Fab, Feisty and Sixty (ish)

This morning I visited the first  'Nostalgia meets Design ' event held at Rheged Visitor Centr e near Penrith I have been swithering about having a stall there myself but thought it best  to see for myself how well attended  and what sort of mix of goods were available (all images enlarge with one click) an early 1960s Airtsream trailer in the parking lot set the tone The venue offered a stylish and eclectic selection of vintage fashion, jewellery, accessories, clothing, homewares and textiles and reconstructed crafts.... wonderful eclectic mix of home wares & kitchenelia from   Fiona Cox assorted Vanity, textiles and linens a stall of hats in homage to bygone days from Victoria Relph  assortedhouse  items from vintage fabrics and textiles   bespoke cake maker with a cake fashioned on my good self feet up, cake, voluptuous and bag at the ready for all eventualites!  friend and fellow vintage trader Fran Boyd, who runs...

Opulance During my summer break my friend and I visited The Bowes Museum in the market town of Barnard Castle The Green Man Fleur de Lys garden J ohn and Joséphine Bowes founded The Bowes Museum. John, the son of the 10th Earl of Strathmore, was born in Teesdale in 1811. His mother was a commoner, Mary Millner, who lived with the Earl to all intents as his wife for many years. The Earl married her just 16 hours before his death in an attempt to save his son’s succession. Two very long court cases ensued, finally settling the Durham estates on John, but not recognising him as the legitimate heir to the Strathmore title. John was educated at Eton and became a very successful business man who invested heavily in the coal reserves on his land and bred four Derby winners. From 1847 he spent his time between France and England. Joséphine Bowes was born in 1825. She was an actress in the Théatre des Variétés, Paris, which John Bowes owned. She shared John’s love of the art...

Why oh why do kids not clear up after themselves? It's every generations headache and an old, old chestnut l know. It's usually me who gives in and just takes dishes through to the kitchen. Today l cleared 5 glasses, 3 plates and 6 mugs from my son's den. In the living room a plate with the remnants of a kebab lurked pungently, but l left it there until he popped home from school for lunch. He ate a plate of noodles and l asked him to clear both plates when he was done. He didn't. Soy sauce swallowed the room. Later as l collected the evidence together and began to walk to the kitchen, l turned and went into his bedroom and placed them upon his bed. I closed the door behind me for maximum effect. When he returned from school he paused in his room, looking, figuring it all out. I lurked in the hall, he said loudly, 'Do you think l don't get this is a ploy on your part?' Me, 'That may well be the case,' Son, 'Well for that l will le...

...so as not to offend, for those of you with a sensitive disposition it may be better if you do not press play..... I have found my theme tune 2010 over at Familyaffairs ! This makes me laugh, dance and sing....breathe it in girls!!! I love it!

French Fancy in Kent asked in her last post ..'what can you think of that has recently made you happy' l'm assuming she is using the word happy loosely, as I find contentment is more manageable and satisfying. Happiness, like joy for me isn't a state of mind, it doesn't stay with you. it is fleeting. Contentment is achievable and l align myself to it. l am smug enough and able enough to try and and hope, to sustain it. Joy is but of moments. So l have spent odd moments today thinking ..'what can I think of that has recently made me happy'.. here are my Doddy moments.... get it? Ken Dodd - 'Happiness, happiness' I finished reading a second book this week The sun shone deep into my face I have been home alone and content with it I have made some exciting plans for next year I wrote a letter of objection to my son's school this week and they made an about face within 24 hours!  I laughed with friends I knitted all evening without ob...

It isn't New Year for sometime, even so I have never been a New Fear developing  newyear-itus  shortly after Boxing Day. Bah humbug and bad experiences have not enamoured me to the festivities. Although I am hopeful that I may even find myself enjoying the Eve in the future, perhaps in new company or a new space entirely. Who the hell knows! I have never  been one to make foolhardy, spur of the moment, resolutions or four. The only ones I remember are the oft mentioned, ' I  will  lose weight' and the  ' I  will  stop smoking' ones. Funnily I have achieved both, (with the odd relapse) but not because of new year resolutions almost in spite of them! The reason l mention resolutions is because I don't feel I need a reason, a kick up the backside or anything else for me to make changes. I just know I have to. Over the last few years due to a mix, of menopausal hormones, couch potato-itus and  slothlike bad habits, I mislaid my enthusiasm for a...

As some of you have already noticed Moannie's blog has been removed! But do not panic Cptn. Mannering! I am hopeful all will be restored in due time. No doubt she will recount her debacle to you in her own inimitable fashion, but to summarise - she called me all clammy and distressed after having fiddled with the new layout options and found she wasn't able to upload an image. In her frustration she thought it would be a good idea to try Picassa and then it all went badly wrong. She deleted her all new Picassa account, her google id and seemingly her blog. I have Google and Gatsby at Blogger looking into it. Worse scenario is she may have to start over, I see her blog is still cached so we can save some of her posts. She misses you and wants you to know she will be back soon, one way or another!

Jeremy Vine. Yes l am! He is on the radio beside me, a pile of magazines and knitting on the other side. Phone and laptop on the tray over my legs. After a night of coughing and pacing on the carpet tiles, I managed to fall asleep, when one nostril allowed some air through, and I slept into the heart of late morning. I have a chesty cold. Not the flu.  I've had both and I  know the difference. I was sent home from work yesterday to take care of myself. I am under the duvet. I shall shortly get up and shower ...but then l think why? Why should l? Do l need to? Nothing really needs doing, cleaning, tidying. I find lately l am thinking more about myself. My well being. It hasn't really ever been at the forefront of mind. Big mistake. It seems l no longer concern myself with the storm of guilt. It's just not heading my way any more. I have been freed. Then I think, should make the effort. There are expectations of me, wife, mother, work colleague. I forget ...