We were posh, we used to have that bog roll that was like grease proof paper and you'd end up with a skid mark right up your back. **** me, them outside bogs were torture during the winter and if it was windy it was like a hurricane blowing under the gap in the bottom of the door.
The thing is, we knew nowt else so we just got on with it. That was life for us back then. Only our living room was the only one heated although it was by gas. We never gave it a second thought. Neither me or my sister moaned about it. My parent did the best they could & we were always well fed. In the winter we'd have about four wool blankets on the bed & if you were lucky, an Eiderdown. I had a paper round and was always up early & had to slop out first. We moved into a council house & I was amazed. It had two coal fires & a constant supply of hot water &^ a bathroom. I'd never seen a bathroom before. And these white metal things under the windows in every room. What they **** are they for? My Dad informed me that they kept all the rooms warm. **** me! I'd never known such luxury.
And that's one of the problems with the board recently in my opinion. Anyone who lives a 'different life' is often viewed as suspicious.. That deprives this place of stories from people who don't want that kind of flak and makes the forum less interesting. Lads, like you, who've experienced a diffferent lifestyle shouldn't feel like they should be scared of mentioning it. FFS, we're all Sunderland supporters and all in the same boat together ....... if we can't accept our differences it's a fkn poor show.
I still think you should start a memoirs thread and tell your story, no doubt it'd be interesting and you might enjoy it. If it was open to anyone to contribute it could be really interesting, lots of different characters on here.
Personally Smug, I really don't give a **** what people think of me, I know who I am and where I come from and I know i'm not a bad person or a bullshitter. I can also smell one a mile off and you are not mate. Some people are quite happy to go with the flow and that's fine if that's what makes them happy, I wasn't and decided I needed to try and better myself. I didn't want to end up like the 60 year old I used to work with who's sole ambition was to get through the working week and collect his pay so he could take his wife to the local CIU club for a game of bingo and a few beers. Nowt wrong with that if that's what floats your boat, it just wasn't for me. It wasn't all roses either, I've had some very strange and bad experiences along the way, but looking back I've had more good times than bad and I've earned a good living through hard graft and determination. My granda always said that hard graft never hurt anyone and he was right.
You're right mate, but having a bit of a bad time at the minute and now is not the time. Came home from Nigeria a week gone Sunday to carry my brother in laws coffin and then my father passed away yesterday after a long battle with dementia, plus I just found out that my mate has been diagnosed with cancer. Apart from that all is good If someone else wanted to kick a thread off I would willingly contribute as and when I get the time.
That's pretty much my philosophy tbh ....... I've taken risks most people would totally avoid and for good reason. I've done things many people would never dream of but it could've easily gone wrong and I'd have only had myself to blame. But, believe me, I'm proud of what a daft pit village kid has done and how I've had the rich & famous bow down to me. If that makes me a big head then, too bad.
I've been knocked down quite a few times mate, but like you, I get back up, roll my sleeves up and get on with it. Were English, it's what we do
The difficulty is that people who still live where they were born find it incredible that anyone can do anything different. Now, don't get me wrong, I have a certain jealousy of lads who are still in the village they've always lived in. They have a base, stability, mates, etc that they're totally comfortable with ..... but once you've 'seen a different coloured bus' there's no going back.
The best decision I ever made was to move to Australia at age 35, there is no doubt the Aussie children had it easier than we did, it was not unusual when someone got married their parents would give them a house or a block of land for a wedding present, of course this has changed now, as in everything there is always an element of luck but I found the more effort I put in the luckier I got
I'm always happy to meet up with decent lads who have something to say. Gordon, QWOP, Joe, Bri, RAW, Tees, Gil, etc are all good lads who I've met and are all intelligent blokes who accept our differences.
My problem is I only have another week or so at home. I came home on a compassionate which is now extended due to my dads death and I won't find out till tomorrow when the service will take place. I will travel back to Nigeria shortly afterward, but if anyone's up for a beer then i'd be happy to meet up..
We had a Poe sometimes called a gazzunder as it gazunder the bed, it was always in the dark and I used to hold it with my thumbs inside so I knew when it was getting full !!!!!!!
It's an age related thing ,if you are 60yrs of age or more it's relevant as most were in the same boat ,not a lot of material things but in terms of moral standards like sharing and caring has suffered that's for sure D.O.B. 3.7.54
One thing I regret is leaving school at 14 and just telling my mam i am moving up the Lakes to work on a farm I never new what went through her head but i see my Grandsons at 14 and think Christ they can hardly leave the house never mind clear off to the other side of the country and just hitch a lift home every 3 weeks. You would not believe some of the stories i got told from lorry drivers perverted buggers
Same sort of circumstances, but I can't ever remember shivering or feeling cold. Three foot of snow meant you went outside to play - not curled up inside with an Xbox or similar. Maybe they should replicate some properties and make all kids spend a couple of weeks living that way, might make them appreciate what they now have. As Fredor says, seems lots of us had a similar childhood.
People like you make me sick.... I Mean - you work your arse off to make a better life for yourself - why can't you just be born into it and be rich from birth - then I'd respect you........ (touch of sarcasm there mind - well done fella - I love my life and am very happy with how it's turned out, but it took me 31 years to find happiness at home and 38 years to find happiness at work!!)
