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The Good Ole Days :-)

Hope4meSenior Contributor

The Good Ole Days :-)

Every now and then you hear people talk about the good ole days.

Last week my family were talking about Cracker Night and having a bon fire in the back yard (early 60's) that all the neighbours came to. For weeks they'd pop by adding old tyres, furniture and anything to the huge pile that would light up like tinder.

It started at dusk; men with a beer, women had home made ginger beer and kids - yummy creaming soda. Cheese, tomato and Jatz was a staple along with a pavlova contest among the women.

Our back yard was on a 1/4 acre flat block; the old style clothes line from end to end was propped up by long raw sticks from the scrub and filled with colourful flags to celebrate. It's awesome I can remember it so clearly.

It grew into a large firey mass throwing out unbelievable heat, crackled, popped and smelled like old rubber boots and pine needles. Crackers were lit only metres from us bursting into flame at times and put out by the appointed fire puter-outerer standing by with the hose. lol

It was fun and oh so memorable. I totally understand the evolved safety laws that prevent bon fires these days, but considering the wonderful community spirit it evoked, a few people hurt by stupidity was sort of accepted due to the social aspect being so enjoyable.

And, any one of those people could've been called on in an emergency in the middle of the night without one complaint.

I've been called an idiot by now generations for talking about it. They laugh and mock as if people were ignorant back in the day. They weren't; they were driven by community, not money.

What are your thoughts? What are your stories?

Hope

@Shaz51 @Faith-and-Hope @Former-Member @TAB @Zoe7 @Bunniekins @CheerBear @Adge @outlander @frog

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In response to: The Good Ole Days :-)

Zoe7Senior Contributor

Re: The Good Ole Days :-)

Images aren't up yet @Hope4me but I bet they are the silver and black one's like my grandparents had! Everything was silver back then though - none of the wonderful array of colours we have in cooking items today. I still remember the old metal drum that my grandfather used to use fill the top with water and the bottom a fire and cook the christmas pudding each year. It tasted awesome as well - plus we used to have money in our pieces of pudding - pretty sure he put that in afterwards though so we all got something

In response to: Re: The Good Ole Days :-)

TABSenior Contributor

Re: The Good Ole Days :-)

Auntie used to do that re coins and pudding @Zoe7 only it was always sixpence cos new money is toxic ie not enough silver ie not worth its face value. Pudding was always boiled in cloth that was used over and over. Nellie pudding could be cooked that day even. The other more common darker one with suet maybe one was better aged tho

In response to: Re: The Good Ole Days :-)

Zoe7Senior Contributor

Re: The Good Ole Days :-)

The kids job on christmas day was to count all the coins in my pop's coin jar and then he would divide it up between his 4 grand kids. I remember taking all my coins to the bank to out in my account when I was little - it was only about 5 to 10 dollars but back then that was a lot - especially as a kid. @TAB @Hope4me @Shaz51

In response to: Re: The Good Ole Days :-)

Hope4meSenior Contributor

Re: The Good Ole Days :-)

Ah yes @Shaz51 @TAB @Zoe7 @Sans911 the old external laundry 'copper' that we boiled the sheets in and stirred with a wooden stick. There was also a clothes wringer attached to our huge double cement tubs. Ha! Haven't thought of them for ages.

If your kids/grandkids complain about doing the washing, show them this and tell them to count their lucky stars.

In response to: Re: The Good Ole Days :-)

Shaz51Senior Contributor

Re: The Good Ole Days :-)

wow how lovely @Zoe7 xx

my grandma usd to make clothes for us for every christmas

used to go fishing with granddad xx

In response to: Re: The Good Ole Days :-)

Zoe7Senior Contributor

Re: The Good Ole Days :-)

Funny you should mention fishing - was just laughing about a fishing trip I did with dad when I was little at dinner the other night. I remember we didn't catch any fish and Dad said it was because I talked too much and the fish got scared away - I will never forget that lol @Shaz51

In response to: Re: The Good Ole Days :-)

TABSenior Contributor

Re: The Good Ole Days :-)

Omg @Zoe7 I used to be offered share from mate at times father’s massive coin jars when he raided them. All 50c pieces just gallons of them

In response to: Re: The Good Ole Days :-)

TABSenior Contributor

Re: The Good Ole Days :-)

Yes @Hope4me mum had copper then mangle ok almost manual wringer . Superceded by poxy Lightburn that still saw in army 10 plus yrs later ok we had hoover twin tub after that for years. Not automatic

In response to: Re: The Good Ole Days :-)

Zoe7Senior Contributor

Re: The Good Ole Days :-)

Oh wow @TAB My mum used to keep 50c pieces in a glass in her drawer - I used to count them often. It always seemed so much money when I was younger - now it wouldn't get you very far at all.

I think I still have an old 1 dollar and 2 dollar notes somewhere too.

In response to: Re: The Good Ole Days :-)

TABSenior Contributor

Re: The Good Ole Days :-)

I never met either of my grandfathers @ shaz51 one died overseas when I was 5 the other died 28 years before born cos couldn’t afford to go to dr even tho he had a good job apparently
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