rather than a storage room with a desk...

Re cards - social media has huge advantages.. Posted a message on Facebook wishing all a merry Christmas and that we would make a donation to a homeless outreach organisation and the Trussell Trust and, yes, the postage costs were included. At such s difficult time it was a relief not to be doing them and I don't intend to ever send them again.

greenbee

GQ - as long as you love your LA work that's fine - but if you've got to work for another 17 or so years (face it, the goal posts will move again) you need to make sure that you can stick it for that long. Bear in mind that if your pal DOES make you an offer, it has to include a pension. You LA pension won't go away, but I suspect you might do a pretty good job of managing a SIPP anyway.

I'm changing jobs at the moment - I knew I needed to change, the new job really appealed, and I worked out what I needed paying based on the differences in the packages. The benefits are different, but I know I can balance out the reductions in some areas with the increases elsewhere.

Of course, your pal would have to keep the business running until you retire... but then if you're making a success of it, why wouldn't he. You can ensure he has a comfortable old age and take him gin (and random articles from the tardis in the cellar) when he decides he's too old to keep dropping in to keep an eye on you...

Could you sell the watch innards to someone who makes jewellery? I'm always seeing cufflinks and necklaces on local markets made out of bits of old watches.

hebwood

VJ - so sorry to hear your news, condolences to you and your family.


Hugs to everyone that needs them.


Loving the stories as ever GQ.


Slightly less Xmas cards sent out this year, for one reason or another, but most are for people who live quite some distance away and will not be contacted any other way.


Childhood in the early 60's meant fires in the lounge, and the dining room just at xmas, rugs not fitted carpets, being frozen dashing to the inside bathroom and going up to bed, 'hard' (Izal?) toilet paper and a silver sixpence in the xmas pud. We did not get a phone till the early 70's, although Dad worked for the GPO. Youngsters cannot believe it when my sisters and I talk about it. Good memories though but these days very glad with the central heating, fitted carpets, hot showers and other modern conveniences!


Take care everyone, and hope you have a lovely Christmas whichever way you want it, and a peaceful happy New Year.


H.