Grinch Corner

True, but I suspect previous generations of women stayed stronger for longer due to constantly lugging heavy shopping home.

 

I've been using those "life" bags for at least 2 decades and still have some of the early ones but they have progressed to being plant bags when I go to plant fairs. Our main supermarket decided even the plastic in those bags was bad and now sells a jute version but they're floppy and don't suit me but I have a plentiful supply of the others so that's fine.

As for physio, it's good here. I have 2 prosthetic knees and, with physio, was back in full working order for the first one after just a few months. Still having physio for the second - 18 months now - because the tendons and ligaments were more "used" and the thigh muscles weakened. I needed to get the surgeon's prescription extended recently. No problem either seeing my GP or getting the extension. My chap is a sports physio specialist so gets lots of those injuries to deal with but he also gets stroke patients, hip and knee replacements, repetitive strain injuries, even babies.

Treatments and exercises are tailored to each person. A lot of the moves for back problems are also used in yoga and pilates. I see my chap on Wednesdays now so have a break till the 8th but I'm exercising at home.

 

@Escarpment You're right. The ladies at patch club all range from 60s to 80s in age and the strength difference between the gardeners and non-gardeners is apparent. I can still lift a 60kg bag of compost when I have to but some of them can barely lift the tables when we're setting up the room.

 

No they just died.

 

I rather think that in the days when women had to leave their jobs upon marriage - pre refrigeration in every home - they shopped daily for perishables so no great heavy loads. On the other hand, they did the housework and laundry by hand and that required some muscles - unless they were rich enough to pay for cleaners, gardeners, cooks etc.

 

I used to go to the launderette for my mum, but we were too poor to pay for the driers so the washing was very heavy to carry home again.

 

In terms of women's physiques and duties, launderettes are a recent introduction. They have other uses.

When I was flat sharing off Baker Street in the mid 70s, the launderette in Marylebone High Street was listed in Time Out magazine as one of the best places to meet a new partner.

 

Yep. Been there, done that.

 

I always take my own bags when shopping - a mix of elderly SM carrier bags, paper bags and jute bags. What I do find annoying tho is the SM's which boast that they no longer offer plastic carrier bags continue to seal the majority of their fresh produce in either cellophane or plastic.
The SM I mostly use once had a "recycle" bin for their wrapping but that disappeared 2 or 3 years ago.
A large poster saying how environmentally the company is faces the checkout till as you pack your stuff away. Presumably in the hope that if you look at it for long enough, you will begin to believe it .

 

I had one when I first left home. Nobody told me that you're supposed to take buttons off everything and sew them on again afterwards, which is just as well, really

 

They had special "laundry buttons" which were often used on shirts or undergarments, they were made from rubber or a metal ring covered with fabric so they could go through the mangle without damage.

 

I did a bit of mangeling when I was young, it was out in the shed, outbuilding, bucket to catch the water, after the old copper, boiler, was emptied, another job I did, the water was used to clean the toilet and outside drain.

 

As we enter the part of the “holidays” between C’mas and NY, we will now be contending with the “did you have a nice C’mas?” and “what are ‘doing’ for New Year?” chat. It’s the look on people’s faces when you say something other than “lovely thanks” for your reply about whether you enjoyed C’mas.