Not Dead Yet - Forum

What is your favourite memory of the past? The advert, cereal, or toy, what brings the memories flooding back for you?...only good ones...

It's music for me that triggers the memmories if I hear a tune i can tell you where i was and generally what i was doing lol

Mine is the smell of pinks and roses.Also the smell of fires burning on an autumn evening, the smell of creosote. and the whistle and hum of radio luxemburg lol....we are the ovaltinies...

I really enjoy looking back at how we used to live, what we used to eat, what we wore, what we read and what we looked at on the TV.
Thats why I really enjoy looking at my Robert Opie Scrapbooks. Each scrapbook covers a ten year period in time they start at The Edwardian Period and go up to the 70s. Each book is full of the stuff sold in the shops at the time and the pictures are great. They cover what you would buy at the grocers, the different furniture of the times , what cars we drove, what magazines and comics we were reading, what films were showing on the cinema..They really are fantastic, I think i have most of them now. They are really worth the price.

Take a look for yourselves on the Robert Opie Site

http://www.robertopiecollection.com/Application/Products/Opie/books1GB.asp

If you cant get the link to work properly just type Robert Opie into Google

Here's another site you might enjoy, a lot are American, in fact most are but some might jog the memory.
http://www.theimaginaryworld.com/page4.html

I think my favourite memory would be towards the end of the war. My father was in the Army at Bovington Camp and we supplemented our "rations" in whatever way we could, including collecting blackberries and asking for fallers from people who had fruit trees. These occasions were real family occasions. But the best, and most profitable were our faorays to the NAAFI to collect the empty jam and Golden Syrup tins. As the cooks were in a hurry they were never completely empty, particularly the Golden Syrup tins. We would go home loaded down with the tins and put them on top of the range for the contents to soften for removal. The tins collected on a cold night could yield up to a pound of jam or syrup. Old habits are hard to break, and I still do the same, only these days the jars go in the microwave to recover the last of the Marmite and Bovril. Wase not, want not!!

My favourite memory is of a sunday evening just after the war when all my uncles were home,and of course my dad.
We used to go in the "parlour" at grandmas where the piano was and have a good old sing along.
One sunday evening someone shouted " theres bananas in" I didnt know what a banana was but they were of course delicious !!!!

Those Sunday eveningsMac before the war.I am from a big family(12) all the married ones used to come to mums on a sunday,1 played the accordian, so we had a good old sing along,then out would come the cards, the banter that used to go off if anyone lost a halfpenny.
After 83 yrs I have a lot o memories but 1 sticks in my mind and that is VJ night. I was on holiday in Blackpool, in those days u had 2 b in by 11.We had all gone to our beds when the landlady told us the war was over. We got up, men in thier pyjamas, women in their nighties, parading up and down the prom. singing and dancincing, some piled a few forms together and set fire 2 them we danced round em, not vandalism, just relief that the war was over

These memories are priceless. I can just picture it all as you describe it. They are good happy memories, we've heard all about the bad times and a lot of us have lived through them but it does your heart good to hear about comforting happy days. it brings back the Britain we have inside us and should be remembered.

It sounds brilliant William
I have heard the stories of VJ night from my parents and aunts and uncles,and not a moan amongst them.
Bit different to day isnt it ?
Nobody seems to want to listen to stories anymore and thats rather sad becasue I have many to tell as I am sure you all do.!
We had nowt but OMG we were happy  ;D ;D ;D

My earliest memories are of pre-war, 'community singing' on Dover beach on a Saturday night and on Sunday morning, watching the Royal Marine band in their barracks in Deal.
Also the return of our soldiers from Dunkirk. All too many memories that keep on returning over the years. Perhaps that is why I still feel so much for those who gave their lives. It is so hard to forget, but I wonder just what 'they' would have thought about, the way of life Today !!

I guess Phoenix the same as us !

I believe 'They' would be shocked, disgusted and feel -- Was it worth it all !! -- The Ultimate Sacrifice!!

Yes it was phoenix
we still have freedom !

I never heard so much tosh in all my life. of course it was worth it as Mac says we have our freedom. I shudder to think what life would have been like if the jack boot nazi's had have been allowed to enter this country... For those that think that life is so bad here. they should move to parts of the world that have still got dictatorships..

Sorry got no time for all this talk of how bad things are, its not perfect. but its a 100% better than it would have been under Hitler.

Lol sometime times I think this site needs a government health  warning ....something like don't read here ...it'll leave you suicidle ...lighten up guys ..we have a lot to be thankful for

YOU!! Have Your Opinion. I Have Mine.
 Not quite sure just what makes You, so 'Perfect' ??
 Mine is How I feel about those that gave Their ALL. IF?? You Can Understand That!! Why Did So Many Have To Give Lives?? --- If You do not like what I say -- Just Do Not Strain Yourself To Answer!! Keep Our Topics Light!!

I can understand what Pheonix is saying, all those young lives lost in the cause of freedom and a better country.
Is it a better country? its the 1 I want to live in. On the other hand we had np choice but to fight,the alternative doesnt bear thinking about, being ruled by Hitler. I have said so many times, they were good old days because we were young. In 50 yrs time the youngsters of today will be talking about the good old days.

Hello William, Thank you for understanding the point I was making. I most certainly was not, comparing the issue about IF, we had lost the war!!-- Only the reason, relevant to the tragic loss of lives, given FOR the sake of 'Our' freedom --THEN !! Compared to the overall standard and comfort of living -- TODAY!!
 My opinion was absolutely Nothing to do with the 'opposition'of 'those' days!!
To Repeat!! I still have Great feelings for those that gave their lives and every November 11th.(poppy day) I can express those feelings and share with so many othere's!!
One can either share those feelings with so many of us,or completely disregard them!! --- Everybody has their own choice !!

I too will be sharing my thoughts on november 11th
for my friends children who lost their lives not in the 2nd ww,but Faulklands and Irac and even northern ireland.
These boys/girls were very young,the very people,that are moaned about today,the ones that are still fighting for us even today !

Does anyone remember Locust Beans??  Towards the end of the war or just afterwards we had these beans that looked like flat brown broadbeans. They were a bit hard and very sticky with a sweet syrup oozing out of them. We used to suck on them for hours, there not  being many other sweets around.

Hello John,  Locust Beans is a new one to us.Neither of us can recall them, unless they were not avaiable in our (then) area's. Nostalgia is wonderfull, but we both fail on that one!!

never heard of them John

ohhhhhhhh ek .. dont fancy suckin on a  locust yikes! :-X

Hope they are not being held in 'storage'-- Just in case ??

John what are locust beans then ?

Hi Mac, Guess we are not going to find out??
How about just accepting them as, 'Broad Beans' Dipped in something ---- Nice???????

yeh............sounds nicer Phoenix lol

Yer! An yer can 'chose yer own 'DIP' ????
     Gotta be Good fer Something ??

Now pay attention.
Locust Beans,From an eastern Med tree of the pea family(evergreen) having large dark leathery p[ods,
An edible powder or flour made from theseeds and pods, often used as a substitute for chocolate. So there

Oh! William, Could you not have 'painted' a more 'tasty' picture ?? -- I thought 'chocolate' was a substitute for sex ????? -- Glad it's too late for the beans!! Phew !!

LOL
no substitute for chocolate
or sex
in that order lol ;D

Shucks!!  Missed out again ???????

agggghhhh,but sometimes I cheat lol

Mac ?? Yer Gotta tell Us all, your Secret ???
Bet it's all those --- Bug off's ?? -------Yes!!

Favourite Memories??   Still happens to be the 50/60s.
 Way before all those problems of Today !!

Its the same for me Phoenix
My son recieved a book for his 40th birthday and it was newspaper cuttings from the year he was born ! we never had it so good ! Beatles included lol

Now you know just why I prefered the 50/60s.-----
A much better country. A much better society. A better 'class' of people, not wanting to be involved with criminal activities. --Trust! Respect! Disapline! Truth!
People were more happy -- something is terribly wrong!!

Mums were around more too,part time jobs were the norm.
I wonder if the older generation then, moaned like we do about the young of that day ?
I dont remember them if they did do you ?

My mother brought 4 of us up, having lost our father in the war. Mother had to work and we all had to help were possible. All was taken in our stride, with no complaints.
perhaps that is why, my first wife and i worked and worked to ensure there would be less/no problems ??
What a terrible shame that some young people cannot work to provide for their future?????

Many,many people work for their future Phoenix,its just that they cant keep up with the costs of their pensions and the creaming it all off,I think a lot of them are buying property abroad for that reason so they have a sort of nest egg and its not taxable with their pensions.For the ones that dont work it wont make any difference will it ?
but for the poor souls tied up with pensions they will pay tax till the day they die............wish i knew then what I know now !!! dont you ?

i an anwer aftab from Rawalpindi - Pakistan, i have just joined this forum most probably a week or two, i am just going through all the things and in fact not used to about this, but seeing your quote, i was much impressed about it, no doubt now a days people are not taking the things in life in a right prospective, secondly my dear much depends on mother, you are a lucky that a wise and loving mother, mother is like a tree in desert, every one of us who passed their young age when looks towards our generation we feel that they are not doing right, many things to write and i will also write our memories

regards

anwer aftab

anwer aftab

Welcome Anwer
Feel free to say your peace,we all try not to fall out but say what we feel anyway.

We learnt from our parent/s about the hard times they had.
The main Idea of our's, was to try to ensure that we brought our children up, with respect for othere's and to Build for the future, in as far as they could see??
In this last Decade,so much has changed and the future does not look rosy, for anyone ??

Phoenix did the future look rosy for the people after WW I or WW II? I think there were always better and less better times.
My grandmother always told me people were poor like church mice after WW I and children often even didn't have shoes.

Hi Teri, Cannot speak for People after WW1. but I do believe that Life was so bad, that people did actually have to go without Shoes and decent clothes and without doubt, Food and Water at times??m --- After WW2 I do recall, clothes became a problem to get hold of -- Our Mother's must have worked Miracles, to take so much care of us - Bless Them!! -- but!! We did 'survive' The Country and The People!! -- The greatest Time!!  Is in re building and starting to live again -- To be a Survivor!!

Knitting Phoenix,nearly all my clothes were knitted !!! and we wore clogs lol and the bedding was crochet blankets,all of which I can still do,and on occasions do,but only when asked.

Phoenix, it's true after WW II people had a common aim, i.e. to build up again their destroyed country. After the fall of the wall many people in Eastern Germany complained that as long as there was the Democratic Republic of Germany they had a common aim, i.e. to queue up to get all kinds of goods, now all is available, you just must have the money to buy it.
Thus the question is - which time is better.
Perhaps you call me a "kill-joy", but as we in Germany say after some time many things get a wreath of rays (are idolized).

Teri,today is best for the convienience
but yesterday was best for the sheer pleasure,and safety,we had our NHS in 1948 and therefore we had security,it was hard work but we got there in the end,all this without the EU..............sorry no offence !
There was affordable housing by the state,and dental treatment,and nursing homes...........what the hell happened ?

Mac ask your MPs, there's no EU involved, that's sure!

Yes I know the EU didnt tell us what to do on that score,but,the cost of the EU MPs has taken from our resources,not to mention all the silly/greedy habits they have accumulated,like second homes and expenses.

Mac on our TV they said some days ago that when we will have an EU treaty and an EU parliamwent, many MPs in the individual countries will no longer be required, i.e. each country will save a lot of money!

Well I`ll second that !

We might save a lot of money Teri, but I wager the man in the street wont see any of it.

It's depending on what you understand by the man in the street William. You know as well as me that schools, roads, inside and outside swimming pools, kindergardens, theatres, sport fields etc. etc. cost a lot of money and perhaps part of this money will be used for such things, we don't think of.
Mac, as long as the Irish say "NO" to Europe, there's no chance of saving money in this respect.

What I mean by the man in the street Teri, is the ordinary working man,Would we see a drop in income tax, a rise in pensions, a highering of the minimum wage,of course we wont

I know Teri about the Irish voters,they have their reasons I guess and we only hear half of them,shall I ask Paddy lol

AH!! To Be Sure ::) ::) There is so much 'Distorsion of The Truth' Today?/  Who actually Knows what is right or wrong anymore ::) ::) The 'Ordinary Person' in the street, has absolutely No Idea, of what the power's to be, will bring out Next?? --- Hope You people Do Not have More Than FIVE HOLES in Your Salt Dispencer ::) ::) ::)
Councils Here!!  Are witholding Large suns of Money and Not Repairing Roads?????  Just in case 'They Get Sued' ??? ??? ??? --- Schools ?? New schools are being Built, but still Does Not raise The Standard of Education for The Pupils ::) ::) ---- A - subsidises B:    B - susidises C: ETC!!  ETC!! so in the end, very little, gets to be 'Made Better' ::) ::) ::) ::)

Hi Teri
I did ask Paddy,and he said the Irish army only want to be like they have always been,a peace keeping army not a war-going army.Ireland doesnt want to buy weapons at great cost to kill.He said this is why they voted no.

PS Poland has just voted is that right ?

Mac, your Paddy is kidding, isn't he? As far as I know the Irish have a "hot blood" as we say.
As to the Polish - they didn't say "no", but they are waiting for the Irish to wake up lol!
To be serious, it's a pity the Irish voted with "no", because in the end it's them who will be the losing party. The EU is already to advanced to be definitively stopped.

I might be wrong here Teri,but did I read the EU want one army for all Europeans ? which will do away with NATO

True!! They want a EC Army and Under 'Their' Command ??
I trust this does not happen!!

Whos `brain wave` was that then ?
will we turn into the `bully boys` of Europe?
its scary !

Apparently, from the Leader?? of France ??
 Well!! We have 'helped' them out --- Twice ?????
and 'they' still criticise us  ::) ::)  This way, they will get their own back ????

We will learn to march backwards then Pheonix

Hello William, I trust that you are well ??

Is that not what one would Call -- A Diplomatic Retreat ::)We might well be, marching/walking one step Forward Now ?? But!! It's the TWO Steps Backwards, that is of must concern??????????   --- OH!! The Brains of Britain Today
 ::) ::) ::) ::)

DIPLOMATIC RETREAT, THATS WHAT THE FRENCH CALLED IT IN WW1 AND WW2. NOT WHAT WE CALLED IT.

my favourite memory is getting ready for the local dance and jiving in those wonderful full skirts with tiers of petticoats underneath and as for the music you can't beat it.What wonderful memories they bring back to me.

Hello Elizabeth
did you wash the net underskirts in sugar water too,we did lol and it made not a lot of difference ! and did you backcombe your hair lol
I agree wonderful memories !  except for having to be in by 10pm and we working too !
Eeee how times have changed.

Hi Elizabeth, Great Times Remembered!! --- Where was You Jiving then ????   "The Best of British"  magazine, tells it ALL!!  -- Helps to Keep those Memories Sweet ::) ::) ::)

How come it never seemed to rain when I was a kid ? !!!!

We lads used to run soap down the inside of trouser creases when we pressed em, made the creases stand out more. 21ins trouser bottoms with turnups. Never found out wether all this attracted the girls or not.

Mac, It did rain!! It's just that we, took no notice of it and just carried on what we was doing????

William, Those were the days of Pride!! with soap on the inside trouser creases. I stated in 1949 when in the forces and just carried on. Same with extra creases on shirts. Took a very long time before I stopped, it was really pride in one's own appearance, not for the women:

Bit before me all that William lol
turnups and soap etc lol
But I bet you looked real smart  ;)

A Coronation street party in 1953, where I watched television for the first time.

One of my favourite memories is chestnuting as a kid.

Ah Val. we called them conkers,spent hours throwing sticks and stone at the tree to knock em down.
I used to take the biggest ones home, soak em in vinegar or put em in the oven to harden them, anything to make them harder than the other kids conkers,all to no avail,some would still shatter to pieces at the first blow of the battle.happy memories tho.

No it was chestnuts, we used to collect them from the woods. We then roasted them by the fire or just ate them as they were after prizing them from their prickly cases. We did also get conkers but I loved the chestnuts, always piggy thats me. ;D

We used to light a fire in the fields and roast the chestnuts on an old shovel. Sat round the fire, burning at the front, frozen at the back. My local has a coal fire and some time ago a man brought some chestnuts in and roasted them, but you know they didnt taste the same somehow.

no they never do, I remember my mum bringing out the jacket potatoes on guy fawkes night, they were wonderful with loads of butter, they just aren't the same when I do them.

Ah! Val, Sounds like a little of "William Shakespere" with 'Great Expectations' ??  Nothing, but Nothing is quite the same as it was. That is why we miss them all and have to rely on our sweet memories.

Hey folks,we are getting our VEGGIES back the way they were,wonder if they will taste as good ?

Hi Mac,  Hum!! can we still be sure that we remember THAT Taste ?? -- Yummy!! could veggies be that Good Again ??
 Must say that we have Homemade Veggie Soup twice a week now, Terrific and right Tasty!! -- Got to be good !!

Only if you grow them yourselves. It took me years to wonder why I loved tomatoes as a kid but hated them in my twenties, the shop bought ones are so bitter, There's nothing as sweet as a sun ripened tom, also sweetcorn, its so different when picked and cooked straight from the garden, the saying is true, stroll down the garden to pick your sweetcorn but run back and put them straight in the boiling water, yum.

Hi Phoenix wouldnt it be nice ? if we could get the original seeds and bulbs back ?

Actually mac you can from the seed heritage site but they cost quite a bit and unless you are a very keen gardener probably not worth it, the newer ones are  bred to be more resistant to pests and diseases.

Yes I know Val,but far less tasty,and probably genetically modified too.

yes you're right. >:(

Yes Val, i think that WE are The pests ?? Well 'they' don't like to sell us what WE actually Prefer do they ??

Some seed companies have been found to sell seeds that aren't viable. that is disgusting especially for new gardeners they could easily give up thinking they couldn't grow anything.

I wish they had left us alone in the first place ! ::)

so do I. (http://www.smileycons.com/img/newyear/23.gif)

  and ???

   "A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL"