How I Spent Christmas and the tale of the naughty computer

Christmas 2011

A belated Merry Christmas to all!  Here I am on Christmas morning at Liverpool Cathedral.  The service is just over and we have worshipped and taken communion with about 798 others.  No exaggeration!  Christmas Day service is PACKED.  (Gorgeous husband did a calculation of the number of rows and number of seats per row.) The service finishes with Widor's Toccata in D, belted out by one of the most powerful church organs in the world.  Magnificently stirring stuff!!

Afterwards we had the usual Christmas day with his family, and even though I have been with them for 15 Christmas dinners consecutively, it never fails to amaze me that they don't fight, there is no hard feelings, and everyone has a jolly time.  So different from other Christmases I have known, but that's another story!

The naughty computer decided to die, or go on extended holiday, or off into la-la land on Christmas Eve.  I thought I could catch up using the computers at the library, but no, no, no..... they are closed until January 3.  Just as I contemplated an expensive bill for computer repair, GH decided to have a go at it one more time.  Surprise, surprise.  It is back, and behaving as though nothing had happened.  What is one to do?  Just be glad and amazed and hope that it continues to operate, I suppose.

Handmade owl on taupe sweater

Here is one of my presents from the Bloggers' Christmas swap on my new taupe sweater.  The two items are almost exactly the same colour, so they harmonize really well. The stitching on the owl is really lovely, so thanks to Mrs. D for that!

Sometimes I just get fixated on one colour, and buy several things in that colour, without even being consciously aware of it.  One year it was red, once it was yellow, but lately it's taupe: that lovely warm greyish brown. Someone said to me it was "donkey brown", but I don't think that has the same flair.

As I said to a friend of mine, "if taupe is your colour, it will look REALLY good on you, but if it isn't --yuck!"

I think it's my colour.  I hope it is.  I feel good wearing it, so I indulge myself.  No one has passed out from fright seeing me in it.  At least not yet anyway.

Look what I got in the Bloggers' Christmas Swap!

Aren't I lucky?!!  This is what I got in the Bloggers' Christmas Swap from Mrs. D of http://www.hellothemushroom.com/ .  For Christmas: 4 delightful tiny sequinned high heel shoes (she knows I'm a shoe girl),  the handmade: a beautiful owl brooch, and the thrifted, a vintage initial brooch with the letter "R".

I thought the owl was really lovely, beautifully stitched.  It will look great on my new jumper (sweater to my North American friends).  It'll be a taupe owl on taupe knit, so really chic.

Interestingly, she chose a Christmas card featuring a sweet kitten, and she didn't even know what a cat lover I am.  We must have been on the same wavelength!

Mrs. D and I both agree that the swap was a lot of fun.  For myself, I found it wonderful to be giving a present to someone I hardly knew.  It was really enjoyable and possibly the best part (in addition to connecting with someone new) was that we got to open them as soon as we got them so that the photos can go on Sacramento's blog.  I can hardly wait to see all the great exchanges!

The Bloggers' Christmas Swap has begun!

My package has been received by the lovely Mrs. D at http://www.hellothemushroom.blogspot.com/ and the photos have come out great!  The sweetheart that she is, she's also included the Christmas labels with my scribbling on them.  When I first saw them, I did wonder why the handwriting looked so familiar, and then the penny dropped!  It was my own handwriting, silly goose that I am!!

Many thanks to Sacramento of http://www.mispapelicos.com/ for organising this.  It has been a lot of fun.  I'm wondering what the other bloggers will get in their packages.  Mine is on its way, so I'm keen to rip open my pressies, possibly on Monday.

I must say, the Internet is great for connecting people with similar interests from all over the world.  I feel I "know" so many marvellous people.

The blog I check most regularly

I'm not exactly short of inspiration today, I just thought I would pay homage to the fashion blog that is my all-time favourite, and the one that I turn to again and again for inspiration, for fun, and for her beautiful style, both in words and in clothes.  It's http://www.stylecrone.com/. 

If you fancy seeing a really beautiful woman, who deals with pain and loss with such strength and in such an uplifting way, check out her blog.  Judith lost her beloved husband Nelson earlier this year.  The way that she has dealt with her grief and the bewilderment of having to start life anew without him is indeed awe-inspiring.  Here's to you, Judith! You're one in a million.

Saint Nicholas's Day

I adore these chocolate Santas that are all on a stick like lollipops.  I think they are so cute!

I decided to post this image in honour of Saint Nicholas's Day, although, technically speaking, it was actually yesterday.  I should have taken the photo then, but I was too busy being at a Christmas dinner, which I suppose is a good "seasonal" excuse.

Anyway, Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of children, and in the Netherlands, children receive presents on his day, which is December 6.  Then Christmas Day, the 25th, is reserved as a religious occasion.  I'm totally in favour of this type of arrangement, as it separates the hoopla and the frenzy of gift giving, the razzle and dazzle, etc from the celebration of the birth of Christ, which is a religious occasion with deep significance. 

Much has been said about the commercialization of Christmas, and indeed, most stores make the majority of their income from the last couple of months of the calendar year.  To me, all this festivity and over-festivity seems to be like a tremendous amount of icing on a small and already very rich cake.

Does anyone else feel they would like the secular and the religious aspects of Christmas to be two separate occasions, or am I just weird?

Look out, wide load!!

Had a seasonal EGG NOGG LATTE this afternoon at Starbucks.  Yummy.  However, Gorgeous Husband found this information in the Daily Mail about our "treat".

An egg nogg latte contains 24 grams of saturated fat, 74 grams of sugar (the equivalent of 18 TEASPOONS!!) and a startling total of 579 calories.  Good thing we only had one.  Of course, these statistics are for a large size, and we only had a medium between us.  I imagine Gorgeous Husband got about 6 mouthfuls, so really, the numbers I consumed were way down!  (Tell it to the scales!!)

Foraging in the Forest...er, antique shop, actually!

Here I am in one of my favourite activites, rooting around an antique/second hand/vintage shop seeing what I can find to bring home with me.  As it turned out on this trip, nothing!  Many things were lovely, but none MADE me open up that carvanous bag and get out my wallet.

This shop is in Ludlow, which is a lovely market town only about 30 miles from here.  I like to go on the train, as the road is windy and twisty and I end up feeling a bit green by the time we get there. The shop is actually a large building with a good selection of little stalls.  It's imaginatively called "Warehouse."  Check it out if you are in Ludlow.  It's near the Square and across from the Assembly Rooms.

They're number 19!

Sorry, can't get myself into gear to take a photo, but let your imagination do the work and try to visualise 19 pair of leather gloves.  Yes, I just purchased pair number 19 today.  Well, when you see a lovely pair of cream white vintage leather gloves that fit you and don't cost the earth, a person just feels, well.... compelled to buy them.  Like they're orphans or something!

So, just for the record,  here is the list of my leather gloves:

egg yolk yellow

pale yellow

creamy white

true blue

navy

turquoisey green/blue

olive green

pale greyish green

chocolate brown

black

black

red

pink suede

pink leather

terra cotta and beige patterned

leopard print

purple

grey

raspberry pink



I think my favourite pair are the leopard print ones... not just because it is unusual to have leather leopard print ones, but because when I saw them, I dithered about buying them.  I really liked them, but couldn't justify buying them.  (What was I thinking?!!) Later Gorgeous Husband went back and bought them for me and gave them to me on Valentine's Day.  Aaaah!!

Cranberry and brown and ....pink?!

Jacket: vintage late 40's, early 50s swing jacket, Vintage fair in Liverpool

Brown polo neck: Primark?

Brown wide belt: Rackham's

Cranberry twirly scarf: gift

Pink skirt: charity shop

Cranberry boots: Ethel Austin

Not shown: cranberry tights

Can you wear pink in winter?  Not sure if it's allowed!  Anyway, I enjoyed this colour combination, and if the Fashion Police want to arrest me, let them come and get me.  I took this photo of the clothes on their own, as my hair was a fright that day.

Carol singing in Victorian costume

Sorry that this is such a dark photo, but it is taken at night!  We are carol singing, dressed in Victorian costume to celebrate the start of the Christmas season for our local retailers.  There were a group of about 12 of us, and we did three sets of carols, standing outside the Wheatsheaf pub.  I felt very Dickensian!!  Fortunately, it was a beautiful night-- very calm and still and actually quite warm (for November, at any rate.) I was grateful for that, as my hat wants to go flying at the slightest puff of wind.

Naturally we had a few drinks between sets.  You have to lubricate the vocal chords.

The Victorians meet the Darlek. Is it Dr. Who???

  Yes, it doesn't just look like a Darlek, it IS a Darlek.  Are we in a Dr. Who film?  No, Gorgeous Husband and I are at a friend's 40th wedding anniversary party and her son is mad on Darleks.  So, of course, we had to have a photo with the beast.  Contraption?  Creature?  Special Effect?  Whatever, it is, we do look like we're in an episode of Dr. Who!

The party was fun and enjoyable, but interestingly, we found walking the streets dressed as Victorians even more entertaining, as we were stopped three times by strangers to tell us how dashing we looked. 

The anniversary party was held in the Lion Hotel in Shrewsbury, where Darwin caught the London stage coach on his way to sea, and also where he stayed on his return.  How historic!  So either Gorgeous Husband was Darwin, or he could have been Charles Dickens, who also did a reading at this very same Lion Hotel.  This history lark is really heady stuff for someone such as me,  born in Canada.

Remembrance Day 2011

It's not Remembrance Day anymore but none the less, here I am on my way to the church service in Clive on Sunday, November 13.  I know the church will be packed, as it is on Remembrance Sunday most years.  In fact, as the years go on, it seems people are more willing and more "in tune" with paying respect to the sacrifice of those who have died.  Probably because now there are more recent wars to sharpen people's memories of  the great loss when a service man or woman doesn't come back.

Now there are photos in the paper of Cameron from Britain and Merkel from Germany with their heads together, both literally and figuratively.  How things change.  What was once the gravest enemy is now a nation that we trade with, communicate with, and work with solve common problems.  How the world turns!

Church in Bampton, filming for Downton Abbey

Downton Abbey fans may recognise this church as the one used in the final episode of Downton Abbey where they had the funeral of Matthew's fiance Lavina.  It is quite a small church, and the churchyard has two very large grooves in it.  One is a "channel" that leads up to the front door, the other channel seems to go to where a door used to be.  The ground is highly mounded up on either side, which is quite unusual and makes some of the gravestones tilt at an angle.

Second location for filming of Downton Abbey

Couldn't resist a photo in front of this house with my name in the village of Bampton.  This village is where some of the filming for Downton Abbey took place.  We visited the church, walked along the lovely lanes, and saw the sign of the "pretend" Grantham Arms, which is permanently left up. 

I'm not sure the hat and outfit is strictly speaking truly Edwardian, but it certainly was adequate for the day, and helped to "get into character."  It certainly raised eyebrows at the motorway service stops enroute to the locations.

Day out at Downton Abbey

Here I am, along with Gorgeous Husband, outside Highclere Castle, the filming site for the Downton Abbey series.  Sorry about the people in the background: they are part of the Australian film crew who were filming us for an Australian TV series.  Apparently it is a serious hit "down under"!

Highclere was actually closed for the season, and was open only by special appointment made on behalf of the Australian film crew.  That is why myself and the rest of the folks on the coach tour, organised by Helen Porter of P and P Tours were dressed in Edwardian costumes.  We got to "play" Lord and Lady for the day!  It really was my "cup of tea": a big house with servants.  Maybe it was me in a past life?!

We watched the final episode of Downton not only following the plot and watching the sumptuous costumes, but also nudging each other, and saying, "that is the staircase where we were filmed.  I remember that fireplace!  There's the hallway that Bates and Anna met up.  And the scene in the entrance where Matthew and Mary had their romantic dance!  Wow!  We had tea there, whilst being interviewed by the host of the Australian TV programme.

Also loved seeing the Egyptian exhibition in the basement of Highclere, as it was Lord Carnarvon who financed the expedition that discovered the tomb of Tutankhamen.  Fantastic artefacts, some of them real, and some replicas from King Tut's tomb.  And we were the only ones there, so could easily pore over the cases and be entralled.  We were only restricted by time, not by hoards of other Egyptian fanciers!

Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take photographs inside the house, which I thought was a real shame, as it was a 10 out of 10 in the gorgeousness scale.

Holey Dress!

This is another shop window from the shop Fibre and Clay in Knutsford.  Apparently this dress was a hit at Chelsea Flower Show this past summer.  Well, if you were young and lithe as the model was, I suspect this dress might have been a hit no matter where you wore it! 

I think it might have fit one of my legs, but I didn't try it on!!

Out and About Checking out Da Knitting

Somebody's been busy knitting, and it's not me!  Or at least, I didn't do this.  Actually, from the look of it, it looks more like crochet, if you are one of those people who can tell the difference.

It is a shop window in Knutsford, Cheshire.  This is a great shop called "Fibre and Clay".  It specializes in yummy knitted things and a lot of contemporary pottery/ceramics.  Now, I like the look of a funky tea pot as much as the next person, but I must admit it was the knits that got me.  Aren't those teddy bears cute?

Knutsford is a nice little place; I'd heard about it and thought, "I must go there someday."  The streets and shops were lovely, but I didn't especially like being DIRECTLY under the flight path of airplanes coming in to land at Manchester airport.  When the airplane overhead is so loud you can't speak to the person next to you, and you can physically count the rivets in the undercarriage, I think it's a bit TOO close!  I guess you get used it to if you live there. 

Having tea at Lady Berwick's

Here I am with the cucumber sandwiches and the delicious scones with jam and cream.  How I love being waited on! 

The setting is Attingham Park, near Shrewsbury, in the late 8th Lady Berwick's former dressing room.  The walls are decorated with photos of her in the 1920s.  Very elegant she was too! She was painted by the artist Walter Sickert in 1933 as "The Lady in Blue."

How wonderful to be able to step back in time, if only in our imaginations!!  The hat wasn't strictly necessary, but it I felt the occasion called for it.

An afternoon of elegance at Lady Berwick's tea room

Here I am, ready to have afternoon tea at Lady Berwick's tea room in lovely Attingham Park.  It is a special occasion.  It's my "half birthday".  This is a tradition I started for Gorgeous Husband, whose birthday is near Christmas.  I thought it would be nice for him to have another birthday celebration at the half way point of the year, in order for it not to clash with other festivities.  This is not INSTEAD of his regular birthday, but an addition to it! Now I also get a half birthday.  Why not?!

A Good Investment

Well, it's been a month now since I "lost" the camera in my own house, so I think it is time to give it up and buy another.  I don't mind buying a new one, I just mind paying for it!

So, for this post, I've decided to run another of the 50 word mini stories.

A Good Investment

When she turned 60, Gina had a facelift.  What the hell, she thought. I feel like 40, I might as well look it.

There were consequences.  Marriage to a younger man, riotious sex, and spending her pension money on pedicures and pampering.

All told, a good return on her investment.

DIY or DDIY?

Sorry to be posting this without images, but I don't have any for this story, and I think using your imagination will do it more justice!

Should you DIY?  (Do it yourself?) Or DDYI?  (DON'T do it yourself.)  Let the following story be a cautionary tale.

I heard of someone whose husband wasn't especially good at DIY, but unfortunately, he WAS willing.  In the absence of having proper support, he began sawing on the living room coffee table.  Consequently, he sawed not only through the wood, but also through the table.  Wife was not pleased.  In fact, she FORBADE him doing any more DIY and getting in the professionals.

Did he listen?  Did he, heck!  She came home one day to see that he had taken the back door off its hinges to install a cat flap.  To her surprise, he did a marvellous job of it.  It fit beautifully and looked like it was done by a "proper" workman.  Then he put the door back on its hinges, and discovered that the cat flap was actually 5 feet in the air!

Even more astounding, the cat has learned how to use it!  However, the poor beast has to launch itself at the cat flap and sometimes comes through with such velocity that it ends up in the sink.

I ask you, is this a case for DDIY?  It is unless half coffee tables and cat flaps 5 feet above ground are your cup of tea!

Is My Camera Lost, Misplaced or Gone off into the Ether?

Well, what a drag.  Can't post any photos today, as my camera has gone on holiday (somewhere!) without me.  I presume I've just misplaced it somewhere in the house, although this isn't an encouraging thought.

Given that I haven't any photos to show, I'll have to fall back on my old stand-by: the 50 word story.  Here's another one.

The Cost of Maintenance

Joanne was accustomed to getting her nails done, her hair coloured, her face toned.

Harvey loved it.

Yet when they married, he complained.

"Well, dear," she said, "You have a beautiful wife who adores you.  Would you like another type of wife?"

He instigated a standing account at the salon.

THE ELEGANT BOHEMIAN: ~Tips for wearing vintage...

THE ELEGANT BOHEMIAN: ~Tips for wearing vintage...

I, too, love vintage. There's a certain glamour in wearing something from days gone by. Also making up the history of the item gives it a certain extra cache as well.

Much love from England,
Rosemary the Shopper

You've Gotta Love a Shop Like That

Isn't this a gorgeous building?   It's not fake Tudor, it's REAL Tudor.  I see I should take another photo, as this one doesn't do it justice.  This is Watson and Thornton on Mardol Street in Shrewsbury and they sell fabrics and haberdashery.  If you are one of my North American readers, you might think, well, that's no big deal.  But I have not found many towns in England that have any fabric stores, let alone one as neat as this. 

So, I am in Fabric Heaven whenever I go in.  But in addition to the staff all being knowledgeable and friendly, everyone seems very happy there.  The staff joke with the customers and with each other.  You often hear people laughing.  Telephone callers get the same delightful treatment as if they were standing in the shop.  It's just a happy place.

I  once couldn't decide between some of their fabrics, so I said to Brian,  who works there, "What would you recommend?" 

"Well," he said, "Don't drink, don't smoke, and gambling's probably not good for you either!"

You've gotta love a shop like that!

My Favourite Shop

Our local shopping association is having a contest to vote for your favourite shop.  Well, really, that's like asking a person to choose one chocolate in a box full of ones you love!  There are SO MANY fabulous shops in Shrewsbury, I'd be hard pressed to say which one is my favourite.  So I've decided that my favourite is the one I'm in, whichever one that might be.

The photo above is me in front of New to You, which is a consignment shop.  The clothes are great (only one of each!) and the staff are equally great.  Although Jan is an evil woman, always getting me to try things on.  I'm such a push-over that she doesn't have a hard job! 

I also have customers here of my own, as some of the staff purchase Forever Living Products from me.  That's the aloe vera company, if you're not familar with it.  Lovely products for skin and good health.

Lots of shops have hanging baskets and our town isn't called the Town of Flowers for nothing.  If I still lived in Canada and saw pictures of this town, I'd be crying to live here.  And now I do!  Who says fairy tales don't come true?

Adventures in Tights

Here I am, helping out my friend Kerry, who runs this delightful shop that is about as wide as a shoebox.  It's called "Thighs the Limit" (great name, hey?)

I modelled a pair of her jazzy tights (pantihose for my North American friends who are reading) and handed out flyers to the crowds going to Shrewsbury's Flower Show.  A very old and popular event.  Over 50,000 attended this year, although not all of them got a flyer from me!

The tights I am modelling here are called Hollywood because of the images, and the fact that the word "Hollywood" is emblazoned on them in various places.  The nice man at the Sabrina River boat launch took this photo of me holding my flyers.

These are the ones I modelled on the second day.  Really knock your eyes out designs!  Shame about the legs, but I discovered that a warm smile and a happy-go-lucky attitude went a long way.

To check out Kerry's exciting, jazzy tights, go to http://www.thighsthelimit.co.uk/

Another 50 word Marvel

I have to sort out some photos for my next blog entries, so I thought in the meantime, I would post another of my 50 word stories that I wrote for a contest that the Daily Telegraph ran some time ago.  Appropriately enough, it's about fashion.


How Fitting

At last count, Suzanna had 318 pairs of shoes.  More if you counted the slippers.

"How could any one woman need so many shoes?" despaired her husband Rob.

Eventually, a foot fetishist wooed her away with joint partnership in a shoe boutique.

Shortly thereafter, she developed a thing for hats.


This story is especially for my blog buddy Judith, who loves hats.  Check out her great blog on http://www.stylecrone.com/

The Catwalk of Life goes to the Wool Shop in Wales

Sorry the quality of these photos isn't the greatest... I was using the camera on my mobile phone.  Maybe my hand shook because of all the excitement of seeing these wonderful, scrumptous shades of wool!  As I said to my friends, this is like being an alcholic in the brewery.  So much to choose from, and I want it ALL!

This is my friend Jo, who has been knitting since she was four years old.  She actually has people PAY her to knit for them.  Nothing she can't figure out.

This is Erica, who comes to knitting group every week with something new she's created.  Her blue top she crocheted from a cone of yarn she found in a charity shop.  She can make anything out of anything.

Here are the four of us, after our purchases, holding our psychadelic paper bags full of wonderful wool from Colinette Yarns in Wales. Lesley, who did the driving, is on the arm of the couch.  A shop with couches, tables, and knowledgeable, friendly staff.  Fantastic!

Our knitting group will have plenty to knit and natter about in the coming weeks.  I told them, I've had more fun on an afternoon out with them than on a week's holiday.

A beautiful wedding in an English Country Church

It's a lovely Saturday in August and here I am at the lych-gate of the church Gorgeous Husband and I attend.  I am wearing one of my new hats (all 40 or so hats I have wouldn't do, of course, it had to be this one!) to celebrate the wedding of two young people, Pamela and Andy who we recently have become aquainted with.

Pamela and Andy met in war-torn Afghanistan, while serving in the military, and chose our church for their  ceremony.  It was probably one of the loveliest weddings I have ever been to.  And both Husband and I had roles to play:  he was one of the bell-ringers, and I gave the signal to the bell tower as to when to start and stop ringing.

The entrance to the church.....

The bride and groom leave the church under the arch of military swords.


Everything about the day was lovely, and the bride and groom were so happy and enjoyed themselves.  We both wish them a long and happy married life together. 

Incidentally, the cream dress I wore to their big day was my wedding dress from the civil ceremony 15 years ago.  (It still fits and continues to go to weddings!!)

Arm Candy

Here's the new pewter-looking braided rope bracelet, worn with some companions.  The bracelet with the silver horn bead is almost hidden underneath the new bracelet, (from a boot sale in Brighton) and on the other side of it, a bead bracelet I made in jewellery class, and a silver blue/green stones bracelet I got in Greece.  Other than the bracelet from Greece, the rest cost about £2.  I can't remember how much the Greek bracelet was.

I'm discovering that an armload of bangles and bracelets is instant glamour, and sometimes for a ridiculous amount of  money.  One bracelet is nice, but 4 says. "get a load of THIS!"  To think I used to be shy about wearing clothes that made people look twice.

Do I worry that I'm OTT?  (That's over-the-top, if you're not familiar with this expression).  As my friend Erica says about wearing what you want and being comfortable in your choices:  "Suits the wearer, bugger the starer."  As long as you please yourself, you're ahead of the game!

Reasons to go Shopping in August

Surely I'm not the only person to know the real reason to go shopping in August.  The stores are basically THROWING THINGS AWAY.  Well, OK, you do have to pay, but really, they might as well say, "here, help yourself."

It's not just the dregs of summer clothes that you can scoop up a bargain on.  Sometimes it's those things that you can wear, and wear, and wear.  Tee shirts, jewellery!! shoes, etc.  I particularly like to get a nice sundress that I can add a tee shirt, waistcoat and boots with as the weather gets colder.  Bridges the seasons, and if you're packing, it's a handy way to change the look of your outfits with just a few switch-arounds.

I was thrilled as punch to find a lovely pewter looking bracelet that looks like braided rope for £2.50, which I thought was a bargain.  At the till, it had been reduced to £1.50.  See?  Throwing it away.  That bracelet, along with 4 others, and it's a great look.  Pleases me anyway, and my opinion rules supreme in how I dress!

Also found 2 incredible pair of shoes (that can bridge into autumn) for the princely sum of £5 each.  That's better than charity shop prices, and these are new.  And returnable!! 

All I need now is a warehouse for my inventory and a well organised catalogue system so I know what I've got.  Now there's an ambition!

Has anyone else found August to be bargain hunters paradise?

The Surprising Benefits of Not Throwing Things Out

I don't have a photo that I want to post today, so I thought I would tell  a story instead.  The reason I am able to come up with this story is that I wrote it for a contest several years ago, and not being one to throw things away, I ran across it this morning.  The object of the competition was to tell a story in 50 words exactly.  At first I found it difficult, but then I got into the swing of it, and wrote lots of them.  Fortunately, they are all together in draft form in my old notebook!  (Also a bit of dust on the cover, but let's not be picky!)  It's called:


Resolution Therapy


New Year's Eve, Elsa began a life review, starting with her failures.  By number 39, she was depressed.

Her therapist recommended delving into her past. Instead, Elsa wrote a best-seller called "How-Not-To-Do-It".

Years later, finding her original list, Elsa burned it, along with the therapist's card.

Shocking underwear!

Here I am, looking like one of those dollies that hides a roll of toilet roll paper underneath.  Apologies if this doesn't bring up the image of a crocheted dolly on the top of the toilet tank!

Gorgeous husband took this photo of me in a hoop skirt and corset when we visited the Costume Museum in Bath.  Little did I realize that just a few years later I would be wearing one of these swinging bell type garments with a blue Victorian dress over top of it.  It really does have a lovely swinging rhythm as you walk.

The Costume Museum had various outfits for the public to try on to get "a feel of yesteryear", so to speak.  Naturally, I popped it on over top my sweater, for a truly fetching look.

We spent the rest of the day, after leaving the Museum, exploring various interesting boutiques, workshops, antique shops and funky junk stores.  It was a smashing day.

Words of Truth on a Tee shirt

I had to laugh when I saw this message on a tee shirt in a shop window in Vienna.  I never wear tee shirts with slogans or pictures on them, but this one really grabbed my attention.  Maybe because there wasn't a person wearing it (trying to be smart) or maybe just because the message is so undeniably TRUE.

Playing at being Victorians

Here I am in the Dingle in Shrewsbury, a delightful little park more or less in the town centre.  My gorgeous husand and I are playing at being Victorians.  On the left of the photo is a fellow dressed as a Victorian policeman, and on my other side, dear husband, dressed in an outfit that -- to be honest, resembles somthing a travelling snake-oil salesman might wear.  He is supposed to be a politician, so I'll let you draw what conclusions you like from that, in regards to how appropriate it is!

We are part of the Shrewsbury Heritage Group and are re-enacting the Olympic Games, that were revived by William Penny-Brooks, and held in Shrewsbury in 1864.  Yes, my Candian friends, even before Canada was a nation!  The history is all around us here in England, and every once in a while I put in my "North American eyes" and marvel at it all!  The church in the background of the photo is St. Chad's where Charles Darwin was christened. 

Here is a close up of my Victorian booties, and even though they were just the right thing to wear, they weren't made for comfort.  Still, I could manage for a few hours, and that's what us Victorians do, suffer for beauty!

Love from England,

Rose

Nothing like red nails for a bit of glamour!

Here I am showing off my lovely red manicure that I got to accessorize my 1940s outfit.  Nothing like bright red nails to make you feel glamorous!  Such a simple thing to do, and yet, how effective.  Especially if someone else does them for you.  I had treated myself to a manicure and now I know why people spend the money on it instead of bothering to do it themselves.  It is a much, much better job than what I do on my own.  The close-up also shows the pattern on my forties dress quite well too.

The Catwalk in the 1940s

Here I am about to enter a genuine 1940s caravan.  It was cute as a button!  Tiny sink and kitchen cupboards, a wooden "wireless" radio, rag rugs on the floor, and of course, some deck chairs and geraniums outside.

It's wonderful to enjoy the fashions of the 40s and the music without the inconvenience of rationing, not to mention the worry about bombs, or being invaded.  How luck we are to live in these times!  They had samples of the rations on display and I could easily eat a week's supply in one meal, or two if I was dieting.  It's a good thing I'm only play-acting, or I'd be a lot thinner than I am now. 

The Catwalk, Regency style

Fashion in the era before jeans!!  Here is my gorgeous husband and I dressed in Regency outfits of the early 1800s period, parading around at Attingham Park, Shrewsbury.

This is the first post for my new blog, and I am about as competent as a Regency lady at this!  I'm better at fluttering the fan.

This is just one of my "adventures in style" about looking good and feeling good as a woman "of a certain age."   Further adventures in later posts, once I come back to this century.

Love from England,
Rosemary