Monday 4 June 2018

Picture This - Four Days in Photographs



Thank you so much for all your kind words, messages and advice about Jon's back. On Friday, after a horrendous couple of days, with the assistance of the National Health's 111 advice line, he was able to get an emergency appointment with his notoriously-hard-to-get-an-appointment-with doctor's surgery and after a weekend on scarily strong drugs he's starting to see some improvement. It's times like this that makes me feel bad that I can't drive (although a taxi to the surgery, a couple of streets away, only cost £4) but also hugely relieved that we live so close to the town centre, meaning that after Jon was drugged up and safely left on a chair at home I was able to leave him and nip down to Asda to buy some food. I wore a vintage Corky Crag of California maxi dress (a gift from Krista when she came to stay), and my 1970s car-booted sunglasses.  

WEARING: Embroidered cotton off-the-shoulder top (retail, on sale, 2017), vintage Ulkrike, Sweden patchwork maxi (eBay, 2011), silver woven basket (charity shop) 

On Saturday after I'd got the patient up, fed and comfortable I popped down to our corner shop to pick up a parcel. The last time I'd bought brand new bedding was back in 2005 when we'd first moved to Stonecroft. It was starting to look very tatty so I took advantage of La Redoute's* half price sale (where I bought our last lot from) - delivery is free if you opt to have your order delivered to a designated collection point. Although you can buy cheap poly-cotton bedding on the high street I prefer pure cotton and I think 13 years of constant use is testament to La Redoute's great quality. Their underwear is fabulous, too - well worth keeping an eye out for their flash sales.

*I'm not being sponsored to say this, I just like La Redoute. 


Saturday wasn't sunny but it was warm so our new bedding was washed, line-dried and ready to adorn the bed in a few hours.



A couple of weeks ago I bought another vintage doll's house which came complete with accessories. The stable block, this is Lundby's poshest house, the Stockholm, contained lots of horses, some were too small in scale to be used so I turned them into disco horses and before you ask no, I haven't been taking Jon's drugs!



WEARING: Vintage Levis' cut-offs (nicked from our festival stock), crochet bikini top (part of a set made for me by a friend), 1970s deadstock sunglasses (Moseley Vintage Fair), vintage tooled leather belt (car boot sale). 

Sunday was hot and sunny (yay!) so on went the shorts and bikini top and outside I went to tackle the garden.


Assisted by the beasts!


The garden waste bin is due for three weekly collection on Wednesday which serves as a great incentive to tidy up and get it filled. I raked and weeded the area by the pond, prepared the raised beds (made using some wooden pallets thoughtfully fly-tipped over the fence) and planted some seeds. I had done my planting a few weeks earlier but some naughty four-legged animal had decided to dig up all my hard work so let's hope my second attempt and rudimentary beast-proof covers will do the trick.  If you're interested I'm attempting to grow spinach, beetroot, rainbow chard, kale, tomatoes, rocket, three varieties of lettuce, dwarf beans and ox-eye daisies - we'll have to see what happens!


Last week on a local selling site someone was offering a job lot of old Lundby lighting, they weren't sure if any of them were working but at £3 I thought it was worth a gamble. I've joined a fantastic Lundby enthusiasts group on Facebook and reading through some old posts I learnt how to rewire and install them and now Rasmus has light! I've ordered some 4 volt extension leads so by the end of the week I might be able to show you a couple of illuminated rooms. (The 1970s crystal chandelier was missing a couple of cups and candles which I substituted with black press-studs and cocktail sticks.)



Today I'm wearing a 1970s cotton trouser suit which my friend Claire gave me and which the lovely Hermes delivery girl was been in raptures over.  Did I say delivery? Oh dear...my currently in progress Lundby house is rapidly becoming a tower block!



Jon's much improved today, the osteopath is pleased and says that, as long as he takes it easy this week we should be okay to trade at Vintage Village at Stockport on Sunday (we've invested in a sack truck so no lifting will be required) and now he's a lot more mobile I'm off to dye my roots, I've got a date with a mate tomorrow!

See you soon. 

68 comments:

  1. I love the new bedding , It fits perfectly in your room its very you , I bet its tramadol jons on , If it is you can get withdrawal symptoms of it , Like bad sweats , But they are good if they suit you , I like you get frustrated as i cant drive , Especially now not living within walking distance to a town , I am seriously considering trying to learn again before i am to old , Hope jon recovers quickly now xx

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    1. Thank you! I'm always attracted to those colours in a bedroom, so restful!
      Jon's been on Diazepam - not nice at all. I was on Tramadol after my hip replacement, evil stuff, no wonder people get addicted. xxx

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  2. Glad Jon is on the mend - hopefully back to normal life. I love your new bedding - fits right in with your bed frame.

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  3. So glad to hear that Jon is on the mend! I don't drive either, but we have excellent bus service, but of course it means Jos has to do all the driving when we're off to the UK. Love your new bedding. We are due some new sets too, so I might check out La Redoute, as I've been hearing good things about them. Your disco horses are insane, but I love them! Especially the one you're wearing as a brooch. You are so lucky your garden waste gets collected every three weeks. It used to be the same here, but now they only come a couple of times a year. Typically, not in Summer though. The 1970s trouser suit is fantastic and oh my, a Lundy tower block! xxx

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    1. I used our not-so-great train service on Tuesday - £7.70 to travel 7 miles down the road and my friend had to give me a lift home later as the entire service was cancelled indefinably after an earlier train broke down and blocked the line - Indian trains put ours to shame! xxx

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  4. stunning progress at the dollhouse front!! and this horses DO look like on LSD!
    you´r wearing some fab clothes and your garden looks great - wish you luck with your seedlings - "domino & pierrot" need better manners! your new sheets are very pretty and the company seem to have great quality - thankfully i have tons of inherited cotton and linen bedding - and i will never understand how some people can sleep in poly - lately i saw pure poly bedding in the supermarket!! yuck.
    so glad that jon is on the mend!
    xxxxx

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    1. How good to have some inherited bedding - it's not something you want to spend money on, is it? Poly bedding is horrible, it feels slimy! xxx

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  5. Driving has advantages but as you point out, a taxi isn't that big of an expense in an emergency. I'm glad to hear Jon is improving.
    Your doll house is a thing of beauty-like you!

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    1. Thank you! I've got by without driving but the last couple of weeks has been so frustrating! xxx

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  6. Oh gosh, poor Jon! I'm glad his back is improving, backs can be awful when injured, just breathing can hurt!! The trouser suit is lush on you, and I am impressed with your veggie growing efforts. We're trying more veg this year too! Beetroot are popping up well. Xx

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    1. Thank you!
      I've just been to check - the kale and rocket of sprouted. That's a start! xxx

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  7. Oh, it's good to know Jon is feeling much better, as a cranky back is the worst. Can't lie down, can't sit up... just horrible. At least he had some fab outfits to look at; you really brought the sunshine over those four days.

    If the chard takes you will end up with a LOT of chard. So I hope you like it!

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    1. It's been a long fortnight - the poor thing's still suffering but at least he can sleep through the night now. Damn getting older!
      I only bought that chard 'cos it said "rainbow" on the packet and it was in the charity shop three for 50p box - I hope I like it, too! xxx

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  8. Glad to hear Jon is improving!
    I completely forgot about La Redoute- I used to shop them for my home in California.
    Rasmus looks like he's been eating too many carrots- or been using to much spray tan?
    That turquoise bell bottom & halter top suit looks divine on you!
    xox

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    1. Thanks, Bibi!
      La Redoute are good - I don't look at the clothes but the undies, swimwear and homewares are great quality and a bit different - always good! xxx

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  9. Hope the weekend finds Jon feeling more like himself.. I love the white-off-the-shoulder piece! And the dollhouse is fabulous,

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    1. Thanks, Rebecca - I hope so, too! xxx

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  10. I have often felt that about driving. Esp when CBC was taken ill on the A1 on our way up to Northumberland at Christmas.
    Oh, that trouser suit is dreamy! How amazing it looks on you!!!I liked La Redoute too!
    "Their underwear is fabulous, too - well worth keeping an eye out for their flash sales."- er, are you aware of the funny pun you inadvertantly made? xx

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    1. Oh no, what a nightmare! that's what I'm worried about for Sunday. If Jon's back goes we're stranded in Stockport. Nothing against the place but I don't want to spend the rest of the week there! xxx
      PS That was an inadvertent pun - well spotted!

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  11. What a towering tower block! Good thing they are all the same width.
    I had to learn to drive again as an adult and I'm so glad I did as I now drive us everywhere. Around town we have pretty poor public transport...very slow.
    Milee is just about to start to learn to drive!
    So glad Jon is on the mend for both your sakes, and for your bank balance.
    Wishing you better luck this time with the plantings.
    xo Jazzy Jack

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    1. They're made to withstand a total of seven additional storeys - Swedish engineering at it's best! xxx

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  12. Wow that’s a lot to comment on. First glad Jon is on the mend. I adore your silver earrings, love your beasties and what a dolls house!!! Love it 😍.

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  13. Hi Vix,
    I'm glad Jon's slowly getting there.
    I love your blue outfit and the idea of doing 4 days in pictures. What a great blog idea! Xxx

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  14. And still my lost and lonely Triang stares at me from her blank eyes..........

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    1. Oh dear...you obviously haven't been got by the doll's house obsession! x

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  15. You're going to have a whole neighbourhood of Lundbys at this rate - since I really can't have one of my own at present (there is seriously no room at the inn), it is fun to enjoy them second-hand! One of the things I loved most about mine was the lighting.

    That's a very useful tip about La Redoute bedding - I've been wondering where to replace ours, as like you, I much prefer cotton, and it's hard to come by (especially at a reasonable price) on the high street.

    I'm torn between the off-the-shoulder blouse and patchwork skirt combo, or the blue trouser suit, as my favourite outfit - both look wonderful on you. And you've reminded me that I have some old jeans I've been intending to turn into cut-offs (that's about my limit, when it comes to me-made clothing).

    I'm glad that Jon's back is improving - I know from my own husband's periodic back troubles that it can be very painful and debilitating. Here's to a swift recovery.

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    1. Hi Fran,
      The Lundby lighting is great, isn't it? I've almost fitted out every room now and was squealing with excitement when I turned the lights off and plugged in the transformer for the first time last night!
      xxx

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  16. I'm glad Jon's improving and very impressed that despite all your running around you still manage to look so beautifully dressed.
    That's a very impressive Lundby mansion you have. The one beside your bed in the photo looks good, it's a great way to display it and I love the bed linen, it looks very warm and cosy. xxx

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    1. Thanks, Sally! I love my Lundby by night! xxx

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  17. We are very lucky with our surgery they have a lot of same day appointments - only downside is you have only a choice of 2 doctors!!! If they are all taken you are given an appointment with a nurse and if she thinks you need to see a doctor one is fetched when they are between appointments. I had an out of hours emergency and the 111 service arranged an appointment with the emergency GP at the local hospital. We are very lucky. So pleased Jon is feeling better, even though it is a slow process. We also live near the town, easy to get provisions because I don't drive either. Sending you both big hugs because it is hard for the carer as well as the injured party.

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    1. Thanks, Maureen - I need a hug, I feel an absolute wreck after the last couple of weeks! My surgery is brilliant, it sounds very much like yours - they'll always fit you in or failing that the doctor will phone you and have a chat and see if he can help in any way. That 111 line was excellent. xxx

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  18. Glad to the patient is on the mend and you can get back to trading again. Hope the critters leave your new planting alone .
    I do like your bright blue pants suit , you look just stunning . Enjoy your week Vix. xx

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  19. what a lovely new bedding, so fabulous colors and design! and glad that you got it half price!, well done!. You totally rock in your maxi dress and I love your patchwork skirt, so cool! Also loving this turquoise suit!, absolutely fabulous and absolutely you!.
    All the Lundby stuff looks stunning, and your new dolls house is increasingly fabulous!!
    Glad that Jon is feeling better and having the best treatment!
    besos

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  20. So glad to hear Jon is on the mend - long may it continue!

    You have been a busy bee and all your outfits are fab. My favourite has to be the patchwork maxi skirt and the silver basket. Absolutely lovely. The trouser suit is so cool and I loved your silver ball earrings...

    The doll's house is going up in the world - literally! You'll need a lift next...

    xxxxx

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    1. Thanks, Vronni! Those earrings get lots of attention - they remind me of that thing that Catholic priests swing about (can you tell I'm not a church goer?) xxx

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  21. Well that was an eventful week wasn’t it, interspersed with some lovely outfits. My favourite is the trouser suit off Claire.
    Our trip to oxford is off as the drive down is too much for my poor back, so we’ve opted for a short drive and a few days at the caravan.
    Keep smiling Jon us bad back types are tough cookies aren’t we. Say hi to everyone at Stockport from us two xxx

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    1. Oh dear, your poor back! Here's hoping you feel lots better soon and that you've got some lovely weather , it's decidedly miserable here today. xxx

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  22. Warmest wishes and speedy recovery to Jon!

    You've been a busy bee! That doll house is impressive - you can almost move in yourself! Now when you move in, you'll need a car, hmm, see I think like a 100% American - only babies don't drive here (my baby is going to a driving school this Summer! can't believe! it seems she started walking just yesterday!). A good friend of mine told me about her friend who drove till she was 101, literally, and she was almost blind - she would stop by the curb, get out of her car, read a sign, then get in and continue driving... :))) I never really wanted to drive myself, but I had to learn when I came here 16 years ago. It's not that hard. Now, using a foreign language daily, that takes much more efforts! :))) Driving definitely gives you a sense of freedom, and I drove myself to different towns and states, visiting friends and for work too, but to tell the truth If I could choose, I would not drive at all - just use a taxi all the time. :)

    You look fabulous in this light blue trousers set - just fantastic! But then, you look amazing in everything you wear! Have a wonderful week, my dear! <3

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    1. ha - i´m working on the money to get a drivers license, living in the wood and all - but my dream is a car with a chauffeur! :-D xx

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    2. I've had driving lessons (17 of them) but honestly, I was hopeless. My peripheral vision is a bit dodgy and I'm too easily distracted. I was great at three point turns, parallel parking and knowing the Highway Code but the actual driving? That 101 year old lady was probably better! xxx

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  23. Your outfits this week are stunning Vix....especially that first dress...the colours are just to die for.
    Good to hear that Jon is on the mend.
    Hugs-x-

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  24. Superb outfits... yes. Saw the second one on your IG, one of the young ones at work is going to show me how to do it tonight ...so you never know! I like La Redoute too and also have 12yr old bedding but their women's sizes are no good for me, they do 8-10 & 12-14, I'm more 10-12. Hope Jon is in fine fettle by the weekend. Xxx

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    1. Get you on IG - it's gradually winning me over (not as a replacement for blogging, it's just nicer than Facebook!)
      That's a shame about the La Redoute sizes. xxx

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  25. Chuffed to hear that Jon is on the mend. A sack truck will always be useful even when you're all tickety-boo! The Lundby house is just awesome. It's great how all the 'bits' have come together; and the community that you have become part of is amazing. And I haven't even mentioned the seeds and the clothes...it's all too much!! Zxx

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    1. We've wanted a sack truck for ages - it'll be useful for everything! xxx

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  26. So sorry about Jon's back issues. I know how frustrating it can be. Hope he recovers swiftly. The print on that first maxi is amazing. And love that blue pants outfit. I'm completely fascinated by this ever growing Lundby palace. You have such a great imagination.

    Theresa

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  27. Poor Jon, hope all settles down with his back soon. TOF did his back in years ago it was awful for him, but I sent him to a very alternative man who fixed him!! Look at your garden!! I missed our garden bin collection so its full up, bugger. Take care of yourself and Jon, enjoy that sun when it is out, we are having consistent RAIN!!!

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    1. Thanks, Sue! I remember TOF having back problems - they are the pits, aren't they?
      I hope that rain goes away soon - we've got it today, the cats are most pissed off! xxx

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  28. That cotton two-piece outfit is my favourite - dang, you look great in it, Vix! Love the picture of the beasts, appropriately spaced apart from each other, as cats must be, hee hee. So glad to hear of Jon's improving back - I tweaked my back last week, and am still dealing with it, gah. Happy week to you, my dear!

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    1. Thanks, Sheila! When my friend gave me that suit a couple of years ago I couldn't get the zip up - thank goodness I can now - I have died with jealousy if anyone else had it! xxx

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  29. Poor Jon, glad to hear he is improving now. It sounds like you drugged him and tied him safely to a chair lol!
    Is that young man in your house swinging from the chandelier!?!
    I'm about 3 weeks behind with my blog reading, need to set aside some time to catch up. xx

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    1. I nearly had to - after he passed out in the kitchen and banged his head on the cooker I wasn't happy leaving him anywhere!
      Rasmus is trying to fix the electrics (under my supervision) but he's forgotten the basic heath and safety rules - always use a ladder! xxx

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  30. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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    1. In the words of The Charlatans - You're a weirdo!

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  31. I'm glad to read that Jon is on the mend.
    I've always liked La Redoute home stuff, I must remember them when I've decorated the bedroom and will inevitably want new bedding.
    That trouser suit is fabulous, I'm in raptures over it too! I like your silver woven basket, I've been keeping my eyes peeled for a basket in the charity shops but nothing has appeared... yet.
    xx

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    1. Thanks, Hazel! La Redoute are really good, aren't they? I was really pleased with the bedding, it looked just as good as it did in the photo.
      I've been on a vintage basket finding roll for a few weeks but this massive silver one is my favourite - I lost count of the number of people who stopped me to admire it on the way home from the charity shop! xxx

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  32. Gorgeous bedding and I'm so glad to hear Jon is on the mend.

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  33. I feel the same way about driving, sometimes I regret not driving, but we also live near center so that makes it easier....love your style and outfits. That horse brooch is so cute...and your crochet bikini is divine.

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    1. Living near the centre does make a big difference - I'd hate to have to rely on transport to get to the shops! xxx

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  34. You're going to be able to have your own Lundby village soon (you can be the Mayor of Lundby Town). I love every single outfit you are wearing in this post and if I lived close to you, and was about 15 pounds smaller, I would steal them all from right under your nose ;)

    I took driving lessons when I turned 40 and was pretty hopeless. I did learn how to operate a car, but I was terrified every time I got behind the wheel, and my instructor said I'd never be able to afford the number of lessons I would need in order to get my license. I decided I could get along without driving after all.

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Thanks for reading and for leaving a message. Please don't be anonymous, I'd love it if you left a name (or a nom de plume).

Lots of love, Vix