h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

...still has the power to make my mother's heart flutter - she adored "Gone With The Wind" and was heartbroken when he died.

Bing Crosby was also a big star, my parents' favourite film was "High Society" and *their* song is "True Love" from that film. Neither of them rated Frank Sinatra at all!! (Cheekbones weren't in then, apparently)

Some things like sweets were still on ration in 1953 - 8 years after the war ended. My mother used to have sugar in her tea, before the rationing came in, but she gave it up and never went back to it even now it's freely available. My father loves sweet tea, it's his treat. Dad can't taste chocolate without it invoking war memories, he gave a dying soldier his own chocolate ration.

Nylons and stockings - my mother and her sister-in-law used to stain their legs with gravy browning because they didn't like showing their milk-bottle skin. The when it dried they used to draw a line up the back of each other's legs, with an eyeliner pencil. Then they had to be careful not to get caught out in a rainshower

Condoms were hard to come by once when my Dad was on leave he and Mum disappeared upstairs (she was still living with her Mum) and ten minutes later Gran knocked on their bedroom door and shouted "Don't you go making her pregnant"

Would have killed the mood for me

My children (and Mrs Disorganised) take great pleasure in telling everyone about my ration book. Rationing didn't offically end until sometime in 1954 (April ?) and because I was born in January - I was issued a ration book.

my parents were married in 1950 8kids...What*s a condom?

My parents and grandparents used to bake cakes and puddings and buy up sweets and tinned food, plop them in a box, tape it up and send it to..."Them poor pommies in England". To which we would reply..."But Mum, Dad, the war finished years ago", we could eat that(my Bro and I).
They would always say.."Bloods thicker than water and Poms being Poms, they will need help for some time. Until we hear otherwise we will send this box once a month."
And so it went on up until about 59 or 60, then our Government introduced the "Ten Pound Pom Scheme." and a lot of you came over here and stayed, never went home. There's still heaps of you here and your all starting to emigrate here again. Trust me Howard is worse than Blair and we eat Vegimite! Enuff said!

marmite is just as good

There's a reason why We mention Vegemite, its so we can get a good chortle when the next poor bugger says.."Marmite! Its good or maybe better!".......... Of...Course it is.

flamin heck..i reckon it's bonzer

LoL LOL. come round to my place then and we can check the various delights of Vegemite/Marmite on things like Foccacia and Crumpets(baked ones), thats no good is it? Crumpets you buy in a packet at the Bakers or the Supermarket, Tescos you call em I think.

Do you know why the English have Lager Louts and Australians just have Blokes who drink Beer? Well its because if we didn't drink a lot of beer we would not have any Vegemite as Vegemite is made of the dregs and lees of brewers yeast(true), so it's a noble cause we are all involved in and of cause all Poms drink warm beer, never shower, emigrate and end up over here where we never fail to point out their failings like...Rugby(well maybe...) and Cricket(well maybe...) and Rugby League(well maybe..) and Mann Booker prize(well maybe..) and thank god you have made Clive James and Germaine Greer indispensable and their there and not here!
Here wrap yuh mit around a cold beer yuh Pommy Bastard!

Yes some of us actually do speak like this..lol

by jove that sounds like a jolly good idea old chum!!

Do people still say 'jolly good'? I know we don't say bonzer anymore, actually I've never heard anyone in real life say it. 'Beaut' or 'Bewdy' gets a fair run and of course your never English but always Poms. But when we say Poms it's in a kind, mildly affectionate way(even when you win sometimes) and as just about everyone knows one or two of you it's a good thing.
Now when we say Yanks....well quite often its in a different way, not quite as friendly or perhaps warm is the word. Besides which, they don't understand Little Britain or as Time Goes By and as for Aussie slang.......say no more. What about..."I say old man is that really....etc" does anybody actually say that in that green and pleasant land?

= Frankly my dear I don't give a damn=

mah

abo