Re: Margret Thatcher

It used to be the case Cate darlin' many, many years ago that it was possible to live with either very little money or even none at all - open fires could be fed by scavenging wood, food could be had from growing your own vegetables and 'hunting' for rabbits in the fields and hedgerows or fishing in the rivers and streams. All that has long since gone since the fields have vanished under vast motorway complexes, factories or housing estates. We now need electricity to fuel the fridge and freezers, since the pantry has long since vanished from so many homes - this requires money to pay the soaring cost of electricity. Gone are the days when it was possible to cook on open fires fed with wood, or cook in caste iron stoves (also fed by wood) which also heated the room. Instead, as an alternative to electric heating and cooking, is Gas, and like electricity still has to be paid for. Then there is the cost of the housing itself. Before Thatcher (phth, phth, phth) the vast majority of houses & flats were rented, and if one 'got behind' with the rent it was possible to do a moonlight' and move elsewhere. That option has also long since vanished and the nameless, faceless, impersonal bureaucrats in banks and building societies insist on mortgage payments on the correct day or they 'foreclose'.

Re: Margret Thatcher

Neither of you are wrong, we do have a lot of people who cannot balance their budget and smoke and drink rather than buy food, but we also have people who due to no fault of their own cannot bring in enough money to go round, and have to chose roof over their head or food every week.

No one size fits all in this so no one can possibly be wrong.

Re: Margret Thatcher

I didn't actually go out and shoot my spaghetti and I didn't actually cook on an open fire.

What I feel is that we the people have suddenly woken up to the fact that the world around us has gone mad. I got a tin of pineapple out of the pantry the other day it went out of date 04/04/13. Now I only bought this tin about a year ago and yet according to this I was supposed to believe that it was not fit to eat and throw it away.

Young people are not getting educated. Children are not getting educated. My son even when he was on the dole may not have had money for cigs or to top up his phone which were always priorities but he always fed his daughter because he had been taught how to cook.

People on low pay or benefits get housing benefit and people with children and little or no money get credits to buy food. A lot of these benefits are being taken away because there are too many people in this country. However, we must not talk about that as it is unkind or racist.

Re: Margret Thatcher

I believe your comments very sound Cate, particularly the first and last paragraph of your post No.299. It is quite an emotive subject, but I think some young people have come to expect as a right to be able to have and do whatever they want, including having children when they cannot support them. Some seem to have a confidence that they will not be allowed to go under or go without and they expect to be taken care of. Of course, it is the young children who may go without when people become selfish and see what others have (don't realise the effort and sacrifice involved in reaching a goal) and they think they should have the same by right. Sometimes it seems as if they ignore or don't understand reality and are unwilling to make any sacrifice - somebody else will provide the basics!! Frequently. Many too easily rush into having a family unprepared and with little idea of the realities of what it actually means to have real responsibility or the challenges bringing up a child will entail.
Perhaps it is a spin off from the relatively "good times" economically that the country was experiencing when we had our own families. Maybe we haven't provided some of the new generation with adequate knowledge and the savvy to cope in these leaner days. Fast food and takeaway food also has a lot to answer for - it's on every corner these days and it's so easy to pick up a meal from a fast food outlet without thinking of the poor value they are getting for their money. The adverts always seem to say "only £££" no matter what junk they may be encouraging us to buy in reality - marketing is what matters these days. I am not attempting to tar every young person with the same brush, I realise it has become very difficult to get a start in life these days, but I have certainly seen some of these traits in my own children - things seem too easily throwaway and replaceable; (repair it, make one, or sew a button on - what's that about?) but then perhaps I am simply an old "fuddy duddy" who is far out of touch with modern times. I didn't think I would find myself thinking/saying thigs like "some people don't know the value of things" - but I am afraid I say it quite often these days.

Re: Margret Thatcher

I agree with everything you say Aerlor and I don't think you are a fuddy duddy as I believe I am very young at heart and feel the same way. Why, I have clothes that I bought ten years ago, they haven't worn out yet so I still wear them. Are they still in fashion? They never were as I am not a follower.

You mention repair, well I don't do much sewing but some of my stuff would have lasted even longer if I had had the knowledge of replacing a zip.

I know we are considered old fashioned because we don't believe in the throwaway ideal but even in America where I believe the idea originated they are in financial trouble and having to look at what they have done and how they can undo the damage.

I don't paint everyone with the same brush that is wrong. However, I too see my son finding money for a phone top up and enough for a pack of ten ciggies, however, I did teach him how to cook and shop therefore he can feed himself and his little girl.

Re: Margret Thatcher

Yep we can look back and say, we would mend our clothes etc etc, but as you say Rena, this generation go by how things are today. The schools should do more to prepare youngsters too. I'm shocked that so many youngsters dont know 'how' to cook ! Its all a mess that needs sorting and fast...

Re: Margret Thatcher

Is it really for the schools to do ? I learned to sew and cook at home, my Gran was a very thrifty person and taught me well. When I went to school I was already knitting and the lessons we had when I was about 7 were very basic, and off putting for most children. No one wanted to knit a dishcloth with string LOL but when my class saw what I could knit (dolls clothes at the time) they really took and interest and we had our own sewing circle girls and boys who met at lunch times in the playground to knit.


School is great place to learn but parents have to step up and teach too. There are not enough school hours in the day to prepare children for the world.

Re: Margret Thatcher

Parents are not what they used to be - a different culture now - No I'm not saying all parents are slack - but for those that are, then schools can step in. When I was at school we had cookery lessons, the boys carpentry, whats wrong with that...

Re: Margret Thatcher

Pat darlin' - everything. Yes us 'blokes' had woodwork, metalwork, and technical drawing, none of which I was the least bit interested in (notwithstanding George was a mechanical engineer). I would have loved to have been able to do 'domestic science'. What I have learned about cooking subsequently I have partly learned from Dragon and the remainder by trial and error.

Re: Margret Thatcher

Boys should do the cookery too - most chefs are male, they may take to cooking.... As well as the other items you mentioned, you may not have liked them - there are those that will Joe... gotta start somewhere....
I repeat - whats wrong with that