I came across this on Facebook this morning and identified with it immediately. I suspect none of my readers will share my reaction, all of you being so young that is. However, I understood all of this. What memories returned, childhood, games played, fears, the wireless and malnutrition. All the good things we remember from the 'good old days' when everything was better!
Pasta we never had, though we might have occasionally had spaghetti, not something parents enjoyed dealing with when kids are around, and curry was something dad talked of connected to his two years service in Poona in the days of long ago. Pizza was of course unknown.
'Smiths Crisps,' sometimes a whole big box full of them, came supplied with wee blue bags of salt, to sprinkle among the contents, several wee blue bags in the big box.
Indeed, rice pudding and hardly ever real white rice. Not that this would feed us mind. Potato soup, bread to dunk, and spam fritters or fish and home cooked chips were mainstays.
'Camp Coffee,' I always liked that. It was the only coffee we had, very pricey, and unusual but kept for company when they arrived. There used to be an army officer with bright tartan braid on the front being served by an Indian servant. This was changed and the servant became an Indian Officer about 30 years ago! Never see it now.
'Heinz Beans,' though I remember 'Crosse & Blackwell' also existed. Yoghurt however did not until I was well into secondry school, so about 1965 I would say. I had one, rotten it was, and never had another for 25 years.
I do not know who wrote that but I understand it well. They missed out gray ex-army blankets stamped WD, on the bed with your overcoat on top to help the warmth. Jack Frost on the windows and pound, shilling and pence in your pocket. Too many and you leant to one side.
The SNP struggle continues. Having established his right to use information at his hearing Alec Salmond has now learned the Crown Office (friends with whom?) wishes some evidence to be withheld. This is intriguing as this has already been published somewhere. The games people play. Who is behind this move, who benefits, who wins? Find out in next weeks (or days) exciting chapter...
