Hello and welcome! Posting a day later than usual; if you want to know why - do read on...
(Pre-hair cut of course!)
Wednesday was a lovely warm sunny day with temperatures around 19 degrees. I spent most of the day helping my son to move into a new place in Northampton - only 20 miles down the road!
Everything pre-loved except the jeans bought from Tu in the sale. All jewellery pre-loved, too.
Thursday was busy. I went for a swim after walking Rain and once I was ready and had breakfast, I set off for Lidl and Sainsbury's. I made dinner for everyone and took grandson to basketball training. I've been calling it 'practice' but I've since been corrected...
Friday was wet although when I took the dog out for her early walk it was chilly but dry; once I was home it began to rain and it didn't stop all day. I spent a considerable part of the day swapping my winter or warmer clothing over to more lightweight and summer clothing. My son came over for dinner and I drove him back to Northampton.
Not very good photos; the light was very poor thanks to the rain and cloud. I wore this tunic top which was pre-loved; trousers from La Redoute retail; boots also retail. Didn't bother with much jewellery except some pre-loved earrings.
I took Rain for a 2 hour walk on Saturday morning. We headed for the fields but of course the previous day's non-stop rain had made the fields and foot paths pretty muddy. Rain, however didn't care because I took a risk and let off her lead. She met and played with another dog and whilst off the lead seemed to be really enjoying herself. Luckily, she came back when called - thank goodness. Unfortunately, when we arrived home I realised that whilst she was playing with the other dog; her ID tag had come off and was probably lying on a muddy footpath somewhere. That was a waste of 12.00! I'll have to make sure the next ID tag I buy has much more secure ring fitting.
This was what I wore on Saturday which turned out to be a lovely, sunny day. Everything pre-loved except boots the same as yesterday; trousers by Tahiti; top by M&S. All jewellery pre-loved.
The earrings were a Sainsbury's buy a few weeks ago but this was first time I wore them.
I ran some errands later in the day buying more dried dog food and more treats from Jollyes Pet Store. I popped into The Daycare Hospice shop where I found some never worn cream loafers by Dune. Once I was home again I continued with the clothes swap over until it was complete except for the shoes/sandals. I found it so tiring and didn't have any energy left; they'd have to be sorted out the following day. I had a black plastic sack filled with donations ready to donate by then.
After 2 lovely days of fine weather; Monday turned out to be a wash-out by mid afternoon. I started the day in sandals but the cooler temperatures said no to bare feet and I wore socks and boots - again. Necklace was a Christmas present from my 'half' sister, Mandy.
We moved on through the car event making for a large field in the distance where we'd let the dog off the lead for a run around. What a mistake that was - not from Rain's point of view, though! We'd only just let her off the lead when a solitary rabbit appeared far off in the middle of the field and Rain set off after it. We didn't think she'd catch it as it was far away but my goodness she soon caught up with it and ran it to ground. By the time I reached Rain, the poor rabbit was dead. She wanted to eat it, I think, but that I couldn't bear so we dragged her away. Of course she was only doing what she was bred to do; seek and catch/kill her prey but I felt so guilty. Watching her chase the rabbit felt like something out of a David Attenborough wild life documentary; you know the one where a big cat species chases and pounces on a defenceless antelope...
After that we continued with our walk around the grounds and decided against visiting the gardens in the rain; opting for a hot beverage in the cafe instead and then headed home.
I just missed a swan swimming by - flipping 5 second timer. Talking of swans; who knows it may have been the same one; further along the river a swan was climbing out of the water as Rain and I were approaching. Rain had been hissed at and pecked on the head by a swan on previous occasions but this time the swan not only hissed but spread out her wings making her appear enormous. Rain was terrified! I hope she'd now learnt her lesson - keep away from the swans...
The lovely weather continued on Wednesday. After a leisurely morning OH and I accompanied by Rain went to the garden centre for OH to spend the last of his voucher on some more plants. We replaced a couple of our wallflowers; bought a trailing 'wild' geranium; some red salvias and some more petunias for the front window boxes.
All jewellery pre-loved except very old Sainsbury's earrings.
I went for a swim on Thursday morning at the different time of 8.30. I'd booked this time by accident and I'm so glad I did. There was 1 other person swimming in the same lane as me and for about 25 minutes I had it all to myself! Amazing. I swam 46 laps and with 5 minutes to spare. I discovered from talking to an elderly gentleman that the booking system has now changed and that the times are staggered - hence the reduced numbers. I'd have to see how Sunday's swimming session panned out - it was 15 minutes earlier than my previous slot on Sundays.
I went to Lidl for the shopping and spent the afternoon reading, blogging and chilling out. We finished the series 'The Responder' and will start watching a series on Netflix recommended by my brother called 'Obituary' as it is set in Ballyshannon and Bundoran in Co. Donegal. Both places we know very well.
More cool dressing required and nothing meets that brief like a dress. This one was pre-loved from my Barnardo's and by Joules; sliders as before and all jewellery pre-loved. Warm at 24 degrees again and sunny all day with occasional periods of cloud.
Saturday morning's walk took Rain and I along the river where a school's regatta was taking place.
This necklace is made from a spoon!
There were a lot of dogs around and Rain had to say hello to them all. On the way back we walked past a garden at the front of a house which had a cat sat behind the metal fence. Rain is very interested in cats but this was the first time she was up close and personal to one; albeit divided by a fence; the cat hissed ferociously at Rain but she didn't seem worried and came away without too much persuasion. She's dragged me halfway down a street on another occasion when she spied a cat in the distance! I went out for a quick rummage to the Castle Rd charity shops later in the afternoon where I found some BNWT yellow Zara trousers and a necklace.
My daughter and I went along to the Bedford Flea Market which is held twice a year in May and November. There were quite a few stalls;
a mix of clothing, art works, bric a brac and locally produced foods. I should have taken photos of some of the stall's merchandise but you can see it was busy and what a beautiful day it was - again.
It was good to be back and nothing had changed. Lots of donations to process, but then the card machine went down which was a pain. Luckily, as the shop is within 2 metres of ATM (outside a Sainsbury's local) most people were able to go and withdraw cash if they didn't have any on them. People constantly say that since Covid they rarely carry cash.
Sandals by Monsoon (retail). Everything else was pre-loved. Trousers by Papaya; top by Next and linen jacket by Fenn, Wright and Manson.
All jewellery pre-loved.
On Tuesday I didn't go the food bank as I went to a funeral instead. My 'half' sister, Mandy was adopted very soon after being born in 1966 and it was her adopted mum who had died; aged 90. Sheila had been in a nursing home for the past 8 years and suffered from Alzheimer's for years. Her funeral mass was in Barnet; then the crematorium in New Southgate and back to Barnet for the wake in a nearby pub. The funeral mass was lovely; Mandy gave a wonderful eulogy and the grandchildren read some poetry. I never met Sheila but I think she would have appreciated her lovely send off. I didn't take photos of my funeral outfit as I didn't have time in the morning and I was a creased, crumpled mess by the time I returned home...it rained throughout the day but there was a burst of late sunshine in the early evening.