Could we all travel back to the old times?

natzini

I'm 25 and live as OS as possible. I know that most of my peers won't know how to cope, but I'm glad that I have acquired some skills to help us get through the tough times. I have a very strong memory of icicles inside and one fire to heat the whole house. My OH lived in a very draughty 3 storey council house with a heater for the whole house too and a coal shed, his Mum grew her own veggies, so he has learnt a bit too. We are still getting there but please do not pass anyone under 35 off as someone who lives on champagne and ready meals on their credit cards. I wholeheartedly agree with Seraphina... we are getting there

Charis

I'm really grateful for the skills I learned at school. My four children did not have the benefit of learning how to sew or how to cook. My eldest did 'food technology' and produced nothing but variations on pizza. The others didn't do much better. None of them was inclined to learn from me, not even my daughter. Everything is so readily available nowadays. I don't blame them for not wanting to make clothes or prepare meals when it sometimes costs more than buying off the shelf. I just worry that we are living in a fools' paradise. If the steady flow of ready-made goods and food from abroad dries up for any reason, being thrifty will not be easy without prior knowledge of basic home management skills.
Charis

Kimberley

If you could travel in the Tardis, what era would you like to go to? I'd like to go to the Victorian times, i wish i was one of them families in that documentary. I would like to live in a day in that life, just for the experience to see if life was much better, i'm not talking about all these gadgets or easy life stuff, i'm talking about when there were no Tv and families talked and were much closer then todays generations.

Justamum

Kimberley wrote: »

If say, you had to lose one of these 3 items, what would you choose?

Washing machine
Mobile Phone
Computer

I'd get rid of the Computer because i have a libruary just across the road anyway

I used to wash clothes by hand, so no way on this earth would i lose the washing machine.

No contest - the mobile phone. I've only recently got one and only use it to send messages to my daughter at school to remind her of things. I certainly don't have it glued to my ear like some people seem to do. In fact most of the time I can't find it and have to wait for my husband or daughter to come home so I can ask them to phone it as I don't even know the phone number for it!!

I've washed by hand before and if I really had to I could do it again, but as long as there is electricity and water on tap I'll keep on using it. The only launderettes on this island all seem to be service washes, and I'm not prepared to pay per item to have things washed (though obviously people do because they always seem to be busy).

The computer is really handy for this forum and also finding recipes which never appear in books. There are lots of things available on the internet which I couldn't find in our local library and using the computer in there is too expensive.

Justamum

Charis wrote: »

I'm really grateful for the skills I learned at school. My four children did not have the benefit of learning how to sew or how to cook. My eldest did 'food technology' and produced nothing but variations on pizza. The others didn't do much better. None of them was inclined to learn from me, not even my daughter. Everything is so readily available nowadays. I don't blame them for not wanting to make clothes or prepare meals when it sometimes costs more than buying off the shelf. I just worry that we are living in a fools' paradise. If the steady flow of ready-made goods and food from abroad dries up for any reason, being thrifty will not be easy without prior knowledge of basic home management skills.
Charis

Me too. I hated sewing at school, but am really glad I learned and really enjoy it now. I don't like cooking, but can do it. I agree that everything is readily available now, but ready meals are over-priced and not as tasty as home-made. On the odd occasion that my children have tried bought cake they are not really keen (unless it's a proper home-made on the premises from fresh ingredients one).

As for making clothes. I agree that clothes are dirt cheap in some shops, but the cut is often all wrong and the quality of the sewing leaves a lot to be desired and they can become shapeless after one wash. In the long run it would be cheaper to make your own because they will last longer. Having said that I haven't organised myself to make any clothes recently. Mind you I don't buy any either. But I am planning on getting more organised soon when we have moved house.

ravylesley

Oh no contest the mobile phone would have to go

Then again I'm not even sure where mine is as its that long since I used it

Lesleyxx

rosieben

Charis wrote: »

the process of getting married is getting like a Broadway musical for some couples. … Charis

I was bemused to hear a young girl on Flog It - having sold an antique something or other for several hundred pounds – announce that she was using the money to pay for a chocolate fountain at her wedding

I'm another one who had an orange box as a bedside table and very efficient it was too. A piece of linoleum on top, and painted cream! I was still using it in the late 60’s!

Unfortunately when we lost the bad things like poor houses, disease and bad living conditions, we also lost the good - real community spirit and a willingness to be self-sufficient to name just 2

Churchmouse

I can't believe how posh you all were! Orange boxes!!!!:rotfl: DH used cardboard boxes!! And they lasted a good few months. Especially the one he joined to the plastic pouffee for a coffee table;)

You lot didn't know you were born!:D

Justamum

moanymoany wrote: »

What I do remember is none of this cissy 'clean clothes every day' thing. We wore things for a week, turned them inside out, beat off the solids and wore them for another week. Having to wash everything by hand sharpened the mind wonderfully when it came to things like that.

You are joking aren't you? I certainly wouldn't want to go back to times like that thanks. Once a week baths, wearing clothes for a fortnight before washing them, no deodorants. The smell doesn't bear thinking about. Mind you if everybody did the same then nobody would notice anybody else's smell I suppose as their own would be so strong.

azjh77

Kimberley;7567315:-
If say, you had to lose one of these 3 items, what would you choose?

Washing machine
Mobile Phone
Computer

Mobile what? Haven't got one of those...Haven't got a washing machine at the moment either..or heating..hang on I AM living in the 19th century!