Do you remember "Way back when.."

[wrinkly67]

We used to have a telephone, on the table in the hall

Big and black and plastic, or that's how I recall

We went on to have a blue one, when it arrived Oh gosh

it matched the carpet and the curtains - now that's what we called "posh".

We never failed to hear it ring, though our ears were younger then

It's true they're not so good now as they were back when,

We got through to who we wanted, clear as clear could be

No pre-recorded message "Press 1, Press 2, Press 3".

Everyone we ever needed had a local number too

There never was a need to speak to folks in Timbuctoo.

Now it seems to take a week, at least, to sort out any query.

The wait for just an answer takes so long it makes us weary.

And then our little "tele", its style is long since gone

But, oh, it was so simple to just switch it off and on.

We had a choice of channels, we found that rather nice.

Nothing complicated, a choice of two to be precise.

Programmes for the kids at tea-time and then it went off-air

for a lovely bit of family time - today that's all so rare.

Time to feed and bath the kids and then read a bedtime story

before the adult programmes started; no watershed, not gory.

And we didn't need to sit up late, programmes finished on the dot

of midnight when the screen displayed just a big white spot.

And if we missed a programme, well it didn't really matter

'Cos way back then we enjoyed to just sit and have a natter.

Now with so many channels, programmes go on all day and night

And control of the remote can turn into a family fight.

We've advanced to just four channels now but even then we can't afford

the time to watch the programmes that we decide we should record.

Can't forget our twin-tub washer, on "spin" it jumped around the kitchen floor

But a whole weeks wash took just an hour and never seemed a chore.

We didn't need a science degree for what wash powder to use

There really weren't that many from which we had to choose.

Why then does there now seem to be a load of washing every day

when there is just the two of us as our kids have moved away.

And all the dials and numbers, should I heed them, should I care,

should I sort clothes by their labels or bung them in and say a prayer?

We also had a little fridge, with freezer box minute

It was just to keep the milk fresh and it really was quite cute.

We didn't have a freezer, our food bought in fresh most days

the remains of Sunday's roast then served up in many ways.

There weren't the frozen meals of now, no ready meals as such

back then you'd prod your purchases, testing freshness by the touch.

Our freezer now is full of foods the likes of which we'd never tasted

but if we find that we don't like it, well for sure it won't be wasted.

Its shelves now overflow with food, its stocked as if for war

We have all on to close the drawers and even shut the door.

It used to be a pleasure to pop to the corner shop

In our case it was our much loved welcoming Co-op.

And if we had a small wait, well it didn't really matter

for there was a chair to sit on while with neighbours we did chatter,

We'd listed what we needed in a little book

and couldn't stretch to extras so we didn't even look.

The shop girl entered in a column what it had cost each day

and added it all up in her head as on Friday we did pay.

Then we were paid our "divi", it happened every year

On that day the shop was packed and all were full of cheer.

Now we need a car and drive for miles to a supermarket

The problems then start straight away as we try to park it.

It really is a thankless task, trolley filled up to the brim

a whole weeks shop in just one go plus the odd thing bought on whim,

From the trolley to conveyor belt then into plastic bags

and then we have to queue again if we want a pack of fags.

Retrace our steps to find the car, the trolley is a weight

This is a weekly ritual we've really come to hate,

The boot is packed, trolley park is found

and for all that work they return our pound.

Our cooker then, just white and standing all alone

We didn't haver a cooker hood to keep a steam-free zone.

There were no dials for this or that, straightforward, nothing quirky

No need to read thick manuals - what's more it held the Christmas turkey.

Our cooker now looks beautiful but does strange things when we're not looking

Lights flash on, it pings and rings and that's when we're not even cooking!

And whilst it may be a good looker, one thing that it does lack

Is the space to cook for more than two on its single shiny rack.

Our wages then were coins and notes, in an envelope sealed tight.

It had your name and number on if memory serves us right.

Sorted out each Friday evening to ensure enough for bills

with any bits left over put aside for future ills.

It was placed safely in a shoebox with many silent thanks

For even way back then hubby didn't trust the banks.

Now we don't need any cash to hand, we just present a card.

But we need to know a number and sometimes to remember it is hard.

A pin for this, a pin for that, passwords and secret code

Our brains are all a spin as they go into overload.

Our post each day was welcome, hand written letters from our friends

Now its mainly rubbish on the doormat and in recycling it all ends.

Our cleaner was a Hoover, sold, big and brown.

It lasted, well for decades, and never let us down.

Replacements since are flimsy and soon give up the ghost

No matter what the virtues the makers seem to boast.

We can't now just say Hoover when on our next model we decide

so many now to choose from, before our minds made up we could have died.

Mind you, we have gone GTECH which is lovely with no wires

The only thing, when halfway through, the battery expires.

And then there was our mini car, we loved it with a passion

It never has been beaten, whatever today's fashion.

No costly service, MOT now fleecing us like mugs

All we had to do was clean or change the plugs.

We travelled miles on holidays and parked most anywhere

Locks and alarms weren't needed, we could leave it without a care.

Now our son has tried so hard to keep us up to date

And whilst we're very grateful, perhaps its all too late.

It all started with a mobile phone, which works not everywhere

What is the point, we wonder, if there's no signal in the air.

We try our best to use it but it gets us very vexed

The truth is all we've managed is to send a simple text.

Apps for this and Apps for that, we're really not that keen

In truth we don't begin to know exactly what they mean.

Next it was a lap-top, "Mess about Mum, you can't fail"

Well, we've managed how to Google and to send the odd e-mail.

This was followed by a tablet, "You'll find it useful, Mum"

Why, when we've got a lap-top do we need it? Are we being dumb?

Now I must confess his latest gift does give me a tingle

As I lay in bed at night and download to my Kindle.

I don't have to trail to bookshops and purchase books so dear

99p and seconds later my new purchase will appear.

Our electric bills were small then, things switched on only when in use

If we'd used them all together, we would have likely blown a fuse.

But re-charging all our gadgets now hits deeply on our pockets

What's more, there are so many, well we're running out of sockets!

Oh now that I have started I could go on more and more

But no doubt you long since left as I began to bore.

Looking back I feel so lucky so don't take too serious what I pen

It's just that on occasions I think back on good days "way back when".

[Hashtag]

and breath

[el59yre]

Love it, brilliant!!

[TORONTONY]

Love it, brilliant!!

 

Yes, can't wait for the next verse, in about 6 months:hihi:

[rachelk]

thankyou that was great so many memories all came back

[PeterR]

Brilliant wrinkly 67. Read it all way through and, no, I didn't get bored!

Edited June 8, 2015 by PeterR

[historybuff]

Thankyou. It is brilliant and so true. Makes you think - do we really need all this "stuff" that clutters up our lives these days?

[Janner]

Very good & true. When I was young the only telephone we had access to was in a red box outside.Cars were owned by professional people for us it was bus,tram car,bicycle or Shank's pony.