AlanHo Posted December 24, 2006 Report Share Posted December 24, 2006 This is a copy of a post I made on the forum more than 3 years ago. Thought it may amuse some of us now that we are 3 years olderIf you're not smiling by the end of this, then what were you doing when you were young?Just for a minute, forget everything stressful and read this...............Close your eyes and go back in time...Before the Internet...Before semiautomatics, joyriders...Before SEGA or Super Nintendo...Way back........I'm talking about Hide and Seek in the park.The corner shop.Hopscotch.Butterscotch.Skipping.Handstands - girls with dresses tucked into their knickers.Football with an old can.Trying to fly a kiteBeano, Dandy, Buster, Twinkle and Dennis the menace.Roly Poly.Hula Hoops, jumping the stream, building dams.The smell of the sun and fresh cut grass.An ice cream cone on a warm summer night from the van that plays a tune - Chocolate or vanilla or strawberry or maybe Neapolitan or perhaps a screwball.Cod liver oil and maltLiquorice rootWait......The Saturday morning kids matineeDan Dare, Laurel & Hardy, Children's Film Foundation, The Double Deckers, Red Hand Gang, The Tomorrow People, Tiswas or Swapshop?, and 'Why Don't You'? Staying up for Doctor Who.D1ck Barton, special agentBlack and white TVWind up gramophonesThe Quatermass ExperimentWhen around the corner seemed far away and going into town seemed like going somewhere.Earwigs, wasps, stinging nettles and bee stings.Dock leavesCabbage whites and Bob'owler butterfliesWhite dog poo.Sticky fingers.Playing Marbles. Ball bearings. Big 'uns and Little 'uns.Cops and Robbers, Cowboys and Indians, and Zorro.Climbing trees.Scrumping applesBuilding igloos out of snow banks.Walking to school, no matter what the weather.Running till you were out of breath, laughing so hard that your stomach hurt.Jumping on the bed. Pillow fights.Spinning around, getting dizzy and falling down was cause for giggles.Being tired from playing....remember that?The worst embarrassment was being picked last for a team.When you never heard bad language on radio or TV.Water balloons were the ultimate weapon.Football cards in the spokes transformed any bike into a motorcycle.Choppers and Grifters.Eating raw jelly. Orange squash ice pops.Remember when...There were two types of trainers - girls and boys, and Dunlop Green Flash - and the only time you wore them at school was for P.E. They were called pumps.You knew everyone in your street - and so did your parents.It wasn't odd to have two or three "best" friends.When being gay meant you were joyful.You didn't sleep a wink on Christmas eve.When nobody owned a pure-bred dog.When 6 pence was decent pocket moneyCurly Whirlys. Space Dust. Toffo's.Top Trumps.When nearly everyone's mum was at home when the kids got there. Having no fridge - a cold slab in the pantryRancid butterA dolly tub and maidA hand wound mangle with wooden rollersWhen any parent could discipline any kid, or feed him or use him to carry groceries - and nobody, not even the kid, thought a thing of it.When being sent to the head's office was nothing compared to the fate that awaited a misbehaving student at home.Wearing school uniformBasically, we were in fear for our lives but it wasn't because of drive-by shootings, drugs, gangs etc.Parents and grandparents were a much bigger threat! and some of us are still afraid of them. Didn't that feel good?Just to go back and say, Yeah, I remember that! Remember when....Decisions were made by going " eeny meeny miny mo...""Race issue" meant arguing about who ran the fastest.There were Golliwogs on the jam jarThere was one more shade of brownMoney issues were handled by whoever was the banker in "Monopoly".The worst thing you could catch from the opposite sex was germs.And the worst thing in your day was having to sit next to one.It was unbelievable that 'British Bulldog 123' wasn't an Olympic event.Having a weapon in school, meant being caught with a catapult.Nobody was prettier than Mum.Scrapes and bruises were kissed and made better.Taking drugs meant orange-flavoured chewable aspirin.Ice cream was considered a basic food group.Getting a foot of snow was a dream come true.Older siblings were the worst tormentors, but also the fiercest protectors.If you can remember most or all of these, then you have LIVED. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andsome Posted December 24, 2006 Report Share Posted December 24, 2006 You forgot to mention the time EVEN BEFORE black and white TV. Ah, memories. I think that despite all the shortages after the war, we were a DAMNED sight happier than many of todays kids. so many are a thoroughly discontented lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-pops- Posted December 24, 2006 Report Share Posted December 24, 2006 Valve wirelessesBlack Jacks (probably banned now under some legislation or other)ChocStixCherry LipsPhul Nana cachousParma Violets - the ones in the fancy jar next to the Phul Nana, not those things in tubes.Spangles. The Winter ones were my favourite.Jubbly (or better, frozen Jubbly)Solazzi Spanish Juice.Imps (or Meloids from Boots - like Imps but in a fancy tin).Gee's Linctus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dadyassa Posted December 24, 2006 Report Share Posted December 24, 2006 Excellent....... Flash Gordon serial where you could see the strings on the rocket, and Yo Yo competitions at Sat morning pics.PS. I got a dvd with 4 parts of Flash Gordon serial on from a carboot a couple of months ago. (how sad) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thos Posted December 24, 2006 Report Share Posted December 24, 2006 Isn't that a great list. It brings back such memories. I didn't laugh much at it, rather I could feel the backs of my eyes prickle with nostalgia.Lovely.Thos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andsome Posted December 24, 2006 Report Share Posted December 24, 2006 One pair of Grandparents lived next door to us. My Granddad would not have electricity installed, because it was dangerous, you could not smell it. They had an ancient radio that ran off a huge battery, plus a glass bodied acid accumulator that had to be recharged periodically. It was my job to walk down to the shop with the accumulator and it cost sixpence to recharge, and I got a penny for taking it. The set used to regularly go silent, and it needed a sharp thump on the side with the flat of the hand to jolt it back to life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thos Posted December 24, 2006 Report Share Posted December 24, 2006 I remember the days before electricity was installed and we used to have gas mantles. We also had a radio powered by accumulator which was charged at a shop, happily next door to us. One being charged, one in use.Like andsome's Grandad, my wife's father would not have electricity installed, it was too dangerous so they kept on with gas power. Imagine , gas lighting safer that electricity! But it was a widespread belief.Thos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-pops- Posted December 24, 2006 Report Share Posted December 24, 2006 When my grandmother first had electricity installed (DC) she insisted on having a plug permanently fixed in each socket so the electricity didn't leak out.I also had to take the accumulator to the shop - it was the bike shop I recall - why bike shops should be responsible to charging accumulators, I never found out.Something I find very sad these days is that despite living in "the countryside" the amount of free food that is available but left to rot on the trees or in the ground is shameful. Rather than spend a few enjoyable moments picking blackberries, all sorts of nuts, bilberries or mushrooms of various types and loads of other stuff, the local residents - mostly wealthy townies, now - would rather have them pre-packed from Tesco. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andsome Posted December 24, 2006 Report Share Posted December 24, 2006 Our local shop for charging the accumulators was also a bike shop. Funny that. Another thing not mentioned was the fun we had making crystal sets, complete with cats whisker. NOT the wretched feline type of cat I hasten to add. these required many yards of copper wire in lieu of an aerial, this was taken round and round the room attached to the picture rail, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rong Posted December 24, 2006 Report Share Posted December 24, 2006 You forgot fetching water from a well, then emptying the pot from under the bed in the mornings and even worse emptying the bucket at the end of the garden (with my Grandparents), the tin bath in front of the fire when it was lit in the evening. All the car numbers in one small I spy book, and I'm not as old as you lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thos Posted December 24, 2006 Report Share Posted December 24, 2006 You forgot fetching water from a well, then emptying the pot from under the bed in the mornings and even worse emptying the bucket at the end of the garden (with my Grandparents), the tin bath in front of the fire when it was lit in the evening. All the car numbers in one small I spy book, and I'm not as old as you lot.We never fetched water from the well as we lived in a town but I do remember the other things you speak about but which I try to forget!!!And the shop next door which charged the accumulators was indeed a bike shop.Thos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watchful Posted December 24, 2006 Report Share Posted December 24, 2006 I'm smiling :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andsome Posted December 24, 2006 Report Share Posted December 24, 2006 I'm smiling :)Glad to see that we made you happy. :D (PS, no well here either) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andsome Posted December 24, 2006 Report Share Posted December 24, 2006 We all forgot to mention the sticky fly papers covered in glue, that we hung from the light shade or in the window. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watchful Posted December 24, 2006 Report Share Posted December 24, 2006 I like to wallow in nostalgia now and again :D Those sticky fly-papers were great, but unsightly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rong Posted December 24, 2006 Report Share Posted December 24, 2006 Still do it's the best way to control them when there are allot, we have a zapper a well (not the one that changes the telly e.t.c.) and another you forgot was that someone had to get up and change channels on the telly, not that there was that many channels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dadyassa Posted December 24, 2006 Report Share Posted December 24, 2006 You forgot fetching water from a well, then emptying the pot from under the bed in the mornings and even worse emptying the bucket at the end of the garden (with my Grandparents), the tin bath in front of the fire when it was lit in the evening. All the car numbers in one small I spy book, and I'm not as old as you lot.At one house we was really posh, we had a bath fitted under the kitchen worktop.Every friday was bath night, and all the kids used the same water.In from school, change into play clothes, slice of bread in yer pocket and out to play footie till tea was ready.Oh yeah, waiting for the milkmans horse to have a poo and shoveling it up for the old mans garden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordythegouge Posted December 24, 2006 Report Share Posted December 24, 2006 Funny how things always looked rosier in sepia?! We've all said that things were better in the past, just like our parents and theirs before them! We'd all be better looking forwards instead of backwards ......you don't trip over so much for a start....enjoy the moment and look forward to the future!!!!!!!! Onwards and upwards!! :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artist Posted December 24, 2006 Report Share Posted December 24, 2006 Like Thos - some of those things make me a bit sad - all those people gone - all the simple things gone by the wayside too. My mum got so much pleasure from wrapping all sorts of silly useless things - just so we could have lots of things to unwrap - we all loved it! Then suddenly all the kids wanted more expensive things............... These days, even the 'cheap' bits can't be bought for under a fiver. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watchful Posted December 24, 2006 Report Share Posted December 24, 2006 They make me sad too and Christmas does that for me as I always think of those who are not there to share it with but you have to look forward; they had their day, we have ours and lots of happy memories Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D4\/!d Posted December 24, 2006 Report Share Posted December 24, 2006 ... My mum got so much pleasure from wrapping all sorts of silly useless things - just so we could have lots of things to unwrap - we all loved it!I remember we had a toothbush each...the tin bath in front of the fire when it was lit in the evening.And it stank of Dettol..!! Oh yeah, waiting for the milkmans horse to have a poo and shoveling it up for the old mans garden.For us it was the coalman's horse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.