On Sun, 01 Sep 2013 11:24:46 +0100, David Hill
wrote:

How the hell did our parents and grand parents survive?

It's why many mothers of younger children were not in employment
outside the home then. Now, it takes two salaries to keep a roof over
the family's head, also, many have had to move away from the extended
family (who might have helped with child care) in order to get those
salaries.

That said, it seems many parents of younger children now seem to
expect to spend more time and money on a social life than I remember
my parents' generation doing.

To bring this back on-topic, have you noticed that gardens are now
generally considered part of the living space, not an opportunity to
grow food?

Gardening on Wilts/Somerset border
on slightly alkaline clay underlying soil worked for many decades.