More Quarantine Stories

 

The end is in sight and we're within reach of the end of our quarantine. 

Life continues pretty much as it normally does despite being housebound. Having a food delivery from a supermarket we seldom visit means that we've had the chance to some of Asda's vegan offerings and can confirm that their plant-based meatballs were very tasty indeed (served with homemade tomato sauce and some linguine we'd had in the cupboard since before lockdown.)

WEARING: Vintage Anokhi maxi skirt (eBay), Mirrored waistcoat (Colaba Causeway, Mumbai 2016), Bodysuit (Topshop sale, £3)

 

Despite nobody but the odd delivery driver or postman seeing me I'm still getting dressed. 

Bastard massive 19th Century Indian tribal pendant (£5, Bristol flea market, 2015)

On Tuesday Jon had an industrious morning, cleaning all his boots, sharpening some tools and attempting to sort out the problem with electric cool box we take to festivals with us, the official diagnosis being it's f*cked. I wasn't half as busy, cleaning the dressing table, sweeping the stairs and having an online chat with a friend.

Last week I placed an order with Superdrug as I was running low on nail varnish remover, Hard as Nails and my shower puff which, after two years of near-daily use, was falling apart. Jon's favourite Original Source shower gel was on special offer so I added four bottles to the basket. As a loyalty card holder delivery is free if you spend over a tenner. It arrived just as Jon was taking my photo so we signaled for Izzy the postman to leave the box on the step.

The day had started off sunny so, after our lunchtime noodles, I decided to photograph some of the stock and list it on eBay, selling one item less than a minute after uploading it. That's brilliant, said Jon, but how are we going to post it when we're not allowed to leave the house? Oh dear! I'd forgotten that minor detail. Fortunately Tony came to the rescue, I wrapped the parcel, paid for the postage online, printed off the label and arranged to leave it in a safe place so he could swing by on the way home from work and drop it off at the post office.

Needless to say that the sunshine didn't last. During the afternoon the torrential rain led to the poor lads being marooned under Gilbert for over an hour. We felt terrible as we'd shooed them outside minutes earlier as they were both pestering us. 

Tea was a Greek feast with plaka gigantes (courtesy of Asda), various cheeses, homegrown tomatoes with basil, coleslaw, and tzatziki along with a slice of Ray's sun dried tomato sourdough. Later we watched a couple of episodes of Spooks including the infamous deep fryer incident. How can that be 18 years ago? 

On Wednesday I was woken at 6.15 by Stephen standing on my chest and shouting like the house was on fire. As usual, as soon as I was out of bed, he settled back into my spot and went back to sleep, leaving Frank & I to open up the house. 

I can't believe that, in a matter of three weeks, it's now dark when I get up. After I'd sorted out the lads' breakfast, wheeled out the garden waste bin and done my Wii Fit workout the sun was starting to rise. I dashed out, cut down the delphiniums, pruned the yucca and stuffed the trimmings into the bin and then slung a load of washing into the machine, hanging it up in the utility room once it was done.

After our fruit & yogurt I asked Jon if he could sort out my precious Gohill's boots as the snakeskin was starting to peel off in places. (Read about them HERE). Armed with Copydex, a craft knife and a knackered belt he glued down the dodgy bits and replaced the bald spots with tiny pieces of leather he'd cut into diamond shapes. They're now good for another 54 years.

WEARING: Recycled sari top (All About Audrey, Brighton), vintage suede skirt & tooled leather belt (Charity clearance shop), 1960s Turquoise & copper pendant (inherited from my mum), Snag tights (birthday present)

I bought (and wore) this recycled sari top to death in India earlier in the year but it had yet to feature on the blog, although a similar one I bought in Jodhpur regularly makes an appearance. I was in two minds whether to pack it away with the rest of my summer stuff but when I was sorting through the stock I'd spotted this 1970s suede skirt and thought it would be ideal with the top. Talk about shopping your wardrobe, I'm shopping my shop, having not traded this year there's all manner of treasures I'd forgotten about. 

Wednesday was cold (hence the tights) but a dry and rather lovely day. Again I took advantage of the weather, took more stock photos and listed another ten garments for sale on eBay, taking a break from the measuring for some noodles.

As its replacement had been delivered (left at a safe distance on the step) we sat in The Egg for a final time, swathed in blankets, hands wrapped round mugs of steaming tea while a cheeky robin sat in a bush serenading us until Frank started pestering Jon for his dinner.

Talking of which... we ate roasted King Edward potatoes, peppers, onions and tomatoes with grilled halloumi, washed down with a bottle of Tiger beer. Later we watched another episode of Spooks, Ambulance and drank rum while the rain lashed at the windows.

It was still raining when I got up at 6.15 on Thursday morning. After my Wii Fit session I caught up with blog comments, taking a break to join Jon for fruit and yogurt at the kitchen table. The rain had eased off so Jon set to work in the garden dismantling The Egg while I sorted out my knee high boots, scrubbing the soles and polishing them. The only pair I bought new were my Ilse Jacobsen handmade yellow rubber boots - the rest are either charity shopped, car booted, Ebayed or inherited. Modern boots are always too wide around the top, making my legs look like broomsticks in a bucket (as my Mum always used to say).

Next job was to tackle my tights drawer, making sure that all the socks were paired up and the tights were ladder-free. That beautiful hand-painted lavender bag was a gift from my friend Betty when she visited us when we were trading at Bexhill-on-Sea last Summer. 

After a break for noodles I took some stock photos and listed a few more items on Ebay, discovering to my delight that I'd sold a couple more things meaning that Tony's services will be called upon yet again. 

I haven't added a link to my eBay page as I don't like to mix business with pleasure & I'm crap at self-promotion but if there's anything that catches your eye feel free to email me, I'm always happy to offer mate's rates for regular readers and to my virtual friends. 

Despite the skies looking somewhat ominous I was able to pop outside with my clippers and deadhead the geraniums which were looking a bit battered after all the rain. The good news is that they still have plenty of signs of life left so I won't need to over-winter them just yet. I'll get some pansies to replace them once we're allowed out, which should provide some cheer over the winter months.

Tea was a vegetable balti with half a coriander nan each, it's definitely curry weather.

Stay safe & see you soon!