Those were the days !!!!

[old rooster]

According to today's regulators and bureaucrats, those of us who were kids in the 50s, 60s, 70s and early 80s probably shouldn't have survived, because our baby cots were covered with brightly coloured lead-based paint which was promptly chewed and licked. We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, or latches on doors or cabinets and it was fine to play with pans.

 

When we rode our bikes, we wore no helmets, just flip-flops and fluorescent 'spokey dokey's' on our wheels. As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or airbags - riding in the passenger seat was a treat.

 

We drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle and it tasted the same.

 

We ate chips, bread and butter pudding and drank fizzy juice with sugar in it, but we were never overweight because we were always outside playing.

 

We shared one drink with four friends, from one bottle or can and no-one actually died from this.

 

We would spend hours building go-carts out of scraps and then went top speed down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes.

 

After running into stinging nettles a few times, we learned to solve the problem.

 

We would leave home in the morning and could play all day, as long as we were back before it got dark. No one was able to reach us and no one minded or worried.

 

We did not have PlayStations or Xboxes, no video games at all. No 99 channels on TV, no videotape movies, no surround sound, no mobile phones, no personal computers, no DVDs, no Internet chat rooms. We had friends - we went outside and found them.

 

We played elastics and rounders, and sometimes that ball really hurt!

 

We fell out of trees, got cut and broke bones but there were no law suits.

 

We had full on fist fights but no prosecution followed from other parents.

 

We played chap-the-door-run-away and were actually afraid of the owners catching us.

 

We walked to friends' homes.

 

We also, believe it or not, WALKED to school; we didn't rely on mummy or daddy to drive us to school, which was just round the corner. We made up games with sticks and tennis balls. We rode bikes in packs of 7 and wore our coats by only the hood.

 

The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke a law was unheard of...They actually sided with the law.

 

This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers and problem solvers and inventors, ever. The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.

 

We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned how to deal with it all.

 

For those of you who aren't old enough thought you might like to read about us?

 

This my friends, is surprisingly frightening......and it might put a smile on your face: The majority of students in universities today were born in 1986........They are called youth.

 

They have never heard of We are the World, We are the children, and the Uptown Girl they know is by Westlife not Billy Joel. They have never heard of Rick Astley, Bananarama, Nena Cherry or Belinda Carlisle.

 

For them, there has always been only one Germany and one Vietnam.

 

AIDS has existed since they were born.

 

CD's have existed since they were born.

 

Michael Jackson has always been white.

 

To them John Travolta has always been round in shape and they can't imagine how this fat guy could be a god of dance.

 

They believe that Charlie's Angels and Mission Impossible are Films from last year.

 

They can never imagine life before computers.

 

They'll never have pretended to be the A Team, RedHand Gang or the Famous Five.

 

They'll never have applied to be on Jim'll Fix it or Why Don't You.

 

They can't believe a black and white television ever existed. And they will never understand how we could leave the house without a mobile phone.

 

Now let's check if we're getting old...

 

1. You understand what was written above and you smile.

 

2. You need to sleep more, usually until the afternoon, after a night out.

 

3. Your friends are getting married/already married.

 

4. You are always surprised to see small children playing comfortably with computers.

 

5. When you see teenagers with mobile phones, you shake your head.

 

6. You remember watching Dirty Den in EastEnders the first time around.

 

7. You meet your friends from time to time, talking about the good Old days, repeating again all the funny times you have experienced together.

 

8. Having read this mail, you are thinking of forwarding it to some other friends because you think they will like it too...

[Sergeant]

Hmm.... I think that I just slip in to the last category. i can say yes to most of the questions too!!

Could be that we live in the back end of nowhere with the nearest house a mile away!

[hawkeye]

According to today's regulators and bureaucrats, those of us who were kids in the 50s, 60s, 70s and early 80s probably shouldn't have survived, because our baby cots were covered with brightly coloured lead-based paint which was promptly chewed and licked. We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, or latches on doors or cabinets and it was fine to play with pans.

 

When we rode our bikes, we wore no helmets, just flip-flops and fluorescent 'spokey dokey's' on our wheels. As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or airbags - riding in the passenger seat was a treat.

 

We drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle and it tasted the same.

 

We ate chips, bread and butter pudding and drank fizzy juice with sugar in it, but we were never overweight because we were always outside playing.

 

We shared one drink with four friends, from one bottle or can and no-one actually died from this.

 

We would spend hours building go-carts out of scraps and then went top speed down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes.

 

After running into stinging nettles a few times, we learned to solve the problem.

 

We would leave home in the morning and could play all day, as long as we were back before it got dark. No one was able to reach us and no one minded or worried.

 

We did not have PlayStations or Xboxes, no video games at all. No 99 channels on TV, no videotape movies, no surround sound, no mobile phones, no personal computers, no DVDs, no Internet chat rooms. We had friends - we went outside and found them.

 

We played elastics and rounders, and sometimes that ball really hurt!

 

We fell out of trees, got cut and broke bones but there were no law suits.

 

We had full on fist fights but no prosecution followed from other parents.

 

We played chap-the-door-run-away and were actually afraid of the owners catching us.

 

We walked to friends' homes.

 

We also, believe it or not, WALKED to school; we didn't rely on mummy or daddy to drive us to school, which was just round the corner. We made up games with sticks and tennis balls. We rode bikes in packs of 7 and wore our coats by only the hood.

 

The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke a law was unheard of...They actually sided with the law.

 

This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers and problem solvers and inventors, ever. The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.

 

We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned how to deal with it all.

 

For those of you who aren't old enough thought you might like to read about us?

 

This my friends, is surprisingly frightening......and it might put a smile on your face: The majority of students in universities today were born in 1986........They are called youth.

 

They have never heard of We are the World, We are the children, and the Uptown Girl they know is by Westlife not Billy Joel. They have never heard of Rick Astley, Bananarama, Nena Cherry or Belinda Carlisle.

 

For them, there has always been only one Germany and one Vietnam.

 

AIDS has existed since they were born.

 

CD's have existed since they were born.

 

Michael Jackson has always been white.

 

To them John Travolta has always been round in shape and they can't imagine how this fat guy could be a god of dance.

 

They believe that Charlie's Angels and Mission Impossible are Films from last year.

 

They can never imagine life before computers.

 

They'll never have pretended to be the A Team, RedHand Gang or the Famous Five.

 

They'll never have applied to be on Jim'll Fix it or Why Don't You.

 

They can't believe a black and white television ever existed. And they will never understand how we could leave the house without a mobile phone.

 

Now let's check if we're getting old...

 

1. You understand what was written above and you smile.

 

2. You need to sleep more, usually until the afternoon, after a night out.

 

3. Your friends are getting married/already married.

 

4. You are always surprised to see small children playing comfortably with computers.

 

5. When you see teenagers with mobile phones, you shake your head.

 

6. You remember watching Dirty Den in EastEnders the first time around.

 

7. You meet your friends from time to time, talking about the good Old days, repeating again all the funny times you have experienced together.

 

8. Having read this mail, you are thinking of forwarding it to some other friends because you think they will like it too...

you forgot one other thing rooster YOU DID NOT HAVE TO LOCK YOUR DOORS IF YOU WENT OUT.

[Rob G]

Reading that brought back some good memories,you forgot to put.Keeping the shotgun behind the kitchen door,just incase that cock pheasant comes in the garden after the sprout plants

[old rooster]

Reading that brought back some good memories,you forgot to put.Keeping the shotgun behind the kitchen door,just incase that cock pheasant comes in the garden after the sprout plants

And looking through grannies compost heap for baby grass snakes !!

 

Paddling in the local pond up to your knees in foul smelling mud after newts and frogs.

[magman]

oh s##t im geting old? cheers mate

[shawn9914]

well done rooster

 

we also went scromping for apples and pears, built rope swings from dads tow rope and a old stick to sit on, went brook jumping down the local stream and stayed out playing football from dawn till dusk down the local reck WITHOUT OUR PARENTS BEING WITH US

 

GOSH I MUST BE GETTING OLD TOO

 

cheers shawn

 

oh i forgot the jumping peoples hedges and swapping peoples gates around

Edited April 2, 2005 by shawn9914

[rb5037]

At 28 (29 soon ) i can relate to most of the above.

 

I am young still aren't I?? please don't tell me i'm getting on!! I could understand if i was Roosters age ( ), i'd have alot behind me but at 28 should i remember the "good old days".

 

 

[shooter2]

At 28 (29 soon ) i can relate to most of the above.

 

I am young still aren't I?? please don't tell me i'm getting on!! I could understand if i was Roosters age ( ), i'd have alot behind me but at 28 should i remember the "good old days".

 

 

Im the same 29 i think we fit into the 80's

 

I can remember doing all those things and more

[kdubya]

different days now though "unfortunately" eldest is now nearly 30 and the wife still says to her dont walk here dont go there it not safe etc etc!! just shows how the gay lefties have ruined things?? my mother used to open the door as soon as I had had my bowl of gruel, shove a football in my hand and say "come back when its dark" ps spot on old judda

cheers Keith

[Shotgun-Sean]

Rooster that was great you bought back many happy memories i have emailed it to a few friends im sure to they will think its great too.

Also can you ever remember giving your mum some back chat? that had to be the worst thing you could do, my mum never hit me she just said "wait till your dad gets home"

then i would live in fear and try and grovvel around mum so she didnt say anything to him.

 

whats the cheapest you remember a packet of crisps being???

 

Golden Wonder 5½p

 

Cheers Sean

[ernyha]

whats the cheapest you remember a packet of crisps being???

 

Golden Wonder 5½p

 

Cheers Sean

Good grief, they were dear.

 

Smiths crisps with the little bag of salt in them 3d or just over 1p in todays language.

[old rooster]

Who remembers kids programmes like "Supercar", "Fireball XL5", and "Stingray"?

I can't find anyone else who used to watch "Torchie the battery boy", surely it's not a figleaf of my imagination

[ernyha]

 

I can't find anyone else who used to watch "Torchie the battery boy", surely it's not a figleaf of my imagination

That would have been later than " Muffin The Mule " wouldn't it?

[feather]

 

whats the cheapest you remember a packet of crisps being???

 

Golden Wonder 5½p

 

Cheers Sean

Good grief, they were dear.

 

Smiths crisps with the little bag of salt in them 3d or just over 1p in todays language.

I am not looking to be the Big-Shot here by no means, BUT:- Smiths crisps 2 pence just before the war We lived in Wisbech then, and Saturday morning all the jobs were done for which I was "paid" 6 pence for my work. Saturday afternoon it was all spent, as follows, 2 pence to store by bike in town, 2 pence to go to the Empire or Hippodrome and 2 pence for chips wrapped in newspaper which were eaten before I got home. The Hippodrome was the best as they had Buck Rodgers and Flash Gordon in serials. I can remember seeing George Formby in a fill called "Its in the air". I could go on for ever, but mighty bored you would be.

Best regards

Feather

[ernyha]

I am not looking to be the Big-Shot here by no means, BUT:- Smiths crisps 2 pence just before the war We lived in Wisbech then, and Saturday morning all the jobs were done for which I was "paid" 6 pence for my work.

Well that confession certainly makes you the "Daddy" of the forum I think Feather.

 

That's yet more members between me and the title.

[mel b3]

i bet feather can remember when all this was just fields...

[Devilishdave]

At a juvinile 31 I catch myself saying that to a m8 of mine I used to shoot with as a kid b4 I left home. Everytime I go back they have made some sort of development, the place we used to go choring apples, pears and plums is now Tesco Car park. Two of the farms we used to shoot on now have the A1 running straight threw the middle of em.

 

Dave

[Shotgun-Sean]

I also remember scrumping for apples and getting shot in the **** with a salt pellet by the farmer but he took me home to my parents after he had done it, all the pleading in the world that i was fine and i could make my own way home didnt work, he rang the door bell and the ol' man answered he told him what i had done and i got a good clip round the ear and made to do the washing up for a week i think i got off lightly,

we used to eat the apples while they was still attached to the tree so when we had finished there was a core hanging there, we used to laugh and choke on the apples through laughing so much

 

cheers sean

[Gemini]

It’s a sad fact that I keep telling my grandkids that “This was all fields” before they were born.

The trouble is I am living on an estate that WAS all fields until @ 25 years ago.

Now it’s like a bloody motorway network with shops.

We all like to imagine that things were a lot better when we were kids, and in a lot of ways they were. But I was bought up in the middle of Birmingham’s slums and whilst you didn’t have the violence of today you still had to content with massive immigration problems and the crime that seemed to come with it. I know that this seems racist, but in reality it is just something that anyone with any sense can see.

The biggest real shock came back at the beginning of the 60s when we had the first murder in the area, in which an Irishman was stabbed to death by a Pakistani man in the local park. This was followed by an influx of brothels into the area and an exodus of families trying to get out whilst they could. Then there was the Smallpox scare ……I could go on.

Sometimes I feel that in some ways it’s better now than it was then!!!!!!

G.M.

[the last engineer]

It’s a sad fact that I keep telling my grandkids that “This was all fields” before they were born.

The trouble is I am living on an estate that WAS all fields until @ 25 years ago.

 

We all like to imagine that things were a lot better when we were  kids, and in a lot of ways they were. But I was bought up in the middle of Birmingham’s slums and whilst you didn’t have the violence of today you still had to content with massive immigration problems and the crime that seemed to come with it. I know that this seems racist, but in reality it is just something that anyone with any sense can see.

 

G.M.

How true those words are ,its a shame to admit but your right on the money .

its also sad to think you have to mind what you say in your own tounge ,for fear of upsetting another minority group , i moved to Canada 12 years back ,i havent regretted it at all ,And i still live by the rule "when in rome ,live like the romans",

why do people try to change the country they move into to the one they just left .

 

STAY THERE SAVE THE TROUBLE :<

it cause's too much trouble ,lifes too short .

 

Martin

[rb5037]

At 28 (29 soon ) i can relate to most of the above.

 

I am young still aren't I?? please don't tell me i'm getting on!! I could understand if i was Roosters age ( ), i'd have alot behind me but at 28 should i remember the "good old days".

 

 

   

Im the same 29 i think we fit into the 80's

 

I can remember doing all those things and more B)

And the 80's was when we did the "Break dancing"

 

I know "bigboys" clicky again

[lurcherboy]

Yes to everything OR.

 

You just took me back to me childhood without the bad bits.

 

 

LB

[Salopian]

Who remembers "ratting" on the old canal till way after dark and going home to a house unlocked,lighting bangers, waiting till they fizzed and dropping them down drains? We blew a manhole cover off 100 yards (metres to you young 'uns) down the road once,probably caused by us igniting methane gas.

[Fisherman Mike]

Who remembers kids programmes like "Supercar", "Fireball XL5", and "Stingray"?

I can't find anyone else who used to watch "Torchie the battery boy", surely it's not a figleaf of my imagination

I remember Torchie...

 

What about Champion the Wonder Horse and Gigantor ?

 

Happy Days, I lived on a small estate and did the Village paper round... I knew every family and every child... doors were always open and if your mum was ill you just popped round the neighbours for some scoff.

 

Now when I go back to the village everybody is from Middlsex, Kent or Surrey and they wouldnt P**s on you if you were on fire...

 

Times have changed but not all for the better.

 

FM.