Walking, rummaging and an exhibition

Hello again. Another two weeks have flown by...

Earlier this month I meant to join in with Gail of 'Is this Mutton'  (HERE) and her 7 day skirt challenge which started on 3rd January, but forgot! Although it did make me try to wear more skirts. However, when I looked back at outfit photos from the middle of November 2021 to approximately the middle of January 2022 - roughly 8 weeks - I found I'd worn skirts on 13 occasions and only wore the same skirt twice in that period. So for someone who thinks they don't wear skirts that often I actually surprised myself!

I didn't walk with the group last Wednesday as the walk was quite far away in Baldock. Instead I went for a walk in the morning walking 6 miles. It was very cold but bright and sunny; really good walking weather. Some of the walk was along a path beside the woods and across a field; my goodness was it muddy and slippery after the several days of rain we'd had. Horrible. I hope the mud dries up before I lead my walk on the 2nd February; I must recce it before then but the mud puts me off!

After the walk I changed into this. I had been wearing jeans and had planned to change my top only but the jeans were so mud spattered they went straight into the wash instead. I bought this when OH and I went on a Cambridge rummage. It's wool and made by Max Studio. The hounds tooth cardigan, a favourite now, was also charity shopped; as were the boots and the snowflake patterned tights.

Unfortunately the dress doesn't have pockets...

All jewellery charity shopped.

After the walk I popped into the local Daycare Hospice shop with a bag of donations and picked up some ceramic birds for the mantel piece and a brooch. I collected youngest grandson from school. I sorted out the fire; lit it and made dinner for OH and both grandsons. Daughter had also come down with Covid on Tuesday; testing positive that evening so that meant more testing for us; again we were all negative with no symptoms. 

I was still Covid free on Thursday morning. It had been 4 days since I saw my daughter but I cancelled the Thursday afternoon food bank session just to be on the safe side. I went swimming and swam 48 laps or 1 mile in the morning. I went to the hairdresser; drove to the farm shop to pick up more kindling; did the food shopping also picking up shopping for my daughter at Lidl. I dropped the shopping on her doorstep; rang the bell and drove off! We continued watching 'Bordertown' in the evening (there are 3 seasons) which was going from strength to strength. I'd also reached number 23 on the 'Slightly Foxed' podcasts. By the time I post this blog entry I should have completed all episodes and will have found something else to listen to - hopefully.

This was Friday's outfit. The weather continued to be cold but bright and sunny and so much better than the endless grey dreary days we'd had. I do find that sort of weather very dispiriting and I'm always a really cheerful person.

Everything was charity shopped; the denim skirt with a kick pleat by Pure and the short sleeved jumper by M&S; polo neck by Isle. Red boots found on the Cambridge rummage. They lace up the back but are a bit too small for me at a size 3 when I'm a size 4. That means I can't wear them for long walks as they pinch my toes but are fine if I'm not walking far. I wore them to the charity shop on Monday and was glad to take them off when I got home.

All jewellery charity shopped except the earrings which were from eBay.

I wore this Fenn, Wright and Manson caped jacket and long navy blue gloves for outerwear - both charity shopped.

I love Fridays as I usually have a free day with no commitments and no cooking. After doing yet another Covid test (negative) I went out for a walk of 4.5 miles sticking to pavements to avoid any muddy encounters. I had some errands to run so went to town to the library to collect a reservation and to get my eyebrows done. I then went to buy a new iron as ours was about to die. It was originally bought as our caravan iron a few years ago but we can only use a travel iron (low voltage) in the caravan. We have to be careful not to exceed the voltage in the caravan otherwise the electricity cuts out. This iron became our spare one and when my daughter needed an iron; I gave it to her. She eventually replaced it with a better one and returned it to me. It was only a very cheap iron to start with but has lasted for about 5 years so far which is surprising. The new iron is a cordless one by Blauplunkt that charges up on a round plate. I was very tempted to buy a small clothes steamer instead of the iron; which was the same price as the iron, but decided to stick to what I know. I have a handheld domestic steamer already which I use to steam clean my curtains, rugs and upholstery; I've never tried it on clothes as it's a bit fiddly to assemble. We watched Monty Don's new gardens programme about gardens in the Adriatic - very good - and watched the penultimate episode of Season 1 of 'Bordertown'. I listened to another podcast when I went to bed and on Saturday morning saw that 'Slightly Foxed' had aired a new podcast - they issue them monthly on the 15th of each month. Another thing to look forward too!

Saturday was dreary, dank and very cold but still Covid free! I went for a 6 mile walk in the morning getting my feet soaked. It was so damp the trees were dripping moisture. It was also extremely misty. At one point I was close to a water tower but it couldn't be seen through the mist!

 I took these photos after 5 pm when it was dark and they didn't reflect the true colours in this outfit. The top was pink and was made of merino wool; I often wear it when I go walking as it's very warm. The skirt was black (M&S) with pink dots. The cardigan was grey and from Jigsaw. The boots were grey from Debenhams. Everything was charity shopped.

All jewellery charity shop and the necklace was bought in Hitchin.

After the walk when I got home OH had cleaned all the downstairs windows. He's such a star. We decided to go to Hitchin for a rummage as we hadn't been for a long time. Hitchin is a small market town in Hertfordshire about 15 miles from Bedford. It has a very good market and I picked up a couple of hyacinth plants there. I hadn't seen any in the shops in Bedford. We visited 12 charity shops in total and spotted another one as we made our way out of the town centre to go home. It has a really lovely church but I forgot to take photos. It's a flint built church which is quite unusual for this part of the country; although the church in Luton near the university was also built using flint and Hitchin isn't far from Luton...

I did remember to take a photo of these lovely art deco tiles which fronted and flanked a shop; currently a mobile phone shop but who knows what shop it was in the past? It was on the High Street.

I found some great things on our rummage. A pair of leather three-quarter Clark boots for 5.00. I used to have 2 pairs of knee length leather boots in brown and black. When I sent OH up in the loft to get them down for me before Christmas; he couldn't find them and when I ventured up there I couldn't find them either. I had a horrible feeling I took them to the charity shop; as I didn't wear them much (if at all) in 2020/2021. I think I was too hasty in donating them so when I saw the Clark's boots I snapped them up. I also bought a burgundy coloured animal print dress; a black knitted waistcoat; a warm turquoise M&S jumper for layering and a Joules yellow striped top - all, apart from the dress, from various 1.00 rails. It was so cold and damp out we were grateful when we entered the different shops and were greeted by a warm blast of air...

I got up on Sunday and made a meatless chickpea meatoaf. It was tasty if a little dry and that was my fault as I added all of the rolled oats instead of a little at first and then adding more if required. Also on reflection I realised I drained the cans of chickpeas and the recipe didn't ask for that so would have contributed to the dryness. I haven't had any feedback from my daughter as yet but I probably won't make it again. Not too bad as out of my vegetarian/vegan experimenting so far that's only 2 dishes that weren't worth the effort.

We also did the usual Sunday housecleaning and I made a casserole for OH and grandson's dinner. The middle grandson is a picky eater and has never in his 17 years; eaten anything in a sauce or gravy so I made him some steak I'd had in the freezer. Sometimes cooking a meal in this family is so complicated; one only eats a plant based diet; two family members don't eat pork; another one doesn't eat red meat and grandson only eats dry food. Thank goodness I don't have to feed them all everyday...

I think this skirt is the oldest I have. It has to be about 9 or 10 years old. I remember wearing it to work and I retired almost 8 years ago. It's by Next and was of course, charity shopped. The jumper by Tu was a charity find and the boots by New Look as before.

Earrings by eBay and necklace charity shopped. In the evening we watched 3 further episodes of the new BBC 4 drama which aired on Saturday night.; 'Hidden Assets'. We only had one more episode to complete the series and we had missed 'The Great Pottery Throw Down' so decided to watch both on Monday evening. I'd planned to listen to another podcast in bed but fell asleep five minutes in!

I was still Covid free on Monday after testing myself first thing. Daughter texted to say she was testing negative too but still not feeling well. Back to Barnardo's on Monday. It was cold but bright and sunny. I wore fleece lined leggings under my outfit and of course I only stop wearing a vest/camisole under my tops if there's a heatwave!

The skirt by Betty Barclay and the jumper by Seasalt: both charity shopped. I wore the boots my daughter bought me for Christmas and the jacket by Chico's was picked up in Bedford market on Friday on the 1.00 sale rail on the clothes stall. The stall owners occasionally have 1.00 sales which are a mixture of their 'new' (slightly flawed garments; flaws often not visible without close examination) and some secondhand. The jacket was a secondhand. I once bought OH a very smart grey jacket from their 'new' 1.00 sale rail and he looks fab in it. We always laugh about the 1.00 price tag...

All jewellery charity shopped.

We weren't terribly busy in Barnardo's and I spent the morning processing donations. One of the clothing rails collapsed and had to be put back up and everything re hung. I found a metal peace sign for the garden;  I bought that and hung it on the wall by the dining room window when I got home. I also washed the kitchen floor as I hadn't had time to do it on Sunday, did a wash and sorted out and laid the fire. Not much cooking required; there was enough casserole left over for OH to have for dinner and I had left over chickpea meatloaf. All I had to do was to make vegetables and potatoes to go with the leftovers. I spent the rest of the day writing my blog and catching up with blog land which I nearly always do on Mondays and Tuesdays. In the evening we watched the final episode of 'Hidden Assets; which we thoroughly enjoyed. Partially set in Antwerp (hello Ann!) we got to see a fair bit of the city. I think there may be another series in the future.

I'd been testing myself everyday as Covid seemed to be spreading through the family. Middle grandson came down with it on Wednesday and his mum had it it the week before. I was negative on Tuesday morning so went to the food bank where I made up lots of hygiene bags. It was really, really cold in the warehouse although I had layers on and never took my coatigan off...

I just can't remember now where I got this dress from but it was charity shopped. The blue M&S jumper underneath was found in Hitchin last Saturday on a 1.00 rail; the boots by Manteray were bought from Barnardo's; as were the thick, cable knit, grey tights.

All jewellery charity shopped.

In the afternoon I went swimming and did 46 laps in the hour I had. I felt shattered by then so after hanging out my whites wash and sorting out the fire; I decided we'd have takeaway fish and chips for dinner and chilled out for the rest of the afternoon. In the evening we started watching a new series of 'Bordertown'. I also gave up on my book 'The Crow Girl'. Set in Sweden it was full of sadistic acts, torture and sexual abuse and I couldn't take anymore! I started reading 'Oh William' by Elizabeth Strout instead which I'd reserved from the library. What a contrast...

The group walk on Wednesday which I'd booked was in Milton Keynes. When I woke up I felt as if I had a cold and cancelled my place on the walk. When I tested myself an hour later I was still Covid negative (whew!) and felt better. I went to collect more Lateral Flow Test kits from the chemist having used my last one that morning. I went to Aldi to pick up some bits for dinner and when that was put away set out for a walk on my own. I had planned to walk 6 miles but walked 8.75 miles just making it back in time to pick the youngest grandson up from school.

I wore this;  just adding walking boots and socks and a waterproof coat on top. Everything I wore was charity shopped; skirt by M&S; jumper by Next and the hounds tooth polo underneath was another layering top I picked up on Monday whilst at Barnardo's. There was a lighter coloured one too and I'm sorry I didn't buy it as well. So useful and warm as the jumper is made of very thin knitted material. I do like a bit of black/white/grey pattern mixing. The boots were the Clark's boots picked up in Hitchin last Saturday.

All jewellery charity shopped.

As it usually tends to be Thursday was a really busy day. Yes, I wore another skirt.

Everything charity shopped. The skirt and polo underneath by M&S; jumper by Tu. Boots present from my daughter.

All jewellery charity shopped.

 

I started out with a swim of 46 laps then came home to get ready before going to the food bank again to help out. I made up 65 single/ couple hygiene packs and 8 family packs in just over 2 hours. From the food bank I went to Lidl to do the weekly food shopping. I had put a wash on before I left so I hung that up and put the shopping away. I cleaned out and relaid the fire and after a 40 minute sit down; I'd been on my feet since I got up at 7.30 am, I then made dinner for OH and I.

I love Fridays!

It was freezing on Friday. I wrapped up well against the cold. Everything except the boots were charity shopped. The jacket; can't remember where I got it from; the yellow scarf was a 1.00 find in Hitchin last Saturday. The yellow leather gloves were bought as part of a street jumble some years ago for 1.00. Cross body bag charity shopped somewhere quite recently.

I wore thick tights under these wide legged cropped jeans by Oasis; the floral tunic by Indulgence; charity shopped in Co. Galway a few years ago; the top underneath by Isle.

All jewellery charity shopped.

I  booked to go and see the Laura Knight exhibition at the Milton Keynes gallery called 'Laura Knight: A Panoramic View' at 1 pm on Friday.  On the blog I previously mentioned going to to see an Evelyn Dunbar exhibition but it was Laura Knight, I meant.  You knew that of course didn't you?  I'd come across Laura Knight though the Persephone Books website HERE and as I'm very interested in female artists I decided, as it was practically on the doorstep, I should go.  After I'd got ready I went to the farm shop in Sharnbrook to pick up some kindling and also went to drop off some fruit for my middle grandson who came down with Covid in the week. He was fine with no symptoms but he had been testing himself daily as he's at Sixth Form (they provide the test kits). Then I set off for Milton Keynes. It was 2 degrees C when I set out and 6 degrees when I returned so it was bloody cold! I thoroughly enjoyed the exhibition and would have loved to buy a programme; at 25.00 I couldn't really justify it.

The exhibition surveyed Laura Knight's career (1877 - 1970) a 'pioneering painter of performers, war and marginalised communities with a long and successful career that saw her break conventions and achieve many first for female artists' (from the Milton Keynes Gallery flyer advertising the exhibition above). I took so many photos and would like to give you an idea of Laura Knight's work so have just included a sample of the work I saw; broken down into the different categories to give it some structure. You can see all the photos I took HERE and for more information about Laura Knight; see HERE.

CORNWALL

LONDON

Chelsea Embankment

Hampstead Heath Fair

(I used to go every year when I lived in London; it was a yearly ritual)

THEATRE AND BALLET

Laura Knight was famous for a number of artistic themes including backstage scenes of the theatre and ballet. She also designed costumes for both the theatre and the ballet. She painted a lot of circuses and circus folk but as I don't like circuses I didn't take any photos. However, the circus paintings I saw were full of movement and colour. She also designed this wonderful circus themed dinner service.

CIRCUS

She collaborated with Ella Napier and produced these exquisite enamelled miniatures of dancers as well designing ceramic and glass for Clarice Cliff and others. She also designed a cover for Cadbury's Chocolate boxes!

SECOND WORLD WAR

Laura Knight was the only female artist to be given war commissions in both world wars and she was the only artist commissioned to cover the Nuremberg Trials.

And of course the very famous war painting of 'Ruby Loftus Screwing a Breech Ring, 1943' which was used for the exhibition flyer above.

BALTIMORE

(Laura's husband Harold Knight also an artist received some commissions in Baltimore; whilst there Laura Knight visited a public hospital and got to know some of the staff and painted several portraits of them).

GYPSIES

PORTRAITS
Ethel Bartlett 1926

Joan Rhodes 1955

My favourite artworks of hers are the portraits and I love the war work, particularly.

I went for a rummage on the way home stopping in Kempston where I visited the Cat's Protection League and the Day Care Hospice charity shops. I picked up more books in the CPL - at 5 paperbacks for 1.00 it would have been silly not to. In the Daycare Hospice shop they had a sale rail which is always a magnet for me.  I picked up a White Stuff yellow/white/orange tunic and a Tu black and white spotted dress. There's something about spotted garments that attracts me; I don't know why. OH had the day off on Friday which wasn't pre-planned and he made dinner that evening.

On Saturday, I went out to recce the walk I'd be leading in less than a fortnight for The Ramblers. The walk was 7.3 miles and it was such hard work. The ground was very soggy and muddy in places. There were also several freshly ploughed field and unless you have walked across a muddy ploughed field with pounds of clayey mud clinging to your boots feeling like lead weights; it's hard to describe how awful it was. I am just praying the ground may have dried out by the time of the actual walk and it wouldn't be such hard going! On the positive side I saw skylarks; 2 Mistle Thrushes or Thrushes (too far away to see enough detail to distinguish them); Buzzards and Red Kites. The bird life in general was in fine fettle as far as singing was concerned but I can only identify a few birds by their calls. I was looking for signs of Spring (increased birdsong being one - I can tick that one off) but so far have only spotted some tiny daffodils growing in a garden. In the evening we went to see this at the cinema:

It was shot entirely in black and white; something I only realised near the end. It was a wonderfully evocative film which showed the horror of the sectarian divisions and the consequences in 1960s Belfast; without being hectoring or preachy. Definitely a feel good film and I loved the soundtrack by Van Morrison. I knew every song in the film but as I grew up in the 1950s and 1960s that wasn't surprising.

This was Sunday's outfit. The dress, which I am re-donating, is very thin and doesn't hang properly.  It was picked up last weekend in a Hitchin charity shop. I'm wearing a merino wool jumper underneath; the kimono on top had no label; boots from New Look; both charity shopped.

All jewellery charity shopped.

I'm looking very serious here...sorry about the 'demon' eyes

As we are all Covid free now (hallelujah!) everyone came for Sunday dinner which was roast chicken and all the trimmings. OH and I did the housework first thing and I also washed the kitchen mats which is a weekly occurrence. I am a creature of habit and routine - except on Fridays...In the evening we continued watching and enjoying the Great Pottery Throw Down and watched the first in a new series about a bomb disposal squad called 'Trigger Point'. That's Sunday evening's viewing sorted for the next few weeks.

Monday's outfit. I wore this to volunteer at Barnardo's. Everything charity shopped. Boots and tights as before; cardigan by Next via Barnardo's; dress by Tu from The Daycare Hospice shop. It has pockets...

All jewellery charity shopped except the earrings from eBay.

We weren't too busy but the donations came in thick and fast...

I'm a little worried about my new next door neighbours. They're 4 female dance students aged around 18-19 years old. They are the quietest neighbours I've ever had! I hear them go out to dance classes in the morning before 9 am and they're back home around 6 pm. They never seem to go out otherwise or have visitors - other than food delivery drivers. It seems almost unnatural behaviour for that age group; at least if I compare my children and the children of my friends at that age. I'm not complaining by the way - just a bit puzzled!

In the evening we watched the first episode in another new (and brilliant) new series called 'Responder' - very gritty and some wonderful acting by Martin Freeman. I listened to my 33rd 'Slightly Foxed' podcast so only 6 left before I'm up to date...

I'm at the food bank tomorrow as per usual and middle grandson is coming to stay for a few days. Hopefully he'll being doing his revision - he has exams the week after.

See you on the other side and with a bit of luck it might be looking a bit more like Spring!