Snippet 18

Hey do you remember the old hay bales that were tied with string & came in blocks. Used to feed out the hay from a sleigh pulled by an old draught horse. We spent hours in the hay shed making huts out of the hay. Do kids do that these days?

Hay bales yes we used to make tunnels through the bales in the hay barn. I got stuck one time and panicked - sort of claustrophobic sometimes since. love the smell of the hay even today though. Better than silage

Had a haystack in a paddock next to our house (not ours) My brother and I decided to make a hut.we were around 7 - 9 years old. took all day to get it right I remember. But took dad 3 - 4 hours to restack it and 2 days for pain pain to go from our butts after mum finished with us.

remember the hay bales I had a horse and me and my friends use to go to a paddock owned by a friend where they had them and we'd practice jumping. I also remember picking beautiful mushrooms from the paddocks where we grazed our horses, not like the ones we get these days, these had taste! I alway regretted feeding my horse chaff and oats cos he'd get so hyper, he'd chase me round the chook houses in the paddock!!

The first car that I remember my parents having, in the '50's was an old Riley - green with a running board. My boyfriend taught me to drive in his Hillman Minx - my mum said that it was the sign of true love!

Hay Bales.. Yesssssss,, Out on my grandparents farm they had a big shed.. we used to build hits/tunnells etc in them.. Looooove the smell of the hay..lol.. & yes enaid.. it was me that asked about what we are grateful for.. another thing I miss is a big vegie garden.. when I was married.. we had a hugeeee one.. always grew to much stuff.. but ohhhhhh.. what a blessing it was to escape out there and get my hands dirty..lol..

My grandkids still play in the hay!! I have a photo to download, but don't know how to do it, so maybe I'd best not!! But yes, they love the farm life (we have only 20acres, a hobby farm).

And what do I have to be grateful for? So much really. We grew up poor, but had food on the table and clothes on our bodies, so were happy. My younger sister said she was aware of being poor, but I have to say I was not!!! Each of our family has done well for themselves, through hard work and gritted teeth through some thin patches.

I am grateful for my upbringing and the values installed. We too were not well off but I learned it was the little things and gestures that counted

My parents were sooo strict, but installed wonderful values in us. I have tried not to be quite so strict with my own, as I found it quite stifling. I wanted them to grow up with a little more independence than I did. The same values however, have been passed onto my children.

Re manners My grandmother was a stickler for never sitting on the bed, never putting your elbos on the table, always writing and thanking someone if you received a gift.

My parents were the same and I can remember laboriously writing thank-you letters after birthdays and Christmas to grandparents and aunts and uncles. My kids will still make a point of thanking people for gifts. As you say some manners are a thing of the past.

Ladies BEFORE Gentlemen. Opening doors for them too. Men walking on the traffic side of a lady on the footpath. Never asking for a second helping. Leaving just a little on your plate to indicate you had dined well. Knife and fork together.

Hats Not many people wear hats these days. It must be about 15 years ago that I last saw a gentleman 'doff' his hat.