Fine weather, flea markets and funerals.

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...

 

Thursday's outfit was all pre-loved. Striped top by Monki, trousers by Next and kimono from Peacocks. Pumps were found at Barnardo's last year. All jewellery pre-loved.

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 Luton.

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.

Another lovely day on Sunday which involved no swimming. There was an all day event going on at the pool. Instead, I took Rain for another field walk where she could be off the lead and wear herself out in the process. I love walking in the countryside, the air filled with bird song.  Rain was clearly enjoying herself bowling along at her own pace - mine is a lot slower...along the way we met a mini Jack Russell terrier whose owner wouldn't stop talking. It took us ages to get away...

Everything pre-loved; jumpsuit from Bedford Market second hand stall; top from my Barnardo's. Mules from Sainsburys. All jewellery pre-loved.

Once home again I sorted out my sandals and pumps and put all my long boots away. I was so glad the swap over was finally completed. I made a roast chicken dinner for everyone and we began watching the new series of 'The Responder' on BBC in the evening.

I badly needed a haircut but had an appointment on Monday morning. Monday was the early Spring bank holiday Monday - a day to celebrate workers  of the world everywhere. I no longer volunteer at the charity shop on BH Mondays so was able to go to the hairdressers instead.

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.

Everything pre-loved. Boots by Next; leggings by Nike and dress by Kettlewell; both from my Barnardo's. Jacket found in a Derry charity shop about 3 years ago. I wore a long black jacket over this outfit which looked like a coat but unfortunately had no pockets. Not a good idea when you need to carry dog poo bags and dog treats everywhere with you...

After my haircut we planned to take Rain with us to visit some gardens at Wimpole Hall in Cambridgeshire but soon after setting off changed our minds and went to Shuttleworth instead. It's much nearer to home and after several visits we still hadn't made it to the Swiss Garden there. It was not be this visit as it transpired.

To start with it began to rain - heavily. That meant an umbrella was required. Normally I would have worn a rain mac with a hood but it wasn't raining when we left home and also I'd just paid for a hair cut which I didn't want the rain to ruin; so umbrella it had to be. It's quite to difficult to control a dog with one hand whilst holding an umbrella with the other; we both discovered that afternoon. There was a car event at Shuttleworth and keen to take Rain on her second walk of the day (I'd been out with her first thing for a 70 minute walk in the cemetery; my favourite place to walk near home) we went for a look. I'm not a petrol head but there were some amazing cars on display. I only managed to get a few photographs as again holding the umbrella meant I had just one hand free.

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.

Tuesday was bright and thankfully dry. Still helping my son settle in, I didn't go to the food bank this week. I walked Rain as usual once I was up and later in the day walked her again down along the river and into Russell Park. It was a sunny day and I felt quite warm by the time I got home. I hoped the improved weather was here to stay.

Jeans by John Rocha; practical wear for practical tasks. Everything pre-loved except the boots; retail. The jacket is by Bon Marche; the company that make quite a lot of frumpy clothes for women of my age and I'd sworn I would never wear any of their clothes. They're not all frumpy though as this jacket shows (it has embroidery on the back). All jewellery pre-loved.

River Great Ouse

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.

Everything pre-loved except the faux clogs. Top by Next and trousers by F&F.

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.

 

Tuesday and Wednesday were 20 and 21 degrees C respectively; Thursday was 24 degrees. Nothing but a dress would do and this was a pre-loved repeat number bought from Vinted about 3/4 years ago. Green pumps; an old Tu sale buy. All jewellery pre-loved.

I only went to Sainsbury's to do the essential shopping for dinner items and would complete with a visit to Lidl on Friday. Didn't want to waste the lovely weather. Put 2 loads of washing out to dry and all dried and put away before bedtime. OH was busy potting up his plant buys from the garden centre. Grandsons came for dinner as usual and not only did I drop youngest grandson to basketball training but collected him and his friend at 8.30 pm. His mum had parent's evening at her school.

It seemed like summer had arrived; 24 degrees again on Friday. I took Ran for a long walk across the fields in the morning and let her off the lead  in one of them. We walked for one hour and forty-five minutes. Later in the day I took her for another walk this time to and around the cemetery. I saw a woman having a wee (weird; she didn't even bother to go behind the tree she was standing next to). I saw another woman, clearly the baby's grandmother, with a pram sitting on one of the benches with her laptop and phone doing some work; then we spied a woman sitting on a gravestone reading a book in the sunshine - well, why not? I would loved to have known if the gravestone was a relation's or not....

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.

I bought this Zara top and a similar yellow one in the 3:16 charity shop a few months back and this was the green one's first outing; it's not a keeper I don't think; I don't like how it looks on. Updated to say I donated it. Teamed with my striped tee shirt underneath and green trousers both seen on the blog before and both pre-loved. Pumps as before and all jewellery pre-loved.

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.

I went swimming on Sunday morning at the new time of 8.15 am. It was busy but because the times were now staggered people were coming and going; I like the new system and think it works well. I wore this outfit on Sunday; all pre-loved. Top by Laura Ashley; trousers no label, Birkenstocks donated by my daughter and all jewellery pre-loved.

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.

My daughter found a lovely vintage orange corduroy midi skirt and the stall holder she bought it from took photos of us both for her Instagram page...

After a gap of two weeks I was back at Barnardo's, Great Denham on Monday. Last Monday was a bank holiday and the Monday before I volunteered at the Kempston Barnardo's as there was no one to cover Great Denham.

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.

So to Wednesday where it was warm and sunny at times. I took Rain for a 90 minute walk down by the river first thing and after getting ready set off to do the weekly food shop. Middle Grandson and I were spending Thursday, my usual shopping day, with his Dad.

Everything pre-loved; pumps by Converse via my Barnardo's; skirt found in Co. Donegal charity shop; lacy jacket by F&F.

All jewellery pre-loved. I found the necklace last week in the Castle Road charity shops where I popped in for a quick browse. I culled my beads as I had a very large collection; I find I'm more drawn to necklaces and long pendants now.

See you in a fortnight...