Visitors and a gig

 Your good wishes for my walk worked! The weather on Wednesday 6th October, when I led a walk  for 23 people, was glorious. The breeze was quite sharp but when it died down the sun was so warm. It was a very enjoyable walk apart from when I got entangled in a briar and fell flat on my face! My hand was scratched but other than that I just got up and dusted myself down and carried on...

I picked these lovely gladioli up at our Tesco Metro; only 1.00 per bunch with a Clubcard. In the garden there are still flowering plants. The Petunias haven't stopped blooming since Spring; the Busy Lizzies are still blooming as are the Rudbeckia and the Fuschias. There are a few roses still blooming and a couple of Salvias still have a few flowers left.

 I went to the hairdressers after my 45 lap swim on Thursday morning; then headed out to do the food shopping. I wore casual comfortable clothing; all charity shopped and all have been on the blog before.

All jewellery charity shopped.

After I'd put the shopping away I caught up with blogs and comments and then made dinner. As we've been lighting the fire most evenings one of my daily chores is cleaning out the stove and filling the coal bucket. I also do a wash almost daily. On Mondays I wash the bedlinen; on Tuesday I wash towels and tea towels; on Fridays I do at least one darks wash whilst OH finishes the darks washes off on Saturday. On Sunday; it's another towel and tea towel wash and I also wash the bath mats and kitchen mats.

It was warm and even slightly muggy on Friday. I had a variety of errands to run in the morning and when I had completed those I went for a rummage to Castle Road charity shops and to the Daycare Hospice charity shop near my hairdressers. I didn't have time on Thursday to pop in. I'm glad I did as I picked up a coatigan  in black,white and red by Country Casuals. I found a green plaid skirt by Kettlewell in the Mercy in Action charity shop and a green tunic in the Children's Society; all winter items. In the junk shop I picked up 4 seed trays and a metal pot with holes in the bottom perfect for a planter.

Everything charity shopped except the shoes bought from Sainsburys. The jacket and skirt are by Adini and found several years apart in different charity shops. The top by Talbots was picked up at the Street Jumble a few weeks back.

All jewellery charity shopped.

I spent the afternoon hanging out washing; cleaning out the fire and I made green tomato chutney using up the tomatoes which never ripened. I'd not made chutney before but it couldn't have been simpler. The house did stink of vinegar afterwards as both OH and grandson informed me! I managed to fill 3 jars and a very small jar with just over 1kg of tomatoes. I picked what remained on the tomato plant and probably had enough to make another batch of chutney soon. Next weekend Hilary is coming to stay and I was so looking forward to seeing her.  I was going to take her to Cambridge for the day on Saturday and of course we'd go for a rummage. We would probably squeeze in a walk as well; on Friday or Sunday morning. I wish I could persuade her to stay an extra day...

I woke to fog on Saturday morning! When it cleared it was overcast and then the sun came out. I had my homemade green tomato chutney with my scrambled egg for breakfast and very nice it was too.

After pottering around in the morning and putting my summer, coats, jackets and skirts up in loft and taking the winter jackets down; I decided to walk with the Saturday group in a place called Upper Dean about 14 miles away from Bedford. I wore this top with walking trousers and boots. All clothes charity shopped; trousers by Whistles; shoes by Clarks and top by Joules. I'll let you into a secret. I bought this top a few years ago from Barnardos; I fell in love with the print.; I'm such a sucker for a floral print. Whilst I was ironing it today; I read the small print on the label which I needed my glasses for and guess what? It's a pyjama top! Who knew? I don't care.

All jewellery charity shopped.

The walk was brilliant. The weather was lovely; sunshine and a bit of breeze when it was needed. We walked 7 miles from Upper Dean - Shelton - Yielden - Melchbourne and back.

This is the Norman Motte and Bailey castle at Yielden. According to Wikipedia:

A motte-and-bailey castle is a European fortification with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised area of ground called a motte, accompanied by a walled courtyard, or bailey, surrounded by a protective ditch and palisade.

A beautiful house in Upper Dean.

St. Mary's Church; Upper Dean.

I enjoyed the walk so much I'd love to do it on my own one day soon. It was a windmill sort of weekend because not only did I spy one windmill on this walk; when I went for a walk by myself on Sunday morning I saw yet another one!

The windmill on the left is between Upper Dean and Shelton and the one on the right is the Stevington Windmill. I walked from Bromham to Stevington and then along the country park path in Stevington doing just over 5 miles.

On Saturday evening we watched the first in a new series on BBC 4 called 'Paris Police - 1900'. Interesting and a bit different.

 

Sunday's charity shopped outfit; Skirt by Wallis, top by Massimo Dutti; gilet by Tu and boots from Primarni. The skirt was relegated to the charity shop bag as I don't like the way it hangs...

All jewellery charity shopped.

When I got back from the walk I did the usual boring housework and between us OH and I cooked dinner; he did chicken curry (made with homegrown green peppers) and I did a nut roast with roast potatoes, vegetables, yorkshire puddings and some homemade green tomato chutney, of course!

More brown shades on Monday; it must be autumn! Everything second hand. The linen top by M&S which I'd had it for about 9 or 10 years; originally bought in a charity shop. The trousers; by F&F were bought from Vinted and the boots picked up in a charity shop somewhere.

All jewellery charity shopped.

 I started out with brown glass square earrings but realised when I got in the car to drive to the charity shop I only had one earring in. I came back and checked the house but couldn't find it anywhere; I may have dropped it in the street. Luckily that evening OH found it on the stairs for me...

It wasn't particularly busy at the charity shop but I got a lot done; sorting , tagging and putting garments out in the shop floor. I bought myself a BHS long silky dressing gown for the summer. When I finished at Barnardo's and went home I did two washes; I hadn't managed to squeeze a wash in on Sunday, and hung them out them to dry. I spent the rest of the day catching up with blogs and blogging. No cooking as there was leftover chicken curry to finish up. Yay! I love a day with no cooking required.

I don't know what's with me and brown, lately. I still have a plain brown top I'm dying to wear...This outfit is all secondhand. Shoes by Clarks; bought on a recent rummage in Huntingdon; skirt by Per Una from a 1.00 rail; top from 1.00 rail (it's a Polish make and I can't make out what is says even though it's spread across my chest). The jacket, by Next is so old and has never fitted me; I can't do it up but it doesn't matter as I rarely wear my jackets done up anyway!

All jewellery charity shopped.

 It was non stop at the food bank making up hygiene bags and putting toiletries away. Someone donated several bottles of perfume (all opened and partially used) so as they were destined for the bin, I rescued them  instead for a donation. I got a Clarins perfume, 'Happy' by Clinique, 'Cool Water' by Davidoff (almost empty) and one I'd not come across before called 'Philosophy Pure Grace'. I swam 46 laps at the pool in the afternoon and made a sausage casserole for dinner which was just right for the wet, miserable afternoon of weather we had. I walked with the group on Wednesday; 6.5 miles Bedford - Wilden - Renhold and back to Bedford. It was a bright, dry day. I stayed in walking gear all day as I collected the youngest grandson from school after stopping at Aldi and the doctors surgery for my flu jab after the walk.

I went for a swim on Thursday morning and did the usual 45 laps. My arm was still sore from the flu jab and I wasn't sure I'd manage the swimming, but I did.Then it was home and off to do the food shopping. I went to Sainsbury's where I hadn't been for a while and I also topped up my petrol whilst there. No queues or shortages I'm pleased to report!

 

Everything charity shopped except the boots which were donated by my daughter. Dress by H&M and top by Principles. Patterned tights also a present from my daughter.

All jewellery charity shopped.

When I'd unpacked the shopping I went to the library to pick up a reservation and ran a few errands. Middle grandson came for dinner (his mum's oven had broken) and I helped him with a CV. He wants a part time job now he's at Sixth Form College. He has two days work with OH lined up for half term week but wants a permanent part time job.

This was Friday's outfit. I went to B&M and Home Bargains in the morning for bird supplies then I came back home and waited for Hilary to arrive. I had been so looking forward to seeing her. The last time she came to Bedfordf was 2019 but I had been to Devon several times since then. Unfortunately, she had a horrible journey. Road closures and no diversion signs. She doesn't do Google maps or Sat Nav so tried to work it out the old way using her road map. She finally arrived after 4pm having left home in Devon before 10 am. It was good to see her and after she'd had a chance to recuperate we went out for a walk along the river to the marina and around the lake walking 5 miles in total. On the way back we stopped at a restaurant and had something to eat. There was a lot to catch up on!

Dress by Zara, jumper underneath by M&S; both charity shopped;leather jacket from a Dublin charity shop in 2016, Brown boots and tights also charity shopped. The bag was bought from Barnardo's a couple of weeks back.

All jewellery charity shopped.

On Saturday I took Hilary to Cambridge as she had never been before. She really loved it and all the beautiful old colleges and buildings. We had a good old rummage visiting both Burleigh Street and Mill Road which are good charity shopping places. I got very lucky and found a denim A line skirt; a pair of walking boots; 2 bangles and 2 brooches. We also stopped at the RSPCA bookshop in Mill Road where I found a green Virago book I didn't have in my collection. The last time I visited this bookshop I found 3 Viragos but one was a duplicate. We had coffee and cake in a plant based cafe; where I ate the best Bakewell Tart I have ever tasted. I promised Hilary the next time she's down we'll go back to Cambridge and I'll treat her to a punt down the River Cam; steered of course by a good looking Cambridge under-graduate!

Sunday's outfit all charity shopped except boots bought online. The cardigan came from our independent charity shop which sadly closed due to Covid-19. The earrings were bought in Co. Donegal and were made by a local artisan.

As is always the way we were too busy chatting to take any photos! We stopped at St.Botolph's church in Cambridge as they had a book sale; I did take a photo of this simple but very effective floral display as I have none of my own this week to show you.

We chilled out in the evening and on Sunday morning went for a 5 mile walk along the river to Great Denham and Biddenham. Hilary left around midday and next time said she may come by coach as she hates driving on long journeys more and more. I'm lucky and quite enjoy a long drive, still - but it may change in the future.

At Barnardo's on Monday I picked up a new William Morris calendar. I had several appointments to add to 2022 - already! We weren't really busy at the shop but had a steady stream of customers and a few donations. On Saturday they had over 40 bags donated. Next week the new manager starts.

It was an overcast day and it rained off and on but it wasn't cold. I didn't really need this Viyella jacket picked up from a 1.00 rail somewhere. The jumper by Seasalt, the skirt by Kettlewell - a recent find. I think the boots were charity shopped too, but I can't remember. That's the trouble when you buy a lot of stuff. To be honest I have cut back quite a lot as I just don't need anything in the clothes line and I'm constantly filling the charity shop bag with rejects from my wardrobe.

All jewellery charity shopped.

In the evening we were off to see brother Julian performing at 'The Stables' in Wavendon with Steeleye Span. It was a wonderful gig. OH's work colleague was there and had brought his 80 year old Dad along as a birthday treat. The original plan was for us all to go backstage and for the 80 year old to meet the band. Unfortunately, Covid regulations didn't allow for that but several of the band members came out and said hello. The band has been in existence for more than 50 years now although Julian has only been with them since 2010. 

The latest album.

Julian came back to stay with us and it was lovely to spend some time with him. I didn't go to the food bank but got up quite late (for me) and made breakfast for us both. We then went for a walk around Bedford and along the river to the marina. I wanted to show Julian what Bedford was like as he didn't really know Bedford well although the band performed here in 2011, but we didn't meet up until 2013. Once I'd dropped him at the station I went back home and got on with putting the lightest summer stuff away and bringing down the winter clothes. It took a couple of hours but it was a good feeling to have done it. The weather was unseasonably warm so I hope I don't regret doing it! I'll leave you with my latest read; a reservation from the library.