Burnham

[Pblakeney]

This.
...
A freezer full of food de-frosting, a cold shower with a cold damp towel to dry yourself, and the novelty would wear off pretty quickly.

There are not many war babies left to reassure us that it was worse during the blitz.

My Dad still does. On a regular basis.

 

[briantrumpet]

My Dad still does. On a regular basis.

When my parents were alive, interestingly my dad (b.1929) never ever did, and mum (b.1933) only mentioned bits in passing, like sheltering under the kitchen table during air raids (they were in Bristol, and didn't evacuate elsewhere). The Anderson shelter in their garden was a reminder, and was still there when the house was sold in 2022.

 

[Pross]

This.

Its a way of life in places like Finland.

If only it makes people stop and think about what life would be like without the things we take for granted, hot and cold water on tap, heating, hot meals, telly, internet etc. It would go some way to prepare most of us for the shock

A freezer full of food de-frosting, a cold shower with a cold damp towel to dry yourself, and the novelty would wear off pretty quickly.

There are not many war babies left to reassure us that it was worse during the blitz.

I'm amazed at the people who seem unable to differentiate between making sensible precautions to get through a few days of bad weather and possible interference to infrastructure by rogue states and moving to the woods with like-minded, heavily bearded men with automatic weapons to live in a concrete bunker awaiting the invasion by the world army.

 

[Milzy]

We have gone soft and complacent in this country.
The potential for war is never far away, and has never been far away. Long may it continue but prepare for the worst while hoping for the best.

The only war for a future Britain is against its own government.

 

[Pblakeney]

When my parents were alive, interestingly my dad (b.1929) never ever did, and mum (b.1933) only mentioned bits in passing, like sheltering under the kitchen table during air raids (they were in Bristol, and didn't evacuate elsewhere). The Anderson shelter in their garden was a reminder, and was still there when the house was sold in 2022.

My Dad still regularly uses "waste not, want not" and is a complete spendthrift even though he can comfortably afford to splurge. Mostly because he didn't spend, and now does nothing to necessitate spending. Took us years to convince him to put the heating on when he was cold.

 

[swee'pea99]

My Dad still regularly uses "waste not, want not" and is a complete spendthrift even though he can comfortably afford to splurge. Mostly because he didn't spend, and now does nothing to necessitate spending. Took us years to convince him to put the heating on when he was cold.

I have longed used 'child of a child of the blitz' as an excuse for my legendary stinginess. I mean, I'm not that bad - I always make sure to buy my round - but show me a yellow sticker...

 

[PurplePenguin]

I think if you grew up with stories of WWI, lived through the great depression and then fought in WW2, you do get to say that things are better now.

 

[Pross]

When my parents were alive, interestingly my dad (b.1929) never ever did, and mum (b.1933) only mentioned bits in passing, like sheltering under the kitchen table during air raids (they were in Bristol, and didn't evacuate elsewhere). The Anderson shelter in their garden was a reminder, and was still there when the house was sold in 2022.

It seems to be the ones born at the end of WW2 or just after that like to bang on about the 'Blitz spirit'. They also seem keen to 'bring back National Service' even though they never had to do it themselves (my dad was born in 1943 and it ended before he would have had to do it).

 

[briantrumpet]

I think if you grew up with stories of WWI, lived through the great depression and then fought in WW2, you do get to say that things are better now.

True. Well you would, if you weren't dead, which that generation mostly is now (youngest would be ~98yo now, if they were 16 at the back end of WW2). It's been a generally ride of progress since 1945, with very minor bumps along the way.

 

[Rusty Nails]

My Dad still regularly uses "waste not, want not" and is a complete spendthrift even though he can comfortably afford to splurge. Mostly because he didn't spend, and now does nothing to necessitate spending. Took us years to convince him to put the heating on when he was cold.

I'm not sure you mean 'spendthrift'!

I am only a few years younger than your Dad, and have no money worries, and I find it increasingly difficult to spend money unless it is going to add something new to my life.

I shall be buying a new electric car sometime soon because I just feel it would be an interesting change, but cannot bring myself to buy an electric bike because I cannot justify spending £3-4k on one when I still enjoy the the push bikes I have and worry that it might make me get lazy and stop me riding those in future. Not entirely rational but perhaps it is built into people because of their backgrounds.

 

[Psamathe]

Survivalism - I always thought it was the domain on a few crazies in the remote USA.
Wes Streeting wants to make it mainstream - is this new toughness a side effect of his weight loss drugs?

https://www.theguardian.com/politic...tructure-attacks-hostile-states-wes-streeting

I'm wondering it it's a joke and he'll'' "Gotcha" in a few days. eg Ms Rayner didn't fall for it as asked what she was prepping with:

"Mascara, concealer, I don't know, a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc, a tin of baked beans because you've gotta have some baked beans, and I like a good tin of custard as well so I think that'll keep me going for a while."
(https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckr5yz2pqqppo)

 

[briantrumpet]

I have longed used 'child of a child of the blitz' as an excuse for my legendary stinginess. I mean, I'm not that bad - I always make sure to buy my round - but show me a yellow sticker...

Erm, me too. So many habits and inhibitions built up over the years (parents weren't at all well off either, even if they did think of themselves as middle class)... always looking for the cheapest items on menus (on the few times we ate out), only reluctantly throwing things out when they are utterly shagged out (and still feeling guitly), etc. etc. No darning of socks though: they are the work of the devil.

I could do with Blakers to convince me to turn the heating up a bit when I'm cold, rather than put on extra layers, but in current circumstances, when I'm being encouraged to hoard toilet paper, pasta and tins of baked beans, I might be as well to remain used to the cold in case the balloon goes up.

 

[AuroraSaab]

I'm not sure you mean 'spendthrift'!

I am only a few years younger than your Dad, and have no money worries, and I find it increasingly difficult to spend money unless it is going to add something new to my life.

Same here. I think as you get older you just lose the urge to buy stuff generally. You just have so much already. My dad used to say 'This one will see me out' if we tried to buy him a new radio, tv, or even comfy chair.

 

[Pblakeney]

I'm not sure you mean 'spendthrift'!

I am only a few years younger than your Dad, and have no money worries, and I find it increasingly difficult to spend money unless it is going to add something new to my life.

I shall be buying a new electric car sometime soon because I just feel it would be an interesting change, but cannot bring myself to buy an electric bike because I cannot justify spending £3-4k on one when I still enjoy the the push bikes I have and worry that it might make me get lazy and stop me riding those in future. Not entirely rational but perhaps it is built into people because of their backgrounds.

Yes, I meant spendthrift. Your example sums it up. For you it is buying (or not) a new car. For my Dad it is contemplating a box of French Fancies so he can treat himself to one with a cuppa. As an aside, are they half the size of what they were or is my memory fading? 🤔

For Brian, my Dad already had the layers on and was still cold.

 

[briantrumpet]

Yes, I meant spendthrift.