tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31656021878018612252024-02-20T04:04:22.937-08:00Another Year , Another BlogClairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363365731494419323noreply@blogger.comBlogger553125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3165602187801861225.post-64393157262389123232024-02-06T05:30:00.000-08:002024-02-06T05:30:36.461-08:00Royal Cancer<p> Is it just me or is this media wringing of hands over Charles' unspecified diagnosis of cancer necessary ? </p><p>Ordinary people have to get on with their lives whilst living with cancer, juggling work comittments , putting dinner on the table , getting the kids to school , traipsing around a supermarket looking for cheapest food, worry about income, pay their bills, get their tax returns in on time whilst royalty get to offload their duties whilst the country's medical experts fast track them through to recovery without their even having to leave their whatever palace tey choose to reside in.</p><p>Enough. </p>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363365731494419323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3165602187801861225.post-67832843558094962012023-11-07T05:56:00.004-08:002023-11-07T05:56:44.133-08:00Notes to those contemplating a kitchen refurb<p> 1. Your builders are your friends. You might not choose to go on holiday with them but keep them well-fuelled and happy and treat them with respect. By the end of the build, you'll be revering their skilled knowledge of/. pipework and plastering.</p><p>2. Treat your research like a PhD. By the end of the experience, what you don't know about 2 Gang CAT 5E outlets, 38mm bullnose edging strips or in-frame profiles won't be worth writing on the back of a fag packet.</p><p>3. Put all your new-found knowledge to good use by applying to the BBC for the next series of Mastermind. My specialty subject will be the Howdens Catalogue - Spring 2023 edition.</p><p>4. Snacks - buy shares in McVities. You will have bought a lifetime's supply of Jaffa Cakes within the month. Also, be prepared for them to go off Jaffa Cakes at some stage. You will then have to upgrade to luxury triple choc chip shortbread. </p><p>5. Accept that the biggest 'surprise' cost in the project will be something seemingly inconsequential like a cat flap. Not just any cat flap of course but one that invloves the removal of part of a wall, which of course will then need to be plasterboarded, plastered, and all other things to do with plastering and will inevitably cost 10 times what you first envisaged. You'll be left wondering if the wall to wall triple glazed sliding doors were a good investment after all but then your fur babies will thank you.</p><p>6. Be prepared to be shocked by the price of a can of paint If you haven't re-decorated in over a decade ( and in our case make that 3 decades) then the £100 price tag on a pot of something that promises to be scuff-proof, bomb-proof and last a lifetime ( even though we're in our sixties so not such a bonus) will make your eyes water. </p><p>7. Vow never to scoff again when you watch an episode of Grand Designs on the telly and they get to the bit where the budget gets blown out of the water by something that was supposed to have been shipped within 6 weeks and ends up being delayed by several months. It's at this point where you laugh at the unsuspecting and hapless person who didn't include a big enough contingency and marvel at their stupidity. It will happen to you. </p><p>8. Remember that everyone you meet who asks you where you're getting your kitchen from will inevitably tell you where you should have gone They'll also have a story about someone who ordered from the company you've chosen and had an 'absolute nightmare'. This phrase will pop up a lot.</p><p>9. You will use the phrase 'nightmare' a lot and not at someone else's expense.</p><p>10. Remind yourself that it is just a kitchen. Whilst you might compare the process to childbirth or having your wisdom teeth out without anaesthetic, at the end of the day you only have yourslef to blame. What on earth made you think this whole fiasco was a good idea? </p>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363365731494419323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3165602187801861225.post-32688796036468502622023-11-07T05:25:00.002-08:002023-11-07T05:25:24.797-08:00New Kitchen<p> You know that thing ... when you take your glasses off you can't hear as well or so it seems?</p><p>Well, having a kitchen fitted is a bit like that. There's 'stuff' going on in the room formerly known as 'The Kitchen' but the other unaffected rooms in the house have gone to pot. I've also lost count as to how many times I've forgotten to brush my teeth in the morning and can't remember when I last bothered with moisturising. In other words, I've lost the plot.</p><p>Those grand plans to keep dust at bay by taping up doorways have been long forgotten and washing up in the bath has lost its novelty appeal, not that it ever had any. What's worse, I'm eating junk which is hardly surprising as everything is being bunged in the newly acquired air fryer and although this mystical device can do all kinds of healthy things according to the instruction booklet, all I ever seem to cook is chips.</p><p>Have you also noticed that when you embark on anything involving shedloads of money, other people start chipping in about how we should be paying in cash to avoid VAT and why aren't we bargaining our way to a 50% reduction from the builders who, in their opinion, must obviouly be fleecing us? These are the people who are withdrawing £20k in cash on a weekly basis and getting their kitchens from some knock-off supplier that's come from Albania from a bloke who knows a bloke who 'does cheap knock-offs' . Well, good luck with that is all I can say. </p><p>Call me old-fashioned or grossly naive but I prefer to know who I'm dealing with and as for all the tax-dodging, have these know-it-alls ever thought about who paid for their last triple bypass? Yep - us 'little people' who pay taxes.</p><p><br /></p>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363365731494419323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3165602187801861225.post-88689047353430134382023-03-03T04:42:00.003-08:002023-03-03T04:42:30.285-08:00Burnout<p> Burnout is a very useful, if overused, phrase.</p><p>At best it indicates a low mood, a feeling of lethargy, exhaustion even but not in a physical way after a workout in the gym. It's more visceral than that . Strangely it's more difficult to spot until it's gone too far.</p><p>At its worst, it can mean the complete annihilation of any feeling or emotion to the point of not knowing yourslef or caring about anything. Words like quicksand spring to mind - the helplessness of being sucked under.</p><p><br /></p>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363365731494419323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3165602187801861225.post-23689791788734679342023-03-03T04:38:00.005-08:002023-03-03T04:38:44.233-08:00The urge to run away<p>Sometimes it tips into something more serious. It's not just a desperate need to escape it's more of a deep desire to make the world stop so you can step off into oblivion. </p><p>I need to constatly remind myself that this too will pass. And pass it does, only to return in time, again and again and again.</p><p>At what point do the agains cease I wonder ?</p>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363365731494419323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3165602187801861225.post-55239885578285290762023-01-29T05:36:00.003-08:002023-03-03T04:35:31.382-08:00Middle Class, whatever that is.<p>I went to hear Roger McGough at the Landmark Arts Centre last night. It was the first night of his new tour Alive and Gigging and what a joy it was to soak up his poetry. I even managed to have a quick catch-up chat with him afterwards. Sat next to a couple called Charlie and Charlie and enjoyed their company too - so much so that we all went for a drink in the Kings Head after the show.</p><p><br /></p><p>Funny how it only takes one thing to burst your bubble though. Youngest son, when asking about whether I enjoyed myself, offered his views on the venue - which he dislikes. The reason he gave was that it "only attracts white, middle-class, middle aged people ". Unfortunately for him, it's the category I fit into and I wondered if he expected me to apologise for the fact that I had white parents, live in a middle-class suburb of London having crawled my way up the career ladder ( whilst banging my head repeatedly against the glass ceiling of my profession ) and had reached the middle years of my life. This must be why youngsters appropriate a Jamaican patois and aspire to be broke members of the working class. Funny though that they don't spurn the trappings of our tawdry middle class though like, funding through University, a roof over their heads , free meals and permanent rent-free lodgings well into their twenties. </p><p><br /></p><p>I have to keep reminding myself that they love us really.</p><p><br /></p>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363365731494419323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3165602187801861225.post-69792454244844724342022-08-04T08:57:00.007-07:002022-08-04T08:57:42.660-07:00EPCs and other TLAs<p>Don't know what an EPC is ? Nor did I. I could have guessed I suppose - Electrical Pulse Calibration , Ergonomic Plant Control, European Police Commission, Exploratory Petrochemical Consortium ? Nope. </p><p>It is an Energy Performance Certificate. Now I've been shamed into admitting my ignorance and even worse - discovered that ours is an F - it's added a whole new level of things to worry about. Savvy homeowners can shove in a few energy-efficient lightbulbs and bump it up a grade. But isn't that cheating ? I'd love to install a ground source heat pump, whatever that is, install some energy-efficient underfloor heating and glaze the whole house in thermally sealed bi-folds but who can afford that?</p><p><br /></p><p> </p>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363365731494419323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3165602187801861225.post-76241874437348371052022-07-29T03:18:00.004-07:002022-07-29T03:21:14.997-07:00How can it be 2 whole years ...<p> ... since I last blogged. And I think of myself as a person who loves to write That must say something about my creative bock which has deepened to the size of a glacial ravine.</p><p>We're in the post pandemic recovery period and it's shit. The re-set button has failed to work, the country has gone to the dogs and the world's dictators are wreaking havoc around the world. Not watching the news hasn't worked. It seeps into your life uninvited from unexpectd sources and drip feeds into your psyche. </p><p>I long to escape. Don't know where just anywhere. I've stopped listening to music, can't focus on a book and as for any artistic endeavour...</p><p>On a brighter note I did recently go and see Maverick - Top Gun. The phrase that resonated with me was the classic quote "Engage" as Cruise struggles to snap his wingman out of a trance and into action. I'm still trying the engage. </p>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363365731494419323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3165602187801861225.post-52652399234465638912020-05-25T04:20:00.001-07:002020-05-25T04:20:41.032-07:00After nearly 10 weeks ....... eldest son has moved out as the lockdown eases, having been separated from his girlfriend who has been having to shield. She'll be joining him next week once her quarantine week period comes to an end.<br />
<br />
Not just out but out out as Micky Flannigan would say. They won't be down the road but a little further afield but it might as well be Alaska as far as I'm concerned, as the separation pain feels so acute it left me feeling breathless ... but not in a Coronavirus kind of way.<br />
<br />
We have enjoyed over 2 months' worth of the family being reunited under one roof. Yes, there have been a few tensions and a couple of tiffs which is only to be expected under the circumstances but it felt as if I'd been given a second chance to have my 'babies' back. And now eldest has flown the nest (again) and youngest will do likewise in a week or two.<br />
<br />
I didn't like 'normal' and I won't be looking forward to getting back to it. I liked our new normal but it's all change again and that's not something I'm particularly good at.<br />
<br />
Saying I feel directionless would be an understatement. It's as if I've flung my compass out of the window. Not just out .... but out out.Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363365731494419323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3165602187801861225.post-11678427667019002972020-04-08T10:29:00.002-07:002020-04-08T10:29:47.645-07:00Haven't felt like writing lately ...... haven't much felt like doing anything lately. Careful what you wish for.<br />
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I now have all the time in the world but can't settle to anything. Can't read a book, watch a film, follow a recipe, hold a conversation.<br />
<br />
We're into the third week of lockdown and the honeymoon period has abruptly ended, if there ever even was one. Nerves are frayed, anxiety levels are running high and nothing seems to matter anymore. Sleep has become deprived, patience is running low and tempers running high.<br />
<br />
But lets keep things in persepctive. Nearly one and a half million people have contracted this killer virus of which nearly 100,000 people have died. They have died alone and will be stored in a makeshift morgue becuase there isn't enough room to store their bodies or bury them all properly. Their funeral can't be attended by more than 2 people. So, all things considered, We are still the lucky ones. Armies of medics and frontline workers are risking their own lives to save those of complete strangers and all people can moan about is having to stay at home and running out of fresh milk.<br />
<br />
I suppose for the first time in our lives, ironically, we're really living. This is for real.<br />
<br />
So, stay home people.Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363365731494419323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3165602187801861225.post-15315310739966950422020-03-20T09:47:00.000-07:002020-03-20T09:47:28.099-07:00I'm all for the science ... but ...... I'm veering towards the fanciful theory that all of this has happened for a reason and someone or something is reponsible for inflicting this virus on mankind.<br />
<br />
It's no co-incidence that we were heading for self-destruction of our beutiful planet. The rainforests had been ravaged, Australia burned, flooding was widepread across the globe, povery and disease were rife and then along came Coronavirus to remind us that enough was enough.<br />
<br />
So here we are. We brought this on ourselves. We have no-one to blame but ourselves.<br />
<br />
Tough isn't it ?Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363365731494419323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3165602187801861225.post-59666641378200197722020-03-14T08:08:00.000-07:002020-03-14T08:08:03.566-07:00The C WordNo, not cancer - the 'other' C word.<br />
<br />
I've just watched someone walk up the driveway and heard the shove of a leaflet through the letterbox. I watched him walk away whilst wiping the snot from his nose. No doubt the leaflet will be slimed with his germs. This is how it's passed on. It feels a little like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic, all of our hand sanitising for our lives whilst others treat the hygiene precautions with disdain.<br />
<br />
A man in M&S yesterday was licking his fingers before handling assorted food items on a shelf. I stood horrified and considered reporting him to staff before shuffling away and deciding not to buy and container salads there ever again.<br />
<br />
A face masked oriental stood on the platform at Olympia underground station, pulled his mask aside and gobbed on the platform.<br />
<br />
We would have viewed these incidents with disdain a few months ago but now I look on them as criminal acts of heinous contempt. A chance encounter with a slimed salad pot on a supermarket shelf, an innocuous leaf through a delivered pizza menu leaflet, the sole of your trainers engrained with a stranger's saliva, taken off in your hallway when you return from a trip up to London. This is how it happens.<br />
<br />
I'm not tempting fate. I'm staying at home. I don't care what people think. I'm not other people. I'm me and frankly, I'm slightly terrified.Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363365731494419323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3165602187801861225.post-70372199867106309712020-01-10T06:13:00.003-08:002020-01-10T06:13:57.689-08:00Back... as in back pain. Been flat on mine all week thanks to some troublesome disc problem. Hideous doctor who wouldn't listen to a word I had to say but at least I came away with a lengthy prescription for some killer pain relief. Dimazepam anyone ? Trouble is they don't seem to make a jot of difference. Should I be worried ? I usually subscribe to the school of 'If it hurts, I'm probably dying' but I can't summon the energy to get worried about it. Pain is debilitating.<br />
<br />
I am at least getting my money's worth out of my subscription to Masterclass. I have now learnt how to compose a film score, write poetry , churn out a best-seller and knock up some French patisserie. The pain is still there though.Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363365731494419323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3165602187801861225.post-58105285763989213302019-12-13T03:39:00.004-08:002019-12-13T03:39:50.747-08:00Away in A Manger Anyone else blub at the opening bar of Away in a Manger? Just enjoyed a blub fest. Gets me every time - combine it with a Salvation Army brass band and I'm lost in a pool of messy tears.Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363365731494419323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3165602187801861225.post-21734676469439499782019-12-13T03:38:00.001-08:002019-12-13T03:38:17.517-08:00The Pre-Christmas Low SpotIt's as traditional as holly and mistletoe. It comes around the middle of December and is usally sparked by some form of retail exasperation. In this case it was the fact that M&S's Coquilles St Jacques were no longer available to order online. I tell this story against myself. It's laughable.<br />
<br />
Who gives a monkey's about the unavailabilty of some posh food ? A truly 1st world problem and puts things in persepctives. Why might this spark a bad mood ? I have a theory<br />
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It's more to do with disappointment in youself ; the realision that you've been suckered, hook line and sinker into a sink-hole of pretentious retail propaganda. I can't believe I let myself down so badly. Personally, I'd rather eat a bag of Walkers Ready Salted and a tub of Quality Street in any event. In fact I may just do that.<br />
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Incidentally, it wasn't just the CSJ ... it was really all about the fact that the Woodland Buch de Noel had also sold out ! Those little spotted Fly Agaric decorations were the cutest. Why anyone would want to stick them on a chocolate cake defeats me, but hey , it's Christmas.Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363365731494419323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3165602187801861225.post-54702545202065450042018-09-12T04:37:00.001-07:002018-09-12T04:37:26.589-07:00Blogging again ...... after several months. I've missed you blog, it's nice to be back.<br />
<br />
Such a lot has happened so there's no better place to start than with today.<br />
There are 4 teenagers downstairs - aged 19. One of them is mine. They'd been gaming all night, then spread themselves across the various sofas in the house for a couple of hours sleep.<br />
<br />
I was going to steer clear but I couldn't help myself. Old habits die hard. I had to come down and make a ton of pancakes and fix a ton of toppings to go with them. It was just like old times , with one difference. They'd all grown up . One year at university has turned them into young men but the tales are still hilarious, their appetites huge and the laughter just as plentiful.<br />
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So as I wait out the week ( 3 days and counting ) until 'U' day when my own teen sets off to university having taken a gap year, I yearn for all those old play dates when they'd empty the fridge and pantry like a plague of locusts and leave a mountain of trainers piled up in the hallway. I would feign slight irritation but I loved every minute of it.<br />
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The talk around the breakfast table was ... worst hangovers , cheapest quickest meals to cook in Uni halls and why you don't need to bring a collander - a long running joke in our family. I've baked a batch of brownies which I'll cool in the fridge until they resemble chocolate fudge and then send them of with a small parcek which will have been devoured by the time they reach their respective homes.<br />
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Trying not to think about hwat an empty nest is going to feel like next week but it's not working.Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363365731494419323noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3165602187801861225.post-11711317047383327642018-03-30T07:03:00.000-07:002018-03-30T07:03:21.198-07:00Good Friday is not that goodWell it may have been for Jesus but so far it's poured with rain and the one place I wanted to visit was closed and the church I went to in order to light a candle had locked its doors ( on Good Friday - really ?) and I narrowly averted getting a parking tocket because apparently Good Friday doesn't count as a Bank Holiday - I beg to differ.<br />
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I need a project so I've taken on what I rather grandly refer to as a laundry room - otherwise known as a pokey cupboard off the kitchen. Kirstie Allsop would be relieved that I hadn't committed the heinous Dometic Goddess crime of having my washing appliances actually <i>in</i> the kitchen - God forbid.<br />
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You'd be amazed what has come out of that pokey little hell home or maybe you wouldn't because everyone has a Pandora's boxful of crap lurking somewhere in the house where they stash things they never use but can't bear to part with ... don't they ?<br />
<br />
23 vases<br />
2 microwavable neck pillow things<br />
201 odd socks<br />
3 fly swatters<br />
1 mop bucket I haven't used in 20 odd years<br />
1 candle making kit<br />
Assorted bundles of garden rafia<br />
1 picnic raclette set - oh yes we raclette the hell out of cheese every time we go on a picnic<br />
8 bottles of various stain removers none of which have ever removed a single stain<br />
21 underwater battery operated tealights<br />
17 plastic trays<br />
4 First Aid kits but I can never find a plaster when I need one<br />
1 microwave egg poacher<br />
2 laundry bags for fancy lingerie about as mush use as a chocolate teapot<br />
1 Chocolate Teapot<br />
1 Turkish coffee percolator<br />
3 bottles of unctious liquid that came with some hideous stained glass diffuser contraption<br />
Aforementioned Stained glass thing<br />
A 3 tier wire cupcake display piece of nonsense<br />
2 flocked black crows<br />
5m of grimey vinyl tablecovering<br />
3 , yes 3, boxes of cocktail sticks ....<br />
<br />
<br />
On that last item, when did I ever think I would need around 300 cocktail sausages spiked ?<br />
<br />
Feeling overwhelmed, I've come upstairs to escape, wondering when we'll ever be able to eat at our kitchen table again which is now piled high with sundry items. I've filled 3 binbags with junk and will be going back in to tackle the socks when I've written this. This may be the longest blog entry I've ever written. I've already googled Pinterest for Laundry Room inspiration which left me quivering with regret. They'd all been Cath Kidstoned to death and it's doubtful whether any laundry ever takes place in any of them. Don't go there if you don't want to spend the rest of the Bank Holiday wallowing in Pinterest envy - and yes Mr Parking Warden ... Good Friday IS a Bank Holiday actually.<br />
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Before and after photos to follow.Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363365731494419323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3165602187801861225.post-41340553073838756582018-03-28T05:10:00.001-07:002018-03-28T05:10:45.450-07:00Spring CleaningWhy on earth do we feel compelled to clean out our nests at this time of year ? I could set my clock by it.<br />
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I'm starting in the bedroom. The ghastly clothes have gone ( 3 bin bags full ) and now I've started on accessories. Down to a handful of bags ( smart, casual, cross-body, beach and shopper ) just 3 hats ( I never wear them anyway ) and now I've strated on scarves. What's with the scarves ? Ghastly chiifon ones, most I've never worn, masters of disguise ( big boobs ) , things with tassels and pom poms hanging off them ... the list is endless. Anything that was grey of beige ( greige ? ) has gone too. I've filled another binbag.<br />
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It's not as if I've ever worn any of them once, maybe twice.<br />
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Don't even start me on PJs. Christmas ones ( one day a year for goodness sake) , slinky ones, fluffy ones, ones that look like they belong to a 14 year old. I'm running out of bin bags.<br />
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Next stop wrapping paper. I've decided that only things associated with going to bed and waking up should be in the bedroom so that includes, dressing, hair drying, make-up and bedtime reading material. Why then is the bedroom now a multi-purpose sewing room, wrapping station, unwanted cushion depository and harbinger of boxes for items that might breakdown and need returning to the manufacturer ? Not to mention abandoned hobbies like calligraphy ( one of these days ) silversmithing, picture framing, quilting and beading.<br />
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Books have got out of control ever since DH dispensed with our bookshelves in favour of an antique boat in a glass cabinet that takes up half of the hallway. Coats have gone downstairs onto the coathooks, empty spectacle cases of which I have amassed about a dozen have gone in the bin. The emergency present drawer remains , used only last week when DH asked ( at 8am in the morning ) if I had any 'spare' gifts for a member of his staff who was into writing and travel. I came up trumps with a Moleskine Travelers Notebook and a wallet full of stylish pencils. And yes, I was able to provide an emergency wimple for a friend off to a Tarts and Vicars party without a costume and an outsized comedy sombrero when I needed to dress up as a Mexican bandit, all hauled from the emergency dressing up box that lurks in a bedroom cupboard drawer.<br />
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NO MORE . Bedrooms are for sleeping in. They are not a cabinet full of curiosities.<br />
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So, the next time I need a grey/beige, life sized rabbit costume or a tasselled and pom-pom adorned scarf with matching beach bag and I find that the cupboard is empty, I will only have myself to blame.Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363365731494419323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3165602187801861225.post-35085684901851052042018-01-26T02:15:00.001-08:002018-01-26T02:20:50.653-08:00Never done things by halvesThis year I'm turning Sixty - it was less scary to write it as a word rather than in numbers. I'm not at all perturbed by this. On the contrary, I say ' Bring It On ! ' In fact, I now realise that I've always expressed my age as that of the year in which I turn that age so I'm always one year ahead of the game. That's just my way of getting used to it. If you say it often enough you start to believe it and as I'm a September girl, I have a nine month run up to actually turning that age ,which seems to be enough time to get my head around it. So in fact, I've been feeling psychologically sixty for about a month now.<br />
<br />
So it's the biggie. I hope there are many more but I'm realistically aware of the fact that as bodies age, their ability to remain supple, mobile and flexible dwindles - an inversely proportional problem ( I always see things in mathematical terms - an occupational hazard) . That's why I embarked on a training regime 3 months ago and have not only lost an impressive amount of weight but I've also started to slow down the ageing process ... up to a point.<br />
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There's no point in dealing with the physical aspects only, so I'm also embarking on a year of activities to nourish my soul and mind. It's also an excuse to start a new notebook as if I ever needed one ... excuse that is , not notebook, of which I have plenty.<br />
<br />
So, here's the first item on the list so far ...<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Re-ignite my Scottish roots. This will include something to do with haggis on Burns Night and a visit to the Hebrides ( Outer not Inner. Remember, I don't do things by halves ) . Why travel half way round the world to see turquoise waters when it's right on our doorstep here in the UK? I've always had a fantasy to rent a croft and re-invent myself as an Islander ever since watching Ring of Bright Water. You know the way some films just have that effect on you ? You watch it and feel forever changed. This is also the sort of pipe dream statement that makes a Western Islander hopping mad and rightly so. I'm such a Londoner really. This is what I'm expecting in my head ....</li>
</ul>
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This may be closer to reality ...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNvoAkXjWdVRzzIQFhcs39kzbOBa6rn6pqh7mpqWSNXG3GaM76H2gRdLy6hrOJ8IlaRoaWmJqvZwfbLFJicC2E43AIjVbL9iMXrsluXSKbJpjKDQprcjKe35vxUubWrxZzXxCy_33REok/s1600/IMG_2932.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNvoAkXjWdVRzzIQFhcs39kzbOBa6rn6pqh7mpqWSNXG3GaM76H2gRdLy6hrOJ8IlaRoaWmJqvZwfbLFJicC2E43AIjVbL9iMXrsluXSKbJpjKDQprcjKe35vxUubWrxZzXxCy_33REok/s640/IMG_2932.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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More to follow... watch this space.</div>
Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363365731494419323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3165602187801861225.post-49584507362670243492018-01-04T04:19:00.003-08:002018-01-04T04:19:34.870-08:00Welcome 2018I am starting this year's musings 3 stone lighter and with a new resolve to take better care of myself.<br />
Thanks to Cathy Zielske, all round good egg and funny lady, I have signed up for Fit 2018 - her online course designed to get you taking care and owning your helath - both physical and mental. Anything that gets you moving, crafting, writing and taking note of what's important in life gets my vote.<br />
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This is a big year - well aren't they all ? Well yes, but this year in particular is going to be HUGE. For starters I get to celebrate a pretty significant birthday. Eldest beloved son has just left home to set up a whole new life with his lovely girlfriend. Youngest beloved son is embarking on a trip of a lifetime to Tanzania to spread some love in the world and will then be leaving home in the Autumn to start his University adventure studying a subject which is so dear to his heart - music. The tragic loss of a very dear friend at the end of last year prompted him to seize life with both hands and make every moment count. Soemthing we should all be doing but somehow we get sidetracked from it by the minutiae of everyday life and all its tiresome details.<br />
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I aim to spend less time doing chores, cleaning and superfluous activities . With this in mind I am gently de-cluttering my personal posessions down to a capsule wardrobe ( 5 tops , 5 bottoms, one coat and just my undies ... big pants will have to go ) . My kitchen cupboards will contain wholesome and nutritious real foods and .... ( this is the BIG one ) I am aiming to reduce my spending dramatically to include only food, essential household items which will support the streamlining of my life. This will include a re-cycling bin, some basic fitness equipment and books - and that's all. Yeah right ... no really ... this is the plan. Let's see how much I manage to acheive.Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363365731494419323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3165602187801861225.post-47526797173176519232017-11-01T06:40:00.002-07:002017-11-01T06:46:41.915-07:00<h3 class="itemHeader" style="border: 0px; color: #3d3d3d; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Found this online - something in Sainsburys Gift Catalogue for Christmas called Seventh Heaven - a Basketful of Goodies . Sounds nice and natural ... until you read the ingredients...</span></span></h3>
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Ingredients</h3>
<ul class="productIngredients" style="border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="border: 0px; display: inline; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1.2em; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Red Hot Sauna: Propylene Glycol, Zeolite, Kaolin, Glycerin, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit), Peel Oil, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Cereus Grandiflorus (Cactus) Flower Extract, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Flower Extract, Jasminum Officinale (Jasmine) Flower Extract, Citrus Aurantifolia (Lime) Peel Extract, Juglans Nigra (Black Walnut) Shell Extract, Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose, Parfum (Fragrance), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isopropyl Myristate, Limonene, CI 16035 (Red 40 Lake), </li>
<li style="border: 0px; display: inline; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1.2em; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Passion Peel Off: Aqua (Purified Water), Polyvinyl Alcohol, Alcohol Denat. (Plant Origin), PPG-1-PEG-9 Lauryl Glycol Ether, PVP, Glucose (Sugar), Parfum (Fragrance), Xanthan Gum (Natural Thickener), Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Fruit Extract, Glycerin (Plant Origin), Propylene Glycol, Tocopheryl (Vitamin E) Acetate, Vitis Vinifera (Red Grape) Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice, Potassium Iodide, Sodium Chloride (Mineral Origin), Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Macrocarpon (Cranberry) Fruit Extract, Potassium Thiocyanate, Passiflora Incarnate (Passionflower) Flower Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Sorbitol (Plant Origin), Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Seed Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera (Lotus Blossom) Flower Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Lactoperoxidase (Milk Origin), Glucose Oxidase (Sugar, Origin), Sorbic Acid (Plant Origin), Citric Acid (Plant Origin), CI 16035 (Red 40), CI 42090 (Blue 1), </li>
<li style="border: 0px; display: inline; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1.2em; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Fresh Feet: Alcohol Denat. (Plant Origin), Aqua (Purified Water), Tapioca Starch, Parfum (Fragrance), Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil, Menthol (Cooling Agent), Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Glycerin (Plant Origin), Mentha Vindis (Spearmint) Leaf Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Limonene*, Linalool, Vaccinium Angustifolium (Blueberry) Fruit Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, CI42090 (Blue 1), </li>
<li style="border: 0px; display: inline; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1.2em; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Very Berry: Aqua (Purified Water), Glyceryl Stearate, SE (Plant Origin), Stearic Acid (Plant Origin), Glycol Stearate (Plant Origin), Glycerin (Plant Origin), Bentonite (Natural Clay), Glyceryl Stearate (Plant Origin), Coco-Glucoside (Plant Origin), Prunus Persica (Peach) Kernel Oil, Mica (Mineral Origin), PEG-100 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Xanthan Gum (Plant Origin), Propylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Parfum (Fragrance), Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Macrocarpon (Cranberry) Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium (Blueberry) Fruit Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid (Plant Origin), CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), CI 15850 (Red 7 Lake), CI 42090 (Blue 1 Lake), </li>
<li style="border: 0px; display: inline; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1.2em; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Manuka Honey Peel Off: Aqua (Purified Water), Polyvinyl Alcohol, PPG-1-PEG-9 Lauryl Glycol Ether, PVP, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum (Fragrance), Propylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum (Natural Thickener), Caprylyl Glycol, Caramel, Mel (Honey), Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Extract, Sorbitol, Aesculus Hippocastanum (Horsechestnut) Seed Extract, Anthemis Nobilis (Chamomile) Flower Extract, Vanilla Planifolia (Vanilla) Fruit Extract, Jasminum Officinale (Jasmine) Flower Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Sorbic Acid, CI 19140 (Yellow 5), CI 14700 (Red 4), </li>
<li style="border: 0px; display: inline; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1.2em; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Avocado Oil: Aqua (Purified Water), Bentonite (Natural Clay). Glyceryl Stearate SE (Plant Origin), Stearic Acid (Plant Origin), Glycerin (Plant Origin), Glycol Stearate (Plant Origin), Juglans Regia (Walnut) Shell Powder, Glyceryl Stearate (Plant Origin), Coco-Glucoside (Plant Origin), Mica (Natural Mineral), PEG-100 Stearate, Glucose (Sugar), Xanthan Gum (Natural Thickener), Parfum (Fragrance), Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Potassium Iodide, Sodium Chloride (Mineral Origin), Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice, Potassium Thiocyanate, Lactoperoxidase (Milk Origin), Sodium Benzoate, Glucose Oxidase (Sugar Origin), Sorbic Acid, CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide) (Natural Pigment), CI 19140 (Yellow 5), CI 42090 (Blue 1), </li>
<li style="border: 0px; display: inline; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1.2em; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Dead Sea Mud Pac: Aqua (Purified Water), Kaolin (Mineral Origin), Glycerin (Plant Origin). Alcohol Denat. (Plant Origin), Glyceryl Stearate SE (Plant Origin), Sodium Citrate, Polysorbate 20 (Mild Cleanser), Maris Sal (Dead Sea Salt), Glucose (Sugar), Citric Acid (Plant Origin), Parfum (Fragrance), Fucus Vesiculosus (Seaweed) Extract, Silk (Dead Sea Mud), Potassium Iodide, Sodium Chloride (Mineral Origin), Potassium Thiocyante, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil, Lactoperoxidase (Milk Origin), Glucose Oxidase (Sugar Origin), CI 42090 (Blue 1), </li>
<li style="border: 0px; display: inline; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1.2em; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Pulped Papaya Rescue: Aqua (Purified Water), Cetearyl Alcohol (Plant Origin), Brassicamidopropyl Dimethylamine (Plant Origin), Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Coco-Caprylate (Plant Origin), Aspartic Acid, Cetearyl Glucoside (Plant Origin), Parfum (Fragrance), Sodium Benzoate, Benzyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Glycerin (Plant Origin), Carica Papaya (Papaya) Seed Oil, Panthenol (Pro-Vitamin B5), Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Carica Papaya (Papaya) Fruit Extract, Lycium Chinense (Goji Berry) Fruit Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Citronellol, Geraniol* Hexyl Cinnamal*, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Limonene*, Linalool*, CI 15985 (Yellow 6), CI 14700 (Red 4), </li>
<li style="border: 0px; display: inline; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1.2em; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Cucumber Peel Off: Aqua (Purified Water), Alcohol Denat. (Plant Origin), Polyvinyl Alcohol, PPG-1-PEG-9 Lauryl Glycol Ether, Propylene Glycol, PVP, Glycerin (Plant Origin), Limonene*, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantifolia (Lime) Oil, Linalool*, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil, Tocopheryl (Vitamin E) Acetate, Cereus Grandiflorus (Cactus) Flower Extract, Citrus Aurantifolia (Lime) Fruit Extract, Jasminum Officinale (Jasmine) Flower Extract, Juglans Regia (Walnut) Shell Extract, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Flower Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbitol (Plant Origin), Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sorbic Acid (Plant Origin), CI 19140 (Yellow 5), CI 42090 (Blue 1), </li>
<li style="border: 0px; display: inline; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1.2em; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Coconut Protein Rescue: Aqua (Purified Water), Cetearyl Alcohol (Plant Origin), Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Brassicamidopropyl Dimethylamine (Pant Origin), Coco-Caprylate (Plant Origin), Aspartic Acid, Parfum (Fragrance), Hydrolyzed Quinoa (Natural Protein Conditioner), Sodium Benzoate, Benzyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Coumarin*, </li>
<li style="border: 0px; display: inline; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1.2em; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Bath Bomb ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Sodium Sulfate, Pentasodium Triphosphate, Isopropyl Palmitate, Talc, Cellulose Gum, Parfum (Fragrance), Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, PEG-8, Benzyl Benzoate, Hexyl Cinnamal</li>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Shame</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> on you Sainsburys.</span></span></span><br />
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Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363365731494419323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3165602187801861225.post-7767186118654780952017-10-29T08:04:00.001-07:002017-10-29T08:04:21.329-07:00A little reminder ........ as to how far I've come. I don't ever want to go back there.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEIJDfX-xbmkulTS1tLCSLBcEb0a6rhD5qX7GOHonk9K2q8U-g-EU8PPDkKeu5o0X6TMCzHVEEbDOfLOv08b9mrF5YiRsK-nIiivRmEphF2x04SaLcup-5xhwGCb2Kn8wdQGkf2z_catk/s1600/IMG_3890.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEIJDfX-xbmkulTS1tLCSLBcEb0a6rhD5qX7GOHonk9K2q8U-g-EU8PPDkKeu5o0X6TMCzHVEEbDOfLOv08b9mrF5YiRsK-nIiivRmEphF2x04SaLcup-5xhwGCb2Kn8wdQGkf2z_catk/s400/IMG_3890.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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I said that last time but I've learnt a lot since then. I promised myself I would never drift back to the land of baggy, shapeless, stretchy clothes that I thought I could hide behindand I did but never again. Once bitten , twice shy.<br />
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I kept this hanger from a dress I bought for a wedding this summer. I looked like an inflated balloon in it. I tried it on again this morning and I couldn't beleive that I'd once filled it. I loved the dress, just hated the size lable. I'm planning on having it taken in once I've reached my goal weight just as a little reminder.<br />
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The hanger has gone in the bin.Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363365731494419323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3165602187801861225.post-89101942277039121222017-10-08T08:22:00.000-07:002017-10-08T08:22:04.334-07:00Good old Sainsbury'sThe only thing that pleases me about having to go to the supermarket , is the prospect of checking out what other things they have besides food.<br />
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Today I found this adorable stationery range.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBaeX3DJcm6LnSQsmGB_yelzlPiC6w7EhI1IkTGbSX0dOfdKGyzZtZ2WhOdgqJsrdbZmbGOuk-1622vtXN3eL0n0CyhkZpa_lmH9HCXFP3U8pjv54fpKKiGDazt6L1Id57_2V07o-hGA0/s1600/IMG_3874.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBaeX3DJcm6LnSQsmGB_yelzlPiC6w7EhI1IkTGbSX0dOfdKGyzZtZ2WhOdgqJsrdbZmbGOuk-1622vtXN3eL0n0CyhkZpa_lmH9HCXFP3U8pjv54fpKKiGDazt6L1Id57_2V07o-hGA0/s400/IMG_3874.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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A Filofax compatible planner in a very subtle platinum gold finish complete with a 2018 diary, pen loop and credit card holder flap inside. All that for just £6. The wallet that has a treasury tag style closure was a mere £4.</div>
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Then I found these in a beuatiful midnight blue and rose gold.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZaDXx9s31z_57LyVnQzI_dW8e7I82DltcsE1qTgv0U70t4N5EkzeH_VyK7ahLsi4ipmM6isBnCUx_iFhwhXEx2xQ1EU2AFjSFe59U9VsP-vw21sQnGn99XUViRD3KOO4SOCGPHGe0H9w/s1600/fullsizeoutput_53cb.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZaDXx9s31z_57LyVnQzI_dW8e7I82DltcsE1qTgv0U70t4N5EkzeH_VyK7ahLsi4ipmM6isBnCUx_iFhwhXEx2xQ1EU2AFjSFe59U9VsP-vw21sQnGn99XUViRD3KOO4SOCGPHGe0H9w/s400/fullsizeoutput_53cb.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Notebook</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEireswbe8DiN4kyDWM1fcPl4jIhWb6YU4EmxcDH9LeDPcJwPVLgmgdCoQLlGa3isdbHjNrDyyLHTj_iFBsJLjbgWOEDm3oDU3An-VK_XxJs7fDOfhXzWx6e9A7KQDDp6oHEV7D1s4lXfaU/s1600/fullsizeoutput_53cc.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEireswbe8DiN4kyDWM1fcPl4jIhWb6YU4EmxcDH9LeDPcJwPVLgmgdCoQLlGa3isdbHjNrDyyLHTj_iFBsJLjbgWOEDm3oDU3An-VK_XxJs7fDOfhXzWx6e9A7KQDDp6oHEV7D1s4lXfaU/s400/fullsizeoutput_53cc.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Pencil Case</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYK06gJYsLBIgSLHihxNoAkY43LT9EtCfU4PxmrMs8mbqxdp1TM5kfExA9fZB9MmmIjUYMR3gTfFQx0oo-L-Hs8UHa5cWhsnwJ6soZ22uH3pa_p2UU8esfdetL_aRyK6QEgM_HF6VrZBc/s1600/fullsizeoutput_53cd.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYK06gJYsLBIgSLHihxNoAkY43LT9EtCfU4PxmrMs8mbqxdp1TM5kfExA9fZB9MmmIjUYMR3gTfFQx0oo-L-Hs8UHa5cWhsnwJ6soZ22uH3pa_p2UU8esfdetL_aRyK6QEgM_HF6VrZBc/s400/fullsizeoutput_53cd.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
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and Weekly Desk Planner.</div>
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The quality is superb. An equal match to anything Kate Spade or the likes could produce and at a fraction of the price. Good old Sainsburys.</div>
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<br />Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363365731494419323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3165602187801861225.post-48242007933555148652017-10-05T04:22:00.002-07:002017-10-05T04:22:41.902-07:00Slimmer of the Week... well chuffed and another shiny sticket for the fridge !<br />
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Childish I know but there's nothing like a bit of recognition to make your chest swell ( not that I need that - trying to get my measurements down! )<br />
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Only 1.5 lbs away from having lost 10% of my body weight and a mere 3.5 lbs away from 2 whole stone.<br />
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<br />Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363365731494419323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3165602187801861225.post-79251983222920879492017-10-04T04:11:00.000-07:002017-10-04T04:11:16.170-07:007000 Jars of BeerWell the name of this shop has a lot to like about it . Had to go inside and check it out . It's only just opened in Kingston - Unit 11 Crown Arcade it says on their busimess card but the website lists the address as 1 Crown Passage - you can't miss it - it will have this lovely sandwich board propped up outside.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEggq5PaaPrHKjMZlD3URyaSKizHvqrXG-Rx9Y5-O2-dQO4P6O4exK38e3yQIaweCBSZoK6zMCWcMMd9MhapM1URH37PGd2bjIv7rbno7bLqrfJG0e9jDQ6EpK7dIQXYbZcOK_0sX7t6Y/s1600/IMG_3857.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEggq5PaaPrHKjMZlD3URyaSKizHvqrXG-Rx9Y5-O2-dQO4P6O4exK38e3yQIaweCBSZoK6zMCWcMMd9MhapM1URH37PGd2bjIv7rbno7bLqrfJG0e9jDQ6EpK7dIQXYbZcOK_0sX7t6Y/s400/IMG_3857.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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What a find . I didn't count the number of beers they stocked but I did take a photo of one of their shelves. Beautifully displayed - real eye candy.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS4H7IaSgGApnhbF7PLY7oo98coGmGkCZr9yz6GBCc1EIdZo4Nl6tFiYHw9iNL1a3DgvwE3h4aEiHS5od8-TXA75Y45Ns6vmCDwIGoV-wQAJLHb6DLOZwMeYAj_hXRqb2yoNaDXtXLbiM/s1600/IMG_3856.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS4H7IaSgGApnhbF7PLY7oo98coGmGkCZr9yz6GBCc1EIdZo4Nl6tFiYHw9iNL1a3DgvwE3h4aEiHS5od8-TXA75Y45Ns6vmCDwIGoV-wQAJLHb6DLOZwMeYAj_hXRqb2yoNaDXtXLbiM/s400/IMG_3856.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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As I'm putting together a beer advent calendar for my husband this year , I feel I may be paying them a visit or three.<br />
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But the thing I liked best was their idea of offering beer tasting ... with a tasting cheese plate . Positievly inspired. There are a number of tables and chairs arranged convivially and I'm guessing they'll have a wealth of advice on offer. better still , they're open until 8pm or 9pm on most evenings - check <a href="https://www.7000jarsofbeer.co.uk/">here</a> first .<br />
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It's so important to support local enterprises so pop along and try them out for yourself.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn1z-msHtgdNuQvyJesDaW3U3xbxAVps3lFDvjOmKi8pW0abPQBwySmOKT_ifC-VseySHk3XGFJEyZGDRL8QsQ6tKwcgw3lxsr-N_iOt0FNXeOa3ZwgvinAcskNfDBrHoMyghx1maW-7I/s1600/IMG_3858.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn1z-msHtgdNuQvyJesDaW3U3xbxAVps3lFDvjOmKi8pW0abPQBwySmOKT_ifC-VseySHk3XGFJEyZGDRL8QsQ6tKwcgw3lxsr-N_iOt0FNXeOa3ZwgvinAcskNfDBrHoMyghx1maW-7I/s400/IMG_3858.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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May well see you there. ... oh and I've just seen from their website that they also stock gins and wines ... two more reasons to book a date. I think I may arrange for my 2 sons to take dad out for a tipple- what a nice way to spend an Autumn evening.</div>
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<br />Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363365731494419323noreply@blogger.com0