Older folks and their endearing ways . Not.

[Nofeckingway]

Going on from a previous OP that said her ILs drive her insane with their narrow food choices, constant tea drinking and couch sitting .. what little harmless ways drive you mad ?
My father when I was younger and visiting with small DCs would come into the bedroom when he figured we had slept enough to squeegee and dry the windows of any condensation. Happened a lot as we often visited at Xmas time . Just because it was his habit every morning . Also wanted a dinner at 1pm despite us only getting around to brunch at 12. Would turn news on in middle of people talking . Hated anyone sitting in his chair .

But he redeemed himself as he was also a loving generous man and he and my mother would go shopping for nappies, wipes , food for our visits and pick up the tab for meals out .

My parents are obsessed with the neighbours and 'not letting anyone down' at the golf club... They are concerned what other people think of them, to a point of worry.

They will happily let me down though.

Warming the plates in the oven for every meal. The plates get put in the oven with whatever is cooking, so they are scorching hot when you're trying to dish up.

I know it's because they eat more slowly than they used to, and it keeps the food hot for longer, I let them crack on.

But when they found out that I never warm the plates at home, you would think the world had ended! They just couldn't fathom how I can serve meals like that.

Imagine if this post were discriminatory against any other group - “disabled people and their endearing ways. Not”

Affectionately remembered.... My mum's refusal to accept that a plate of food without meat, fish, eggs or cheese could constitute a meal.
One summer evening, I carefully made a beautiful pasta sauce of home grown tomatoes, ev olive oil, garlic, and basil, over wholemeal spaghetti. It was simmered gently, loaded with fresh flavours, rich and summery.

She poked it suspiciously, turned the spaghetti over and peered underneath, and then said 'what are you serving for main course?' 😁

@legalseagull How else do you differentiate groups ? Not about toddlers or teenagers or Gen Z ..

Imagine if this post talked about eating wholegrains, constant water drinking and going for runs in the context of 'young people and their endearing ways. Not'.

Give over. It's not discriminatory to observe that different generations have different attitudes, interests, habits and manners. Some of them are a function of getting older (eg hot plates because of slower eating) and some of them are because of the times in which a person grew up (eg hot plates because rooms were colder when central heating was not the norm).

Oh sorry did I forget to put " lighthearted" ? Thought it was obvious . And BTW I am one of these older peoples who likes to bring a special container for dirty washing on holiday much to my DCs amusement.

How old is 'older'?

I wish to all that is sacred that the most annoying thing about elderly relative was a News fixation, possessiveness of a favourite chair, or early-morning window-cleaning.
We maybe need two rooms in the Cockroach Cafe: the Mildly Dotty Lounge, and the Properly Demented Room.

How about you stop being nasty about any group of people, dehumanising them with lazy generalisations as if they are a single homogeneous blob. Hint, they aren't. And encouraging people on here to validate your nastiness.

Absolutely 😢

Excellent point.

Don't most people do that? What's the alternative - putting dirty stuff in with clean clothes?

My parents always warmed the plates. This was because they grew up in homes which were cold. Therefore plates were cold, and so it chilled the food.
It's actually really practical.

I'm late 60's.
My family all know to warm my dinner plate.
When I've gone I'm pretty sure it will be brought up as a memory. 😆

As an "old folk" one of my endearing ways is to tell people who appear to be patronising me to go to hell.

Well, my actual words would be a tad more rude, but you get my drift, I'm sure.

Warmed plates for a meal that included salad made my head spin.

I like a warm plate but separate one for salad

Dm is so stingy with teabags in a teapot wanting 2 for 5 people, is well off

Imagine if people were direct about dealing with disabled family members and the problems that can arise, instead of saying, 'Poor little lambie, he doesn't understand..." and excusing a 20 year old man punching a 10 year old child in the head and knocking her to the ground because he has Down Syndrome.. I was that 10 year old.

Imagine people being honest about their family members being constantly critical about 'You younger generations being addicted to screens', claiming allergies don't exist, and griping that 'Your kids are going to grow up hooligans because you don't paddle them every five minutes.'

Imagine if people had a sense of humor? Nobody is being discriminatory. Just having an ironic moment. OP is a member of the generation she is laughing about. Lighten up, as my grumpy old dad likes to say. Oh, and I have a dirty laundry bag for my suitcase too. Being 54 myself, I think it's a great idea.

And if I hear those lil whippersnappers making fun of me for having 3 separate sets of china and using all 3 one more time....lol

My parents warm their plates but PIL do not. But it is not an age thing, my Mum has dished up dinner on warm plates since the beginning of time.

I think people can get quite fixated on their routines (like the window squeegee) and lose sight of the fact it isn't 100% necessary to do it at 8am every single day, and nothing bad will happen if you leave it for another 24 hours. Like dishwasher loading, people get very inflexible about how that should be done 😁

@daisychain01 Jeez lighten up hun . I don't think idle chit chat on MN is your forum . Perhaps find a more precise site that has a disclaimer like " not all men ", not all older people or toddlers or teenagers or post menopausal women/ trans ., etc..
It is your type of post that is gaining MN a reputation for becoming nasty and vicious.

My DGM, mid 80s, will tell me in excruciating detail all about her neighbours/friends medical issues, even when I try and stop her and say that’s private info I don't need to know! But doesn’t ask for anymore detail about my pregnancy apart from a very basic ‘how are you’ when I first arrive. I could literally say anything in response but she’ll be straight into a tale about someone I don’t knows leg ulcer.
I do love her but it gets on my tits.

Yes, I think that's a good point. People have quirks and habits. Personality, upbringing, circumstance, all have an impact

Are you my mother in law?? Mind you, I bought a plate warmer gadget thing so I could make sure her plate was warm for Christmas dinner and I use it all the time now. I’ll never let on that she converted me.