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Helen Highwater's latest comments
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8th Mar 2024Helen Highwater commented on:
Is it ever ok to buy an item of clothing, leave the price tag on, wear it once and return it?It's totally wrong, unethical and just plain disgusting. What concerns me is that as I write this, 4% of respondents to the poll think that it's an okay thing to do!!ViewDate:
7th Mar 2024Helen Highwater commented on:
Silversurfers Book Club Spring 2024I've read Over Sharing and No-one Saw A Thing - they are both excellent in very different ways and I'm sure you won't regret reading either/both of them!ViewDate:
2nd Mar 2023Helen Highwater commented on:
Do you feel confident overtaking HGV's on the motorway?I'm usually okay if it's a UK number plate - if it's a foreign one (and therefore the driver is on the opposite side of the cab to the overtaking lane) I find myself driving much faster than I would normally do, just to get clear as soon as possible.ViewDate:
15th Jun 2021Helen Highwater commented on:
Would you be happy with a scaled-down wedding?I certainly wouldn't have booked a big wedding any time this summer, it was obvious that variants would occur and cases would rise. Have a small wedding; after all it's plighting your troth to your beloved that's the important thing, not the frock, the flowers, the food, the fizz! If you must have a big "do" wait until it's safe to do so. The venues, caterers etc. get two bookings, so surely it's win-win.ViewDate:
16th Mar 2021Helen Highwater commented on:
A look back at the best sitcoms of the 70sMy favourite from the 1970s is The Fall And Rise Of Reginald Perrin - clever, funny, surreal and a bit subversive - wonderfully played by Leonard Rossiter and it remains a favourite even now.ViewDate:
4th Mar 2021Helen Highwater commented on:
Will you watch the Sussexes' Oprah interview?Apart from the upset that this is causing the Queen, I could have accepted their "need for privacy" if they had decided to settle in Harry's beloved Africa, which I seem to remember was mentioned at one time. But California? Netflix? Oprah Winfrey? No thanks.ViewDate:
25th Oct 2020Helen Highwater commented on:
Are you a big tea drinker?Tea is my hot drink of choice; I buy Thompson's Punjana on line, it's a lovely strong brew. Tea is more of a thirst-quencher than coffee for me. I enjoy a "proper" cup of coffee once a day, made with ground beans in a cafetiere, very hot and quite strong and mixed half-and-half with hot milk.ViewDate:
24th Oct 2020Helen Highwater commented on:
Silversurfers Book Club Autumn 2020I absolutely loved The Thursday Murder Club, lola2600, and I'll see you at Cooper's Chase in The Jigsaw Room!ViewDate:
24th Oct 2020Helen Highwater commented on:
Silversurfers Book Club Autumn 2020Yes, do keep trying - I really enjoyed it (if that's the word I want!). It would make a great TV 3-parter over Christmas, with James Norton as Will?ViewDate:
27th Jul 2020Helen Highwater commented on:
Will you opt for the flu jab this year?Although I'm in my 70s I don't usually have the flu jab as the year I did have it, I was really poorly afterwards. I haven't had flu or even a cold for years, but this year I will have the jab as I think it's right that we do what we can to try and get things back to normal.ViewDate:
21st Jul 2020Helen Highwater commented on:
Should the new Covid-19 vaccine be made optional or mandatory?Oh yes, definitely. Being of advanced years I am happy to be a research tool if it improves life for those following on. I want to be back out there enjoying my life for whatever time I've got left.ViewDate:
9th Apr 2020Helen Highwater commented on:
What is the most useless object you have ever bought?You'd have to be able to buy flour though, Rodders20 - rarer than hen's teeth in my neck of the woods!ViewDate:
9th Apr 2020Helen Highwater commented on:
What is the most useless object you have ever bought?Some years ago, getting over-excited at the arrival of a new Lakeland catalogue, I put together my order but needed something to take it past that magic "free delivery" amount. I chose a device that allowed you to whip cream and then pipe it. No more enthusiastic cream-whipping (liberally splashing the nearby tiles), no more spooning it into a bag with a nozzle that you'd put in just slightly off-centre, no more cream bulging from the top of the bag because you weren't holding it properly - who could live without such an implement? It didn't work .... No matter how much and how long I shook the wretched thing, the cream remained resolutely unwhipped! What a waste of money; but if you have one and it works really well, please don't tell me!ViewDate:
15th Mar 2020Helen Highwater commented on:
Then and now: changes through the yearsAs I sit in front of my laptop using a tappy little keyboard and a mouse, I remember in the early 1960s learning to touch-type on a heavy sit-up--and-beg Adler typewriter; at work, using sheets of carbon paper to make several copies of a document (all of which had to be painstakingly corrected if you made a mistake), and "cutting a stencil" to print off large quantities of documents (corrections here being made in fluorescent pink gunk). Now I just quickly correct by use of a couple of keys - although I do still touch-type!ViewDate:
15th Mar 2020Helen Highwater commented on:
Is it realistic to expect over 70s to remain in their homes for 4 months?I'm 74, my husband is 79; we are both fit and well, have an active social life and also grandchild-mind once a week. I can see why this course of action seems appropriate, as at least people would be safe inside their own homes and not exposed to the virus. Our family members don't live nearby so to trust that neighbours and friends would help with shopping, etc. is the triumph of hope over experience IMO. And there is the social isolation too, not able to see our friends (all of whom are in the over-70s category) or family for four months is not a reasonable thing to ask of us.ViewDate:
13th Mar 2020Helen Highwater commented on:
Is the UK Government doing enough to lessen the spread of Covid-19?The Government has made one major miscalculation - it has assumed that the public has common sense and the ability to take responsibility for themselves and others! Yeah, right ...... We are in unknown territory, they can only take the advice of those who are more in the know than others. We may all catch it, some of us may die, but that's nothing different to the usual winter 'flu bug. Keep washing the hands and just carry on..ViewDate:
21st Feb 2020Helen Highwater commented on:
Are newspaper stories to blame for destroying lives?I must agree with Darkstar - there is a price to pay for living in the limelight. I do think that newspapers should not be as intrusive as they are, but more than newspapers I feel a great deal of blame lies with the social media trolls who spread so much poison.ViewDate:
14th Feb 2020Helen Highwater commented on:
Which is your favourite fictional TV couple?I voted for Margo & Jerry Leadbetter of the list given, but my favourite couple is Ben & Ria Parkinson from "Butterflies" - so touching, so devoted, so afraid of saying so .....ViewDate:
30th Jan 2020Helen Highwater commented on:
Would you try a Heinz tomato ketchup truffle?Just had to check the date - it's not April 1st, is it?!ViewDate:
11th Mar 2019Helen Highwater commented on:
Is going digital isolating elderly people?It isn't just about using a particular service; for a lot of elderly people, going out to shop or bank or to the Post Office is the only social contact they have. Take that away and yes, I do think there is a danger of isolating the very section of society that really needs personal contact.ViewDate:
20th Dec 2018Helen Highwater commented on:
Should a gingerbread man become a gingerbread person?Apart from the fact that this is utter nonsense, I am becoming increasingly concerned that the needs and requirements of the (silent) majority are becoming subsumed to the demands of the (noisy) minority. And there doesn't seem to be anything we can do about it. Perhaps we Silversurfers are the last generation to have any common sense ....ViewDate:
27th Sep 2018Helen Highwater commented on:
Did you watch Bodyguard on BBC?It was an excellent drama, well-acted and kept me guessing until the end. Interesting in that all the main characters (apart from the eponymous bodyguard) were women, but the only person I trusted to be absolutely straight was Deepak Sharma!ViewDate:
17th Jul 2018Helen Highwater commented on:
Should we have a second EU referendum?We had a referendum - and the majority voted Leave. That is democracy and there should be no more pussyfooting around.ViewDate:
19th Mar 2018Helen Highwater commented on:
Would you consider France as a family holiday destination?My European holiday destination of choice is always Italy - I love the lakes. For city breaks, I enjoy Germany and Belgium. France has never done it for me.ViewDate:
7th Feb 2018Helen Highwater commented on:
Do you think 'grid girls' should be banned in F1?I think the girls themselves are the ones who should decide. Presumably no-one forces them to do it? I don't look at them and think that woman-kind is being demeaned,ViewDate:
29th Jan 2018Helen Highwater commented on:
How often do you wash your bed sheets?Not only do I wash bedclothes, I iron them too! A 60 degree wash and outside on the line whenever possible. For me, one of the great joys of life is getting into a smooth, fresh, sweet-smelling bed at the end of a busy day, so I'm happy to take the time needed.ViewDate:
17th Jan 2018Helen Highwater commented on:
Should teaching the National Anthem at school be compulsory?I'm afraid we are in danger of losing our heritage. Patriotism is sneered at by the so-called "intelligentsia" but it seems to me that we are the only country that doesn't celebrate its national-ness (I know there's no such word but you get my meaning) and that makes me very angry. I absolutely love the fact that Britain is so diverse and so open, but I do expect those who live here to respect the country - whether they are new citizens or have been here for many generations. There is nothing to be ashamed of in being patriotic and our Queen is, I suppose, the figurehead of that pride in one's country. So yes, by all means, teach the National Anthem in schools.ViewDate:
16th Dec 2017Helen Highwater commented on:
Have people forgotten the true meaning of Christmas?The commercialism nowadays sickens me, and it all starts much too early. Plus children just have so much all the time that presents at Christmas and birthdays are no longer special.ViewDate:
10th Dec 2017Helen Highwater commented on:
What advice would you share with younger generations?Good manners will always stand you in good stead; always treat other people in the way you would like to be treated.ViewDate:
18th Nov 2017Helen Highwater commented on:
Should women still change their name when they get married?I loathe the double-barrelled surname option, especially when a child is also given a double-barrelled first name. I was very happy to divest myself of my maiden name as I really didn't like it at all!ViewDate:
9th Nov 2017Helen Highwater commented on:
Should all stores introduce gender neutral changing rooms?This, along with gender-neutral loos, is taking political correctness to ridiculous levels. By all means introduce a non-gender-specific changing room or loo, but for heaven's sake provide appropriate areas for those of us who feel deeply uncomfortable sharing such facilities with different sexes.ViewDate:
21st Oct 2017Helen Highwater commented on:
Do you use vitamins and supplements?I don;t, but feel that perhaps I should. Hair and nails not great but do have an underactive thyroid, taking Thyroxine which might not be compatible with supplements. This is an interesting topic and I'd welcome others' views.ViewDate:
14th Sep 2017Helen Highwater commented on:
Should we be trying to look younger than we are?I'm happy with my sparkling silver hair and my 72=year-old (reasonably wrinkle-free) face. I wear make-up and clothes that suit me, I keep my hair clean and well-cut. I eat a healthy diet, drink plenty of water and sleep well. I have a young outlook and an enquiring mind, and for me that's more important than an unnaturally youthful face & figure. An old woman trying to look like a young woman doesn't work, in my opinion.ViewDate:
1st Sep 2017Helen Highwater commented on:
Will the Great British Bake Off survive on Channel 4?The adverts were a nuisance but I recorded it so just fast-forwarded. I was apprehensive about the new presenters (unfounded, they were fine) but I think C4 has been very clever in that they have kept the music, the opening film and the format, and it's all highlighted the fact that the most important part of the show is the contestants. I wondered if it could survive without Mary Berry who is my absolute favourite tv cook and all-round lovely person, but Prue Leith is lovely too and my fears have been allayed!ViewDate:
24th Aug 2017Helen Highwater commented on:
Is August too soon for shops to be stocking Christmas products?Yes, August is far too soon, we should wait until the end of October at least. The magic of Christmas has been spoiled by the greedy rush for profit, it's been made to seem like just a spend-fest rather than something traditional and lovely. Anyone who needs to get ahead for budget reasons can pick up bargains in the post-Christmas sales (I always buy my wrapping paper and cards then!) and during the year.ViewDate:
14th Jul 2017Helen Highwater commented on:
Is the greeting 'Ladies and Gentlemen' out of date?I totally agree with h20 - couldn't have said it better.ViewDate:
11th Jul 2017Helen Highwater commented on:
Should male and female Wimbledon tennis winners get the same amount of prize money?Equality seems to mean different things to different groups. Equal pay? Then play five sets. Simples!ViewDate:
9th Jul 2017Helen Highwater commented on:
Silversurfers Book Club Summer 2017After all the hype I was rather disappointed by The Couple Next Door. I was glad to finish it and don't particularly want to read anything else by this writer. On the other hand I absolutely loved Conclave. Brilliantly written and very absorbing, lots of insights into papal twists and turns, and a charismatic central character. Great stuff. The book I've enjoyed most this summer so far is The Versions of Us by Laura Barnett; beautiful writing, very interesting characters and a story that is three in one - I shed a tear at the end and I didn't want to finish this wonderful book.ViewDate:
13th Jun 2017Helen Highwater commented on:
Is it time to have a female Doctor in Dr Who?Definitely not a female Doctor Who; the wonderful Adrian Lester would be my choice.ViewDate:
9th Jun 2017Helen Highwater commented on:
Has Theresa May's power evaporated?This has been a "spite vote" from the Remainers, who don't care about our country. Feeling very unsettled and depressed, particularly as my grandson, who is 10, wanted Brexit as he didn't want his future tied to the corrupt EU! Do you remember how we gaily laughed at the thought of President Trump and Prime Minister Corbyn? Not laughing now.