If AIBU has been around during the blitz

[briebuiltthiscity]

(Lighthearted)
If Aibu has been around what would have been posted? Would we really see the “blitz spirit” or more “ndn seems to have more rations than me - Aibu to report them”.

This has been a lovely thread to read. Funny, poignant and educational. Some made up, but some very much true, and based on real events. I think it's done in good taste, and helps us to place our current circumstances in some perspective.

How on earth is dh meant to cope without a valet? At least i still have a ladies maid, shes 40 and sensible so the rubbish circulating the younger maids head about working in a factory doesnt appeal to her. I should think not! Who on earth would prefer a dirty smelly factory to a lovely manor house?

Aibu to insist the land girls use tbe servants entrance and sleep in former servants quarters? They complain at using the tin bath and not being allowed to use mine with the gold taps.

Aibu to disapprove of women in trousers? They may well be easier for landgirls, but i dont see why factory worker dd must wear them

Aibu to love trousers? Mum thinks theyre common but i like them

Aibu to tell the ARF man to go away? Little timmy needs a crack in the window to sleep and cannot be in pitch dark. Weve not been bombed for monthe so i dont understand all the fuss! Surely a toddlers sleep is far more importsnt than tje non existent bomb threat?

Aibu to not like auntie ethel staying for the duration? Ok shes from london and we are in rural devon and shes lost her husband frank to TB years back, and its safer. But i thought itd be easy! The food isnt good enough and theres never enough apparently, and my cakes dont taste like hers well no shit einstein theyre made from powdered egg . I should let little Daphne cry herself to sleep in the garden even though i know she needs feeding, becsuse its not been 4hrs yet. And what kind of name is daphne? My curtains are filthy (theyre not) and are you struggling with housework dear? Apparently when dh gets in from his easy day at the shop ehile ive been wrangling 4 under five, i need wait on him hand on foot. Wibu to dispatch her to the park with the eldest 3 for a bit, and me and the baby have a nap? Or i could listen to wireless snd drink gin.

Aibu to think nephews wife is a slattern? Shes a slave to those babies and is failing miserably as a wife. Shes not a very good cook either. And tje state of her curtains! Im almost embarrased to live here!

Aibu to think my sister is terribly exciting? Shes joined the WAAF much to mums disgust and looks ever so smart in her uniform.

Aibu to sneak through a hole in the fence at basic trainkng barracks and nip 2miles to the pub with Jock McBride and Taffy Evans? Basic training is so boring and if im gonna get shot at for queen and country i want to enjoy myself while i can

I went to the beach the other day and there were all these soldiers crawling in the sand, planting landmines apparently. As if the germans are going to invade! Another of our idiotic governments bright ideas i bet. Theyd be better off working on how to unration sugar and increase clothing coupons. My summer holiday with tje children is now ruined. The officer in charge didnt look at all bothered and told me if thats the extent of my concerns to coint myself lucky. Aibu to report him?

Aibu to think this bollocks has gone on long enough? 6years bombing hitler and he still isnt dead. This cant go on indefinitrly, its all a stupid overreaction. Why did we need to leap into save poland anyhow, they should fight their own battles.

Aibu to resent dh joining the home guard? Im home all week with the kids while hes down a mine, then on weekends rather thsn travel to the seaside or go for a nice drive he spends time leaping into rivers and stuffing potatoes up exhausts. Then he moans he is tired. And another thing, my broom is fucked as hes tied my best carving knife to the broom handle just in case any germans invade the rhondda valleys. I dont see why they would, unless theyve got a hankering for roast mutton!

Aibu to act as a housekeeper for the bevan boys next door and take payment in the form of whisky snd chocolste, not momey? One of them has contacts from back home in Birmingham and is in plentiful supply apparently

Aibu to have a word with the bevan boys when they ocme home tonight? I dont mind a bit of light cleaning, washing or cooking but they tske advantage. Their beds are never made and theres beer everywhere. They cant be bothered rinsing their smalls and the place is a shit tip. Not their fault i guess, their mothers in london and Birmingham must not find pride in keeping a clean home.

Aibu to think once this war is over im never going underground again? The dust gets everywhere and im getting a cough. Why some fellas work there until they're 50 i don't know! (True example for grandad
He moved from brum.to rhondda as a bevan boy. Swore hed never go below again but after a period of unemployment did and got miners cough)

AIBU to write a strongly worded letter to the war office about timings of raids? Surely them and the germans could do a rota around baby Susan's naptime. Dh thinks im ridiculous but i think he is uncaring

Aibu to use all the families milk allowance for rhe toddlers bottle and tell dh he has to make do with cold tea?

Aibu to think dil is ungrateful..it took me and Mavis hours to make that beautiful cardboard wedding cake for her! And we used the streets sugar,butter and flour rations to make a nice Victoria sponge. She just complains that she wanted a proper 3 tier edible cake. Aibu to thibk shes ideas sbove her station?

Aibu to think NDN is suspicious. Claims hes a free polish fighter but has a funny accent and eats weird things. Aibu to call him a spy and report him?

I was a bit worried in the corner shop today.
A few of us were having a bit of a chinwag (as you do, while you're queuing for so long) and started larking about, wondering what it would have been like if we'd had the BBC Home Service during the Great Plague. You know - making jokes to keep our spirits up in a difficult time.

Then someone comes in and tells us the Great Plague was No Laughing Matter and we'd be better off making jokes about grapes or something (not sure I heard that bit properly).

Well! Cast a bit of dampener on the chat, I can tell you!

But now I think about it, could it have been one of those Fifth Columnists waging a secret war on the Great British Sense of Humour to lower our morale?

@DameFanny

What happened *@MitziK*?

The Phoney War ended and air raids started.

Baby Patricia was dug out of the house the following day still inside her cot, where the bedroom door had blown out and landed on top of it, protecting her from the ceiling, the Attic and most of the roof, including the majority of the chimney breast, when it came to a halt in the Nursery. The older ones had been whisked off overnight by the sister 'So you can get some rest and just have to deal with the youngest/Mother hasn't seen the Boys either' and she had been the other end of the house playing piano at the time, so was largely unscathed if somewhat hysterical and with bits of stained glass sticking out of her hair.

They all got moved into a recently built 5 bedroomed suburban property that had been requisitioned and the Dad gave up ARP work in favour of firewatch on a department store, as at least there, he wouldn't never end up being sent to dig people out only to find that it was his own house and baby inside.

What a story! Thanks @MitziK!

@trouncedaast

Have to agree, love this thread, funny, educational and wonderful genuine stories that are so moving.

I was just on a Covid thread which was thoroughly depressing in its divided opinions.

My Nan lived just south of the Thames - she had many stories that as children we just had a hint of -Anderson shelters, her children being evacuated, real hardship, losing friends and neighbours in raids.

One occasion she was caught on one of the London Bridges with my aunt who was just a young child then when a raid began, having to shelter against the bridge wall.

I find it incredibly to imagine the trauma of that reality.

More of a What would you do? My DBs did a midnight flirt, the egits crossed the border, hitched to Dublin and signed up, heads in the clouds those boys, the 15 year old has been shipped to who knows where. I'm hoping somewhere sunny.

The problem is my 14 year old DB, he took one look at the barracks and legged it over the fence. The Garda found him and he has been charged as AWOL. Do I go down there with his baptism certificate and get him out or do I let him sort his own mess?

@wakemeupwhen
Send him a care package with a couple of packs of tayto and he'll be grand

@GoldfishParade someone intervened and sorted it out, my bet is on the Parish priest, the shame of it all, that boy has no shame he even got his photo in the paper, skipping out of the Gaol. How will I show my face at Mass...

I so miss my uncles, they were a blast, full of character, and yes this actually happened 🤣😇. There is brilliant photo of this young lad half swinging off the local Garda as he skips to freedom.

Can anyone advise on how to treat the maskne I've ended up with as a result of these blasted gas marks? My usual regime of coal tar soap and Nivea AM and coal tar soap and germolene PM just isn't controlling it. I am worried that I'm using too many products? I don't know where to turn!

TIA

You need a simpler regime joyce . A light smear of lard in the morning should give good protection. I'm not sure you can get it off-ration but a little goes a long way. If you're feeling self indulgent, the chemist sells tiny bottles of olive oil for unblocking ears. I believe foreigners put it on their food so I don't suppose it will do your skin any harm!

Mumsnet would love:
Gravy browning tights
Working women
Creative ration recipes including making a roasted chicken's foot last all week
Growing your own veg
Stiff upper lips
Tutting
Cleaning and brillo pads
Being gung-ho and a good egg

Mumsnet would argue over:
What behaviour considered frivolous and tarty
Conscientious objectors
Whether people are following the rules enough
Evaccuee children (send em off and keep em safe vs my Alfie is staying with me)

Mumsnet would hate:
Any form of celebration or party (entitlement!)
American cads and any whiff of infidelity
The black market
Toilet brushes in the loo

Mumsnet would be supportive over:
Lost sons and menfolk
Husbands returning from war broken and not the people they were 😔

I welled up at the last bit tacos You are so right.

@JoyceByersWasRight

Nivea? Where did you get that from? In your kitbag when you parachuted in, eh?

It's the Isle of Man for you. Or maybe, straight to the moat garden at the Tower of London.

@JoyceByersWasRight you need some nice Ponds cold cream.

This is a good thread it no way belittles the suffering and hardship people went through. People still had normal moans and groans and petty things bothering them as well as the big stuff.

I'd imagine a lot of these are pretty accurate and probably could be verified by looking through popular culture/magazines etc of the time....

@contrmary not one of these comments (that are very lighthearted and in the spirit of AIBU) are as offensive as any "joke" about rape...

Did someone mention ponds cream, AIBU to ask how you acquired it? Is there is a new source on the market...

Ps. Thank you for this thread, it has really cheered me up. Pps I really want to acquire some ponds cream

Gravy browning can be a great dupe for stockings. ( Yes I heard this one for real!)

WIBU to get a job on the home front? My doctor husband thinks I should remain in the house to prepare his dinner each day.

busy afternoon putting up our Anderson shelter.Now fitted out with some camp beds paraffin heater and a paraffin lamp. Take a flask down and we will be snug as bugs in a rug.
Had a letter today from my husband he wrote it about 3 weeks ago and he was just about to leave on a ship but was not allowed to say where he was going if he knew that is.
Children are happy on a farm I know they have been helping the farmer but I hope he is not overworking them and they are still attending school.
Glad I moved back in with my parents and my brother. Having such bad injuries from the last year he would not be allowed to go to war this time so we are busy looking after him.

"Anderson shelter."

The slugs are very annoying, aren't they?

And I don't like the bedding getting mouldy and full of spiders, so take it indoors and bundle it by the back door, take it out as we run through.

my neighbour's house was burgled while they were asleep in the shelter. Quite common, I hear.

I’ve just been reading a book compiled of Mass Observation diaries and some of what you’ve all wrote is actually similar to what people living in the war experienced!!

I've met someone who I really like. He works in a place near Bletchley. He says he's doing some kind of study on factories but he doesn't seem the type. He seems far more intelligent than that and is a bit obsessed with crosswords and puzzles.

Should I ask him on a date?

Realistically if Mumsnet had been around during the war it would be full of posts like:

"Can't believe you pathetic virtue-signallers are being so harsh about Hitler and hoping he dies just because he happens to have views that are different from yours."

"I really like Hitler, yes he's made some mistakes but he's a honest bloke and you know what he stands for."

"The Holocaust is clearly a hoax, here's some YouTube videos to prove it."

"Those six million Jews were executed LEGALLY on the orders of the German government. Can't believe you're suggesting people disobey the government!"

"We don't know what those six million Jews did to be sentenced to death, lots of rumours about them hoarding money and eating babies. I'm not saying whether the Nazis were right or wrong to kill them, just that all the facts aren't in."