Life trundles on...

 Hello and happy October to you! 

This year seems to be flying by; lock down and all! I'm back in my normal groove now; and I did the swap over to autumn and winter clothing once the weather changed toward the end of September. I took 3 plastic bags to the charity shop and for once I can now move the hangers in my three hanging spaces relatively easily. Normally, they're bunched up so close together things are always falling off. I do have more summer clothes than autumn/winter though!

I went to the food bank as usual on Tuesday and wore this:

Everything charity shopped except the grey boots; online retail. Trouser by Laura Ashley and top by Store 21.

Apologies for the crap photos.

I bought this long blue jacket about 2 years ago from a 1.00 rail and this was the first time I wore it! I'd like to wear it more often. You can see one of my summer coats hanging on the back of the door waiting to go up in the loft...

All jewellery charity shopped.

I had to take my car to Kwik-Fit to get the front lamp replaced, so after sorting out the last of summer clothes, bagging them up and putting them in the loft; I set off for Kwik-Fit. Whilst the lamp was being replaced I went to a local shop to pick up some SR flour;  when I went to Aldi on Monday after the food bank; the flour shelves were bare! It seems that people are panic buying again. Anyway, I bought my flour and walked back to the garage; and was astonished to see a rather mangy looking fox run across the street in broad daylight! It had probably been digging about in the bins as the street where the garage is is also full of take- away shops and restaurants. I've seen urban foxes in the wee small hours but never in daylight; I occasionally see one when I'm out walking in the countryside.

An inquisitive swan on the Grand Union Canal

And talking of walking in the countryside I walked with my group on Wednesday. We started from Stoke Hammond in Milton Keynes, walking along the Grand Union Canal towards Leighton Buzzard passing Great Brickhill; where we stopped for our break in the graveyard of the church! We walked back through some woods and back along the Grand Union - a total of 6.7 miles walked.

This very strange figure complete with wig was on a houseboat we passed on the walk. I found it very creepy...

Great Brickhill church

An old building in the village of Great Brickhill.

On my way back from Stoke Hammond I stopped at Newport Pagnell for a rummage. 2 out of the 5 charity shops weren't open but I picked up a tunic/dress in Keech and a pair of earrings; in Oxfam I bought a  brooch.

On Thursday I had a very busy day. I started out by making a birthday cake for my middle grandson's little brother. His mum had asked me to, so I did. Then I went to do the weekly food shopping at Lidl and Sainsbury's. When I got back after a rainy morning start; the weather brightened up and off I went for walk. I walked part of the route that I did last week with the group and had a very enjoyable walk of 6.3 miles.

 It was on Thursday, too, that our local swimming pool reopened for the first time since March 23rd. A walking friend rang me to tell me and I also saw it online. I booked a slot for Friday morning. It was a strange experience, I must say. We had to book online and were asked to wear our costumes under our clothes; and to get changed poolside. Our clothes were left around the pool; there are raised areas all around. Clearly numbers were limited by the need to book online. When I got into the pool there were 5 people each in the slow and medium lanes and only 2 in the fast lane. By the time I finished my 32 lengths (1.6k) I was the only one left in my lane. Then came the weird bit; no showers allowed but we were able to get changed in the cubicles. There are about 50 cubicles in total; but we were not restricted to any particular ones. When I went outside of the changing area to where the mirrors and hair dryers are; no hairdryers (no surprise there)  a member of staff was sanitising the area. What I wondered was would he sanitise all the cubicles (although only a maximum of 12 had been used)? He wouldn't have known what cubicles we used and it seemed both wasteful and pointless sanitising them all; or maybe they didn't get sanitised? I need to find out! 

Unfortunately, in my haste to get back into swimming again I forgot to put my swimming goggles on and had very sore, bloodshot eyes for the rest of the day....so no outfit post.

This was Saturday's outfit.

I have sussed out the problem with the camera. It's when it's in selfie mode it takes those very gauzy photos. So now I have to position the camera on the tripod with the back facing me, click with my remote; and hope for the best! These photos were taken this way and I don't think they're too bad. Better than the ones above anyway!

On Saturday OH and I went to London to visit his mum. She has been very ill and it was the first time we could visit, as visiting was restricted in the hospital; but now she was home.  It was a lovely visit and she seemed much better - even better than I expected.

Everything I'm wearing was charity shopped except white shirt by Hawes and Curtis bought retail. Skirt by French Connection and top has no label. Boots were picked up in the Cat's Protection League last week. They were very comfortable as we walked for quite a while; pavement walking is more tiring than walking across fields I swear!

Leather jacket present from my daughter, all jewellery charity shopped. I'm wearing blue and black striped tights which you can't see; they were bought on line. 

We drove to Kilburn; found some free parking then walked along the High Rd looking for charity shops. We found 4 and I bought some perfume in the Heart Foundation shop and a dish and some earrings in Cancer Research. Then we carried on walking until we came to West Hampstead where we visited another 4 charity shops but I didn't buy anything. There were several new buildings and blocks of flats in Kilburn; nothing stays the same for very long does it? When I was growing up in London; Kilburn High Road was our local shopping area; and for special occasions we went to Oxford Street. I started my first job in Kensington so Kensington High Street was my shopping place then. I was in Biba's every lunchtime trying things on and desperately saving my wages up for a Biba outfit...

I had hoped to go for a walk on Sunday but it wasn't the nicest of days - rainy and cool. We've lit our fire every evening for more than a week now and I guess it will continue like that until Spring.

Top by Pepperberry; African print trousers (homemade) and brown suede boots all from my Barnardo's.

All jewellery charity shopped.

I did the weekly housework and cooked Sunday dinner of roast lamb. Both grandsons came for dinner and middle grandson zoomed off home at 7pm on his electric scooter. Now you see him, then he's gone....OH is thinking of investing in one for work. It would save wear and tear on his car and on the petrol costs!

Back to the charity shop on Monday. I wore this Desigual dress which was a gift from Vix HERE; with red tights and red boots. I kept my jacket on for the whole of my shift. We keep the front door open to assist with ventilating the shop and it was cold!

All jewellery charity shopped - tights and boots online retail.

I went to get my eyebrows waxed and tinted on Monday afternoon. I hate the first day or so when they've been done; the woman always makes them too dark; but the tint fades quickly enough. I didn't go to the food bank on Tuesday as I was waiting in for a delivery of new flooring for upstairs. It arrived just before 2pm and laying then commenced. I bought the flooring last Friday and got free delivery as I spent over a certain amount. The flooring upstairs was a cheap laminate that had been down for 15 years and was in need of replacement.

Tunic/dress from Warehouse charity shopped in Keech in Newport Pagnell. Jeans by M&S; also charity shopped and boots, too. I think the dress would have looked better with long boots rather than over trousers; as I was going to bed I tried it...

Better!

All jewellery charity shopped.

By Wednesday, the spare room and the study had been re-floored. It was hard work emptying the rooms of furniture and then bringing it all back in again but I was just so pleased to have it done. Hopefully, by Friday it will all be completed. I went to town on Wednesday to run some errands and I walked to Aldi. No group walk today as it was fully booked when I went to book. I'm booked on next week's walk to St. Neots, though! I also managed to go to the Castle Road charity shops x2 and bought a dress and some winter Joe Brown trousers to replace some winter trousers I already had and didn't like much.

I just love the trees in their autumn colours; this is one of the many beauties along my street:

The building is sheltered housing for the over 55s and is directly opposite my house. The flats are available to buy or rent; and there is also a council block of sheltered housing for older people about a hundred yards away from my house on the same side of the road. In fact thinking about it; in my immediate neighbourhood there is a lot of specific housing for older people. I suppose it's part of living in a society that is full of ageing people and I think I've only just realised it!

This was Thursday's outfit. I dressed for warmth and was too warm all day! Everything charity shopped; skirt by Top Shop; jumper by , boots bought in Cat's Protection League. 

All jewellery charity shopped. I bought the earrings last week in Newport Pagnell Keech Hospice shop.

Thursdays is always a busy day as I do the grocery shopping (Lidl and Sainsbury's; I went to Aldi on Wednesday). I also picked up some kindling from the charity called Bedford Garden Carers and went to B&Q to pick up more trim for the flooring as we needed 4 more strips. I'm down to one mask at the moment. I've lost 3 since last Friday. My two Irish flag masks were lost outside B&Q when I went to order the flooring; and one that I bought in Iceland on Monday afternoon was lost on my return from town on Wednesday. They keep falling out of my pockets. I have only one left that Ann made me; I have disposable ones and the visor for the charity shop; but I'm sad to have lost my Irish flag ones. Updated to say I found one of the Irish flag masks in my swimming bag on Friday - yay!

Another beautiful tree;  the leaves changing colour from the bottom upwards. 

This was on my way to the swimming pool on Friday morning where I swam my usual 30 lengths; there were only 4 of us in the lane to start and by the end I was on my own. Heavenly! In the afternoon I went for a flu jab at my doctor's surgery. It's a new doctor's practice as my original surgery closed earlier this year; I had been with them for 39 years; but at least the new surgery is within walking distance. I was in and out in 6 minutes....

Saturday's OOTD

Joe Brown trousers charity shopped in Bedford Daycare Hospice shop; top by Masai; can't remember which charity shop I got it from. Boots; my Barnardo's.

All jewellery charity shopped except earrings bought in Beales. My scarf matches a dress I bought from Etsy a few months ago; it needs shortening so I must remember to take it to my friend Ann who will shorten it for me.

On Saturday, I had to go back to B&Q to buy yet more trim for my bedroom floor; it's being finished on Tuesday afternoon. The doors are being re-hung as they needed planing at the bottom and the metal strips need to be put across the door once the doors are in place so it's nearly done.

In the afternoon I went for a walk along the river to the Marina, beyond and back again. I walked 6 miles and got caught in a shower on the way back. I was totally delighted to spot a Jay; the first I've ever seen. It very conveniently perched on a gate and then dropped down to the ground.

That blue bar at the side is unmissable! 

I had been reading about Jays in my 'Beechcombings; book. They are responsible for many of the oak trees that we have in this country. In the 1950s scientists began to observe the acorn planting routines of Jays. Over a ten week period it was estimated that the birds were making 60 acorn gathering flights per ten hour day and burying up to 5,000 acorns each. The autumn total for the whole of Britain acorn planting by Jays may be as high as one and a half billion! So not only are they beautiful to look at; Jays are very useful and contribute to our natural flora and fauna.

Flowers from my garden. Osteospermum, Lantana, Begonia, Fuchsia and an orange one I don't know the name of but I love the green stripe at the back of the petals...I am drawing up a list of plants to buy in readiness for next year. They include Hellebores, Alliums, Larkspur, Anemones, and I'd love some Rudbeckia for their cheerfulness; I much prefer them to Sunflowers.

I wore the same trousers on Sunday; but added my vintage shirt and a jumper by Divided. Everything charity shopped including brown suede boots which came from my Barnardo's - I think!

Earrings donated by my daughter.

I went for a 5 mile walk and then cracked on with the housework when I got back. We had roast chicken for dinner and daughter and two grandsons came. It was a brilliantly sunny day; a typical autumn day cool but bright.  I spent time last week watching all 6 episodes of 'Life' - a BBC drama and on Sunday evening OH and I started watching a Walter Presents French drama called 'A Deadly Union'. I also succumbed to reserving some Ann Patchett books from the library - 5 in total - and a couple are awaiting collection which I'll do on Tuesday after the food bank. It's a very narrow collection point they're operating; only between 10 - 1pm each day.

Monday's outfit for charity shop volunteering. I was the only volunteer in. Non stop donations. This is the dress I bought in the Daycare Hospice shop last week. It's by Next and I wore it with very thick tights and a slip underneath. Jacket by Dorothy Perkins; also charity shopped.

All jewellery charity shopped except earrings bought in Donegal gift shop.

And these are my new boots bought in Sainsbury's sale during lockdown. I paid 7.00 for them and wore them for the first time today.

I'm missing the eldest grandson as I haven't seen him for a while so next weekend the daughter and I are going to go to London to see him and probably have a meal in his restaurant; that's something to look forward to.  I may be able to catch up with my cousin, too. I just hope London won't be affected by the new 3 tier system rules....