Monday got off to a frosty start, the lads were back home by 7am and both ran upstairs to join Jon in bed. I did my Wii Fit workout, put the previous day's washing away and braved the icy temperatures to clean the kitchen door & windows. By the time I'd finished I was glowing. I took the plants down from the kitchen shelves and gave them a thorough watering before joining Jon for our fruit & yogurt breakfast.
Jon popped out to fill the tank with fuel ready for tomorrow's National Trust outing while I swept and mopped the kitchen floor. Once he was back, Jon applied window film to the newly cleaned windows and I kept out of his way by sweeping the pathway that runs down by the Kinky Shed towards the pond.
 |
| MONDAY: Vintage Pakistani block printed kaftan & Heatgen thermal polo neck (both eBay), 1930s Liberty silk scarf (car boot sale, 2009), Hindu deity belt buckle (present from Liz), leather belt (charity shop) |
After our lunchtime noodles I sorted out one of my two wardrobes in the spare room, packing away a couple of cheesecloth kaftans, two Indian cotton wraparound skirts and a lightweight embroidered blouse, swapping them for three warmer long sleeved maxi dresses and a wool skirt. I sorted out three pairs of boots to donate to the chazza when it reopens. I usually hang my Indian silk screen-printed scarves from a length of wire Jon attached to the inside of the wardrobe door but decided to hang my gloves there instead rather than having to tip the vanity case I store them in upside-down every time I need a pair. I also folded up my sheepskin hats and thicker scarves and placed them on the shelf in the wardrobe for easy access.
There's lots of old things in my wardrobe but the item I've owned for the longest must be the "Hand Bag" mittens on a string that came from Van Allen and I used to wear to infant school in 1971. Mum made and wore that crochet poncho in 1966 when she was expecting me!
Tea was vegetable tikka massala with half a nan and some Indian snacks on the side. We watched the latest government announcement, where we learnt lockdown will end on 2nd December and revert back to the tier system but with Walsall registering almost 400 Covid cases per 100,000 I can't many of the restrictions being relaxed any time soon. Afterwards we got stuck in Danish thriller series, DNA. We've finally come to the end of Spooks.
On Tuesday morning I did a Wii Fit workout and wrapped my eBay sales parcels before Jon joined me for breakfast. After he'd made sandwiches and filled the flask we set off for our weekly National Trust outing, abiding by the government guidelines and opting for a nearby destination, Charlecote Park, situated a couple of miles from Stratford-On-Avon, a forty minute drive away.
Thank you so much, Vix, for allowing us to "come along" with you & Jon on your excursions. To see places that I'll never visit in person is such a treat. Your pictures are so clear that I feel like I'm actually there. You have so many GORGEOUS places within a short drive and the visits are so well organized according to virus specifics. I don't know which I'd relish more, if I were doing the visiting.... to see the architecture and gardens of the place chosen or to see which outfit you chose to wear that day. Both are beautiful and well worth viewing. ~Andrea xoxo
ReplyDeleteI'll second that! And I loved the snippet about Shakespeare.
DeleteThanks so much to you both! We are really lucky living in the middle of England with access to so many places. the National Trust have done a brilliant job keeping the gardens open in these trying times and the one way systems and strictly regulated booking make us feel really safe. xxx
DeleteI think the sheep were admiring your hat, and wondering who the new girl is :)
ReplyDeleteI quite fancied that ram, he had a marvellous twinkle in his eye! xxx
DeleteIt must be exciting to visit such an ancient mansion ... and that magnificent park with wild animals. How nice to be able to enjoy such places now. Your outfits, in warm colors, were a nice contrast with the green of the meadows .. I see that you are wearing caps and gloves ... the temperatures have definitely dropped here too ..
ReplyDeleteHugs, Carmela
Hello Carmella! It's lovely to be able to visit such grand estates especially during these trying times when most of us rarely go further than the end of the street we live in. xxx
DeleteOh, that must have felt wonderful, to get outside and away from the house for a bit! Lovely grounds, and so cool to see all those deer! I always boggled by the history in England; over here, our colonial (cringe) history is only 200 years.
ReplyDeleteYour outfits are great - I'm in huge admiration of your wooly hat, Vix! Lovely to see the lads - I'm so glad we never let Vizzini out (not that it would work in our building). He does get rather aggro over feeding time, though.
Happy mid-week, Vix!
It's so lovely having the chance to escape to someone beautiful once a week. Us Brits tend to be a bit blase about our history but it's mad to think that we were walking the same fields as William Shakespeare and that Elizabeth I spent the night at Charlecote and awoke to the same view!
DeleteI'm so grateful for those sheepskin hats, you'll all be sick of the sight of them by May!
I wish our lads were house cats, they wear me out with wanting to go out and crying at the door minutes later like we've abandoned them! xxx
Both outfits you wore are gorgeous. I love that purple vintage kaftan maxi dress look and the midi dress worn with high boots is gorgeous. The sleeves on that Pakistani block printed kaftan are gorgeous...and the accessories are pretty cool. Lovely scarf and belt. I noticed the belt right away, but could make out exactly what was on the beautiful buckle- when I read that it was a Hindu deity belt buckle then it made perfect sense.
ReplyDeleteOnce again, thank you for taking us with you to see this gorgeous Charlecote Park. I often google the places you visit to read more about them. The mansion, the church, the bridges and the gardens are magnificent, but what really stole my heart are those deer. How beautiful! Truly magnificent animals. I understand why you couldn't stop looking at them.
Thanks, Ivana! I should have got Jon to take a close-up of the belt, I'm sure I'll wear it again though!
DeleteCharlecote did us both the world of good, it's so nice to go for a long walk in unfamiliar and beautiful surroundings and the deer were a wonderful surprise. xxx
Another great post, Vix, thank you. Charlecote Park is stunning and the animals are the icing on the cake. What a way to cope with lockdown! I walked through a coastal village and discovered a lovely den full of child-friendly whimsical objects - just charming. I have frequently driven through but never stopped to look around. My loss, obviously!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Catmac. The deer and the Jacob sheep made our day, everything's better with wildlife.
DeleteHow lovely to discover something new near you. xxx
Amazing buildings. I so would love to visit these homes and grounds but looks like it might be in another life. The photos of this place look as though they could be from a number of eras eg 1700s through to 2020
ReplyDeleteCharlecote is spectacular, I like that every generation has managed to leave their mark on the architecture of the house. x
DeleteSo much color on you and stunning architecture on the grounds. Knocking the cob webs off is great descriptor for your outing. As always thanks for taking us along.
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure! Thanks for joining me. x
DeleteI like the round glasses.
ReplyDeleteStay Safe and Coffee is on
Thanks, Dora! x
DeleteAren't we lucky in the UK to have access to places where we can get close to beautiful animals like the deer you visited. It looks bleak there, but your outfit brought colour and warmth! Also love your kaiser kaftan - have been looking out for one myself for ages but they are always way out of my price range these days (should have been collecting years ago, been on the planet long enough!) ... but who knows what might turn up in a chazza near me when they re-open! I live in hope - yours looks stunning belted.
ReplyDeleteWe really are lucky, aren't we? I was amazed at how those beautiful deer just carried on regardless despite the intrusion. I felt calm just watching them.
DeleteIt was a very grey day, it called for a splash of colour.
I was really lucky with that kaftan, it was a fraction of the going rate as it was listed in the wrong category but I've worn it so many times that even if I'd paid lads for it I'd have got my money's worth with it by now. xxx
Those deer are wonderful, we have monkeys wondering near Mount Fuji and they even steal your food! But In a cute way. You look wonderful as always so does Jon doesn’t he scrub up well Lol.
ReplyDeleteI am back in hospital I will message you later . I collapsed at work, it’s the same problem I had in the summer, I knew it was back, but I battled on. I am ok it’s just the waves of exhaustion that hit me the hardest.
I asked my mum to order me some chunky shoes from lamoda as they are vegan and well priced. I got them but I got upset when I found out they were made in China. I thought I was supporting an English company I feel cheated now. I have bought shoes from them before, but this is the first time I noticed the sticker. I will wear them. But I wonder what the person got paid to make them, as they cost me £50.00.
I am glad you guys are comming out of lockdown, mum and dad are the same as you tier 3, they went mad as they live on this posh estate and it’s near a country park. We’re my dad likes to walk and he said it was rammed on Sunday. Like it was a summers day. I could hear the anger in his voice. I just hope people now start to listen but I doubt it, at least Dominic Cummings has gone thank the Lord. Take care and keep safe love and huggs allie
Hello Allie!
DeleteSo sorry to hear that you're not well, I hope things are improving and the hospital are looking after you. I'll message you in a bit.
Don't mention monkeys to Jon, you know they always seek him out and attack him (well one jumped on his back a couple of years ago and now he thinks the entire species have a grudge against him!)
I've not heard of Lamoda but looked them up and their styles are very cool. It's so hard to find English-made stuff that doesn't bankrupt you. I bought Jon some British-made Docs for his 50th which cost a mint!
I bet we're in tier three with your mum & dad. No change from lockdown except you can shop at Primark and get your legs waxed. Bring on the vaccine! Get well soon. xxx
stunning manor!
ReplyDeletelove your look - its like "snegurochka", the grandchild of father frost! just lovely!
watching animals is a favorite pastime of me...... the sandstone boar is gorgeous!
do you not have a cat flap? it was the first thing we installed - in the toilet window (a hidden window from the outside) with an old step ladder on the outside for lisbeth. if we want her to stay we switch it to one-way-modus..... and a hole in the kitchen/hallway door with woolen flap to prevent draught because lissy can open doors and we would have always be behind her to close them again :-D
xxxxxx
Hello Beate! Charlecote is gorgeous, I love the symmetry and that wonderful honeyed stone and said to Jon that I wouldn't mind a pair of sandstone boars flanking our gates at Stonecroft.
DeleteThank you for teaching me a new word! I googled snegurochka and found some wonderful images.
We're both a bit afraid of cat flaps. Jon lost a couple of cats when he was younger and really worries if he doesn't know how long our boys have been out for. xxx
Haha, I had to laugh that first photo of the sheep definitely looks as though she is pissed off about your hat!! What a lovely day out.
ReplyDeleteDo you remember where all the clothes and accessories came from or do you have a secret book somewhere full of notes?
I tell you that sheep gave me such a look! I did try and explain that the hat was at least 40 years old and made in Italy and therefore not a relative!
DeleteI can't remember dates, addresses or phone numbers but ask me anything about my clothes and I'm like Rainman. My friend Liz will tell you that my memory is so freaky I can tell you which knickers I was wearing 35 years ago! xxx
I am so glad you are enjoying DNA - Paul and I loved it.
ReplyDeleteIt makes me smile about the poncho your mum wore in 1966 also the year I was born.
My grandma made me one too when I was little.
I love your outfit for your trip - goes without saying but I think Jon's peacoat is fab. I love peacoats.
Enjoy the rest of your day.
Jane XX
Hi Jane! I guessed the guilty party in the first episode but not the outcome, I thought the ending was excellent, very poignant.
DeletePea coats are really smart, aren't they? I spent a lot of the 1980s in a WW2 issue Royal Navy one I bought from a jumble sale, ridiculously oversized but as warm as anything! xxx
You look a vision in your Pakistani block printed kaftan! That low wintry sun can be very bright, and I'm always forgetting my sunglasses when we're going for a walk.
ReplyDeleteI'm forever sorting my wardrobes and other clothing storage in a bid to find ways to make things easier to find. Hanging up your gloves and putting your thick scarves and sheepskin hats on a shelf in your wardrobe sounds like a great idea!
Charlecote Park looks absolutely stunning and getting to meet those deer up close must have been quite the experience. And wow, isn't that tree absolutely huge!
Your Ritu Kumar dress is a stunner too, and I'm once again swooning over your Mum's Biba boots! xxx
Thanks, Ann! The kaftan is my travel staple, I feel sad I'm not treating her to a trip to India in January!
DeleteThe sun is so low in the sky at the moment, I should have packed my sunglasses for Charlecote, my eyes wouldn't stop watering.
It was magical being so close to those magnificent deer. xxx
I'm glad the deer were so entertaining! Charlecote Park looks very interesting even without any flowers or the parterre. I love Victorian buildings so would be very happy to view this.
ReplyDeleteLovely outfits and the sheep skin hat looks very fetching on you. I bet the sheep thought you were one of the girls...
At last you've finished Spooks - what a marathon that was! We're currently exploring all that Walter Presents has to offer at the moment it's 'No Second Chance'.
Take care
xxx
We had a lovely time. I didn't expect to see any deer, the ones at Attingham took us by surprise a few weeks ago. I couldn't believe how many there were or how unafraid they were of the visitors.
DeleteI think I pulled that ram....
Ten years of Spooks - done! We enjoyed No Second Chance, the French make some excellent TV, can't wait for a new season of Spiral, apparently it's imminent!
Keep well! xxx
Your colourful closet (and house) make me happy. While those grounds were fantastic the animals did steal the show. Wildlife are wonderful to watch, we have a lot of deer here and I see them almost every time we drive somewhere.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteI could have stood and watched those deer all day, there's something so peaceful and calming about them, nature really is wonderful. xxx
Love your kaftan and your hippietastic style, totally rocking!. And so lovely to have a look at your wardrobe. It's a great tip to arrange the most used items to get an easy access, I'm considering where to hang my hats and scarves!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing another lovely excursion. I'm loving this house and loving your photos!. It's always nice to see some great architecture, but deer are magnificent!.
And love to see you looking so fabulous!, love particularly your suede coat and how nicely it goes with your red dress and scarf, perfect match, and the hat rocks!.
I'm looking forward to go out for an excursion, it looks that our local lockdown is coming to an end.
besos
Thanks, Monica! I'm really enjoying having a grip on my wardrobe and only having clothes in there that I can wear, it makes getting dressed much simpler!
DeleteI was transfixed by those deer, so peaceful and total unfazed by visitors.
I didn't know whether that coat would work with my cotton dress but it winterised it perfectly! xxx
The deer are images from an Elizabethan tapestry -- but those upward views of the wild boar are location shots for a Hammer spooktacular. All that's lacking is Messrs. Cushing and Lee!
ReplyDeleteYou are right about the Elizabethan tapestry, you can see those chaps in their doublets and hose strolling past, admiring them and fancying venison stew for dinner!
DeleteAren't those wild boars magnificent? The Lucy's family crest features them. They do have a very spooky air to them. xxx
Charlecotte certainly has impressive architecture. You were able to get great shots of the deer and those interesting sheep. The shot of you in your early Monsoon dress , the Biba boots and furry hat is brilliant. Always glad to have a peek inside your colourful wardrobe. Take care Vix. xx
ReplyDeleteCharlcote was my Grandparents' favourite property, they'd always call in on their way back home from holidays in The Cotswolds. I love the grand architecture! Loads of loev to you, Jill. xxx
DeleteI love the photos of the deer and the statues, both things I like. When I travel on the train from Brum to Lichfield (pre Covid!) I see a statue of Britannia on top of an old pub in Aston, would give anything to have it in my garden! You both look so dressed for the weather and once again look like the Lord and Lady of the Manor. Another nice day in the West Mids, did you get the total whiteout frost today Vix? But lovely now with the bright sun. So we are in the last week of lockdown and I won’t move onto “what’s next” though I haven’t found this one too difficult. Keep Well and Warm. Brummie Sue Xx.
ReplyDeleteSue, you and have have such similar taste, I know the Britannia statue from when I used to manage the catering at British Gas in Lozells! There's a Greco-Roman bust atop a shop in Bilston high street I want in our garden, I'm sure most people don't even know he's there!
DeleteA beauty of a day yesterday, Sue. Ridiculously cold but wonderfully sunny. We're off for a walk along the cut later, hope there's more of the same today! xxx
You look like Lara (Dr Zhivago), only with dark hair. Love the manor house. I guessed who-did-it on the second episode of DNA. It was very good and now there's a new Scandi thriller on Saturday nights which is even darker!!Love your Mum's poncho. She was so stylish and Bohemian. Mine was all Italian shoes and Beehive hair (was still stylish though) and always had her rollers out and red lippy on for Dad coming in from work. Are peacoats the same as 'reefer' jackets? I used to love mine with the red satin lining. Have a good weekend. xxx
ReplyDeleteYou say the nicest things!
DeleteI'm with you on DNA, I knew he was behind it from the start but didn't guess the ending which I thought was really moving. I'm looking forward to catching up with Valhalla next, the darker & more grisly the better!
Your Mum's 60s style sounded very glamorous, I loved that she always had her hair done & lippie on for your Dad. I worked with an older lady many years ago whose husband had never seen her without makeup, what dedication!
Stay safe! xxx
PS Yes! Mum always used to call them reefer coats!
DeleteI am so envious that you have access to all of these wonderful outdoor spaces! I would have spent ages watching the deer too. The metal work on the gate (in the photo with Jon) is so delicate looking and quite beautiful. You could be right out of the 60's in your lovely hat and coat.
ReplyDeleteWe are lucky to have such places on our doorstep! I said to Jon that I'd love that gate in our garden! x
DeleteHand bags - what a great name for mittens ;oD
ReplyDeleteHaving a wardrobe reshuffle always feels so satisfying, don't you think? I had to create more room for all my jumpers this year.
Charlecote Park looks stunning. I'd love to get so close to deer, we see a lot around the farm but it's always from a distance.
Sheep! Always nice to see some sheepies. I think they probably thought your hat was rather fabulous.
xx