Halt term break, Whitby and project completed

I wore this outfit on Wednesday. I had to take the youngest grandson for a hospital appointment to Cambridge in the afternoon so managed to get a quick swim in before; 22 laps. I wore this green corduroy skirt by H&M; 1.00 rail somewhere, a white Gap shirt also 1.00 rail and this cheerful yellow jumper by Mc&Co which I picked up from Barnardo's in Ampthill. 1.00 rail. Green boots by River Island from my Barnardo's.

Had a much needed haircut on Thursday and got my eyebrows done. I also did the food shopping and worked on the Hydrangea blanket. It's almost done...

It was 7 degrees on Thursday morning; quite chilly! The camera is still not taking its usual photos; I just don't know why..

Lace effect leggings M&S retail and boots; both presents from my daughter, tunic; 1.00 rail and Gap shirt underneath; as above. All jewellery charity shopped. I'd planned to go out for a walk after I'd done everything I wanted to do; but it rained and I don't enjoy walking in the rain. I thought there was a bus walk on Friday but I'd got my dates muddled up so I did my own bus walk instead. I caught the bus to Milton Ernest and walked back to Bedford - 7 miles.  The bus stop is at the bottom of my street and I just have to swipe my bus pass! I am really enjoying being an official pensioner and plan to spend a day in Oxford soon catching the (free) bus there and back! This was Friday's outfit:

Everything charity shopped. Phase Eight top, M&S skirt; boots have no label. I remember buying these tights in the Cat's Protection charity shop ages ago; they are a German brand and were 3.99.

All jewellery charity shopped. I bought the earrings - and several other pairs - in one of the Hospice shops when I was at the hairdresser's on Thursday. It's the only time I get to this charity shop and I nearly always find something.


Another pensioner perk is free flu jabs. I took advantage of this when I was in Ampthill on Tuesday and had my first ever flu jab. I had flu on two consecutive years in the early 1990s and it wiped me out both times. If I can avoid ever having to suffer that again, I will.

Saturday was quite a good day with sun and wind. I walked to Biddenham and back; 5 miles and snapped the autumn foliage on this beautiful tree.

Everything charity shopped. The suede skirt came from Oxfam in West Hampstead; can't remember where I got the top from; the brown jacket by Viyella; 1 euro in the Donegal Animal Charity shop. Boots online retail.

All jewellery charity shopped. Did anyone spot I had odd earrings on? I only realised when I saw the photos; I'd tried two different pairs on and forgot they weren't matching...

After my walk I went to see my friend Ann and we spent the rest of the afternoon catching up.

Sunday's outfit. I bought this green tunic by Savannah Miller for 3.95 when I went to the hairdressers on Thursday. Cardigan by Next also charity shopped as are the boots (River Island) and the leggings; H&M - both from my Barnardo's. The leggings are black with dark green splodges.

All jewellery charity shopped. The earrings were another of the 1.00 pairs from the Hospice shop.

 OH and I went to the last of our local car boot sales on Sunday. It was very disappointing. There were very few stalls and most of those had childrens' and babies' items. It was also a really chilly day; my hands were so cold I wished I'd worn gloves! I did manage to buy a dress for 50p and two necklaces each for 50p. Then it was home to do the housework and cook the dinner. I also finished the Hydrangea blanket on Sunday:

Source: Attic 24 blog.

I hope Hilary likes it!

 I've certainly enjoyed making it; the pattern is very easy. You can see above where the inspiration for the pattern and colours came from - real hydrangea flowers. Attic 24 uses inspiration from nature a lot and then tries to find suitable colours. Very successfully, I'd say! I could have bought the yarn pack in these colours, but it works out extremely expensive.  Instead I make use of my stash; almost all of which has been picked up in charity shops.

I may make a second Hydrangea blanket in different shades of blue and give it to my middle grandson's little brother. His mum asked me to make one for him ages ago. There's quite a lot of good TV at the moment, so I can crochet and watch at the same time. I'm currently reading the Coco Chanel biography that I picked up from my Barnardo's last week. What a fascinating woman she was...

Even though it was half term I still went to volunteer at Barnardo's on Monday. There was so much stuff to sort, tag and put onto the shop floor. We have the Christmas launch coming up where all the Barnardo's Christmas branded stuff is put out; I've volunteered to do an extra day that week. I bought two jumpers from the 50p rail; a couple of necklaces and two pictures; one of which is for Hilary.

I didn't go to the foodbank as it was half term. I set off for a swim at midday only to realise as I approached the pool that as it was half term there wouldn't be lane swimming during the day; only in the early morning or evening!

It was quite a chilly day so I wrapped up well.

This is one of the 50p jumpers (by Tu) bought at Barnardo's on Monday.
Skirt by Topshop and also charity shopped. Boots charity shopped in Oxfam in Bedford.
I wore my 'And Other Stories' denim jacket which I bought at the 3:16 charity shop for 5.00. Thick cable pattern tights also charity shopped, but I can't remember where from.

All jewellery charity shopped;

I went to Newport Pagnell for a rummage. I bought another scarf (!)  a top by Boden for 2.00; and I found a lovely pair of earrings for 1.00 in the Willen Hospice shop. The only drawback was they were post earrings which I don't like very much. But I have jewellery pliers in a range of sizes and lots of hooks that turn earrings into drop or dangle earrings. When I got home I got the pliers out and set to work and now I have a pair of large pearl earrings plus a small pair of square diamond earrings. I often do this with earrings that I see; or sometimes I remove parts of earring to make them simpler. I bought both the pliers and hooks from ebay some years ago.

And talking of jewellery look at this:

My bag of shame. AKA as a bag full of bangles - mostly plastic in assorted hues.
I had 8 baskets full of bangles that sat on top of my cupboard. Every time I reached into a basket or went to lift one down; bangles would fall on the bedroom floor with a huge clatter. Why did I need 8 baskets of bangles - all colour coded? I didn't. I've just bought them because they're always plentiful in charity shops and they're cheap. I've been buying them for years. And of course I like them; but not enough that they keep falling to the floor. So on Wednesday after my walk of 7 miles; I sorted them out and got down to 4 baskets (from 8!) that sit neatly on top of the cupboard and aren't too full. The bag of shame will go to one of the nearby charity shops.

This is the top from Boden bought yesterday for 2.00 in the Willen Hospice shop.
All jewellery charity shopped.

Frayed bottom jeans (by me) from Next; charity shopped and brogues Tesco sale a few years ago.
Can you see my neat baskets on top of the cupboard? Prior to the clearout they each had another basket balancing precariously on top!

It was quite a cold day on Wednesday and although I had socks on my ankles were cold.

On Thursday afternoon, my daughter, me and two youngest grandsons set off for a trip for a couple of nights stay in Saltburn by the Sea. We had never visited this part of the country before and I was keen to see Whitby. We stayed in an airbnb which was very good; but the weather was awful. It rained so heavily on the drive there it was like driving in fog; I couldn't see the tail lights of the driver in front! My daughter drove us back and the conditions were the same on the return journey. In fact the weather made us return early on Saturday as we had exhausted all the indoor possibilities - crazy golf etc...

This is Saltburn by the Sea. It had stopped raining
 when we arrived and the sky was this strange pinky colour...

We set off for Whitby on Friday and as luck would have it it was Goth weekend; because of Halloween I assume.  You can read all about Whitby, Goths and the Dracula/Bram Stoker connection here.

This group of obliging people allowed me to take their photo. There were some wonderfully costumed people walking up the 199 steps to St. Mary's Church and to the Abbey, but I didn't like to take their photos without permission and we could have been there all day if I had! Some fabulous costumes were seen and then of course the rain descended. We then made out way to Skelton where we played an 18 hole indoor Crazy Golf game which was great fun and then went out to get something to eat. Both evenings we played cards for 5p stakes. The grandchildren really enjoy games. I had intended to bring a game called Articulate with us but had forgotten it. Tried 2 different places to buy another (which I would have given to my daughter for her house) but there were none to be found.

We found this poor dead lizard outside the walls of the abbey as we circumnavigated it. Youngest grandson said he knew it was dead -  because 'his tongue was sticking out and that's a sign that something is dead'. Such innocence!

Whitby Harbour from the steps going back down to the town.

Harbour wall, Whitby.

A replica of Captain Cook's 'Endeavour'. James Cook, explorer came from this part of the world and there is a museum devoted to him in Whitby.

I'd also hoped to have a quick whizz round the charity shops in Saltburn on Saturday before we left. but the weather was so awful I didn't bother! I did look at one (I saw 3) in Whitby; the prices seemed to be quite high...

This lovely tweed fabric caught my eye when I went to Ampthill a week ago and I couldn't resist this tunic for 5.00. The colours aren't properly defined in the outfit photos.

All jewellery charity shopped.

Worn with brown leggings; M&S retail and brown boots; charity shopped. I wore this on Sunday when I went to see my son. It was a lovely sunny day but very, very chilly. I was however very grateful the incessant rain had finally stopped. I hope the ground has a chance to dry out a bit otherwise when I lead my walk on Wednesday it will be very muddy...

Grandson had a teacher training day so I only went to the charity shop for two hours on Monday. It was busy as usual and for a change I sorted out and decoded the bric a brac.

This was what I wore. All jewellery charity shopped. Another 1.00 pair of earrings from the Hospice shop.

Joe Brown dress bought BNWT in a Donegal charity shop for 10 euros.
The green footless tights were bought online last year and the green boots were charity shopped from my Barnardo's. Orange boiled wool jacket bought in the Hospice shop in Kempston last year, I think.

Hope you're all keeping warm!

Walking, swimming and rummaging

Last Wednesday I walked by myself and not with my group. I did a walk that combined elements of several walks that I've previously led. It was a beautiful sunny but cool day and the walk was 10.8 miles. I did enjoy it. I saw a Buzzard; a Kestrel being mobbed by two crows and several Red Kites.  I also startled a pheasant, but that's nothing new; I do it almost every time I'm out for a walk. They are daft birds; if they'd just stay put I'd never know they were there; and they wouldn't have to erupt out of the undergrowth in a riot of squawks and feathers!

All jewellery charity shopped.

Navy lace trousers; my Barnardo's 2.00. Top by Primarni 1.00 rail somewhere; and jacket 4.00 in the 3:16 charity shop. Red brothel creepers/beetle crushers 5.00 from a Wellingborough charity shop.

I have put my summer sandals and shoes away and brought out the boots and winter shoes. I've packed away the lightest of my summer clothes but I haven't completely swapped over yet...

Thursday was the day Marian and I planned to visit Hatfield House in Hertfordshire and enjoy a day out together. It was not to be. Marian doesn't live very far away from Hatfield House and she arrived there first. She rang to say that they were filming and it wasn't open to the public! I went to her house in London instead and we did some catching up. We can do Hatfield House another time and as Knebworth is also only down the road, we can do that one, too!

I wore this:

Jacket from Oxfam in Kilburn a couple of years ago: 2.00. White lace top by Next; 1.00 rail. All jewellery charity shopped.

Green trousers by Zara and picked up in the Salvation Army in Peterborough last Tuesday for 4.50. Green boots (never worn) by River Island bought for 4.00 in my Barnardos.

And this is the Seasalt raincoat bought for 5.00 in my Barnardos.

I went swimming again on Friday and managed 24 laps of the pool.  Fridays seem to be by far the quietest day to swim. At one point there was only me and one other in the middle lane!

On Saturday, I walked with a different walking group in the village of Bolnhurst where we walked 7 miles in cloudy and cool weather.

Green boots as before. Trousers by F&F; charity shopped but can't remember where. The linen top is by Monsoon and I bought it in a charity shop in Letterkenny for 2.50 in their sale. I can't remember where the very useful dark blue cardigan came from; but it was another charity shop buy.

More smudes around the eyes; I need to look in the mirror before I do these photos!

All jewellery and scarf charity shopped.

Ed, Marian and Katherine.

My cousins came to dinner on Sunday. We had a lovely day and I drank quite a lot of wine (for me) hence the red face - and we lit the fire for the first time so that must be partly to blame! I wore some silky harem pants I bought in my Barnardo's for 2.00 sometime ago; with my current favourite white blouse and a black and white kimono bought somewhere in Ireland about three years ago. All jewellery charity shopped.

On Monday, I was at Barnardo's and we had so many donations we were climbing over them to get to the back. When I left, despite sorting and tagging all morning, there were still dozens of bags left to sort...
I wore this dress by Seasalt that I picked up the week before.

Sorry crap photos alert:
I don't know what happened to the camera here; it might be because the light is behind me or maybe the flash didn't work but the colour has leached out. Sometimes I really miss OH as my photographer!

Tights, headscarf and all jewellery charity shopped.

Shoes: Primarni sale two years ago.

I bought this denim jacket by 'And Other Stories' for 5.00 in the 3:16 charity shop earlier in the summer.

It was good to get back to the Food Bank on Tuesday; I'd missed two weeks. We have the Harvest donations coming in thick and fast now. It's very comforting to know that as our stock diminishes there's always something; Harvest, Christmas, Easter, Special Appeals that enable us to build up stocks again.

I spent Tuesday afternoon doing the big swapover. I filled one plastic bag with stuff for the charity shop and 5 filled with my summer clothes went into the loft! All in all it took me about two and half hours to do the swapover...thank goodness that's out of the way until next year!

The weather has cooled down considerably and it's cold in the mornings; and the evenings are very chilly. We've lit the fire every evening; in fact we did it last Sunday when Marian and her family came down. It's very cosy and it means I don't have to put the heating on!

On Wednesday, the walk was quite far away so I walked on my own after a trip to town to run some errands. I recce'd the walk I'll be leading at the end of the month which is a 7 mile walk from Milton Ernest to Thurleigh and back. It was meant to be sunny in the afternoon but it was very cloudy and I kept my waterproof jacket on all the time as it was chilly!

This dress is a Joe Brown dress bought for 5.00 in Derry. The jacket was bought last year and is very warm, so was needed.  I can't remember where I got it from or how much it was. Can't remember where I got the boots either!

Necklace bought in Ireland in a charity shop; earrings were a present and the fish brooch was bought in the new Hospice Shop. Bangles and ring also charity shopped. I noticed in town on Wednesday that the relatively recently opened 'Autism Bedford' has closed. It lasted less than a year. I did have a bit of a rummage and bought two tops for 2.00 each and a necklace in Mercy in Action and  in Cancer Research I picked up a Masai animal print top for 4.50.

On Thursday, I went walking by myself again and recce'd a new walk for the Spring programme. I managed to get it down to 8 miles and when I walk it more often I maybe able to shave off a bit more. As I only wore my Scottie dog dress for a few hours on Wednesday; I wore it again with a different jacket and jewellery on Thursday. I should have also gone to my doctor's on Thursday for a full medical MOT - my first ever. OH has had several. My doctor's practice is a bit slow with new initiatives but as I've been with them for 38 years I'm ok with that. Unfortunately, they called me and cancelled my appointment so I have to rebook...damn!

Just before I set off for a swim on Friday - note no mascara. It's easier to wipe off the rest of my makeup when I get to the swimming pool.  All jewellery charity shopped and top bought at my Barnardo's on Monday.

I swam 30 lengths - 1.5 k. I am really enjoying getting back into swimming. When I was younger and still at school; Hilary and I swam every weekday before school and sometime at the weekends too!

My Frida Kahlo bag - bought as a present for me by my lovely (ex) daughter-in-law. I use it when I go for a rummage or I'm running errands in town.

Saturday was a chill out day. I slept late having spent 4 hours the evening before, yes I really mean 4 hours, unravelling and rewinding a ball of wool that had got hopelessly knotted and tangled! I still had to cut a bit out that I couldn't untangle but only a little. I needed the colour for the Hydrangea blanket otherwise I would have given up on it sooner. Hilary is coming down in November for a weekend so I need to have the blanket finished by then...Saturday evening saw the return of 'Spiral'; a French police series on BBC4. This series is one of my all time favourites. Did anyone notice there was no 'Tin Tin' in the first of the new programmes?

I'm wearing the (spotted) tunic by Myrine bought in the Mercy in Action for 2.00; over brown M&S retail leggings and charity shopped boots. This jacket by Viyella was 1 euro from the Donegal Animal charity shop.

All jewellery and scarf charity shopped. I went into to town on Saturday afternoon to return a library reservation and stopped at the Guildhouse charity shop. It only opens on Saturdays and I rarely go to town on a Saturday but I'm so glad I did. I picked up these lovely clogs for 3.00 - they are incredibly comfortable and had not been worn:

On Sunday I went to see my son. It was a bit of a chilly day so I dug out this coat. It's by Primarni  charity shopped somewhere; and I've had it for more than a year but have never worn it!

This is the Masai top bought in the Cancer Research for 4.50 in the week.

M&S animal print leggings; 2.00 my Barnardo's and brown boots charity shopped somewhere.

All jewellery charity shopped.

Monday saw me back at Barnardo's for more volunteering. I bought some great fashion books:

Someone must have been studying fashion as there were quite a few books; but it was these I was particularly interested in; especially the biography of Coco Chanel.

Jacket present from daughter. Tunic, trousers, scarf and all jewellery charity shopped.

Grey ankle boots online retail last year.

I wore this to the food bank on Tuesday.  Practical and warm clothing for the warehouse. We have an amazing new pair of scales where we can just wheel on, weigh and wheel off! Of course we have to deduct the weight of the trolley or wheeled base and the weight of the crates from the total. Sometimes it's quicker to use the lift on lift off scales...Everything charity shopped except the boots - as above. Can't remember where I got the clothes from.

All jewellery charity shopped.

After the foodbank I decided to go to Ampthill for a rummage as I hadn't been for a while. In Barnardo's I spied a couple of fashion books that had just come in as a donation. I have only one or two fashion/style books; then on Monday I picked up 4 at my Barnardo's and then 2 more in Ampthill. One book is about Erte fashions and the other is a visual style source directory  of fabrics, wallpapers, paints, flooring and tiles by Judith Miller. Both were 1.00 each. I was well chuffed.

Got a busy week ahead; hospital appointment with grandchild, hairdressers, eyebrows, swimming and two group walks - see you on the other side!