What does middle class mean to you?

he he he!

Mine's concrete. But he's quite respectable.

We always had dinner in the evening but now it has become tea. Can't remember when it happened. I think it was something to do with the children inviting us for tea. Which class does that make me and have I gone up or down.

In past years Private Eye have had mooning gnomes for sale at Christmas and I suppose they must be post modern ironic considering their origin.

I'll look out for them this year and just hope that the neighbours understand the important difference between my gnome and their naff coloured ones?

I think we started to question who was middle class when the working class had no work to do. Up to then you saw the working class travelling to work or working. When I was going to school by bus and tram in 50s Sheffield, you never saw a man during working hours.
There was the divide between blue collar and white collar workers. Life was simpler then, and the class divisions because they were obvious were less talked about but accepted.

We never had dinner in the evening, always tea and since living abroad I don't know what I'd call it now. I use the German words at home anyway, but if visitors come from the South of England I say supper.

We had breakfast, dinner and tea, but strictly tea should have been dinner because it was our main meal of the day. I noticed in reading 19th century novels that the times of meals have changed vastly. I don't remember the word lunch (or luncheon, if you are really posh) ever being used in my childhood.

I'm still looking for my version of a gnome :- a statue of Priapus

That sounds very middle class, jeni! (but having googled Priapus ])!!!!!

That's a bit like my gnome, jeni......(I've just googled Priapus....

I thought the defining characteristic of a gnome is that it is small. The defining characteristic of Priapus is that he's not.

Ah yes, I've seen images of Priapus when I was in Greece.

Jeni when you find yours will you put it in your back garden or display it proudly in the front of the house?

Or in the hall, it could make a useful spare coat hanger!

But my gnome had a fishing-rod, absent

I have a concrete gnome called Knolly , named after the nursery where we bought him for my dad. 'Knolly' is clutching a sort of 'ink cap' toadstool making him look decidedly dodgy. He was an 'ironic' gift for my dad in the late 70s.. he disliked gnomes and 'godwottery' of all sorts! however when clearing the house and garden after dad died Knolly came to our house and has been with us ever since

Well Marelli he should be ashamed of himself.

He sounds strangely attractive, nanaej!

absent Its only a particular part of Priapus that isn't small, (or relatively so).

....but was left with just a stump when the rod got broken, absent. He still looks quite hopeful though.....

A circumcised gnome perhaps? How did we get into this! I haev embarrassed myself now. I will go and listen to the Archers.

Ana I have grown quite fond of him over the years!

The one in the house of the Vetii in Pompeii ( kept under armed guard in a small room off the kitchen) was Definetly NOT CIRCUMSISED! It's a copy of that one I want!
He'd be proudly displayed in the front of the fireplace!

My free book 'The Middle Class' has arrived with this morning's post. Thanks Gransnet! I've ready had a good giggle at some of the entries. Very funny

My free book arrived this morning also.

Looking forward to reading it later today.

Thank you so much for my book which arrived this morning! Also received Jojo Moyles' novel as well, in the same delivery - thanks again, very much! .

Mine's come too. I particulary like the entry on Sunday Papers. Someone has been eavesdropping in my house.