Reply #13: My grandparents were fairly well off

[Warpy]

although my mother remembers eating oatmeal three times a day for over a year, she did manage to eat something three times a day. Nobody took in boarders and they kept their own homes.

My paternal grandmother fed anyone who showed up hungry, always kept a pot of something on the stove. If my grandfather was around, they had to weed the flower beds after they ate, but my grandmother was a softer touch and just fed them and wished them well. I've already given food to homeless people in my area, so I guess that tradition will continue.

One thing that will change is that we're all going to have to rediscover the lost arts of mending and simple appliance repairs. I know how to do 'em both, but gawd, it's been nice not to have to.