Catching Up and My Black and White Challenge

Necklace bought on Saturday rummage with Hilary at the 3:16 charity shop, 1.50. All jewellery is charity shopped.

My best friend Hilary came to stay with me at Bank Holiday weekend. And because it was a bank holiday she stayed an extra day which was wonderful. We spent Friday afternoon catching up. On Saturday we went for a rummage to Rushden and Kempston. Hilary loved the Sally Army shop in Rushden and declared it to be one of the best charity shops she had ever been to. I know Kelly of  'Mother of Reinvention' here would agree! I bought some necklaces and a pair of thick winter walking socks. An odd combination I grant you. In Kempston I bought a t shirt  (see below) and a pair of sandals. My charity shopping mojo had been revived!

On Sunday we went for a walk in the village of Sharnbrook; here we had walked up a little lane to see what was there and I took the opportunity to take a photo. I also took Hilary on my 'Bedford Blue Plaque Walk' on Monday. She had never seen so much of Bedford before and I've lived here for 37 years, now!

Hilary bought a couple of sunhats in Primarni - they were much needed it was a very hot weekend!

I was sad to say goodbye to Hilary but we're off to Cornwall in half term (daughter and I and two youngest grandchildren) and as Hilary doesn't live too far away in Devon she's going to come and stay for a few days.

This is the t shirt I bought for 1.99 in the Cat's Protection League. The jacket was bought retail a few years back in Beales sale - our local department store; the trousers were from the Guildhouse 3.50, and the shoes were retail.

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

When Hilary went to Primarni on Saturday morning to pick up a few things I bought this lipstick there for 1.50. It's called 'Dark Pink' and is a lovely colour; a pinkish brown. Unfortunately, it doesn't last very long because it has a glossy finish; even though I blot and reapply several times. Glossy lipstick just does not stay on which is why I don't often wear it.

I'm suffering from Wisteria envy!
I took photos of the glorious flowering wisteria on my Blue Plaque Walk which I led for the group last Friday. We have wisteria on our back garden wall and it has crept up to the second storey of the house BUT after 5 years of growth we have only ever had one blossom!

I wish this wisteria was mine...

People enjoyed my Blue Plaque walk and several said that although they had lived in Bedford for years they had not noticed all the plaques I included in the walk...16 in total and 7 miles of walking.

On Saturday I went to see my son. It rained all day...

Everything is charity shopped except the bag - online retail. The shoes were bought in a charity shop in Ely; trousers were from the 1.00 rail in the British Red Cross shop; the tunic was from there at 1.99 as was the jacket.

I do miss that shop. When I was volunteering there just before it closed down last October; this lovely turquoise linen M&S jacket had been on the rail for weeks - at 1.99! I couldn't understand why no one had bought it. It wasn't for me because it was a size too small. One day I was feeling very sorry for the jacket and decided to try it on anyway and guess what - it fitted! The motto here is always try things on and pay little attention to sizing unless it's obviously really tiny or too big...

All jewellery charity shopped.

Now, here's a strange thing. I have 8 pairs of  black and white summer trousers in my wardrobe. How did that happen?   They're all different and one pair - a pair of palazzo pants I've had for years. I love black and white and there are obviously lots of black and white trousers around and so I've picked up pair after pair. As I have so many pairs I am setting myself a challenge to wear all 8 pairs over the next couple of weeks each outfit being completely different with the exception of the footwear. So, here's Number 1 of 8....


                                                                                                                                                                                 I wore this on Sunday. We went to our local car boot sale but it was cancelled. I must paint my toenails...                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

                                                                                                                                                                    Everything charity shopped except the kimono which was a Christmas present. I can't remember where I got the zebra print trousers from.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

                                                                                                                                                                           More Wisteria envy. 

I passed this house in Biddenham village whilst out for a walk on Thursday. And I've also had to insert an image to avoid a huge gap and some weird stuff going on with my alignment....                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

I've been busy reading Jane Smiley's 'The Last 100 Years' trilogy which follows the fortunes of an American farming family for three generations and is essentially a history of the USA in the last 100 years. All three books in the trilogy are fat paperbacks, the last one had 703 pages. 

I've also been  watching the series on BBC 4 on Saturday nights 'Salamander; 'The Split' on BBC 1 on Tuesday nights; (I love Nicola Walker - such a good actress) and of course the new series of 'The Bridge' on BBC 2 on Friday nights. 

When I'm not reading or watching TV in the evenings. I am carrying on with the 8 row Granny crochet squares I should soon have enough to join all 49 together with the JAYG (join as you go) method in cream wool.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  They're stacking up nicely. I block the squares using a method saw on Pinterest. Cheap kneeling pads and wooden skewers used for kebabs and in my case testing whether or not my cakes are cooked in the middle.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         On Monday as it was such a beautiful day I decided to go for a long walk. I recced a new walk but it was 9.3 miles; a bit too long for the Wednesday Rambler walks, I think. Anyway, I really enjoyed it because I had tried to recce it before and took a wrong turning.

This time I used my OS map extensively and it worked. I felt such a sense of achievement. It felt so good to say; right after this by way I should come to a road - and I did! Or, once the footpath forks to left I should cross a stream  - and I did! On the other hand I forgot to bring my hat and got a bit sun burnt on my face; not good for the wrinkles at all.

This was what I  wore to volunteer on Tuesday at the Food Bank and library in the afternoon. Another beautiful sunny day.

Everything charity shopped. The skirt was from the Red Cross 1.99 and I think the yellow M&S linen jacket was, too. The shoes were bought in a Donegal charity shop for 3 euros. I've had the camisole for years and years.

All jewellery charity shopped.

I bought the earrings in Donegal - made by a local artisan; I like to support local artisans when I can.

 Black and white trousers outfit no 2.

Everything charity shopped. Coat 1.99; Red Cross. Tunic 99 cents; Dublin charity shop. Black shirt; 1 euro jumble sale in Ireland. Can't remember where I got the shoes, scarf or trousers from which are by H&M.

All jewellery charity shopped.

I've got a busy weekend ahead as it's OH's birthday on Saturday and we're off for a rummage in the day (definitely got my charity shopping mojo going...) and meeting up with the brothers in the evening for a birthday meal. Next week I am invigilating at the university where I used to work; I am hoping to go walking on Monday by myself and with the group on Wednesday and Friday. Next Saturday we set off for Cornwall, so there will be lots to tell you about in my next posts -  and there are 6 pairs of black and white trouser outfits to get in as well. I bet you can't wait!

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend.
xxx