A Duvet Day & The Taming of Ginger Alan

My mum used to tell me that back in the 1960s if a girl fancied a new dress she'd buy some fabric & a dressmaking pattern and run something up on a Saturday afternoon to wear to go out that night. Nifty seamstress or not, if you wanted something badly enough you just knuckled down and got on with it. No posting endless wish lists on the internet, no credit card debt and, best of all, no chance of bumping into another girl wearing the same frock.

Which is exactly what I did today. I had an urge for something different to wear, a free morning and a new-to-me Maudella pattern.

The envelope claimed to be a quick sew and it was, completed in two hours and costing less than a quid to make. The 1970s jumble sale duvet cover was already in my fabric stash, the zip salvaged from a tatty old dress destined for the rag bag and the hooks & eyes and thread donated by a friend. 

Barry M Cyan nail paint - day four and still chip-free.

Meet Ginger Alan.

This young & tatty tom cat first appeared one evening in July, staring up at the house and howling plaintively. A proper feral feline, he ran off every time we went near so, in the end, we put out a bowl of food and a dish of biscuits and let him get on with it.

Since then he's returned daily, gradually allowing us to get closer. A fortnight ago he allowed me to stroke him and last week it was Jon's turn. He chats to us, raises his tail in greeting and is partial to a bit of fuss.

We tried shouting various names at him but Alan is the only one he responds to. What is it they say about dogs having owners and cats staff? We're already in his employ.

Duvet dress worn with leather and wood platforms (50p, car boot sale), 1970s Madeira basket (£1.95, Acorns Hospice), Original 1970s Polarised sunglasses (£8, Moseley Vintage & Retro Fair), silver jewellery (India)

Mad cat lady? Mad cat couple, more like.

See you soon!