Friday 10 March 2017

A bit of a rummage

I have been doing a bit of rummaging this week...

I couldn't go walking last Friday as it rained heavily until 3 pm. I was so disappointed as I was looking forward to the Greensand Ridge walk, but it's no fun walking in the rain.


I bought these blue beads in the Red Cross last Monday. Earrings bought from Sainsbury's years ago. All other jewellery charity shopped.


Everything charity shopped except the boots - Christmas present 2015 from OH. The cardigan is from Monsoon and was 1.99 from the Red Cross. The trousers are by Roman and I think they were from Barnardo's in Ampthill. Can't remember where I bought this top; I've had it ages but it's a first time wear.

I went walking on Saturday with a different Rambler's group and did 6 miles in and around Sandy. I went early and had a browse around a couple of charity shops. I bought a silver necklace for £1.25.


Everything charity shopped. Dress from Red Cross; shirt from a £1.00 rail somewhere. Boots bought in St. Ives for 4.00. All jewellery charity shopped.


I bought these beads in my favourite charity shop in Killybegs, Co. Donegal for 2 euros. One of those bloody loops has escaped; I should cut them off but I like how they stop the garment falling off the hanger...I had to get rid of the checked shirt as, when I went to tug it down under the dress, my finger went through the material and ripped a big tear in it!


Monday's outfit. Everything charity shopped except boots - Christmas 2016 present from daughter. Youngest grandson took the photos so they're taken from a sitting down position! He won't be parted from his i pad that boy...


"Amari,  why don't you stand up and take the photo?"

I managed to find a replacement for my blue checked shirt in the Red Cross on Monday for 1.99.
There were so many donations to sort it was difficult to move round our sorting room - the Health and Safety people would have a field day in there. There was so much to get off the floor and into the storage room for steaming I didn't get a chance to sort the jewellery (which is my favourite thing to do) and there was a big box of it.


On Tuesday I was at the Guildhouse. It was a beautiful day and I'm sorry I didn't take advantage of the weather to go walking in the afternoon, but I'm trying to chill out when I've volunteered in the morning and catch up with blogs etc. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays are my walking days and Monday and Tuesdays are for volunteering. That way, I have a rhythm and a routine to my week and having been used to the structure of a working week; I wanted to keep some sort of structure in my life when I retired.


Everything is charity shopped except the red desert boots bought online and the watch - a present in 2012 from daughter.


I bought this chunky blue necklace recently for £1.50 in the Salvation Army. It's next door to Lidl so I usually have a quick browse. I definitely have an addiction to costume jewellery! All the jewellery is charity shopped.

Rain again on Wednesday morning so no walking with the Ramblers.
Instead I went into town to return some of my library books and I picked up our train tickets to London. We're going to London on Saturday to meet up with my eldest brother and to celebrate my birthday which is on Thursday 9th. My youngest brother is coming with his son, my nephew, and his other son who lives in London is also coming; as well as my daughter and my OH; there'll be 7 of us altogether. My eldest brother has booked a pub restaurant in or near Battersea Park. My eldest grandson is working so he can't come but we will be popping into his restaurant to say hello and maybe have a drink there, too.

It's much cheaper to buy the train tickets from our tourist information centre. I bought a group save - 5 of us travelling from Bedford to St. Pancras with underground zones 1 - 6 included; for 13.85 each. The same 5 tickets without the underground zones was 70.00 online - 14.00 each.

I bought this pot from the donations box at the 3:16 charity shop.
I also had a pleasant hour or so rummaging whilst in town. I bought a lovely colourful dress for 3.75 in Cancer Research which I'm planning to wear on Saturday. I couldn't believe my eyes as I left the Cancer Research shop with my dress (and a silver necklace bought for 1.75), because across the road was yet another (new) charity shop - a Mercy in Action outlet store. And it was the grand opening day! We now have 13 charity shops in Bedford town centre/bus station area and 10 others scattered about - 23 in total!

 Of course I couldn't resist a peek in the new charity shop and had a glass of fizz and some cake (only a teeny tiny bit, unfortunately) as soon as I got in the door. Did I buy anything? I'm afraid I did. A tribal printed woollen waistcoat from the Sweater Shop for 1.50; a white linen tunic for summer, 1.00; a deep blue linen grand dad shirt for 2.00, and finally a book by Elizabeth Taylor (not the actress) which is not one I've seen in the Virago editions. It's an old hardback called 'A Wreath of Roses'.


Thursday was my birthday. I was 63. I still feel 18 inside although I'm a lot more savvy than I was at 18!

 Everything is charity shopped except the red desert boots - bought on line. The skirt is by East and was bought from the Guildhouse about a month ago for 4.00.


All jewellery charity shopped.

Someone who shall remain nameless let the wax from the candles drip onto the cake...
I had a lovely birthday.  And it was a beautiful day; a warm and sunny 15 C degrees. After I did the food shopping I went for a 7 mile walk, and when I got home I had a wonderful birthday cake and lots of lovely presents - an Amazon Fire stick; a floral DAB radio; perfume; chocolates;  a bottle of wine; some earrings; new pretty knickers (much needed!) a beautiful box; perfumes; a CD and a very special scarf printed with  bloggers including me - see below.




On Friday, I did another morning at the Red Cross shop as the manager is off sick and they needed more volunteers. I don't mind the odd extra shift now and again. The day flew by before I knew it and I managed to sort a lot of the jewellery and get it out on to the shop floor.

Top, jeans and jewellery charity shopped. Jacket bought in a sale at Beales (a local department store now taken over by the Co-op). Boots; Christmas 2016 present from daughter.


I bought the earrings this week on my Wednesday rummage; 1.49 from the Heart Foundation. All the jewellery including the watch is charity shopped.

That's been my week - how was yours?


29 comments:

  1. Happy Belated Birthday to you!!
    How exciting to have that many charity shops on your doorstep. We used to have loads in Walsall but they've been boarded up now (along with most other things!)
    All your outfits are fab, my favourites are the head scarf, grey midi skirt and how good you look in blue! xxx

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    1. Thank you, Vix.

      Lots of charity shops is great for us bargain hunters but I'm not sure what it says for the local economy!

      Have a fab weekend.

      xxx

      Delete
  2. Happy belated Birthday! You are looking absolutely fabulous. I love the apricot cardi and your scarf/denim jacket combo. What a lovely and unusual gift that scarf is. Are you the second row from the top on the far left? The lovely red trousers and boots combo gives it away. All those charity shops sound like shopping heaven. Just realised that I am moving down to your neck of the woods a week today! (Apologies if that sounded a bit stalker-ish) :D Xx

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    Replies
    1. Kelly, thank you. I'm so very lucky, I know. That is fabulous news about your move - all the way from Scotland! Where in my neck of the woods? Do let me know. We could meet up and I could show you the chazzas round here...

      Have a lovely weekend - I suppose you're packing?

      Delete
    2. Hi Veronica, wow, that is really kind of you. I am moving to Rushden for work and will be commuting back and forth. Packing is in full force. It is a long way back if I forget stuff. Xx

      Delete
    3. Hi Veronica, wow, that is really kind of you. I am moving to Rushden for work and will be commuting back and forth. Packing is in full force. It is a long way back if I forget stuff. Xx

      Delete
  3. Happy belated birthday! Thursday was a gorgeous day too perfect birthday weather I think Spring really is nearly here. I love the skirt from East and how cool is that bloggers scarf??

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Gisela.

      Yes, when I saw the scarf on the 'Spygirl'blog I really coveted it. I sent the link details to my family and my lovely daughter bought it for me - all the way from America!

      Delete
  4. What an ace birthday outfit Veronica, glad you had a lovely day. What super gifts! Love the pretty vase you bought at the 3:16 shop (...why 3:16 ?? or am I being thick?) We can only boast seven chazzas in my nearest town. :(
    xx

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    1. Thanks, Fiona.

      No, you're not being thick - it is a bit of an enigmatic title. It's a Christian charity shop and 3:16 refers to verses from the Bible...

      xxx

      Delete
    2. Ah, well that explains why I didn't understand why it was so called!

      Delete
  5. Wow! Many gorgeous outfits there - and you look so very smart in all of them. You obviously have an eye for what looks good, whereas I buy something I like, only to find it really doesn't suit me when I get home with it. Never mind, it always goes back into the charity shop bag so they benefit twice over!
    I hope you find some swaps for your Persephone books, by the way. Best wishes - Rosemary x

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  6. A very Happy Birthday to you, Veronica! You look amazing - I especially like your birthday outfit. That jacket is smashing on you. Wow, so many charity shops, that's just unbelievable. My city only has maybe a dozen spread out all over. Wonderful outfits overall, as usual.

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    1. Thank you.

      I am so surprised Sheila, at that. I am guessing Vancouver has a lot more?

      Delete
  7. Belated Birthday greetings.You find so many wonderful things in charity shops, I don't have much luck with clothes - due to being a size(or two) too big!
    Re the Persephone books from Rosies ramblings. I have a duplicate of Mollie Panter Downes Good evening Mrs Craven - if that's any good. What are the 3 you already have as I would pay postage if they are ones I haven't got.
    colinorsue@hotmail.com

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Sue.

      Our charity shops quite often have larger sizes and they certainly have far more stuff now than they used to.

      Delete
  8. Happy birthday! It sounds like you had a good one. Your blogger scarf is super.

    That shirt must have been well-worn to tear so easily - how lucky you were able to replace it so quickly. I live in fear of old favourites wearing out.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Mim.

      I have a feeling the old blue checked shirt came from a 'home' somewhere; a name was inked on just under the collar....

      Delete
  9. wish you had a Happy Birthday (and lots of consecutive happy days). Sorry for a late comment!
    And you look fabulous in every outfit, love all the details, the beautiful bracelets and necklaces (we share our love for big beads), and the pretty ensembles. You rock your comfy&cool style, with lots of elegance!
    I like particularly your orange cardi, that blue dress (glad that you had a replacement for the shirt, as they made a fab ensemble) and also love your red outfit with that pretty waistcoat!. Your birthday outfit is really cool, and you rock your head scarf! fabulousness!
    besos

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Monika.

      I'm afraid I bought two more pairs of big beads this week...

      besos

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  10. Only just found your blog , Loving your style , I am planning to do some outfit inspired blogs soon too xxx

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    1. Yes, go for it!

      It's great fun and you learn a lot about what suits you and what doesn't. I look forward to seeing the posts.

      xx

      Delete
  11. Happy Birthday Veronica! You look like you've had a lovely week including the big day. I particularly love the scarf you tied in your hair along with the denim jacket - it's a lovely youthful look and one you ought to do more often as it's so flattering.

    One question - where on earth do you keep all of your jewellery collection? It seems to grow every week!

    Anna x

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Anna.

      I have too much jewellery, I know. I have three necklace hangers - a straight pieces of metal with rows of hooks - it's full to bursting. I have 5 single individual hooks; each one full of necklaces. I have bangles on an old mug stand then I have a set of three miniature suitcases full of bangles and bracelets. I have a box full of stud earrings; another one full of silver earrings (so they don't tarnish); a wall grid full of earrings and a decorative tree full of earrings. A miniature chest of drawers full of rings and box full of brooches. Oh and I have a jewellery box....you did ask!

      Have a great weekend

      xxxx

      Delete
  12. Happy Birthday, and many, many more!

    Your birthday cake is beautiful, melted candles or not. Such wonderful jackets this week, and you've found some beautiful necklaces.

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  13. I did n't get your blog email this week had to search Google, but I found you in the end.( think my computer is playing up) Love the outfits,I have the Roman orange Harem pants!

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  14. I don't know what happened there, Polly, sorry. Glad you caught up with me and I hope you receive this week's post which I've just posted.

    We must have similar taste if we share the same trousers - I do like a bit of colour and of course comfort is all!

    ReplyDelete

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