sparrer

Should have read 'careers', embarrassed to admit I got an A in English Lit!

Good grief no, students today have access to mobile phones, laptops, tablets etc., we didn't even have calculators! We learned by using our own brains, by reading, visiting libraries etc., yet results were no different, those of us who wanted to learn did, others decided they were happy being hairdressers and mechanics. Several of my school friends went to uni then on to carers in business, medicine, politics and so on and are on the whole comfortably retired. Too much is made of exam results by the media year on year and it will never change.

As a Stones fan I never liked the Beatles but will concede that Hey Jude is a decent song. The rest is commercial tat.

I''m very fortunate that I could afford to pay for the licence but agree that it should be means tested. Why shouldn't those retired people who go on cruises, have holiday homes, etc pay for a licence? Why should those who have struggled all their lives to make a living, perhaps with no spare cash to put by for retirement, have to pay? I work in a charity whose clients come from both ends of the financial spectrum and it's the better off who complain most The poor struggling pensioner is mostly resigned to being robbed by just another big corporation which is so very wrong. I doubt the BBC has taken into account the cost of policing this proposed system though, and will eventually charge everyone regardless of age or situation, the same.

I have copd and heart disease, and have stayed fitter through singing than by taking too many prescription drugs. Singing is wonderful exercise for the lungs and improves the mood. It is well known that singing also helps the memory which is why many organisations for people with dementia/alzheimers have singing sessions for their clients, so a double benefit. Not sure my neighbours always approve though!

Don't drink so I wouldn't be able to tell if it's supposed to taste of vinegar or Chateau d'expensif!

Whatever is his world coming to that everyone has their head down looking at their mobile phone, and now thinking of a robot for 'company'. If this is progress bring back the days when neighbours actually spoke to, and looked out for, each other. The 'good old days' may not have been perfect but had more benefits to real people than the techno-world we live in now.

I don't think it would have been on my bucket list 25 years ago, but today in my 70's I would love to experience something so regal and elegant. It would be an incredible memory to look back on, and what a wonderful reason to put on my finery. I would be a little uncomfortable asking for just water to drink though, as I don't like alcohol.

Watched the programme a couple of times, it was the cheapest, nastiest television I've ever experienced. While some people like their 5 minutes of fame this is a very dangerous way to get it and I'm pleased it's now been removed permanently. Germy Vile should never be allowed on television again, I wonder how many relationships/friendships he has broken up with a lie detector that can never be classed as 100% guaranteed safe. I'm more than a little surprised that the sad death of a person after his appearance hasn't happened long time ago.

Haven't had an alcoholic drink for 15 years so the only difference would be in the price. They would both have the same negative effect on me.

It's all been done before, now there are as many 'political parties' out there that we never hear of. A bit like pieces of junk floating around in space, really.

Never seen it, no reason to start now.

Boxing week? Black Friday? January Sales before Chirstmas? I worked in retail a few years back and shops still do as they did then, buy in tat and sell at give away prices to lure people to spend money. It's sad that we can't appreciate what we have any more and that clothes as,well as many other items, are so cheap they're disposable (but seldom recyclable putting a strain on the environment). What happened to buying a decent capsule wardrobe to build on and to last years instead of cheap goods purchased for pennies from sweat shops all ovre the world?

There's no fun any more, nothing left to look forward to and celebrate, thanks to greedy killjoy manufacturers who want to push substandard goods down our throats while robbing our purses.

Your article says that 'Nowadays, people count from Dec 25 and so assume Twelfth Night falls on 6th'. As far back as I can remember 12th Night has always been the 6th January, Epiphany, as it was in my mothers and grandmoters days. That's going back some 120 years so not a new thing at all. My decorations and tree will continue to come down on 6th :-) .

That should have read Haven't had an alcoholic drink since 2005 !

Have had an alcoholic drink since 2005 so my 'yes' answer is a bit of a cheat but couldn't really put no!

Utterly ridiculous, who dreams up this sort of nonsense? We may as call women wopersons, the menopause the personopause, etc. It's just mental - sorry, persontal!

Thank you Wilf for your reply. Another problem is that technology isn't made to last today, washing machines are full of bells and whistles whereas not so long ago (or was it?) we thought we were the bees knees if we had a heat setting. My laptops last approx 4 years and my tablet died after 2. Frustrating but I have learned to accept that I can't save for holidays as I used to, I must save for a new washing machine to wash the clothes I can no longer take on holidays because I need a new washing machine.....! Incidentally I misread your quote 'cars are back in the stone age' as 'cars are black in the stone age - also true!

I don't agree with brexit but in my humble opinion think it's too late to delay, let's just get it over with now and we'll just have to sort out the mess when we're on our own. Also a delay would possibly incur more £billions, we can't afford what's been taken from our pockets now let alone give more to the EU.

We replace everything too soon, partly due to advertising, partly 'keeping up with the Joneses' and partly because credit is too wsy to come by. I don't buy new mobile phones, my son-in-law gives me his old ones and I give my 'old' ones to the Medic Mobile charity. I bought a £10 kettle and toaster set, they boil water/make toast and have lasted 17 years so far. My sewing machine is 49 years old and sews, hems, embroiders etc. I could buy 'desirable' new items but why waste my money when I have perfectly usable tech/elec already?

Get a doll, have a baby but leave all animals alone. Some say their animal enjoys it, poppycock! An animal can't voice an opinion, can't say it doesn't like it, so who does it amuse? Only the owner who should know better.

A yes and no, I loved looking after my grandchildren so their mother could work but they're all grown and have their own careers now. My daughter has a grandson whom she babysits so she's now enjoying what I did.

No, not now. I had lodgers/paying guests when I was younger but found it quite restricting, for instance I couldn't sit around in my dressing gown. Being a little bit hard of hearing I'd worry about disturbing them if I had my music or television too loud, and sometimes I leave the dishes until the end of the day if I feel like it. I'd be happy in a flat where there's a communal area but still be able to retain my independence (and slovenly habits!)

Not sure about this question, it's rather like saying are you too old to take your grandchildren away. We don't sit in our rocking chairs with just memories these days! I've taken 4 grandchildren on UK holidays, and individually to various European places. Some want to stop in their teens but when they grow up we're off again!

Not usually my sort of viewing but I was so gripped by this I didn't even answer the phone. It would be interesting to see where a second series could go, I'd certainly welcome one.

A difficult one, I live 10 miles from my daughter and family which works well, we have one day a week together for shopping etc. My son is in business 200 miles away and now has a wife and child so I can't see them often. Moving between the two isn't an option, I'd be 100+ miles from both so I accept that I have to travel to see my son and his family.

Well said Dougie!

Difficult one, I sleep less at night, perhaps 4/5 hours but more in the daytime, 2/3 hours.

No I won't. 22 grown men kicking a bag of wind makes them millionnaires. Thousands of NHS and other essential staff working for a pittance that some have to use food banks. When a government, any government, has the guts to turn the tables I might consider watching it, but as it's never going to happen my answer will remain the same.

I could possibly forgive most things but absolutely not infidelity. A person doesn't go from their partners bed to someone elses without a second's thought for the consequences. After 23 years of what I thought was a happy and contented marriage I found I had been cheated on in the most despicable way - with my adopted child, no less. Our relationship was rekindled after 26 years apart, I was so very happy to be reunited with her, now between them they have devastated my life and any trust I may have had for human'kind'.

Don't like Oreo, love fudge. It weren't broke so why did they try to fix it?

Yes I do, same one every year - not to set a New Year's Resolution. Never broken it yet!

I've said no I wouldn't give up bacon etc. I may reconsider but only if there were 100% definite proof that it will give me breast cancer. Until then, as another Slimming World member I'm happy to continue with their suggestions, and enjoy my full English a couple of times a week.

I don't 'celebrate' 12th Night, I just appreciate a clean and tidy house on the 6th Jan when I put the (minimal) decorations that have been collecting dust for three weeks back in their boxes.

I take my own home-made fabric bags. If you're not a sewer see youtube for a tutorial on how to make a bag from an old tee-shirt, no sewing involved. Charging to advertise a shop on a bag doesn't sit well with me any more than people wearing designer labels on the outside of clothes (which I don't). Why wait until 2040 to eliminate avoidable plastic waste? There are so many ways of living a normal life without it, without killing off even more land and sea creatures. Manufacturers should only be allowed to produce biodegradable plastics which break down in months instead of the years it takes for most types. Giving them a year to change their machines etc should be more than enough time.

I don't shop on 'Black Friday' or any of the following days with the same name. By shopping around I know I can find any needs for a lot less and have proved it on more than one occasion, so no need to follow this American craze invented by greedy merchandisers.

Two brothers in the Royal family marrying pretty girls from 'outside', let's hope this isn't history repeating itself and they all stay together this time. I'll keep an open mind and hope standards pick up again through them.

The woman has been dead 20 years, I never cared for her and don't now. I do care that close family members of a deceased person should be allowed privacy. It's just decency.

'Scientists, academics, experts' will ask the Government to ban tackling and scrums in schools. Oh, really? Experts? The experts on the rugby field are the coach and players, not someone collecting numbers. Anything can be proven in a graph, next it will be hockey, too many bruised ankles, tennis, the ball might hit a player, netball, too much reaching for the net could cause back strain... I give it another 20 years and we'll all be walking around wrapped in cotton wool!