Let’s have a rant about behaviour and appearance

I think we look drab as a nation. Travelling through London by bus a lot these days I look out at a sea of jeans/black/greige and wonder why so few people of any age are brave enought to wear colours? I am also guilty of the "safe" option, but when I see (usually a girl) in a bright or light jacket/coat it just stands out!
While in ranting mode - wheelie bags/suitcases/briefcases. Don't their owners realise how much space they occupy BEHIND ? Big suitcases are fair enough as they are heavy and usually their owners are spatially awarre enought to manoeuvre them without injury to others. But wheelie briefcases - how often do they trip you up or bark your shins? it 's like pantechnicon driver thinking he is driving a mini. I dread crossing the concourse at Euston as I can weave in and out of the commuters as well as the rest of them - but not their "trailers" And don't tell me it's because briefcases are heavier these days, with laptops etc. DH used to be an accountant and had one of those big rectangular deep briefcases about the size of a metal filing box and he managed! [ouch] emoticon

Not worth getting angry over, I just feel sad at the sight of so many young women who are so badly dressed in their effort to keep up with the latest trend or just to be like their peers. Looking feminine is a thing of the past. In the sixties, we kept the ball rolling for feminism and equal rights but we still wallowed in our fashion trail blazing and looking and being feminine. Now young women are tarty and masculine in their looks and behavour. I take refuge in the classic films of the 40's to the 80's when women were so beautiful.

There is that, zeph. Some floors would need reinforcing to take one too.

The only one I can see it that they don't fit in my kitchen

green, I feel very lucky to have a Rayburn to use. It took me a while to get used to it but I love it. Some people are a bit negative about this type of cooker but in five years I haven't discovered any disadvantages.

[phew! emoticon]

You are forgiven, Baggy

Baggy, how wonderful to have a Rayburn! I would love to have one - a lovely old cream one like my friend's mum had in the 50's! Slow-cookers are great, indeed - I use mine on a regular basis, buying cheaper cuts of meat which, slowly cooked, give a really lovely gravy. I've only ever once made soup in it so far - I was put off when I put too many lentils in my first effort, and they swelled up alarmingly, overtaking just about everything else in the pot...

Sorry for the generalisation, annobel. Of course that's bad and I don't for one minute think everyone is like that. It was meant to be one of the reasons (excuses?) people give. Can I use its being early in the morning when I posted it as my excuse?

I was also thinking about the person who told me this when I wrote it and feeling a little annoyed because she had implied that because I cook I don't work. I did point out to her that part of my work was cooking.

greenmoss, slow cookers are fab and it's great to hear how well you granddaughter is doing. Good for her. I don't have a slow cooker as such but I do have a Rayburn (came with the house) which you can turn right down and use to cook things in the same manner. It heats the kitchen at the same time which is a bonus in winter.

My granddaughter is 20. She lives with her partner and baby, and also holds down a job in a care facility which involves shifts. She uses her slow cooker very regularly and produces nutritious meals for them all. She's really proud of the fact that she manages this so well, and that the wee boy eats his vegetables with so much enjoyment! I'm proud of her too!

Oh yes arm waving yeuk! and people in University Challenge twisting their chair all the way through the programme - sit still I feel sick!

Thanks, sbagran. I don't watch telly so can't speak about air punching on it, but I agree about the so-called earnings of Slebs. Earnings, indeed. Huh!

Hello Everyone! Isn't it wonderful to have a grumble every now and then - must be great to relieve the poor old blood pressure!
How I agree with all the threads - cyclists on the pavement, bricklayers b**, little girls dressed like little prima donas (Mumsnet took a lot of action re that - well done Mumsnet!) to name a few!
However, one irritation that has not yet been mentioned is the unfortunate saying that some over-rated diva of a footballer or so-called celebrity EARN however many thousands of pounds per week/year etc. The likes of these idolised footballers, screechers (sorry singers!) do not EARN that amount - they may get it but they don't EARN it.
The likes of doctors, nurses, service men and women, emergency services personnel etc actually EARN the money they receive and DESERVE much more. It is only the use of the word EARN but ooooooooo how it irritates!
Before I go - how do my fellow gransnetters feel about the arm-waving that seems compulsory these days if you want to speak on TV? Hammering the air with each syllable is never necessary - point out a particular building or area or whatever - but then please reporters etc please keep your hands and arms still!!! Rant over!

When I had a family at home and working shifts as a nurse with a husabnd who couldnt cook very much I used a pressure cooker for slow food . I'd get home throw everything in the pot usinging up veg, cheap cuts of meat plenty of pulses and there would be a big stew in less than an hour the kids did their homework while waiting I cleaned up me and the house and we all sat down together. We had a take away once a month on payday. I worked every weekend so that i had two days off in the week for cleaning and cooking all my colleagues loved the fact that I never asked for a weekend or bank holiday off as my husband had these anyway and he could do the childcare. we had no social life outside the family for about 25 years but we are making up for it now. There didnt seen to be any alternative if we wanted to pay our bills and bring upo two children.neither of our parents helped they didnt see it as their problem. Needless to say when they got older we copped for their care too.

Baggy, it's unlike you to make such a gross generalisation. During my working life, the only takeaway I ever indulged in was fish and chips as a treat for the DSs (and me) on a Friday. My DS is the cook in his household and always makes 'proper' meals for the family as does my other DS's partner. Time management is the answer which is clear from Glamma's post (re. her DD). Nowadays virtually everyone has a freezer where prepared meals can be stored until they're needed. Nothing could be easier than to take them out to defrost while they're out at work and pop them in the microwave for the evening meal. Or, talking of 'slow food', there are plenty of slow cookers available which do the work during the day and a nutritious casserole is ready for the evening meal - I used to have one of the early versions and found it invaluable.

Women (and men) who work elsewhere than at home at the same time as raising a family don't have the time or the energy to do "slow food". Someone I know who's in that position was telling me about all the handy carry-outs (kerry-oots) near where we live. She uses them all the time for the reason given above and because she can afford it.

I can see an idea coming on here,I think I will have a chat with the Home Economic's teacher when the DGCs go back to school,the school is tied to the church and maybe some of the young mums would be interested,it would be worth while asking I think.

The WI had an initaive about helping young mums to learn to cook but not sure how far it reached and you had to go through their traiing programme which is a bit bureacratic. I would happily help someone learn to cook good home cooking on a budget if there was a scheme to do it I would join up.

Joan I think the worst I saw was an old dear on a mobility scooter coughing her lung's out and smoking at the same time,where is the sense in that ? and harrigran a lot of the younger generation have not been helped by their mum's in the arrt of feeding their family,my DD does a big cook on Sunday and make's cottage pie,chilli,scouse,and homemade meat balls and steal & kidney pie for the following week,she freeze's the lot and then buy's her veg daily as to what is in season.Her food bill for these basic's are about £25.00 for a family of 5,so as you say it is very easy to do if you have the knowledge,I would also offer to show younger mum's how to manage a budget if the chance arose

harrigran seems to me, that instant gratification is to be pursued at all cost...

For the price of one portion of fish and chips I am sure I could make a meal for a family of four, not saying it would be gourmet but it would be nourishing. I do think the younger generations need some old fashioned post-war cookery lessons

If you are grossed out by the sight of bulging flesh and too much rear view cleavage, don't come to sub-tropical Queensland! Honestly, I loath the doughnuts some women have around their bodies, bulging out between tops and skirts.

More and more people are showing bum cleavages - yukkk, especially in a crowded train, when the standing offender's bum is about sitting passenger's nose level!!

But the worst I saw was a very fat old lass with a zimmer frame, leaning forward, skirt sort of ruched up at the back, globby legs flashing at the world. I thought she might have been a bit doolally, but she was talking quite normally to someone, who was fortunate to only have a front view.

I have to say that I love fish and chips, from a chip-shop, but really cannot afford it. It costs about £5 each now!

I think it has more to do with conveniance ...easier? quicker? to buy ready to eat food ...which usually has to do with fried foods ...even if it comes in a bun with a bit of salad. Then there are all the 'snack' foods now available.

I can never remember eating like this as child ...it was a special treat to have fish and chips ...possible once a month...that was the only 'fast' food available.

And of course ...I walked to school and back home for lunch.

There was an article on the news last night about the rate of obesity in Britain being likely to rise to about 40% in the next few years. Being interviewed was a young mum who said that you could buy chips for a pound and a pizza for £1.25, so that's the type of food they eat. Obviously lack of money is a real issue here, but it's also glaringly obvious that the shops that these foods can be bought from (eg. Farmfoods, etc), also sell bags of frozen veg for a pound. I use them myself as they are really good value. I wonder if it would be possible to get funding for older people (not the Jamie Olivers of the world), to set up kitchens to teach younger people how to buy and cook nourishing, but cheap food? I would definitely volunteer to do this.