Vronni's Style Meanderings

I'm sorry to say that the problem with the blog I and many other bloggers experienced a couple of weeks ago is back. I get google+ notifications that I have a comment but when I click on it to get to the blog it's not there. I can't even read the notification in it's entirety so its pretty frustrating all round. I'm hoping the problem will be resolved by the time I return on 7th April. Here's hoping! Wishing you all a blessed and peaceful Easter.

Yes -  we're off to Donegal on Easter Sunday for 11 days. I'm getting excited now and can't wait for Sunday to come.  When I retired in March 2014, one of things I bought with my occupational pension lump sum was a mobile home in Co. Donegal, Ireland.  I had been  returning to Ireland regularly since 1997 for holidays. I often stayed with relatives and sometimes in rented cottages, but I really wanted a base as I knew I would be visiting Ireland regularly in the future as long as my health and mobility held  out.   This is 'Ruby Super'. She sleeps 8. Her decor is a bit dated but I don't mind. We're only here for between 6 - 8 weeks a year and she's very comfortable. (When the youngest grandchild can go to school by himself I will probably stay for longer spells). The only drawback is she is not centrally heated; I couldn't afford a centrally heated one. The windows on the right hand side look out onto St. John's Point, which is

On Wednesday we went walking in Sandy and did just over 8 miles. This rather beautiful house (complete with garden waste bin!) was on one side of our walk starting point  at Beeston Green; Sandy, Bedfordshire on Thursday. It was an amble and we walked 5.5 miles.  This green, which was one of the biggest village greens I'd ever seen, had 44 different varieties of trees! As we returned to our starting point we passed an information board which told us that part of the route we had just walked was called the Skylark Walk. It was true  - we heard and saw so many Skylarks including one flying up from her nest on the ground. The sound of skylarks is one of my most favourite sounds. On Saturday I went out walking by myself and did 5 miles. I walked from  the village of Ravensden to the outskirts of another village called Wilden and back to Ravensden -  I did a big loop. These are some of the beautiful houses I passed. There's somethi

I actually managed to leave the Save the Children charity shop on Monday without anything for myself! I did get a few bits for the two youngest grandsons  - so not completely empty handed. After walking on Wednesday I was still in a decent enough condition; i.e. not covered in mud with muddy boots, to do a bit of rummaging on my way back home.  I had some birthday money left even after buying a badly needed new pair of waterproof walking trousers. As always happens I then found a perfectly good pair of walking trousers (although not waterproof), and in another colour for £3.99, when  I went to Ampthill; a very small market town with only 4 charity shops. I'm trying to be sensible with my purchases now as I have too many clothes. This time I was looking for clothes for my holiday in Spain. I've already picked up a skirt from a charity shop for summer here  and a greatly reduced, brand new,  pair of sandals at the Tesco outlet shop for £4.00. This is what I've bough

Because I'm getting older my memory is not as good as it was. That's my short term memory I'm referring to. I used to have a marvellous memory for names although that is getting rusty now. Apparently long term memory is retained really well as you age. So, I'll have lots of memories I can look back on. This is one from 3 years ago, on my eldest grandson's 18th birthday. There he is combing his hair - as usual! Today, is his 21st birthday.    (Three years ago I used to dye my hair to cover my grey. I stopped dyeing it in December 2014 and I have no regrets at all.  I wrote a post about it here  .My scalp is also a lot less itchier)! To return to the memory theme.  I was present at this and the youngest grandson's birth and what magical moments they were. Now the eldest is at university in London; working his socks off  in a restaurant when not at uni and I'm very proud of him. We're off out again this Tuesday evening to eat and celebrate hi

Yes, the fun continues... Off out for dinner with my OH and brothers on Friday evening. We went to Kettering to an Asian restaurant. Everything except watch, boots and earrings is charity shopped. The black and white check Zara trousers were my latest acquisition last Monday at British Red Cross,, £1.99 . Orange top Next; charity shopped; black jacket; David Emmanuel, charity shopped. The restaurant in Kettering is one we've been to several times before and the food is delicious. I had Goan fish curry. It's probably the closest I'll get to Goa! For dessert I had a fabulous mango and coconut ice cream creation... On Saturday I went to visit my son and I wore my new OTK boots, my lovely daughter bought me for my birthday. Everything charity shopped except boots, leggings and leather jacket. Tunic; Age UK sale rail £1.49, waistcoat/sleeveless jacket; The Children's Society. I love the boots. I love the colour and they are s

This was me on my birthday on Wednesday - just about to cut my cake! Skirt charity shopped in Donegal last year. Top £1.00 rail at Keech Hospice worn over a floral top charity shopped about 5 years ago. Earrings, beads and bangles all charity shopped. Although you can't see them, I wore grey ankle boots charity shopped a couple of weeks ago. I had a lovely birthday. 62 years old and I still feel 18 inside! That's the weird thing about getting older; your body changes and ages, but inside you're the same person you always were. I wonder if I'll feel the same in my 70s and my 80s - should I live that long. If I'm still blogging I'll let you know! I got some lovely presents. Some walking poles and some tan over the knee boots from my daughter. I've had a hankering for OTK boots for a while but all the ones I saw had high heels. Unfortunately, these were a little too porn movie for me; then the lovely  Anna  of 'Anna's Island Style'

There has been a problem with Blogger which has affected my blog. I can't always see the comments people leave me although I get the Google+ notification telling me I have comments and it allows me to see maybe two lines of the comment but no more.  When I have replied to a comment, or in one case, when one reader replied to my post - both the comments and replies disappeared!   As a new blogger I find the comments  people leave me both encouraging and enjoyable and without them there seems little point in blogging.  The Blogger help forum is full of people with similar complaints to mine and the problem has persisted since 25th February. I am therefore removing the Google+ link as a temporary measure to see if improves the situation. Please bear with me.

This is the fifth and final kimono in my wardrobe. It was actually the first one I ever got - a Christmas present from my daughter, about two Christmases ago. I wore it on Saturday with slouchy jeans, charity shopped at British Red Cross shop, £1.99. A green top from La Redoute, bought in their sale about 4 years ago. Black creepers on line retail. Earrings from Sainsburys, of course! Necklace bought recently in a local shop -'Lola and Simi'. Bangles and watch charity shopped. This is what I wore to go out with my daughter on Mother's Day. I had planned to wear a dress but it was cold and I'm going out next Friday with my brothers for a birthday meal, so I'll wear a dress then. Everything I'm wearing apart from the boots, jacket, and earrings is charity shopped. Trousers Age UK £1.99; grey spotted shirt charity shop last year - can't remember which one; white jumper £1.00 rail Keech Cottage Hospice shop; boots donated to me by my daughter; jack

After a monochromatic look last week I wanted more colour on Monday.  Plus, it's springtime! I bought this yellow dress from E bay before Christmas. It looked asymmetric in the photos on line- it isn't - but I do like the colour. I used to really dislike yellow and for some reason I now love it! I wore the dress with my colourful Bench top bought from the 3:16 Christian charity shop. I also wore one of my gold brooches just underneath the scarf.  The scarf, from Zara, was a birthday present from oldest (and newest!) brother. He's 11 months older than me and we met for the first time in March 2013 - almost 3 years ago. I am going to write a post about my 'new' brother at some point.  Earrings are a new addition from Sainsburys, bought when they had 25% off. Lapis lazuli ring is my favourite of all my rings and was bought as a treat for myself about 10 years ago. The tights were bought in a charity shop ages ago and I've o