Things I can't do without.....

I was tagged recently by Daisymum of "Notes from Daisy Mountain" to produce a list of 7 absolutely amazing things about me. Well, I've thought and thought and I can't think of anything. Everything about me is dead ordinary. So I'm counter-tagging (can you do that?) with "7 things I couldn't do without". I'm not tagging anyone in particular (except Daisymum) but everyne in general. I would love to hear other ideas.

Times have changed, haven't they? Stating the obvious I know but what I couldnt live without nowadays is very different from the list I might have compiled 30 years ago.

I need - absolutely, no question:

Freezer - How did I ever make do with the tiny compartment at the top of the fridge? You couldn't actually set anything to freeze in it but it was OK for sticking your packet of ice lollirs in, always supposing you could find a pack small enough to fit! You could even put a small packet of fish fingers in as long as you ate the lollies up first. Now how did we get from that to the tons of stuff we put in our freezers now that need a regular trip to the freezer shop?

Computer - I remember my boss in the 1980's announcing that he had just bought a computer for home. "Why?" I wondered silently. "That's nice," I said out loud, "What are you going to do with it?". "Shopping lists. kids' school work....lots of things," he replied, scuttling off to his own office. This was when we didn't even have an electric typewriter in the office! It was when the Company's Computer Department was like the holy of holies and you had to knock at the door and wait to be let in. There was special air conditioning units and huge metal machines along the wall with large spinning tape reels that the Company Secretary used to bring out of hiding each morning in their special stainless steel cans. Gosh, but they were mysterious!

Look at us now! How would I know whether there was any money in the bank? How would I order my repeat prescriptions? How would I keep in touch with friends? How would I get my groceries delivered? And that's before I've even started swanning about the internet, booking a weekend away. theatre tickets, holidays. Sends you giddy! And do they fill an office block? Nah - mine sits on my desk but is huge compared to some. I would find it well nigh impossible to do without it now.

Mobile Phone - I always swore one of these would never darken my handbag; that if you couldn't get me at home then you would just have to wait. You would not catch me texting people. oh no! How wrong can you be? My mobile phone is the most basic you can get but even so it still doubles as a camera and, with internet access, as a mini-computer. You would think the makers of Filofax would be out of business wouldn't you? You can keep your diary and organise your life on your mobile...can't you? No quite. You still see the good olf Filofax being hoisted aloft because people can't actually remember how to DO all the functions on their phones!

The car - yes I know we are supposed to be minding our carbon footprints but honestly, how many of us are prepared - or able - to do without our cars entirely? My wheelchair makes public transport difficult and walking or cycling impossible - I need the car. There's no public transport that goes near Keith's workplace - he needs the car. {titter titter} what a sight it would be if we were still on horseback!

Central Heating - Brrr, I have many unfond memories as a kid of the windows being iced up - on the inside! I remember my mum beavering away downstairs lighting a coal fire while us kids sat at the top of the stairs wittering on about "Can we come down yet...?" I can't remember ever feeling cold but surely I must have been. I would be these days, that's for sure. What did we do for heating when there was no touch-of-a-button gas boiler? A big roaring fire in the living room and then, at bed time, dad would take a shovelful of the red-hot coals upstairs to start off the fire in their bedroom. Doesn't bear thinking about does it, but tha's what he did!

My Kenwood Chef - I've had my Kenwood for years and I expect it'll be good for a few more years yet. Pre-Kenwood I used to make cakes by doing it all with a fork (my preferred tool in those days for creaming butter and sugar). It was less washing up but, by gum (Marcy?) it was hard work! Most of my little appliances - food processor, blender, mini-chopper, carving knife - are by Kenwood. But only one thing is known as The Kenwood. God bless it and long live it!

My thumbs - Whatever should we do without them? If we didn't have thumbs we might as well not have fingers either. Wihtout my left thumb I wouldn't be able to text anyone. I cannot seem to make my right thumb work for this little job. My right thumb operates the space bar on my computer all by itself - see, the typing classes taught me something at least. Without my thumbs I'm pretty sure I couldn't untie knots in bits of string or tie a bow in ribbon - or, worse, tie my shoes! And if thumbs had never been invented, what would Agatha Christie have called one of her books? "By the Pricking of My........."???????? OK, over to you - anyone inventive with thumbs? No rude answers!

Sorry my little mouse is in the wrong place again, It's a law unto itself that mouse.

xxx