Fings ain't what they used to be

What was the best thing before sliced bread!?

There are things I really miss but on the whole things are so much better, food-wise. I remember when olive oil was only available in tiny bottles from the chemist for clearing earwax.
I must admit I don't buy food from M&S except for nice tins of biscuits as presents. Now I've retired I don't buy ready meals or convenience foods at all. It's a luxury to have the time to cook from scratch and to completely suit the tastes of those I'm feeding. On the other hand if I only had to feed myself and had no-one to cook for I'd probably live off toast.
My nearest M&S has stopped selling anything except food so I go into the big M&S in Victoria. Far less often than I did though as their clothes are not as good quality as when it was 'St Michaels' brand. My husband loved their shirts in particular although now he's retired he doesn't wear them as often.
Actually now I think about it I haven't bought any M&S clothing for about ten years.

Agree Hilly

I really dislike chilli, and you’re right, it seems to get in everything.

I've not noticed too much garlic, perhaps because I quite like it, but I am getting quite fed up with chilli in everything! My neighbour gave me a jar of strawberry and chilli jam- what a waste of fruit as I shall have to throw it out.
Worse than that though is the current trend for putting salt in caramel. It has ruined many puddings and chocolates and even my favourite ice cream sundae.

Don’t have Netflix or anything else only normal sky, and I don’t know how to do catch up or anything like that, but I don’t watch much anyway, and I definitely won’t be watching Doc Martin!

Love my iPhone, can’t remember the last time I opened my lap top, I’m amazed at what my little grandchildren know, I’ve often had to ask my nine year old, to sort out my computer at work.

Our M&S doesn't do food as its an outlet store. The only thing I buy are their leggings/jeans as they do them in short arse length! LOVE garlic, as far as I'm concerned there's no such thing as too much, luckily hubby agrees! Love my phone, don't use my pad much & don't possess a kindle as I like a nice paperback (love the smell) We watch a lot of documentaries (DH loves anything medical) although atm the tv has been taken over by the bloody rugby!

whispers........don't like Doc Martin.....

Our M and S has been shut down ..... nowhere to buy my knickers !! There’s Primark...yuk!! Our main shopping drag now consists of charity shops ...pubs...Primark... Tesco Metro...Santander....Peacocks....and believe it or not we’re a County Town!! We have to trek to Central Milton Keynes to get knickers now!

Actually cant see what is wrong with M&S . Love garlic, love my iPad and think there is lots on TV to watch. Also like that if you miss something you can get it on catch up. I try very hard to NOT do the "things are not what they used to be" thing . Dont want to come a cross as a grumpy old .......

Too much garlic! How about the chilli that finds its way into so many foods sweet and savoury??

I love M&S the only place i can buy short enough trousers,! their food is good and not as expensive as i thought, bought 2 lovel
y rump steaks there last week, good sizes too,less than £6
I love their coffee swiss rolls,
I love garlic, don't watch a lot of TV, mostly the soaps, Gogglebox, strictly, &Britains got talent.
Also the last few weeks "Scarborough" a comedy/drama set in my home town, with beautiful scenery
Will also be watching Doc Martin
I do not watch any cookery programmes apart from James Martin, who also trained in my home town, and changed all the menus at our local hospital to more healthy ones

Like M&S food occasionally - especially if it includes garlic!
Love my iPhone but was a bit shocked watching the HoC live at how many of our elected representatives were using theirs in the middle of the debate.
Looking forward to Doc Martin, like Strictly, hate Bake Off.
So probably I like some of the changes but not all.
But I do understand what you mean Grapefruit - for me there was security in the old “routines” ....

Love M and S food ( but not clothes anymore) .Use my iPad and phone a lot .Usually find something worth watching on TV or use iPlayer,itv hub etc to catch up on missed programmes if nothing worth watching at the time.
Agree that children -and parents -spend too much time on phones instead of conversation. I live alone so my iPad and phone are life lines.

I hate garlic! There, I said it and now expect to be jumped on by garlic lovers.
My main complaint is that it is the ‘go to’ flavouring in everything. I think the food manufacturers lack imagination to make food tasty! I’m fully expecting it in M&S puddings soon. ?

I like M and S food and l will be watching Doc Martin.

I'm just glad that M&S still exists! So many stores have gone under. Also like the ability to watch a TV programme at a time convenient to me.

If you still want a roast for Sunday lunch what's to stop you?

The things I grumble about are the loss of manners and plastic money. Paying by card for something doesn't teach anyone the value of money as handing over cash does.

And, greatfruitpip, there was a man who loved order and routine like you - dear reader I married him ??☺️

I understand what you mean but for me I like change. I do hope it is possible to haunt when the time comes I would love to know how things turn out

Things do change all the time Ilovebeigecardigans I agree and have trouble keeping up with technology. Think that's partly because it doesn't interest me and partly because I am retired I don't have to keep au fait.
Living in France I really miss M&S meals /food I always enjoyed it but it may have changed now. Right now I could eat a pork pie and some of their delicious puddings. healthy eating

Life is a continuum, isn't it? Things change all the time and I expect it was ever thus. However, technology is flying along leaving old fogies like me in its wake.

Food in general is spicier than it used to be which isn't to my taste, the latest fashions often make me despair - but not buying them saves money!

There's good and bad in all.

Yes things ain’t what they used to be, time moves on, I feel if I don’t keep up I will be left behind, but love my iPhone iPads Netflix sky tv you name it

Love M&S shop with Waitrose cause I love them too.
I don’t buy ready made meals or sauces with garlic my dh can’t eat anything with garlic or for that matter spicy food.
Won’t eat spaghetti.bol. (Fussy so and so) or any pasta, which I love.
Do not want to think about Xmas till end of November beginning of December thanks. About mobile phones I was going down a moving esculator and noticed a man with his mobile texting and not looking where he was going if I hadn’t have shouted out no he would have ended up trying to get on the esculator that would have been interesting.
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It has taken over 50 years but my OH has finally stopped complaining so vehemently about garlic. It’s now me complaining about chilies being added to every conceivable (and inconceivable) dish. M&S food is no longer such a treat as most other supermarkets now match them at 2/3rds of the price. We mainly cook from scratch but it’s nice to have an easy alternative now and then.

What an interesting discussion!

Nanna 58, my early life was very regimented. Very. How bizarre that I should now almost crave this.

inishowen it wasn't a moan, more of a muse.

I can't believe that the overwhelming surge in I.T. in recent years has generated so much scamming, financial fraud, cheating people out of their life-savings by scumbags with no shred of a moral compass whatsoever.

The old fashioned quality known as Trust (which we have to have otherwise we'd all be at each others throats) is used and abused by those who want loadsamoney but not to work for it.

They use modern computer technology to simply avail themselves of other peoples money with a few clicks using a minimum of information and can empty a bank account in the blink of an eye.....

Makes you wonder if computers are more trouble than their worth. IMHO the advantages are far outweighed by the criminal disadvantages.