Tuesday 27 June 2017

Good bye....for now

All jewellery charity shopped.
Our heatwave finally departed last Thursday. On Wednesday it was 31 degrees and by Thursday it was much cooler at around 20 -21 degrees, cloudier and with a slight breeze. Thank God, I said.

This was last Tuesday's outfit. I just wore the jacket to and from my volunteering and stayed sleeveless the rest of the time - bingo wings and all!


Everything charity shopped except the watch (present) and sandals which I bought in the Clark's sale about six or even seven summers ago. Note I'm not wearing any bangles in these photos but see below...


The cotton trousers are by F&F, the jacket is by M&S and charity shopped in Kettering just before Christmas 2016. I've had this sleeveless navy top for donkey's years...

On Monday and Tuesday I volunteered as usual at the Red Cross and the Food Bank. When I was at the Red Cross on Tuesday afternoon I finally began my training on the till. Whilst the manager was training me, my colleague; who had been previously been on the till went out to the sorting area and took over from me. I'd been sorting the jewellery. 

When I got home from the shop I realised I wasn't wearing my bangles. The last time I'd seen them they were on the sorting table at the shop; I always take them off as they get in the way when I'm writing the price labels. Yes, you've guessed it - my colleague had priced them up and put them out on display! Luckily, they weren't sold and I picked them up the next day.

I had my hair cut and eyebrows done on Wednesday and ran a few errands in town which included a visit to the 3:16 shop. I bought a tunic and a couple of winter items for 1.00 each. When I finished I came home and stayed in the coolest room in the house reading.  I didn't do the Weds evening Summer Solstice walk as it was still too hot at 8.30 pm.

 I've relegated these trousers to the charity shop bag. They always wrinkle around my calves
I don't know why...




I managed to get out for a walk on Thursday and walked almost 6 miles in a much cooler temperature. 

This was Thursday's outfit - everything charity shopped except the shoes which are from local retailer PJ shoes. Trousers; H & M; t shirt; 1.00 rail somewhere; green kimono jacket from a 50 p bin in a charity shop. What a bugger it was to iron - I can see why someone donated it! I've donated it too...



All jewellery charity shopped.


I passed this colourful front garden on my walk and had to take a picture of it.

On Friday the weather was cool again so I went for another walk after the school run. I started out from Great Denham; having had a look in Barnardo's first, then walked to Kempston Mill: along the river Great Ouse to the Queen's Park area of Bedford. From there I walked back to Great Denham along the the other side of the river; 6.42 miles in total. Queens Park has a beautiful Hindu temple:



And on the return journey I saw these magnificent, huge willow trees:




Everything charity shopped. The yellow tunic is from the 3:16 shop on Wednesday and I bought the beads in Barnardo's. Jeans from Red Cross charity shop.


I can't remember where I got the white lace top but I bought earlier this year somewhere. Sandals also charity shopped.


All jewellery charity shopped.


On Saturday OH wanted to go for a rummage. We had thought of going to London where we could fit in a visit to his mum but we ended up going to Luton and Dunstable instead!

Everything I'm wearing above is charity shopped except the sandals - my comfortable Clarks. The kimono is from Primarni; the top is a M&S one and white jeans are from Matalan.


All jewellery charity shopped except the earrings - from Sainsbury's.


My jacket was much admired by total strangers. They were very surprised when I told them where it came from. When I was last in Devon visiting Hilary I found another similar one - also by Primarni;  it had a beautiful print on it and Hilary bought it.

Of course you want to know if I bought anything. I did. I bought some interesting mustard colour cotton trousers in the Red Cross for 1.99; a blue kimono jacket from the 1.00 rail in Keech Hospice and some padded hangers; a pair of earrings and a yellow sleeveless top for 2.00 in Age Concern. (The earrings seem to have disappeared. I remember taking them out of the bag at home but haven't found them since - they'll turn up somewhere). There were only six charity shops in Luton town centre which I found surprising. Bedford is a smaller town and has twelve. Dunstable had about five charity shops and I din't buy anything in them. I don't think I will be rushing back to Luton or Dunstable for some rummaging any time soon...


On Monday I stayed at the Red Cross until it was time to pick the grandchildren up from school. Two of the volunteers were off to celebrate Eid and the manager had a day off leaving just myself and the assistant manager. There were so many donations to sort and I served at the till, too.

This is what I wore. Everything is charity shopped except my underwear - and you're not seeing that! Jacket; Next, 1.00 Red Cross, zebra print trousers from Barnardo's last week: 2.49. Next top; charity shopped last summer.


Sandals; charity shopped.


All jewellery; charity shopped.

This is going to be my last post for a while. On Saturday I'm going to drive to Holyhead and catch the ferry to Ireland on Sunday morning. I should reach the van about 4 pm having stopped off at Lidl to do some shopping. As I've said before the internet connection at the site is both weak and intermittent so I doubt that I'll be able to post more than once every couple of weeks and then only when I'm somewhere with free wifi.

I'm so looking forward to the next couple of months where I will just be chilling out; reading, crocheting, walking; visiting family, sight seeing and a bit of charity shopping of course! I'm looking forward to having a few visitors to stay. I shall miss my children and grandchildren and OH but I will see them in Ireland. Whatever transpires I'll be back in September so I hope you all have a wonderful summer.

21 comments:

  1. Enjoy your break, Veronica! Your last few days sounds like fun - so glad you got your bangles back!

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  2. Have a wonderful holiday. I'll look forward to hearing about it when you return.

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  3. Yes have a lovely holiday,I will look forward to hear from you.

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  4. I'm glad you got your bangles back! Phew!
    Love that colourful garden, the Hindu temple and that wonderful Weeping Willow. We had a spectacular specimen in our garden - planted for my Mum's 21st birthday in 1963. We came back from India a few years ago only to discover we'd missed a particularly wet month and the poor thing's roots gave out. The neighbour never forgave us, one of the reason's she'd bought the house next door was because of the tree!
    The Primarni top and zebra trousers are ace and your hair is looking gorgeous.
    Have a wonderful time in Ireland. xxx

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    1. Thank you, Vix!

      What a shame about the willow tree. Why don't you replant one? I've seen them in the garden centres. You could plant it to mark a special occasion like your mum did - for your 50th or anniversary or something...

      xxx

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  5. Have a fab holiday, and see you in September! I bet Ireland will be beautiful.

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  6. Have a wonderful time at your van Veronica, will look forward to seeing what gems you return with.
    Sorry for two comments every time...I've been using my phone to comment at work as am experiencing major internet woes at home, for some reason it is duplicating my comments!?
    Xx

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  8. Have a wonderful vacay!

    bisous
    Suzanne

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  9. You're looking fabulous in Tuesday's outfit, and what a story with the bangles. I could see where that one was going ... I'm glad they weren't sold yet and you were able to get them back. Although it's good that the heatwave has subsided (I'm not good with hot weather at all), it was about 20°C cooler in the second half of our holiday, which was a tad too cold! Hope you'll be having a fabulous time in Ireland! www

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  10. My fave outfit has to be the one with that wonderful Primark kimono Veronica. I adore the pattern and colours and the length is perfect on you. I'm always amazed that your charity shop prices are so low - especially as you're not that far from London where I know they're so much higher.
    I hope you have a fabulous time in Ireland and hope that you get some good weather for your walking and general chilling out.

    See you in September!
    Anna x

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  11. That green outfit is stunning, No surprise strangers complimented you. A true Irish colleen in emerald green.
    How amazing to have such a long holiday, doing things that you enjoy. You will come back truly refreshed. Hope you manage to do a few posts so we can keep track on your escapades. And hope OH is going to keep an eye on your lovely garden! Mary, X

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  12. Hi Veronica
    I hope you're having a simply fabulous break in Ireland. I love that mustard top - you do find some great outfits!

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  13. Hope you had a great time, Veronica. I was quite taken aback when I saw your brooch in the top photo; my mum had one exactly the same. Is it Irish? I wonder what happened to mum's!

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  14. Mary. no I don't think the brooch is Irish although I don't know for sure as I bought it in a charity shop quite a few years ago. I always think that it looks very art deco in style.i can't even remember where i bought it but it was most likely in Bedford.

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