Friday 22 July 2016

Heat, skip diving and swollen ankles...


Saturday's outfit.
Oh boy, it was hot and humid.

Dress, ASOS bought at Save the Children for £3.00. Leggings (only because I went walking and didn't want my legs scratched by nettles, thistles and rampaging wild grasses!) M&S. Flip flops, £2.00 in the Salvation Army, bought when I popped into town to the library to return the books I've read - and they're real leather!


This is taken with my new selfie stick.  Bangles, earrings and beads charity shopped. I look hot and bothered. You should have seen how I looked when I finished my walk of 6.5 miles; the sweat was rolling off my face and on to my clothes!


It was so hot my lipstick disappeared...

I helped out at the Rambler's stall on Sunday and it was very busy. After 2 hours of standing around in the heat as well as walking there and back; my ankles and feet swelled and I was shattered. My middle grandson came with me and managed to win a Brazil football shirt on one of the stalls so he was well pleased!

I was too tired to bother with photos on Sunday but I wore my new navy check Capri trousers and a navy top with orange and yellow accessories.

In case you're wondering what a group of Rambler's look like (!), here we are in front of the Albert Memorial in Kensington Park Gardens, London June 2016. As we were walking in London I didn't need to wear my regular walking gear. I've got a waterproof jacket (tied round my waist) and a rucksack but no water proof trousers or walking boots. Luckily, neither were needed.


Before volunteering on the stall o n Sunday, I was up and about at 7 am - thanks to the youngest grandson who had stayed over night - he's an early riser. By 9 am I had baked this honey cake and decorated it with lavender flowers from my garden. It was delicious.


For the first time ever, since I started there last October, I managed to leave Save the Children shop on Monday without a single item of clothing!


Nothing, nada, zilch. I'm very proud of myself!

Once again it was a scorching day and I wore all cotton garments to keep cool...


I look very dumpy in this picture but then I am dumpy, anyway! OH was focusing camera down on me which, I think, is not the most flattering angle. Must mention it to him. I'm still playing around with the selfie stick.


Everything charity shopped except the white cotton trousers from Lidl a few weeks ago. Shoes bought in Cancer Research in Ely, top from British Red Cross £1.99, last week.


There weren't many of us at the food bank on Tuesday. On holiday, I expect. I'll be joining them next Thursday!

 I'm playing about with the selfie stick here and yes, that's a pink clicker and the stick is pink, too, but what do I care when it was less than a fiver?


Trousers recent buy at British Red Cross as is the top, both £1.99 each. Not much jewellery, it was too hot!


I'm chuffed with these leather flip flops - £2.00 at the Salvation Army.


My right foot had begun to swell in the heat...


I'm really enjoying myself here! Necklace was my mum's. Earrings 50 p at Keech Hospice shop.


Gladioli were my mum's favourite flowers. I bought 2 bunches in Lidl for 1.79 each on Saturday.
The jug they're in is my oldest charity shop find. It dates to 1878 and I really like it. I bought it in the Keech Hospice shop in Kempston for £1.50 last year. Flowers always look good in it.

Next to the food bank where I volunteer on Tuesdays, there is a company that does house clearances. They always have a skip outside and items just sitting beside it. Last week I helped my self to a leather football, which, since it has been pumped up, (with a brand new football pump - essential if you have football mad grandsons) is absolutely fine.  I also 'rescued' a metal watering can. It turned out to have a teeny tiny leak but it's perfectly usable and could even be turned into another plant pot, if needed. This week they had a wooden steamer chair - very weathered; the wood had gone that silvery colour, but perfectly serviceable. It's sitting in my garden now!


I had a brilliant idea on Tuesday evening. Because it's been so hot I haven't been able to go walking much - but then I had a brainwave. Why not get up extra early, while it's cool and go walking? So by 6.55 on Wednesday morning off I set and I walked 7.5 miles. It was lovely; it was hot but not too hot. I got back home with plenty of time to do other things.


These are what might called 'bastard massive' trousers. A phrase coined by Vix of 'Vintage Vixen, here ! The trousers were charity shopped about 2 years ago. Top from F & F sale, (Tesco) last summer; sandals from Clarks 6 years ago. All jewellery charity shopped. I don't often do bare arms but it was so hot I didn't care.



What other things did I do? Well, I haven't been to Ampthill for a while, so off I set. I bought my daughter an electric rice cooker for £2.50; picked up some shorts and t shirts for middle grandson, bought my brother a glass tankard with 'Happy 60th Birthday' on it - he's 60 on Saturday. I also bought myself 2 tops; one from the £1.00 rail - a Lipsy top and it's coming to Spain with me. The other top is a denim shirt which I'll take to  Donegal. I have another wardrobe there...not much summer stuff though, because so far I haven't experienced much of the Irish summer. I always seem to miss it!

I have now packed away all my outfits for Spain, so for the next week I'll have to rely on what's left in the wardrobe. That shouldn't be too difficult; I've got loads of clothes...

I did the same thing on Thursday morning got up early and set off walking. I tried a different route today but went wrong somewhere in an enormous field - either that or the map is wrong; highly unlikely. Anyway, I saw this sign en route:


How sweet!

Strangely enough, I didn't see many bees but in the 'bastard massive' field, I have never seen so many butterflies/moths. It was a hay field and the hay had been cut and left to dry in rows.  The perimeter of the field was alive with a variety of moths and butterflies. It was wonderful. On this walk, I also saw a sparrowhawk resting on a pole, a crying buzzard, two beautiful hares and a lot of rabbits!

After I dropped the grandchildren at school on Friday morning, I set off for a walk. It was much cooler today and I had a great walk. This week I've walked 20 miles in total; 2 x 7 miles and 1 x 6 miles. I plan to do the same, get up early and walk, next Monday and Tuesday.



I was a bit pissed off today because of this. This is a 'kissing gate' designed so that only one person can go through at a time - but you could lean over the gate and kiss the person coming through behind you. No, I haven't done it yet! Anyway, it's at the entrance/exit to a field and a public footpath; the sign saying 'Public Footpath' is directly opposite it. But wait a minute - have you noticed it's been padlocked? This means it can't be opened, so access to the footpath is denied. Not to me, I climbed over the gate beside it. I shall find out who the landowner is and report them.  To whom I don't yet know but I'll find out! The footpath is a public right of way and the land owner cannot deny access to the public without a very good reason.

Despite this sort of thing occasionally happening, I absolutely love walking. I love walking on my own and  in a group. I love exploring the countryside and towns and villages. I love the sounds of the birds singing, love to watch the changing seasons and I love the high I get from simply getting out in the fresh air and experiencing the elements. It's a great way to clear your head or think a tricky situation through. Whatever it is with walking, I always feel better for it.




Everything charity shopped except the shoes which are from a local shoe outlet.

I'm off to visit my son tomorrow and then in the evening we're going out for a 60th birthday meal with my two younger brothers. My older brother has a gig in Trowbridge tomorrow night so can't make it. I plan to chill out on Sunday and enjoy the weather; if it's not too hot I might squeeze in another walk. I'm on the last of the library books, too, so I have just managed to squeeze them all in.

We are in for a lovely weekend so I hope yours is fabulous!
xxx

9 comments:

  1. You've managed to stay perfectly stylish in the heat-and I LOVE the bastard-massive trousers.

    I confess to taking exercise this week at the mall. I wasn't alone either, as everyone else seemed to have the same idea to enjoy the air conditioning whilst walking the "track" indoors. I didn't do any shopping, though I did avail myself of several spritzes of expensive perfume passing through the department stores. An hour and a half of "power-walking" in the mall at a time has helped me keep my sanity this week, though it really is dead boring. I'd rather be outdoors.

    I hope your heatwave ends soon.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's much cooler today, Goody (Monday) but still warm. I'm not complaining!

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  2. oh this heat, I'm rubbish in hot weather, we are meant to be packing and sorting the house out but I'm going nowhere fast. How have you managed to look cool and chic? I'm a hot, sticky, red faced mess!

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    Replies
    1. I'm also a red faced hot sticky mess - just luckily not when these photos were taken!

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  3. I love the bastard massive flares - they look wonderfully stylish! Great score on the leather sandals, too. You've done a brilliant job of looking fabulous in the heat - I've seen some horrific sights on my travels this week.
    Your grandson's cake is a work of art, what a gifted lad he is.
    Padlocking the gate on a public right of way? The cheek of it!
    xxx

    ReplyDelete
  4. I hope they get the padlock sorted, that's very naughty.

    The skip sounds like a skip of delights.

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  5. There's lots here Veronica! It's definitely not hot and humid now. Good job you're in Espana! When my bf takes photos of me I always look a sight, dumpy and proper ug. Thank goodness we get to choose which pics we show!! Homemade cake, mmmmmm! I like you bare armed and with massive flares. Muy bien! Oh yes, that old farmer Palmer trick. They all try it. It's either padlocks or bulls in the field. Good luck with the protest! Xxx

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