Our Indian Summer..and no more shine!

All jewellery charity shopped. Red earrings picked up in the Salvation Army for 1.00 on a recent visit.

I still can't believe our wonderful Indian Summer!  As I write this it's the end of the second week in October and we've been having sunny, warm days with temperatures between 20 - 23 degrees. I just don't remember this happening before but I'm sure the experts would disagree with me.

At the food bank on Tuesday I was so pleased to see the Harvest donations are once again refilling our depleted shelves. People are so generous. Thank you!

 I wore this:

Everything charity shopped except red boots - online retail.

I bought this jacket/cardigan in the Cat's Protection League when I went for a rummage there a few weeks back. It was 3.99.

The trousers are by Laura Ashley and the white top is by La Redoute. I can't remember which charity shops I bought them from but both are from a couple of years  ago.

It was a beautiful day on Tuesday: 23 degrees....

 I went walking with the Ramblers on Wednesday. Another glorious day, 22 degrees. I rely on the gadget in the car to give me temperature readings but it was hot and sunny. We walked from the village of Broom (!) to Langford to Biggleswade and back -  7 miles. This is the village green at Broom and I thought these trees were magnificent in their autumn finery.

As I wasn't far from Biggleswade which has three charity shops; I stopped off for a look. I didn't intend to buy anything but I am looking for tunic type jumpers so I can wear shirts or blouses underneath them. I didn't find any in Biggleswade but I did buy a Desigual fine knit long tunic in colourful stripes for 2.95. I couldn't resist it -  I can wear a thick cardigan over it as well as wearing it with a long sleeved top and leggings underneath - see below. I also bought some bangles; 3 for 1.00. And I bought two bunches of lovely flowers for 1.00 each, from outside a florist. I guess they must have been near their sell by date; I didn't care!

Roses, freesias and some fancy filler plants. Jug charity shopped about ten years ago. You can just make out two very pretty tins which originally contained loose tea from Harrods. They were part of the Harvest donations at the food bank, but both were more than three months out of date. When goods are this much out of date they are sent to Twinwoods in Claphaml where there is an anaerobic digester. This consumes all the waste  food and turns it into bio fuel. Naturally, it wouldn't digest the tins only the contents, so I rescued them in exchange for a donation and brought them home. I may use them as vases. I store all my baking stuff in pretty tins but I have no more room on the baking shelf for more tins but I'll think of something to use them for.

Thursday's outfit.

I bought the tunic for 2.00 at the 3:16 charity shop and the shirt underneath from the 1.00 rail in the same shop. The chinos are from Next and are from a 1.00 rail somewhere.

Boots; on line retail. Scarf charity shopped.

 All jewellery charity shopped. The necklace was 2.00 from the Sue Ryder shop where I bought the grey spotted tunic the week before.

I should have gone out walking on Thursday but had so many errands to run in town plus the grocery shopping I couldn't be bothered. It also turned out to be another hot day -  21 degrees!

At the weekend I had cousin Eamon and his wife Anne coming to stay. Eamon is my mum's first cousin but I  also remember Eamon's mum, Aunty Katy, as she was my mum's favourite aunt. I met Eamon for the first time at my uncle's funeral in Ireland this year. They had a wedding to go to in Bedfordshire on Sunday so they stayed with us for the weekend. As they were flying into Luton and we were picking them up from the airport, OH and I decided to make a day of it and have a rummage in Luton and possibly Dunstable as their flight was due in after 5 pm. 

Everything charity shopped except the boots - as above. I didn't need this jacket which is by Fenn, Wright Mason, bought for 7.00 in the RSPCA in Newport Pagnell. It was so warm outside 23 degrees again!

Amongst my errands in town in the week I called into the independent charity shop where I bought a (another!) floral cardigan. We have a new charity shop too in the High Street called 'Autism Bedford'. I bought a fine knit silver jumper from there for 2.00 I bought this Desigual striped tunic in Biggleswade on Wednesday for 2.95. Underneath is a navy top by Cotton Traders and leggings by M&S.

I have so many scarves that I had completely forgotten about this one. Charity shopped of course but can't remember where; unsurprisingly. Scarves are so useful especially as I wear them as head wraps as well as around my neck!

All jewellery charity shopped.

I am sad to say that Luton charity shops are not very good. I bought a brooch and a spotted miniature vase for Hilary and in the Sally Army I found an East waistcoat on the sale rail for 2.00. That's all that took my eye in 6 charity shops...even the books weren't very good. We didn't have time to go on to Dunstable because Luton were playing at home and the traffic was building up.

We went out to eat in a local restaurant on Saturday evening with Eamon and Anne and they left on Monday morning. It was lovely to see them and we all had a very enjoyable time. Next time they come we'll be able to show them around our local area and beyond. We'll visit them next Easter on our way up to the caravan as they live not too far from Dublin.

Here's our visitors just off to their wedding on Sunday. Don't they look smart! Unfortunately it was cold and wet all day on Sunday. The reception was being held on a farm in a barn - they were frozen!

Tuesday's outfit.

Everything charity shopped. Jacket from Next and I've had it for about 7 years now. Leggings bought for 79 p in Barnardo's; Great Denham. Zara tunic bought last year but can't remember where. Boots from Donegal charity shop for 1.00 euro - they were with the children's shoes...

All jewellery charity shopped except earrings which were donated by my daughter. Brooch bought in Luton charity shop for 1.50 on Saturday.

Wednesdays outfit. Everything charity shopped. Tunic top bought in Ireland at Easter. Cardigan I've had for years. Trousers with sparkly bits in them by Phase Eight bought in the Sally Army in Rushden.

Scarf present from my friend Natalie in Cambridge; Chelsea boots bought earlier this year in Barnardo's, I think in Great Denham.

All jewellery charity shopped.

I went out for a walk by myself on Wednesday and did 5.3 miles. The group were walking to Ivinghoe Beacon but that was 37 miles away and too far to travel. I walked from Great Denham to Kempston Mill; through Kempston town then back down by the river to Queen's Park and on to Great Denham.

Weeping willows in Queen's Park the river is to the left.

On Thursday I also walked by myself. I'm trying to recce a walk I will be leading in January. I walked 8.6 miles but it's too long for a Wednesday walk. I'll have to try and shorten it or do another one...
It was a bright and dry day with a bit of a breeze; good for walking but the summery weather has gone for good now. I'm not complaining -  it was beautiful while it lasted! I decided to pay a visit to the Barnardo's in Great Denham on Wednesday afternoon. It's a very good shop; I was hoping they would still have their sale rail and I was still looking for books for Hilary. I'm glad I went. The sale rail yielded - guess what? An orange cardigan from Wallis! Reduced to 2.00; into the basket it went.  Remember what I said about the 'Sod's Law' of charity shopping? It's true.

What else did I find? A pair of Topman jeans for middle grandson, 79 p; black and white leggings for me (BNWT); 79 p and then I spotted a really nice tunic for 4.99 by Lily and Me.  Never heard of them but I wouldn't be surprised if it's maternity wear! I also bought several books for Hilary and a cute sugar sifter for 79 p. So, that's my haul for this week making up for Saturday's disappointment!

I've finished my giant granny square blanket and have gone from a medium sized basket of green and blue stash wool to a smallish carrier bag size of stash wool.

I am aiming to make a 'Sunburst Granny' blanket next - lots and lots of little squares sewn together. This way I can use up the blue and green stash and start on using the pink and purple stash. I won't be edging mine in white though like the photo below. It will be a blanket of multi-coloured squares. If I feel like doing more of my Willow blanket squares I will. So far, I haven't felt any enthusiasm to get on with it so the Sunburst Granny will be my next project or work in progress.



Thursday's outfit.

It's that cardigan again! I would have worn the one I bought in Barnardo's but it was still drying...

Everything charity shopped except grey leggings; Sainsbury's retail.  Black slip on trainers from Next; 2.99 in the Children's Society earlier this year. Tunic charity shopped last year - can't remember where or how much. Orange top H&M; also charity shopped.

Scarf and all jewellery charity shopped. 

I am always so shiny in my photos - you can tell I don't use filters or Photoshop! I think I'm going to have to invest in some translucent face powder to reduce the shine.  The next photos I take I will try it and I'll be able to see if it makes a difference...

Here I am wearing face powder - no more shine!  What do you think?
Youngest grandson took the photos.
All jewellery charity shopped except earrings bought from Etsy about three years ago.

Everything charity shopped. Jeans from Mercy in Action 2.00. Waistcoat from East bought in the Sally Army in Luton for 2.00. Tunic from Primarni bought from a 1.00 rail somewhere, Boots; Red Cross 1.99.

It was so chilly on Friday evening we lit our fire for the first time since May; it was lovely and so cosy.

Then both Saturday and Sunday were lovely bright days. On Saturday it was 17 degrees. I went to see my son. On Sunday it was 16 degrees.

Everything charity shopped except blouse and boots - both on line retail.
This coat by Monsoon has had its last wear. It has begun to split at  the armhole. It's not repairable, the fabric has begun to fray. It was always a little too tight across the shoulders and back. I have a broad back and biggish breasts and sometimes things get strained...anyway, I think I've had my money's worth out of it.

The tunic was bought in Barnardo's for 5.00 in the week. Leggings by M&S; charity shopped. Scarf charity shopped.

All jewellery charity shopped and look- no more shine!

It's half term this coming week. We have a trip to London to visit my ex- mum -in law and we are going to East Sussex for an overnight stay. I want to visit Rye which I've heard  is a very pretty place, plus it's the home of one of my favourite painters; Edward Burra. We are going to stay in Eastbourne so I'll tell you all we got up to in my next post.