Roughing it........

[snohare]

Veggiechicken, you're right enough, I gained my nickname from a hillwalking club where I was famed for always popping up out of a nice sheltered hole in a snowdrift when everyone was shivering over a cup of tea out in the wind...but I wouldn't subject my dog to what I am prepared to put up with ! I am protected by attitude and expertise, she only has fur.
(Although I know she would follow me without hesitation. )

[veggiechicken]

And I thought it was because you had white hair (like me!).
I feel truly humbled by your shoebox packing. I know I won't receive many presents on Christmas day but I can be quite confident that at least half of them will be totally useless and, essentially, a waste of money. Last year I "adopted" a meerkat! Hardly an endangered species - just a money spinner for whoever decided that meerkats had become everyone's must have. Far better to sponsor a shoebox for someone in need.
After my husband died I told everyone that I would not be sending Christmas cards in future but making a donation to charity instead - and I would like them to do the same. Some friends took me at my word, others think I'm just I'm just an old misery. Frankly, I don't care. I would prefer my money to do some good for someone who needs it.
Time to climb down from the soapbox, throw another log on the fire and cwtch up to my dogs!!

[snohare]

Okay, I'll bite. You have me scratching my salt and pepper fur. What is a "cwtch" ?

[veggiechicken]

Its a Welsh word for ... snuggling? Or a place where you snuggle up. Really hard to explain. Mother's would give their kids a cwtch if they didn't feel well. I'm sure some of my Welsh cronies here can give a better explanation. Its just a word you understand without ever having to explain it!

[snohare]

Its just a word you understand without ever having to explain it!

That would apply to the pronunciation too, would it ? I'm ready to learn...

[veggiechicken]

Coutch - or something like that.
If you wanted the dog to go to its bed you'd say - Go cwtch!. The space under the stairs is called the Cwtch dan star. (Cwtch under the stair). A mother, with her baby wrapped in a shawl as they used to, would be cwtching the baby. If you want to comfort someone with a hug, you'd give them a cwtch! You cwtch up to someone on the sofa. Its a lovely, comforting word!! You can ask for a cwtch too, you don't have to wait to be given one! " Come here and give me a cwtch". We're a friendly lot down here.

[snohare]

I spend half my working life as a volunteer shifting an endless supply of furniture...and here I am online, and I still am faced with couches !

[veggiechicken]

Not couch - cootch! as in couch grass (except you probably say it differently anyway).

[veggiechicken]

Does this help?
Cwtch Doon, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs Holiday Cottage, Self Catering - Scottish Cottages
Cwtch (pronounced "kootch") Doon is located in the tranquil village of Kinlochard which is in the heart of the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park. This semi detached apartment has been newly renovated, providing the ideal accommodation and location for that romantic getaway for two!

[snohare]

Aye...that's how you pronounce "Couch". In Eberdeenshire, onywye !

[veggiechicken]

At last we have an understanding between our two nations. I going to my cwtch now, so Good night!!

[Snadger]

Not couch - cootch! as in couch grass (except you probably say it differently anyway).

So its a geordie sofa?..............

[Headfry]

Many moons ago I got snowed in for a week with NO power, tiny little thatched cottage had no central heating to start with, so no loss there. We had proper very old and very small black range which I would often use to cook our meals (did have proper cooker too) wood burner in tiny, tiny bedroom. Oil lamps in all rooms.
It was a fantastic week.
Sleep when dark, get jobs around house done when light. hand brush carpets, prepare supper, get wood/ coal in during the day....... a perfect, perfect way of life for a week. How it would have been if I had had to go to work though is another matter altogether.
Had the same thing when the 'hurricane' hit our little village very, very badly.
We were very lucky as we always had a 'meaty' generator to hand so our freezers were ok as were most of the villagers and local pubs....we 'charged' them up for them! genny in back of landrover took the power to the people. I always stocked up for such times and still do....just in case, worked out well last year

Do you know what I most liked? the slow quiet pace of life (apart from genny running on and off)
We had NO TV for a week...NO depressing news to hear, we just got on with things. All people helping all people!

I think it may be why I love camping, just a complete slow down and back to basics where weather and daylight play a huge part.

Foot note.... all very well this is, however in my more 'normal' every day life I rely so much on the modern trappings of car, washing machine, lights, heating etc...... also this would not be at all good for the poorly and elderly people.

[Two_Sheds]

No hot water, no central heatiing and instead of a coal fire a small electric jobbie. AND I'M LOVING IT!

For goodness sake, the Tories are going to read this and form their next cut around it. Old people, sick people: toughen up! Warm houses are for wimps!

[SlugLobber]

You had money? That's really posh! We had to watch TV through the neighbour's windows.

Aye, well WE ad it ruff. We ad ter get up at 3 int' mornin, lick road clean wi't tung, go t'werk and pay mill owner fer't privilege and wen we got ome, ower Dad would slice us in two wi't breadknife.

My fave Monty Python sketch, that!

We didn't have central heating until I was 12. I don't remember ever being cold, though, despite living in the damp and cowd North West! We had an electric fire and two wall heaters for the whole house!

I remember first getting a colour telly in about 85. Before that we had a B/W jobbie complete with the white dot and buttons that were spring loaded and went 'ping' when you changed channel. I remember also tripping over the wire of the remote of the colour one, which only stretched about 6ft - good thing it was a small living room, eh??? Ate, them wer't days!!