Monday 15 May 2017

Before Barnsley and after...


Last Wednesday was such a fabulous day! The sun shone - all day. It was warm. At last a proper May day. I went walking with the Ramblers from Sandy to Blunham; 7.8 miles. In the afternoon I had more errands to run in town.


I bought myself some new Mary Jane's in Kempston. I've been looking in the charity shops but so far no luck. I bought this turquoise pair. Palazzo pants; Jane Norman, charity shopped. Elephant top; charity shopped in Co. Donegal somewhere - can't remember where. Cardigan - Studio catalogue a couple of years ago.

Headscarf; charity shopped. All jewellery charity shopped except earrings which, of course are from Sainsbury's and the watch; Christmas present.

Thursday's outfit. Trousers; Bedford market last year; top; Red Cross 1.00 rail last Monday; cardigan; Christmas present; Mary Janes; charity shopped in Donegal.
I went out for a walk by myself and did 6 miles.

The youngest grandson took the photo above and likes to sit down when doing his photography, so I always appear to be looming in his photos!


All jewellery charity shopped.

On Saturday we set off for Barnsley. It was surprisingly quick to get to; passing Sheffield on the way. Hi Curtise!


Everything is charity shopped except the shoes; Tesco outlet store. David Emmanuel coat, also charity shopped.


Tunic; Donegal charity shop; white jeans; same.


All jewellery charity shopped.

Once we had booked into the hotel we went into town to look round the chazzas. We visited 7 charity shops in Barnsley; I bought two skirts; one by Barbara Hulanicki (of Biba fame) for 1.00 in the Arthritis research shop and a brightly patterned, M&S summer skirt for £1.39 in the  British Heart Foundation charity shop. I also bought two pairs of earrings 1.50;  4 bracelets for 1.00; a green top 1.00 and a pair of green suede winter boots for 1.99 in Age UK. I was very pleased with my haul and liked Barnsley town centre and market very much.


I didn't opt to wear either the green gloves or the new vintage coat to the reunion. The coat is heavy and the hotel was so hot; too hot in fact.  OH and I both woke up in the night because of the heat  even though we left the window open in the hotel bedroom! We're used to a cool bedroom...

I wore this black lace dress which I last wore to my niece's wedding in 2012; charity shopped (forgotten where) and the turquoise coat is by an unknown brand but was nice and light; also charity shopped. The shoes were bought with an M&S Christmas gift voucher years ago and are from the Twiggy range. Handbag bought on a rummage to Royston and Baldock last year.

We didn't think to take a photo together - doh!  But OH did get lots of video footage. He has a new phone and was trying the functions out.


All jewellery charity shopped except earrings and watch - presents from my daughter. The turquoise bracelet and ring were charity shopped from the Hospice shop in Kempston last week.


The reunion  evening went well  although it turns out that this reunion was not what I expected. It wasn't OH's battery reunion but another battery whose numbers have been depleted over the years. OH's full battery reunion is in September in Birmingham.

We set off at 10 am on Sunday morning after a big breakfast and were home 2 hours later!


Everything charity shopped. Tunic; Monsoon, RSPCA shop; snakeskin patterned jeans; Barnardo's. Can't remember which charity shop the orange shoes came from; they're so comfortable, and the headscarf was also charity shopped.


All jewellery charity shopped except the earrings which were donated to me by my daughter. That's my vest strap showing there; I can't quite summon up the nerve to stop wearing an under layer even though the weather is much warmer than it was. I'm obviously getting old...

The irises in my garden are blooming!

On Monday, I was volunteering at the Red Cross; we were frantically busy as two staff members were off and we have a visit from the area manager on Tuesday. Everything had to be up to date and neat and tidy. I hope to be trained to use the till from next week, so that when people are off I can cover the till on a Monday if needed.

This was Monday's outfit. I wore the green top I bought on Saturday in Barnsley for 1.00 and one of the 4 for 1.00 bracelets. It almost matches my necklace but is chunkier.



Everything is charity shopped except the Mary Jane's bought new last week. Jacket M&S; charity shopped in Kettering, M&S skirt; can't remember where I bought it, probably Red Cross!


All jewellery charity shopped.

I've booked the ferry to Ireland and I'm very excited as my best friend Hilary maybe coming with me. More about that soon...have a lovely week everyone.

25 comments:

  1. Back to Ireland again sounds very exciting. It does sound like a fabulous place. What lovely outfits this week. You looked great for the reunion. I love that green coat. Is it silk? It is very swish-looking. I really love Monday's outfit. The colours are fabulous together. Your irises are really gorgeous too, very painterly, and such vivid colours. I am still wearing my vests. Too cold otherwise. As they would say back home "never cast a cloot until May's oot" :) Xx

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    1. Thanks, Kelly!

      I had a discussion with one of my fellow walkers last week about that saying. She has always believed 'May is out'(or 'May's oot')to mean May (Hawthorn) blossom which fills the hedgerows in May!!

      Who knew?
      xxx

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  2. Hi! You look very nice in all your photos. Lovely way to style hair with colourful scarves!

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  3. I love your turquoise coat, very Jackie O! I bet it went down very well at the reunion. Loving those spotty bell bottoms in Wednesday's outfit, they fit you perfectly!
    Oooh! Another trip to Ireland. How exciting. xxx

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    1. Thanks, Vix!

      I'm not off to Ireland until July but it will be here before I know it...

      xxxx

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  4. I do love your taste in funky jewellery, and it's fantastic that it's practically all charity shopped. The charity shops here aren't usually great for accessories (though there are exceptions) and I pick up most of mine at flea markets. My favourite necklace this week is the one you are wearing with your last outfit, and how great that you found an almost matching bracelet! Although I was looking forward to seeing the coat, I really love what you wore for the reunion, and that turquoise coat is fabulous. I see you're off to Ireland again soon, too. Always exciting to look forward to a holiday. Not long now until mine! xxx

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    1. Thank you, Ann.

      I'm surprised that your charity shops don't have many accessories. My charity shop has so much jewellery we often send our surplus on to other stores and they do the same.

      I hope you have decent weather for your holiday in Wales. It's a lovely country.
      xxx

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  5. Love the scarves and jewelry, the styling is just spot on.

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  6. Loving your 'off to Barnsley' outfit, the coat is very smart. Also loving the scarves in your hair, especially the red one, such a good look on you. Seeing your pots reminds me that I need to go to the nursery....btw why have next door put their bike on the shed roof??? Your reunion outfit is gorgeous and all the better for having been charity shopped. Oh you're off to the van again, how exciting especially if Hilary goes too. I'm off again next month, also with a friend....last time was a washout as I felt so ill, but at least I cleaned the van. xxx

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    1. I didn't realise you were ill on your last trip Fi, what a bummer...

      Thank you for the kind comments.

      The neighbours used to have two bikes on that roof and they a small open alley runs behind that wall. One of the bikes was nicked last year - easy to just lift it off the roof and go. I don't know why they haven't removed the other one but I think it's had it and they'd be glad if someone nicked it! Our gardens are very small and their garden is even smaller than mine so they have little room to store things outside. At least our alley is covered and has a locked door!

      Years ago when the eldest grandson was younger he propped his bike up outside our house, popped in to pick something up and when he got outside, a woman was pedalling off into the distance on his bike! He never got it back!
      xxx

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  7. The lace dress you wore to the reunion is beautiful (as is the coat)and you look absolutely gorgeous. American hotels rarely have windows that open, opting instead for blasting air conditioning no matter the weather. I can't sleep in a hot room-there would have been complaints had it been I.

    You found Biba in a charity shop! as the kids say, OMG! OMG!

    Lovely irises. Have a good trip to Ireland.

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    1. Thank you, Goody!

      I don't think the skirt I found was from Biba, but it was by the designer, Barbara Hulaniki, who was associated with Biba back in the day when I was a trendy young thing in swinging 60s London. It's a draped black skirt - more for winter wear.

      I'm off to Ireland in July...

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  8. So many great outfits! The things that stand out to me are the wide-legged polka-dot trousers, the black long-line jacket, that fabulous lace dress ensemble (reunion outfit), and how gorgeous you look in green!

    Our irises are just starting to bloom here! I will trade you some of that warmth for our chilly days...

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    1. Thank you, Sheila!

      It's warmed up nicely here even though we had a deluge all day Wednesday...

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  9. You are a beautiful, elegant woman. Beautiful styling and jewelry.

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  10. Oh my I love what you wore to the reunion! Just stunning.

    You really are a testament on how fab you can look by shopping thrift.

    Have fun on your next travel adventure. I had a feeling fun follows you around.

    bisous
    Suzanne

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  11. What super colours, love how you everything together. And I just Love when you tie scarves around your head, they frame pretty face a treat. When I've tried doing that in the past, the scarf slips. Do you use hairgrips to anchor? And do you have a special knot that you use?

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    1. Thank you so much!

      No, I have no special knots and I don't use hair grips. I usually tie 3 knots in the headscarf. I got the idea from the'Alternative Ageing' blog. The link is here:

      http://www.alternativeageing.net/blog/2016/10/29/latest-video-on-my-passion-for-headscarves?rq=video%20on%20headscarves

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  12. You look fab all glammed up for the renunion. Though it must have been strange going for a 'reunion' with a different battery.

    Overheated hotel rooms are awful, they make sleeping a nightmare. Pete had to go to London this week, and complained that his room 'was on the surface of Mercury'!

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    1. Yes, it was a bit strange, Mim, and a bit awkward; neither of us enjoyed ourselves as much as we did at the first reunion with his battery a few years back.

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  13. Golly, how fab was that reunion outfit Vronni! I love the lace dress, but that jacket is rather fabulous too. I do hope you got lots of compliments.

    The headshot of you in the yellow top is one of my favourites and really shows off your glowing, healthy skin. And that silver bracelet was a great find - it does match your silver necklace so well.

    Greenhouse bedrooms in hotels are the worst kind of torture ever aren't they? I remember being in one of those airport hotels and getting up in the middle of the night to open the window. When I opened the curtain it turned out to be a false window that faced a brick wall. The air con rattled so much we had to shut it down so that we could get some sleep. Nightmare!

    Anna x

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