I've been wearing prints all week

Mondays are always busy for me. Often the youngest grandson stays on Sunday night and I have to get him ready, breakfast and then do the school run. Then it's back to get ready and off to the Red Cross from 9.30 to 1pm. I usually have a few things to pick up in town when I've finished there then I go home and have some lunch and do some chores. Before I know it, it's time to pick the children up from school. I didn't get to sit down on Monday until 5 pm!

All jewellery charity shopped except watch, Christmas present 2016 and earrings which are from Sainsburys.

This is the coral cardigan I bought from the Red Cross last week for £1.99. It's from Monsoon.

Jeans, M&S; Top, George. All bought at the Red Cross. Boots; Christmas present 2015 or 2014.

Tuesday was foodbank in the morning. I worked so hard I was actually sweating - although I did have a jumper, a thick cardigan and gloves on! After the foodbank I spent much of the afternoon sorting out kitchen stuff for eldest grandson who has moved to a new place in London. I went into town to look for a few extra bits for him and managed to get them in Poundland and in a couple of charity shops. I was very good and bought nothing in the way of clothes for me! I now have three bags of kitchen stuff waiting to be collected...

I have finished 'A Harp in Lowndes Square' by Rachel Ferguson. It was quite a strange novel but really enjoyable; I do like this author and have another two books of hers waiting to be read; one of which is a Persephone book. I've only managed three books this month as I've been crocheting. If I want to achieve more books read this year than last I need to get on with it. I should save the crocheting for when I'm watching TV.

I've been wearing animal prints quite a lot this week. In the picture above which was Wednesday's outfit I'm wearing an M&S blue animal print cardigan over black cords and a denim shirt. All charity shopped. I'm all crumpled because these photos were taken just before bed.

The boots are also charity shopped.

All jewellery charity shopped. The earrings were bought in Devon last weekend for a £1.00.

I went walking on Wednesday as well as walking around town doing errands like renewing my parking permit. I walked about 7 miles in total. I'm also walking on Friday  - as bus walk from Milton Ernest back to Bedford. I just hope it doesn't rain!

This coat is vintage - I think. There is no label; not even a care label. It is so reminiscent of coats from the 1960s; they sometimes also had a detachable fur collar and often the buttons were huge. My mum had one. I bought this in Devon at the weekend for £3.00.

It has  a very musty smell unfortunately which I'm trying to eradicate. I had it hanging on the line all day and I sprayed it with what I thought was Febreze - only it wasn't. It was Febreze air freshener! The next thing to try is to steam it with my hand held steamer.

On Thursday I took the youngest grandson for his UV treatment at the hospital. He suffers from eczema and the treatment is really helping his skin. I took him to school and then went and did the food shopping. I didn't need to go Sainsbury's this week just Lidl. I used to do my main shop at Sainsbury's and top up at Lidl. Over the years (since 2002) the balance has now shifted, so I do the bulk of the shopping at Lidl and top up with certain things at Sainsbury's.

I'm wearing a dress from New Look and an animal print shirt from Per Una at M&S. Both charity shopped in Devon at the weekend. Boots from Sainsbury's; Christmas 2017 present from OH.

All the jewellery is charity shopped. I bought this necklace in Oxfam in Newport Pagnell early in 2016.

 I did a bus walk on Friday with the Ramblers and walked 7 miles. It is so much more enjoyable walking across fields and through woods and by rivers rather than just road and street walking which is what I've been doing lately. It was muddy but that's only to be expected with all the rain we've had.  I saw a buzzard showing off  its lovely plumage and saw and heard skylarks. I always associate skylarks with Spring but they're here all year  round, I think.

 More animal print today; a tunic from M&S; gilet from  Mc and Co;  both charity shopped. Leggings M&S retail and OTK boots bought on line.

All jewellery charity shopped.

I have been so good this week. I've bought no clothes at all and have put the following in the charity shop bag; 3 cardigans, 2 dresses, 2 pairs of trousers and 2 tunics. I've sorted out one of my coat/jackets to take to Ireland at Easter as I have a replacement one now.

I also had a brainwave this week, so I'll share it with you although you may have been doing it already! I ruin a lot of my tights as my big toes frequently poke holes in the foot (this is despite me cutting my toenails regularly!) There is nothing as uncomfortable as tights with holes in the feet. As I tossed yet another pair of tights in the bin this week, I suddenly thought why not cut the feet off and add socks to cover the missing feet? It works but only if you're wearing boots!

We went to see my son  on Saturday. It's his 37th birthday on Monday. We all gave him money and a few little extras from me.

Everything is charity shopped except the OTK boots - online retail. The dress was BNWT and came out of the 49p box at the RSPCA in Sandy earlier this year. They were obviously trying to get rid of their winter dresses. Yes, I'm wearing the mustard jacket again - it goes with lots of my clothes; it's by Country Casuals and was 1.99 at the Red Cross.

Earrings are old and from Sainsburys about 8 years ago - tiered necklace 50p from Red Cross charity shop. Bangles, ring and brooch all charity shopped.

I've got tomorrow and next Tuesday afternoon to recce my walk for the Ramblers on Wednesday. I just hope the rain keeps off. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Away for the weekend

If Lidl has these flowers (Alstromerias) in, I always buy them. This double bunch was bought on 22nd December and lasted for four weeks!

Monday's OOTD

This is what I wore at the Red Cross where I volunteer.

All jewellery charity shopped except watch.

Everything charity shopped except boots - bought on line.

Red jeans; Laura Ashley, cardigan by Faithful and True (!); spotted top by Anthology, bought for 49p in Barnardos last week.

The contrast in the amount of goods donated to the Red Cross and Save the Children (my previous charity shop) is huge! At Save the Children we often had to keep old stock out as there wasn't much to replace it with. At the Red Cross, when I got in on Monday, there were at least 8 black bin bags of donation to be sorted and tagged; by the time I left three and a half hours later there were a further six bags donated!

Did I buy anything? Of course! I bought a coral coloured cardigan from Monsoon (it's a colour I don't have) for £1.99;  a tunic for £1.99; a scarf with pearls on it for £1.50 - how could I resist a scarf that has pearls sewn into it? Two fine multi chain necklaces for 50p each and a brooch for 99p. With staff discount it came to just under six pounds!

Tuesday's OOTD

I do like this dress. It's colourful and warm, but it's an example of something not suiting me.The shape of the dress is not right for me. It just hangs from my boobs and is sack like; I look like a box on legs! This dress will be consigned to the charity shop bag. It was £1.99 from the Red Cross bought in winter 2015. Goodbye dress...

Everything is charity shopped except the boots from Sainsbury's and the leggings, also Sainsbury's. The jacket is a 1980s Geiger jacket.

All jewellery charity shopped except watch.

This is a really good example of learning what suits (or in this case) - what doesn't; by seeing a photo of me wearing the garment.

Tuesday was my first proper volunteering day at the Guildhouse. We spent the time sorting out stuff for a forthcoming sale and I even did some ironing! I hate ironing but they don't have a steamer; only a rather spiffy steam iron...

This was Wednesday's outfit. I didn't really go anywhere except to run some errands in town. I didn't even go for a walk; I can't even remember why!

I really like this jacket and keep on wearing it. Everything is charity shopped even the boots.

On Thursday I set off to drive to Devon to visit my friend of fifty odd years. She retired in December and we had a lovely time catching up,  walking, going out for meals and meeting up with her daughter and grandchildren. We also had a marathon charity shopping spree! We visited the charity shops in Tiverton on Friday and on Saturday visited the charity shops in Exmouth. We visited 20 in total!

This was taken outside the almshouses in Tiverton.
The coat was bought in the La Redoute sale a few weeks back. Scarf, jewellery and jeans charity shopped. Boots, Christmas 2016 present from daughter.

The almshouses date from the 14th century. They were built by John Greenway 1460 - 1529.

This chap was over the door of the almshouses.

This charity shop marathon is my last until I get to Ireland in April.
What did I buy? Another coat; vintage I think but no labels at all, £3.00. An animal print shirt M & S; £2.00 (I've been wanting one of these for ages). A blue pinafore type dress £2.25; a red summer skirt £1.00; another scarf, red this time; £1.00. A set of stacking mugs in a container from M&S; £2.50 and lots of jewellery - two pairs of earrings; 4 bangles, two of which are purple and what I've been after for a while; a brooch, a yellow ring and pretty yellow necklace. And finally more padded hangers x 3 and two books!

This was my outfit on Sunday. I got back from Devon on Sunday afternoon and it rained all the way...

Everything charity shopped; except the boots Christmas present 2015.

Wrap green cord trouser; Red Cross £1.00. John Rocha top and M & S shirt. Necklace £1.00;.
 Salvation Army.

That was my week - how was yours?

Not a New Year's Resolution

I have been getting on really well with my crochet blanket in browns, creams and beiges. I can get on with it if I'm watching TV and it will encourage me to watch more DVDs as I can crochet and watch a screen at the same time, but I can't crochet and read at the same time! I have DVDs I got for Christmas presents years ago that are still in their wrappers so I'm definitely going to make sure they get watched in 2017. It's not a New Year resolution though....

It was cold on Saturday but at least it was bright and sunny. I walked to Aldi and back again and into to town to pick up a parcel and walked 6.5 miles in total. If I manage to walk again on Sunday I'll have completed my thrice weekly walking plan for the first time this year. I want to try and do this this every week. It's not a New Year's resolution though just a plan I want to carry out...

On my walk I visited the Beds Garden Carers charity shop where they have a small clothing area upstairs. I bought 3 tops for 50p each; one is a white fitted shirt, another a brown and cream top - I lack brown tops  -and the last item was by Yasmin Le Bon and is a beautiful, white, embroidered sleeveless tunic. It's for my cousin Doirin in Ireland as I think she'll like it.

I bought this top the first time I ever visited the Bedford Guildhouse charity shop which was last year sometime; but I'd never got round to wearing it. It's by John Rocha and I liked the turquoise and yellow floral print. Jeans also charity shopped, as are the necklace and bangles. The earrings I bought in Topshop in 2002 and the watch was a 2012 Christmas present from daughter.

Boots from Lidl

Yellow cardigan online retail; 2015 Christmas present from OH.

Because this is a blog about (my) real life here's how I looked on Sunday. Same jeans as Saturday; no make up. T shirt charity shopped in Donegal 50 cents; cardigan M&S charity shopped; all jewellery charity shopped.

I suppose the New Year is a time for reflection on the old year gone out and I thought I'd share some of my thoughts with you about what I've learned since I started blogging. Please feel free to skip this part if you want...

Thoughts on Blogging in no particular order....

The blogging world of style/fashion/older style and fashion seems to be filled with incredibly kind, supportive and lovely bloggers most of whom have a terrific sense of humour.

I had no idea how time consuming blogging would be. Not only do you write and edit the blog, but there's the taking of photographs;  then the uploading of same. Then there's all those wonderful blogs to read and comment on. I doubt I could do this if I worked, so thank goodness I'm retired!

People like it when you respond to their comments on your blog.

Taking photographs wearing different outfits has taught me so much about what suits me; what works and what doesn't; what flatters and what doesn't. Sometimes I have a mental image of what an outfit will look like on - and it may look ok in the mirror - but a more objective perspective can be gained by looking at a photograph of me wearing it.

I've learned that my style and taste in clothes has changed as I've get older.  For example, I've learned to love orange and yellow; avoid mid calf length skirts/dresses and the importance of accessories.

 I've improved my layering skills and learned to try new things; OTK boots for example.

I spend too much money in the charity shops on clothes.

It's better to concentrate on quality rather quantity when charity shopping.

Invest in padded hangers. I buy them whenever I see them in charity shops at reasonable prices.

As I have  too many  a lot of clothes I've had to organise them so I can see what I have and therefore wear. I organise my clothes by type; blouses/shirts/tops together for example, then by colour. Occasionally, I find something I have no memory of buying and it's been in the wardrobe for ages hidden between things.

I button at least one button on shirts/blouses when I hang them up to prevent its fellow getting tangled up inside. This is particularly relevant as I have too much a lot  on my rails.

It doesn't matter how much storage space I have I will find clothes to fill it.

I usually plan next day's outfit just before I go to bed; although occasionally inspiration strikes sooner - see below. I hang everything up ready for the morning and sometimes I even get the ironing of the outfit done the same evening!

Sometimes an idea for an outfit pops into my mind, and as I can't rely on my memory I have now started to write them down. So far, I've managed to write down 9 outfit ideas since Saturday 14th January 2017; when I first thought to do this. This will be so useful on those occasions when I think "what the heck can I wear today"?

This is what I wore to the Red Cross shop on Monday. Everything is charity shopped except the boots which were bought with Christmas vouchers from Debenhams about three Christmases  ago.

Skirt; £1.00 rail Barnardo's Great Denham; scarf and lace top charity shopped; green cardigan by Benetton; charity shopped years ago.

Beads, bangles and watch; charity shopped. Earrings, Bedford market.

You may remember that I was trying to keep track of my spending in the charity shops and did it for the month of November. What I learned from this was that I spend far too much and I really want to cut down.

 I'm going to spend a weekend in Devon with my friend Hilary at the end of January and at Easter I'll be going to Ireland, so I have an incentive to save as much as I can for these two trips. My plan, therefore, is to a) spend only in the Red Cross charity shop or only on the £1.00 rails in any other charity shop; b) don't visit any charity shops on my free afternoons or for a day out - at least not till I get to Devon!

So today I put my plan into action (note it's not a New Year resolution). I bought a pair of green cords at the Red Cross shop for £1.00. I have a green pair already, but they're a little too short in the leg and have a miniscule hem so I can't let them down. It will be one pair of trousers in and one pair out. At the 3:16 shop which I pass on my way home I bought; a blue and white striped M &S shirt and an Old Navy blue and white pleated skirt for the summer. Both were a £1.00 each.

On Tuesday I was at the foodbank and went to town in the afternoon. On Wednesday, I walked with the group and we walked 6.5 miles from the village of Clophill to Haynes and back. After the walk we went for a meal to celebrate 20 years of Wednesday walking with the Ivel Valley Walkers. I've been walking for almost three years with this group.

This is what I changed into in the car after the walk. The top from New Look was one of the 50p tops I bought on Saturday in the Bedford Garden Carer's charity shop.

Long sleeved brown top F & F, charity shopped. Leggings; M & S, retail; boots Sainsbury's, retail.

All jewellery charity shopped.

On my way back from the meal I drove through Ampthill so I stopped off and had a look in Barnardo's. I was so proud of myself; I only spent £1.49 and bought a red pair of capri pants for the summer and a blue spotted top.

Photos by middle grandson

On Thursday I went out for lunch with my friend, Ann. We had a good catch up. It will be a year this Thursday since her husband had a stroke and she has been caring for him ever since. It was good for her to have a break from the house and usual routine.

Everything I'm wearing is charity shopped. Boots, leggings, tunic (M&S) and short sleeved cardigan.

All jewellery charity shopped except earrings; Sainsburys and watch bought with Christmas money from New Look.

Friday was busy. I took the children to school and the youngest grandson had an assembly which I stayed for. When that was over I went for a 6.5 mile walk. The weather was great; cold 2.5 degrees but very sunny and bright. When I came back I changed then went and did the food shopping (booooring). Picked up children from school then took youngest grandson and his dad home after 5. Then there was dinner to make and finally - chill time!

A selfie taken after the assembly - specially requested by grandson!

This is Friday's outfit. Everything charity shopped except boots from Lidl.

Knitted dress; Dorothy Perkins; probably the Red Cross; shirt unknown but charity shopped in the Red Cross. Wine coloured tights charity shopped somewhere...

All jewellery charity shopped except watch which was bought in New Look with Christmas money.

I went to see my son on Saturday and on Sunday I'm  hoping to go for a walk and recce my walk for the Ramblers.

Everything charity shopped except the OTK boots - on line retail and the watch, New Look and the necklace which was a Christmas present from one of my brothers about five years ago.

Skirt, M&S; top by Cavita bought in the Mercy in Action Charity shop in Olney last week. Jacket by Country Casuals and bought in the Red Cross for £1.99. Scarf; charity shopped.

Earrings and bangle charity shopped.