It’s wizard in Oz
HOW different life has been during the pandemic for my 18-year- old grandson, who lives in britain, and my granddaughter, 17, in australia.
My grandson passed his driving test, so freedom and independence beckoned, but not for long. He has missed socialising with his friends and has had to self-isolate twice.
He has followed all the restrictions, studied hard as he hopes to go to university, gone for walks and gets on well with his parents. We have a Facetime cooking session once a week and enjoy a chance to chat.
Contrast this with the experience of my granddaughter in new South Wales. early on there were a few restrictions and panic buying, but life has mainly continued as normal.
Since passing her driving test, she has been a social butterfly with trips to the beach, friends’ houses and for meals out in restaurants.
GILLIAN OLIVER, Southam, Warks.
I’M WITH Kirstie Allsopp, who sparked controversy when she posted a picture on Twitter of her ironing board with a stack of neatly folded tea towels. I used to press shirts for three men in the family and, boy, was it a bit of light relief to find a few tea towels in the ironing pile. Another reason to iron tea towels is that it’s the only way to get them all in my kitchen drawer. That’s also the reason why I iron underwear and socks. Ironing is quiet, calming and therapeutic.
CAROLE STIMSON, London SW27. LIFE is too short to iron tea towels. One of the upsides of lockdown is that with no school uniforms, work shirts or blouses to worry about, the ironing board is gathering cobwebs. I am at a loss to understand why some people go to the trouble of pressing tea towels. Just shove them in a drawer until they are needed. and then put your feet up . . .
M. SPRINGER, Reading, Berks. I SAVE up my ironing for when I listen to The Archers omnibus on Sundays. I always iron tea towels, pillowcases, handkerchiefs and pyjamas. It really is satisfying to end up with a pile of crease-free clothes and linen. It’s not a chore, it’s cathartic. ROSE JONES, Shrewsbury, Shropshire. FOR years I’ve been extolling the therapeutic benefits of the ironing board. It should be on GPs’ list of prescriptions, saving millions of pounds on antidepressants. Smooth out the nation’s problems with good old ironing.
R. MCCAULEY, Bangor, Co. Down. THE topic of ironing tea towels brought a wry smile to my face. When we were last able to socialise, I was enjoying a cup of tea with friends. One of them said: ‘I iron my dusters!’ I said: ‘So do I.’ Another lady commented: ‘I don’t.’ And Dawn said: ‘What’s a duster?’
WENDY JENNINGS, Tadley, Hants. DO I have the oldest tea towel that is still in use? made of a linen and cotton mix, it’s red and white and was given away as a promotion for Oxo in the 1960s. and, of course, it’s always been ironed!
B. MICHAEL, Crawley, W. Sussex.