Funny Family, Funny Tough Ways

During our young family life, our family must have been the oddest this side of the Maginot Line. Family life ranged from the unusual to being a little bizarre! Some of the latter cannot be published.

Most of these humorous family situations came up shortly after WW2. We lived in London on the wrong side of the tracks because money was tight and food was in short supply. In those days it was rationed so none of us got fat—who could on a diet of potatoes? (or spuds as we used to call them).

In those ancient terraced houses built around 1870 or so...plumbing hadn't been invented as hot water was unheard of. Only freezing water which we had to bath in. The bath was galvanized tin and held about 15 gallons but we used to jump in long before the water got near the top as it was far too cold. I learned later one could get hypothermia when the water temperature didn't exceed 35 degrees and the air temperature was around 36 degrees. We never sat down in the bath, it was much, much too cold.

The actual bath time took 30 seconds as one's limbs ached with freezing water. About once a month we had the luxury of a tepid bath where buckets of water were heated on a fire stove. This tepid water felt like luxury and amazingly you could get a lather going with a bar of Lifebuoy soap! Ma used to say “Have you had a good scrub kids?” Not really Ma, as the water is so filthy how can we possibly get clean?

There were five of us kids which made it a bit tight in the tub—standing room only. The water, being 'hard' left a scum line around the top of the tub and it also formed a ring around our tummies almost as if we were wearing belts!

Then the great day came and Pa discovered a municipal public baths and we hiked off to this wonderful place. I think he “discovered” it after he found some small change in one of his pockets! Surprisingly the boys had their own shower rooms and the girls theirs. I remember it was absolute Heaven showering under really hot water, my first hot shower ever and the day I will never forget!

And our family stayed together still enjoying family life even though we live on different continents!