The Winter of Discontent #2 Food, energy, transport, jobs, housing etc

[Reverend]

My 92 yr old MIL often tells me that she quite enjoyed the Second World War She has fond memories of running to the shelters with her little dog tucked under her arm.

My dad lived on the Isle of Man where enemy aliens were interns (admittedly, it was if you were german or italian, or been a known supporter of Mosley you were locked up, even if you hated Hitler, had been a refugee from Fascism or had repented far right views etc.). His home was actually about 15 yards from the barbed wire of the camp (the internees were put in hotels that pre and post war hosted holiday makers). They never knew if they were going to find someone trying to break out every night, so they he didn;t have exactly pleasant memories!

Also, he did National Service, and told me it was the biggest waste of time that experienced in his life.

 

[gingerteacup]

Someone’s just refuted it with an energy sector bigwig on Andrew Marr, who I trust more than the daily Mail lol.

Re prep - it’s very subjective, surely? I’d suggest doing anything that alleviates your anxiety.

I think I’m going to order some matches, candle

Are people seriously buying candles?

definitely.

 

[rainbowlemon]

I think it varies from area to area. My local supermarket is fine. Only place shelves are empty really is bottled water. But everything else is fine.

Same. I'm in North London . The smaller tesco express with water the only thing that was noticeably low and pushed to the front

I’ve been scrolling the last thread and my action plan is as follows (fuelled by 2 glasses of red wine)

- purchase candles
- buy us all an Oodie (I’ve been gagging for an excuse)
- add more tins and long-life stuff to our weekly shop

Husband has just got a notification that I’ve spent money on Amazon and has come downstairs like “The duck? 20 candles? Not even scented? We peasants now?”

I feel like we wouldn’t survive a real life crisis

I had at look at Oodies yesterday-but the price put me off. Found something similar for my sister from primark with a Winnie the Pooh theme for £17 and it comes down to her knees and is hooded. I also got her a small blanket for £4.

 

[Jc456]

I had at look at Oodies yesterday-but the price put me off. Found something similar for my sister from primark with a Winnie the Pooh theme for £17 and it comes down to her knees and is hooded. I also got her a small blanket for £4.

They've got them in home bargains and b&m too

 

[dancingqueen5678]

My dad lived on the Isle of Man where enemy aliens were interns (admittedly, it was if you were german or italian, or been a known supporter of Mosley you were locked up, even if you hated Hitler, had been a refugee from Fascism or had repented far right views etc.). His home was actually about 15 yards from the barbed wire of the camp (the internees were put in hotels that pre and post war hosted holiday makers). They never knew if they were going to find someone trying to break out every night, so they he didn;t have exactly pleasant memories!

Also, he did National Service, and told me it was the biggest waste of time that experienced in his life.

potentially controversial here but I find the mentality in regards to the war in this country really bizarre. Everyone's always like "we were okay in the war/everyone these days is too soft/the people today would never have lived through the war/our war hero ancestors would be laughing at us, they all just got on with it". But that's subjective. If you were a kid evacuee who ended up with an abusive family, if someone you loved went off to fight and died or just never came back you would be suffering. I'm sure there were plenty of people during the war years who struggled, and whinged. In the same vain, that Germans under the Nazi's actually faired quite well, in particular, women, they got paid a decent amount of money providing they had lots of kids and followed the 3 C's (now fully aware that this isn't okay but if you consider it in 1930s context, that's what women were expected to do anyway.) Jews, on the other hand, would have a very different story about how world war Germany was for them.

 

[Maid22]

We've been renovating our house for years, lack of money, ill health has made it a slow progress. We've not had central heating or hot water for 10 yrs ( we have an oil fired burner, 1 leccy heater and blanket, a small immersion water heater in kitchen, leccy shower) It really isnt that bad, I just layer up and have a snuggly throw!

 

[Mark81]

potentially controversial here but I find the mentality in regards to the war in this country really bizarre. Everyone's always like "we were okay in the war/everyone these days is too soft/the people today would never have lived through the war/our war hero ancestors would be laughing at us, they all just got on with it". But that's subjective. If you were a kid evacuee who ended up with an abusive family, if someone you loved went off to fight and died or just never came back you would be suffering. I'm sure there were plenty of people during the war years who struggled, and whinged. In the same vain, that Germans under the Nazi's actually faired quite well, in particular, women, they got paid a decent amount of money providing they had lots of kids and followed the 3 C's (now fully aware that this isn't okay but if you consider it in 1930s context, that's what women were expected to do anyway.) Jews, on the other hand, would have a very different story about how world war Germany was for them.

I agree, but I think they also had a sense of perspective. The pandemic has shown how comfortable people have become in their lives and take a lot for granted. Most people alive today have never really known a life changing event, one that changes the world we live in. Everything we have and take for granted could be gone over night, just look at history. People say 'it's 2021 not 1940', but that again implies certain things shouldn't happen now and that life has somehow plateued, where in actual fact anything could happen.

Of course not everyone enjoyed the war, my nan wrote her story down from her time during the war and it wasn't pleasant, but she also found good times amongst the bad. They literally just had to get on with it because what was the alternative. Just sitting around moaning g it's not fair won't really get people very far.

 

[adult human female]

I'm usually quite organised and have a stash of food and torches/candles in a draw etc, but for some reason we decided this was the year to do some major work to the house and everything is chaos and I just want to organise and make sure we have enough and I can't. It's making me so anxious

 

[Thank(space)you]

Seriously, is it any surprise if people want to leave the country. For me it isn't. For those that can, it will likely be worth considering. Under this government, it's just incompetence and corruption, and doing naff all about the issues at hand. Really sad and anger inducing how fast this country has gone downhill.

I understand covid didn't help, but there is more this government could have done to protect people from the virus spreading as much as it did, I'm sure of that. Brexit certainly hasn't helped either, but it's an easy scapegoat when the Tories have been in power for just over a decade and things haven't improved. From Industrial revolution to industrial devolution.

I seriously looked into relocating to Canada last year.

I could not get my head around the pig thing. they cant kill the pigs for food, so they are going to cull the pigs.

What's this about pigs?

 

[Reverend]

potentially controversial here but I find the mentality in regards to the war in this country really bizarre. Everyone's always like "we were okay in the war/everyone these days is too soft/the people today would never have lived through the war/our war hero ancestors would be laughing at us, they all just got on with it". But that's subjective. If you were a kid evacuee who ended up with an abusive family, if someone you loved went off to fight and died or just never came back you would be suffering. I'm sure there were plenty of people during the war years who struggled, and whinged. In the same vain, that Germans under the Nazi's actually faired quite well, in particular, women, they got paid a decent amount of money providing they had lots of kids and followed the 3 C's (now fully aware that this isn't okay but if you consider it in 1930s context, that's what women were expected to do anyway.) Jews, on the other hand, would have a very different story about how world war Germany was for them.

The main thing for this country is that we didn't get invaded, we would have have had collaborators just like France etc.

I went to the Battle of Britain control centre at RAF Uxbridge. The main guide, whose father fought in the war told us to remember two things that are always overlooked:

1) We weren't saved from invasion by the RAF, we were saved by that bit of water.

2) Pilots in the RAF included Polish, Czech, French, Irish, German (yes really), and others. When you work together, you can defeat the bad guys.

 

[smellsofbiscuits]

[/QUOTE]

potentially controversial here but I find the mentality in regards to the war in this country really bizarre. Everyone's always like "we were okay in the war/everyone these days is too soft/the people today would never have lived through the war/our war hero ancestors would be laughing at us, they all just got on with it". But that's subjective. If you were a kid evacuee who ended up with an abusive family, if someone you loved went off to fight and died or just never came back you would be suffering. I'm sure there were plenty of people during the war years who struggled, and whinged. In the same vain, that Germans under the Nazi's actually faired quite well, in particular, women, they got paid a decent amount of money providing they had lots of kids and followed the 3 C's (now fully aware that this isn't okay but if you consider it in 1930s context, that's what women were expected to do anyway.) Jews, on the other hand, would have a very different story about how world war Germany was for them.

Completely agree. Also, burglaries and sexual assaults rose during the Blackout. Hardly Blitz spirit, eh?

On a lighter note, I do wonder if my gran was the inspiration for Wee Betty from Chewing the Fat as I believe she had quite a grand time

 

[dancingqueen5678]

I agree, but I think they also had a sense of perspective. The pandemic has shown how comfortable people have become in their lives and take a lot for granted. Most people alive today have never really known a life changing event, one that changes the world we live in. Everything we have and take for granted could be gone over night, just look at history. People say 'it's 2021 not 1940', but that again implies certain things shouldn't happen now and that life has somehow plateued, where in actual fact anything could happen.

Of course not everyone enjoyed the war, my nan wrote her story down from her time during the war and it wasn't pleasant, but she also found good times amongst the bad. They literally just had to get on with it because what was the alternative. Just sitting around moaning g it's not fair won't really get people very far.

but I'm sure they took time to adjust to changes then as well and they probably had a culture shock when it first started. There were probably things they took for granted before the war, like not having to ration or being able to keep their lights on after 8pm or whenever the cut off was. I refuse to believe there weren't people bitching about having to sit in the dark. They just didn't have social media to broadcast it to everyone, for example, another difference between then and now is that we have more access and faster access to news which lead to panic buying and people being more scared as they had more information than they would have had during the war and we can now get information in real time 24/7 instead of having to wait for the tea time radio show. There were a lot less ways to report then.
People in 2020 found good among the bad too. So many people have come out since restrictions have lifted and said that they are changing careers, moving out of cities to the country, reduced working hours, people are cycling more now instead of using their cars, cooking more, going out walking, spending less money on frivolous shite. I don't think we are a complete lost cause.

 

[Maid22]

I'm usually quite organised and have a stash of food and torches/candles in a draw etc, but for some reason we decided this was the year to do some major work to the house and everything is chaos and I just want to organise and make sure we have enough and I can't. It's making me so anxious

It'll be ok, I make lists of what I need and do, would be lost without doing this tbh!

 

[kazizzle]

On a lighter note, I do wonder if my gran was the inspiration for Wee Betty from Chewing the Fat as I believe she had quite a grand time

A classic

 

[that1]

Thank god for the monarchy (most of the time). The thought of President Johnson, President Blair etc fills me with dread

except they were prime ministers, not presidents. Two separate entities and two separate roles completely…

 

[gingerteacup]

I seriously looked into relocating to Canada last year.



What's this about pigs?

Pigs can’t be slaughtered in time so they’re being burnt alive. Thousands a day.

 

[grumpy_curry]

Pigs can’t be slaughtered in time so they’re being burnt alive. Thousands a day.

Yeah I'm so glad I don't eat meat, it's bad in the best of times, but this? Artrocious!

 

[Glaschelle]

I was doing my food shopping last night on the app. 73 items
Completely agree. Also, burglaries and sexual assaults rose during the Blackout. Hardly Blitz spirit, eh?

On a lighter note, I do wonder if my gran was the inspiration for Wee Betty from Chewing the Fat as I believe she had quite a grand time

There was another bit where Betty says she only wore knickers to keep her ankles warm Chewing the Fat was brill - much better than Still Game.

Now back to the thread

 

[FenellaTheWitch]

I think it varies from area to area. My local supermarket is fine. Only place shelves are empty really is bottled water. But everything else is fine.

I find it odd that bottled water is in such short supply in the shops when it is so readily available in the kitchen! Absolutely bizarre. It's nice to have to but essential.

I was so annoyed at an article in the Daily Mail today about people panic buying.

They were outside Costco on a Sunday morning where there's always a queue to get in and you can only buy in bulk anyway! You want toilet rolls/?you can only buy them in packs of 40. You want kitchen roll? A pack of 20.

The media really need to take some repsonsibility.

 

[Purrrrrrr]

I agree, but I think they also had a sense of perspective. The pandemic has shown how comfortable people have become in their lives and take a lot for granted. Most people alive today have never really known a life changing event, one that changes the world we live in. Everything we have and take for granted could be gone over night, just look at history. People say 'it's 2021 not 1940', but that again implies certain things shouldn't happen now and that life has somehow plateued, where in actual fact anything could happen.

Of course not everyone enjoyed the war, my nan wrote her story down from her time during the war and it wasn't pleasant, but she also found good times amongst the bad. They literally just had to get on with it because what was the alternative. Just sitting around moaning g it's not fair won't really get people very far.

They also had communities where everyone knew everyone. I was born in 58. all my grandparents, great-grandparents aunties, uncles, cousins all grew up in the same small area of London. we all lived less than 5 mins walk from each other, There was not this huge divide between us in those days. no one really had a pot to piss in. Now everyone is divided in every way it's possible to be divided in. I see so many falling for this huge illusion that the boomers had it all, that the young are selfish and want everything, everyone wants a label or to label everything

Traditional places where people got together to discuss the world, to plan revolutions have gradually been phased out.
consumerism keeps us buying things we don't need, TV keeps us busy and stops us from really thinking about things.
We did see a glimpse of community at the start of covid, everyone was worried everyone did their bit and everyone felt closer. Then came covid grassers, finger-pointing mask wearer v non-mask wearer and within a few weeks, everyone was back to being divided.

I seriously looked into relocating to Canada last year.



What's this about pigs?

Apparently, they don't have the gas for the stun guns to kill humanly for the food chain so they are culling them inhumanly to go to waste. Another thing that doesn't make sense.