Old Fashioned Things

[Fnib]

Inspired by the lovely grandparent thread really. And I think there was a heart-warming thread in S&B a while back, but I was thinking about those lovely old fashioned soothing things that older people did, that I never had enthusiasm or time for, but now do as some of my life's chaos has abated (I'm mid 50s now)
I love routine now, and I love lavender bags, and having a bath in the evening then sitting in my fluffy dressing gown and doing a crossword. I would like to be the Nan who's house has lovely baking smells, and who always wears the same (haven't found it yet, but light) perfume, that they'll remember me by when they are older.
I like carrying a tray of tea upstairs, not just a mug in each hand. It's a lovely soothing morning ritual.
What are yours?

Sad as it is, but we (lockdown aside) go for a drive, i scoffed at the concept when I was younger but due to various aches and pains it's something we do!

I use a teapot
I buy the Radio Times each week
I try the cryptic crossword
I write proper thank you letters
I get all my photos ‘developed’

I have a tea pot and cosy.
A butter dish.
And a long fluffy dressing gown
.

Estee Lauder - White Linen - is what my mother used to wear for pp wanting a light perfume to be remembered by.

I want to start writing proper letters too. And get some lovely stationery!

I like going to the loo at the charity where I volunteer. It has a proper high level cistern with a ‘chain’ . Takes me right back to being a child in the 50s/60s .

I love putting on magnolia talc after a bath. I get a real satisfaction stripping every bit of meat from a chicken and using the stock and veg scraps cor a lovely soup. We get out milk in glass bottles (admittedly from a vending machine). I like my tea from a teapot with a cosy I knitted. I’m 22 and daren’t think what I’ll be like at 80

As far as old fashioned things go. I like scones and Kiplings cherry bakewells. I also need to sort out some lavender bags. I have one in my bedroom, but want some more. I use Lavender Method in the kitchen. I didn't really have grandparents because they all died when I was really young, so never experienced having them. I know one of my grandparents used Imperial Leather soap, but that's all I know really.

Oh these are lovely! I'm feeling all warm and with a desire to embrace getting older! I think I might start laying the table properly at breakfast time (complete with tablecloths) , and have toast in a rack, and a butter dish too.
On the other thread somebody mentioned that their grandmother has special soaps in a basket, but they were never used. I might do that too as I have perfumed soaps that my skin doesn't like.
I'm quite tempted to get some pretty tea towels and a pinny, and start ironing them!

Ooh a toast rack? Now I want one.

We use a tablecloth all the time, it looks nice, and all we do is shake the crumbs off and sling it in the washing machine once a week. No more constant wiping down the table. When we had rule of 6 I had a few younger friends round and at first they were 'ha ha grannies tablecloth', but by the end of the visit a couple of them wanted to buy one, as they could see how it would make life easier with young kids.

We have a butter dish. I want to get a teapot and start using proper tea.

Small things like that are old fashioned because they're not about finding the quickest way to do things. Rituals are soothing. Little 'nice things' are a way to value yourself.

I think you're right @Hollyhocksarenotmessy

Cleared out a relatives house recently and came across a soap dish. The brand, St . Michael!

My dh has recently discovered loose-leaf tea.

I developed a love of cocoa rather than hot chocolate.

We have tablecloths.

@moochingtothepub

Sad as it is, but we (lockdown aside) go for a drive, i scoffed at the concept when I was younger but due to various aches and pains it's something we do!

Oh no way, I used to love going for a drive in my 20s. I no longer drive but can't imagine driving for pleasure now that the road culture is so different.

Used to love a city drive or country drive. When I was little, dad used to drive into the City just because...
I inherited that habit.

I think my oldie habit is 4711 cologne.

To avoid plastic, I recently bought a stove-top whistling kettle. It’s very pleasing and, of course, old-fashioned.

Ohhhh I think I will get one of those when my current one expires!

Love this thread

I am fond of lavender too, and burn lavender candles.
I love proper afternoon tea, with tiny sandwiches and tea from a pot.
I wear an apron when baking (usually bake about once a week with my children).
I enjoy going to the library and feel like I'm thrown back to my childhood because it's basically the same as it was in the 80s! My own children can't wait for the libraries to reopen.

@Wallabyone my Nan used to make a weekly trip ( she walked everywhere, which I want to do more as well) to the library. She always had a book on the go, but didn't have a house full of books. I'm gradually fluttering books but I do have a bit of a kindle habit. A trip to the library feels very.....intentional.
My children loved the library. It felt like a great big shopping trip but we tended to mislay the books and return them late so we stopped.
Thanks for the prompt!

Was the old lady thread you were thinking of, Fnib? I still have it in my Watching, even though it's full. I like to have a read occasionally.

This is it: To realise I like old lady things www.mumsnet.com/Talk/mumsnet_classics/3944582-To-realise-I-like-old-lady-things

Decluttering not fluttering 😇

YES that's the one! Thank you @MiddletownDreams

You're welcome, Fnib. It was a lovely, cosy, nostalgic thread

I think old-fashioned crafts are having a moment, aren't they, with 'cottagecore'? I quilt and crochet a bit, and DP knits, and we both make hand-sewn clothes for DD. And we have a veg patch and herbs, and do lots of preserving and pickling and so on. I really like how it seems to be quite trendy (in the good way) to enjoy going back to things our grandparents did. I suppose it's just natural that things go in cycles - 20 years ago knitting would have seemed much more 'elderly' and associated with pastel yarn and blocky cardies; now it's more Stephen West and funky scarves.

My favourite old-fashioned thing is a pot of leaf tea and proper teacups, and home-made cake and so on. My DD massively wants to recreate the food out of Tiger Who Came for Tea and I mean that sort of spread.

I also love lavender and always have. I used to put a tiny drop of the essential oil on my wrists, and regularly men would ask me what my perfume was as they wanted to buy it - and I'd have to tell them their wives might not appreciate the idea! I presume it was subconscious memories surfacing, but it is actually a really lovely smell when it's proper lavender oil and not synthetic/sweetened versions.

@Fnib

Decluttering not fluttering 😇

I think fluttering books is a great description! Passing them over to other people to enjoy.

Another lavender fan - I have lavender drawer liners. I also have a butter dish and use my GM's butter knife. I have a lot of her kitchen equipment, as it holds such lovely memories of her. The tablespoon of hers I use is hallmarked. And I love using her pudding bowls, although I haven't made a suet pudding in a long time. I also use her compact mirrors which are in their own cases.

@SarahAndQuack the lavender on your wrists really reminded me of my Nana so thank you cheered me up.