Making Good Use

Reduced to Buying Retail

I've had a real yen for some white summer trousers ever since I stupidly put a pair back in a local charity shop, realised my mistake once I'd got home, went back a couple of days later and - they were gone.  He who hesitates and all that!!  Then I ordered a pair from Cotton Traders but had idiotically ordered a size too big and they had to go back.  I tried to order a size smaller but by then they had sold out.  So I've been perusing ebay on a regular basis and stalking the local charity shops - nothing, not even a hint of the white, narrow legged trousers I was after.

Then I saw a plus size blogger - the uber stylish Lilli from Frocks and Frou Frou wearing a gorgeous pair of jeggings.  I had no idea exactly what jeggings were but it seemed that good old Marks & Sparks sold rather a lot of them (turns out they're tight-fitting jeans) and they had a pair in white and in my size.  Before I knew it, I'd ordered them!!  I did strike lucky in that there was a 20% off 'bottoms' promotion - an odd expression by M&S, if you ask me - but there went my incredibly long run of not having bought anything retail.  I honestly cannot remember when I last bought something new to wear - certainly not since I've been back in Bristol, so that is at least seven months - and I'm suspecting it is actually well over a year.

I've been very lucky with finds in local charity shops - I'm on a cardigan phase at the moment after having bought a beautiful 100% pure Tasmanian wool one, that still had its original tags on, in a chazza in Keynsham back in March.  That cardi has proved so useful that I've realised I needed a few more - especially as the weather is so changeable in the UK this summer (quelle surprise!!)  Last week I found a lovely mint green cardi - its by George but you can't have everything in life - and a nice long-length black cardi by M&S in the same charity shop.  I think they were approx. £4.00 each and the black one has already had an airing out and about.

I've also found quite a lot of summery tops, in fact the yen for white trousers is because one of the tops I found would look gorgeous with white - and doesn't look so good with my ubiquitous jeans.  Luckily, as my jacksy is approx. the size of Avonmouth Docks, the top is question is really long so should cover up my large white-clad behind rather nicely.

Should my jeggings be delivered today - and should my derrier not be too frightening in all white - I may wear them out tomorrow for my birthday meal.  Mum, my sister and I are off for a Mexican lunch at Las Iguanas in Clifton, followed by a tour of the charity shops in Cotham Hill and Whiteladies Road - my idea of a good day out.  Then we'll meet my nephew from school and go for a cup of tea somewhere.  Can't have my birthday pass by without getting a hug from my best boy.

Alone Again, Naturally

After the most wonderful two weeks together poor old P has had to return to Hong Kong - he didn't want to go and I most certainly didn't want him to go  - but what can you do when that is the only job in his speciality he could find.  After more than two years unemployed, and having tried everywhere in the UK and Europe, it was Hong Kong or bust - so Hong Kong it was.  It's a bugger to be separated by so many thousands of miles but it is how it is and neither of us can change it at this point in time.

We managed to fit in a couple of days in Switzerland last week,  P wanted to catch up with his family whilst he was in Europe and as neither of us wanted to be separated for those couple of days I went along for the ride.  It was only really possible thanks to the thrice-weekly flights directly from Bristol to Zurich.  Not sure how long they'll keep going as both flights were pretty empty but maybe they do better business in the winter with people heading of for ski holidays.  We were both delighted that these flights exist as it made travelling over much much easier (and considerably cheaper) as we didn't have to travel up to Heathrow.

Switzerland was looking particularly beautiful at this time of year - though the English countryside is also looking pretty spectacular right now too.  I was surprised to see snow still on the peaks of the mountains but the Swiss, like the rest of Europe, have been cursed with a six-month-long, bitterly cold winter which has meant everything is at least a month late this summer.

The house feels very empty right now but no doubt I'll get used to being on my lonesome again, and poor old P will get used to living in an apartment the size of a shoebox.  Our house is not large by any means but P said he felt like he was living in a palace compared to his accommodation in HK.  Plus we do have a rather stupendous view which P enjoyed looking at for ages (no view in HK, just the sides of other skyscrapers) and, during the first week of his holiday at least, clear bright blue skies - another thing which is in short supply in HK apparently.

Unless I go out to visit him (and I'm really not sure I could hack such a long flight)  it'll be Christmas before I see P again.  Much as I normally loathe the festering season, this year I'll be wishing it to come round as quickly as possible.  Or, maybe, a miracle may happen and he'll find a job in either UK or northern Europe - hmm, don't think I'll hold my breath for that!!

Six Months is Too Long

Finally, after six incredibly loooong months, P is home for two weeks leave.  We're halfway through those two weeks but we've managed to pack in an awful lot during the past week (and have much more planned for the coming week too.)  We visited the beautiful Dyrham Park which is practically on our doorstep and which I had never been to before.  I can highly recommend it if you enjoy visiting National Trust properties - and it is very easily located just off the A46.  (Don't do what we did and drive for miles around country lanes assuming the entrance would be in the village of Dyrham!!  The passing scenery was rather lovely though.)

On Friday P, me and Mum went for a splendid day out at Upton Cheyney (a gorgeous village between Bristol and Bath.)  We went primarily to visit the farn shop but had a wander around the lanes there too.  We then went on to The Old Crown in Kelston for a splendiferous pub lunch which we ate sitting under an old apple tree in the pub garden.  We timed it beautifully because within minutes of leaving the heavens opened and it chucked it down with rain.  Didn't stop us having a quick stop in a garden centre en route though.

Yesterday P and I went to the most beautiful village, Queen Charlton, that I have ever seen.  They were having their summer fete and it was a lovely afternoon out.  The sun shone, there was a brass band playing on the village green, cream teas in the village hall and it was like stepping back in time 50 years - I could almost have expected to see Margaret Rutherford as Miss Marple go swooping by on her bike.  Perfect.  P is really enjoying being able to see so much green space and blue sky and I'm really enjoying having P around again - even if it is only for two weeks.

Apologies once again for no photos but I still haven't fixed the Typepad problem - though yesterday I forgot to take my camera with me so that wouldn't have been much use either!!