Thursday 31 December 2020

The Distancing Diaries - 30th & 31st December, 2020


I'd just turned the TV on to start my Wii Fit session on Wednesday morning to discover that the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine had been approved and I woke Jon with the wonderful news and a cup of tea forty minutes later. I'd had a flurry of eBay sales overnight so wrapped them and, after breakfast, Jon dropped them off at the post office and brought me a magazine back as a treat.

It was another bitterly cold day but beautifully sunny day so I took some stock photos in the garden and spent most of the day posting listings on eBay with a break for noodles.


 The postman delivered a lovely card from a blog reader in Canberra, Australia. Thanks so much, Jo, you made my day!


Working outside meant wearing all the layers. I did have a coat and wrist warmers on but I took them off to show off my Afghan dress, which you've seen about a million times before but this time it's on backwards just to ring the changes.

  
We cracked open a beer to brace ourselves for the latest government announcement at 5pm and, as expected, we had been moved into Tier 4, meaning that non-essential shops, gyms and hairdressers are closed and we're advised not to travel anywhere unless its for work or medical reasons. One person per household can meet with another person but this must be done outside and in a public space. That means no charity shops or National Trust visits for the foreseeable future so it's back to walking round the block and browsing eBay.

Tea was halloumi with roast vegetables. Accompanied by a few rum & colas we watched the series finale of Wasteland and started on French thriller, The Red Shadows, which was so unspeakably bad we turned it off after 15 minutes and watched The Antiques Roadshow on the iPlayer. 

On Thursday morning I awoke to discover both lads staring at me intently, I'd dared to sleep till 6.35 am! I gave them their breakfast, threw the contents of the laundry basket in the machine, did my final Wii Fit workout of 2020, hung the washing up in the utility room and started to catch up with blog comments. After breakfast I swept the downstairs rugs and took down the greenery in the lounge as it was starting to feel very sorry for itself.

Jon continued with the Kinky Melon accounts he'd started yesterday and, as it was another beautifully sunny day, I wrapped up and took some more stock photos outside. Rummaging through my rails and rediscovering stock is just as exciting as charity shopping, perhaps more so as there's no grotty Primarni tat to plough through.

After a break for noodles Jon decided he needed a break from figures so we trudged up to St Matthew's Church, normally a five minute walk away but with the treacherous ice underfoot it took a little longer.


Being in Tier 4 we're not supposed to travel so it's just as well that there's lots of interesting things to look at on our doorstep.


Although the building standing today was built in 1821, St Matthew's Parish Church has dominated Walsall's skyline since the 13th Century. The inner crypt dates from then but the Norman archway (see below) was built a century earlier.


St Matthews was a big part of my life as a child, Mum's dad (Grandpa) was the church treasurer. My parents married and both my brother Marcus & I were christened there. During my time at Blue Coat we attended services weekly but when I passed the Eleven Plus and went to grammar school my parents gave me the choice as to whether continue attending the church and, following in Dad's atheist footsteps, I chose not to. I've led a godless existence since I was 11.


Recognise the doorway? That's Mum & Dad tying the knot on 30th July, 1966 the day England won the World Cup. I arrived in December.


Like me, both Marcus & Jon went to Blue Coat school but continued on to the senior school which meant they had to be confirmed and attend church until they left school. Other than funerals, neither of them have ever been back.













Walsall folk will appreciate this - the glorious Paddock Flats!  Call me weird but I much prefer a townscape to a rural view. I enjoy the odd trip to the countryside but I'm always happy to get back to civilisation, traffic and tall buildings.


Back at home I wrote listing for my photographs and uploaded them to eBay, selling a couple of things immediately...hooray! Jon decided to abandon the accounts and played in the music room for the rest of the afternoon. 


Wishing all you lovely people who visit my blog a happy, healthy and vastly improved New Year and special thoughts & love to Maryland who commented a few days ago. In the words of Jo, who sent me the card...

We Topped it all a-plenty in Covid 2020,

Let's hope 2021

Is a HELLUVA lot more fun!

I couldn't have put it better myself! 


See you in the New Year, my fabulous friends! xxx

 

76 comments:

  1. Love St Matthew's Church! Wishing you both a very Happy New Year filled with peace, health and happiness!! See you next year!! xxx

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  2. Here's to a safer and more stable 2021 than the year we are about to leave, and wishing you both health and happiness.

    Bumped straight into Tier 4 here too, a shock after being in T2. Hopefully it will help - this is the first time we have had any proactive action, rather than the running to catch up that seems to have characterised the year. Of course, just because we are in Tier 4 doesn't mean the idiots are going to cease driving to the Lake District and possibly bringing bugs with them ...

    I've said it before, but thank you for so generously sharing such colour and joy since all the crazy started. xx 💚 👏 💚

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    1. Thanks for your kind words and support. Jayne!
      Hear, hear!
      I hope the Covidiots didn't invade the Lake District and that tonight's announcement brings some much needed clarity - stay at home, idiots! xxx

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  3. Happy New Year Vix, John and the boys.

    Julie and poppyq
    Xxx

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    1. Happy New Year, Julie and Poppy Q! xxx

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  4. I spent yesterday wandering the local graveyard, and thinking about the impermanence of it all, so it's lovely to see these pictures of your local church. Like you, I live in spitting distance of the church my folks got married in, and I went to Sunday school until I was about 10 (my dad called a stop to church-going, even though my mom's family was big in the church), and then only for Christmas Eve and Easter (which was dropped quickly). I don't miss it - I've been godless for decades and decades!

    Love your backwards dress! I looked at that top cobalt blue dress on your site - it's lovely and swooshy-looking. Gawd, I'd love to trawl the shops with you one day, Vix! It will happen! Sorry to hear you're in Tier 4 now, but hooray for another vaccine. People are starting to get some vaccinations here, but L and I will be low down on the list.

    Happy New Year to you, Jon, Frank and Stephen. Here's to another year full of friends, good times and peace, no matter what else!

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    1. Fancy us both wandering graveyards on the cusp of New Year.
      I love that you alos live so close to your roots, a memory on each street corner.
      That blue dress soon went, I was really restrained by not trying it on, for once! xxx

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  5. Yes, Yes! I think we all deserve a lot of fun in 2021! I'm happy for the news in the UK of a more stable vaccine, though I wish it had the 90% efficacy as the others! I did an e-bay wander and was fascinated how you post things. I couldn't afford the shipping so will leave to your local buyers, but there were some sweet things I could picture on my daughters. I love old churches, but old is a relative term comparing UK to the US, but seeing the 130's archway was very cool.

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    1. We certainly do deserve lots of fun!
      Given the choice I'd go for the Oxford vaccine, the efficacy is comparable to the Pfizer after the second dose. We'll just have to continue with the social distancing and masks for a while longer.
      Thanks for the kind words about my eBay shop.
      It blows my mind that we have a 800 year old archway on the doorstep! xxx

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  6. My parents married in 16th April 1966 and I arrived September 1966....they're still married to each other! Arilx

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  7. Happy New Year to you, Jon and the lads, Vix. What a sweet photo of your mum and dad on their wedding day. There's a lot to be said for living in the same locale. I'm afraid I don't and it never mattered till these lockdown days! AFter a solo Christmas, I am now braced for a solo Hogmanay and New Year. On the bells, though, I'm going to stand in my garden and listen to the ships sounding their horns to welcome 2021. Onwards and upwards for us all!!!!

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    1. Thanks, Catmac! It must be hard being away from home in these strange times.
      I loved the sound of your Hogmanay celebration and those ships' horns. i think I want to be beside the seaside for NYE next year, now. xxx

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  8. Haha, we get a good horn honking from the ships too Catmac! I'll think of you all at midnight. Happy New Year Vix, John and the lads. It has been a mental year, but I will always remember it for one thing other than the C word … finding your amazing blog during lockdown. I was very touched to see that Maryland takes solace in your colourful posts and sending big love all the way across the Atlantic to M. Have a goodun’ Vix, Lulu xXx

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    1. (p.s. Sorry Jon not 'John'!) x

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    2. Another horn honking celebration! being in the landlocked Midlands I had no idea about this custom!
      You are kind, I'm thrilled to have discovered you and Long Mizzle in 2020, deffo a highlight! xxx

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  9. Happy New Year to you, Jon and the 2 furry lads. At 5 pm here it’ll be the bells in the UK so I will be enjoying a wee dram here in Montana and thinking about my family and friends in Bonnie Scotland. Thanks for your cheerie blog. Always interesting and informative. All the best for 2021.

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    1. Happy New Year and lots of love to you in Montana, dear Marian! xxx

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  10. Happy New Year! Wishing you love, light and happy days.

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    1. Thanks, Carole and the same to you! xxx

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  11. Had to chuckle about all of your godlessness and other similar things. 1966 - hmmm - I got pregnant in 1967, which was akin to being a really terrible person, in NZ. Back then. Here, in those days, well you "had to get married" which was a social slur, or give up your baby for adoption. So I married. It didn't last past 14 years of course. Thank goodness times have changed.

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    1. I'm so glad that times have changes, women had it hard back then. I'd have loved to have known what Mum would have made if her life if she hadn't been expected to marry and stay married. xxx

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  12. Vix, you are so wonderful and do so much for Walsall. It is a joy to read the blog! You can take a dreary day when you do not even go out and make it so much fun for us readers.

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  13. Happy new year to you too! Although I haven't commented much as I've felt devoid of energy for much of this year, I've read every entry and it's always such a bright spot to my day. Wishing you and Jon all the best for 2021!

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    1. That's such a kind thing to say, thank you so much! I don't expect comments on every post but it's always lovely to see your name pop up! xx

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  14. Wishing you, Jon and the lads a very happy and healthy New Year 2021. I like exploring churchyards, so much history, atmosphere and even the odd ghost :)

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  15. happy new year vix & jon!!! <3
    no wonder your sales go fast - you have the most adorable stock!
    i´m tempted but set myself the goal to sew down to the grounds of my gigantic fabric stash first - because sustainable and so and it keeps me occupied......
    lovely pics of the cute lads - awwww*** how was it with fireworks and how did they cope? here was it few and lisbeth was a bit nervous - but nothing what a good cuddle could´t heal.
    you look beautiful in the afghan dress and pompom hat all bundled up! and jon makes a good ghost of the cemetary ;-D
    xxxxx

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    1. Thanks so much, Beate! I'd forgotten how much stock I'd got. It's a constant adventure rummaging through those rails.
      I think your fabric stash goal is a great one.
      The fireworks weren't too bad this year, very subdued. the Lads were fine and not at all jumpy. I'm sorry Lisbeth was a bit spooked, I wish they'd ban the things. xxx

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  16. Happy New Year to you both, at least 2021 will see the end of this wretched virus and a return to normality.
    xx

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    1. Thank you! I couldn't have put it better myself! xxx

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  17. Happy New Year Vix.
    Sadly, I didn't get to wear the blue dress I bought from you this Christmas as staying in playing board games and eating takeaways just wasn't the occasion that the lovely dress deserves. I will save it for something better this year.
    Wishing you and Jon and the lads a happy and healthy and prosperous 2021.
    XX

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    1. Thanks, Jane! There will be plenty of opportunities to wear the blue dress in the future, we'll be partying like it's 1999 by Autumn (I hope!) xxx

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  18. Happy New Year All. The wedding pic made me cry. Your Mum and Dad look so happy. I remember when I found out my folks had a 'quick' wedding before I came along (hate that term 'shotgun'). I mentioned it to my Ma at the time and she said 'don't tell your Dad that you know'!!Spent Monday afternoon at the cemetery tending my Dad's, my ex-in-law's and my friend's graves. It was bitterly cold and there was slush on the ground and I thought to myself 'I like my central heating too much to be buried in the cold,damp ground'- cremation's deffo the way to go for me!!

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    1. Happy New Year to you! It's sad that the only person in that photo still alive is me! I've got a letter written by my Grandma to my Mum in the maternity hospital in 1966 telling her that all they'd told the vicar that I was "early" - I bet he didn't believe a word of it.
      Isn't shogun wedding a horrible term?
      I'm with you on the cremation. xxx

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  19. Happy new year to my fabulous friends!!! We had very weird new year. I feel asleep at 7!! Paul feel asleep at 10.00 only to be awoken by some fireworks. Many people didn’t bother celebrating. Even though it was meant to be a special occasion for us who now live over here. We even bought special bento boxes which cost an arm and a sodding leg to bring new year in. But they still lay untouched like an unloved puppy.
    We heard the good news and we felt so happy. But when my mum called me to tell me that she was in tier 4 and blamed the ones who cannot do as they are told. I felt for her. I feel for everyone. It’s like no one wants it to go away but yet they do. I am so confused.
    I haven’t been a believer since we lost our 3rd child before light. I didn’t understand why. I didn’t smoke or drink and I was active. I was so well full of hate. I do belive in Buddha but not in god. I watched a documentary about life in Russia and this old woman said what’s the point you die and you get eaten by worms!! How true I thought.
    Made me think!! I love city scapes ours are always changing. Have a wonderful year. I am going to be a better plant parent and stop shopping, the last one might be hard. But I. Will try lol

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    1. Happy New Year! The fireworks here very very muted - thank god! Normally it's like being in the WWI trenches come midnight.
      Nothing will get any better until there's a proper lockdown. It's far too easy to nip over to to tier 3 and have your hair done or buy some tat from Primark. I await 8pm tonight with interest.
      I like the iconography and incense that comes with religion but that's it.
      I like the plant parent resolution! Take care! xxx

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  20. I loved Jon's spooky shadow figure on the church doorway. Also lovely blue skies. Happy New Year to you all

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  21. Happy New Year Vix and Jon and the Lads-You are a breath of fresh air-you really are xx

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    1. Awww, thanks so much, Flis! New Year's love to you. xxx

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  22. Vix, I shall call you 'odd' for preferring tall glass boxes to rolling hills and meadows, but I also note that you gave the Paddock Flats a single long shot whereas you awarded the centuries-old St. Michael's a full spread. Some cityscapes are as boring as an abandoned barnyard. * I, too, find communing with the "familiar spirits" of a local churchyard an appropriate New Year's activity. One can imagine their remarks about our pandemic -- and seeing their interest in elegance, one can also envision their nodding their hats and bonnets in appreciation of your ensemble. Has the animal print coat become a "keeper"?

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    1. St. Matthew's, rather than St. Michael's -- had another splendid church in mind.

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    2. Those open spaces and big skies scare me, I'm with the Indians that sit next to you on an empty train, there's comfort in being close to people (although maybe not so much at the moment!)
      That leopard coat is trying to worm its way into my wardrobe, it's far too heavy to post so it'll have to be mine until I can sell face to face again! xxx

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  23. Happy New year to you Jon and the "cat lads"! As you can see from all our comments you are so aprreciated. Flis puts it so well - a breath of fresh air indeed. It seems an age since I told you about me wearing a blouse backwards. The dress looks fab both ways. My Mum and dad had a quick wedding too a lot of us 60s babies came soon after our parents' weddings me thinks. Mum rang from Aus this morning she is 90 and ALWAYS so cheerful. I nickname her sunshine. Like you I received another handmade card from Aus today loved it. I nickname her sunshine. I loved the shots of the church. I am about to take down my greenery too. Not going anywhere of course today but have got my grandmothers beautiful earrings in New years resolution wear things! anyway Vix here's to a better year(though we made the best of last year hey!) Shazxx

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    1. Thanks so much, Shaz! It does seem an age since the backwards blouse, I'd loved getting to know you over the last year.
      Another "early" baby then? Mind you, I think I'd be a bit suspicious of any bride in the 1960s not being pregnant, it doesn't bode well for a passionate love life!
      I love that you call your Mum sunshine and that she's able to call you for a chat. Those earrings sound far too precious to be hidden away in a drawer, wear them! We certainly made the most of a challenging year, didn't we? I've got a feeling we're in for a hell of a ride for the next few months but we can do it, can't we? Stay safe! xxx

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  24. Happy New Year All xxxxx We are in Tier 4 (as predicted a fortnight ago by our Mayor). I'm desperately sorry for traders - but SO relieved it has happened. I'm only going out to feed the birds/empty the bins/put the milk bottles out. Some people have become a bit slap-happy in keeping safe over the last few weeks. I can totally understand that - but why piss it away now, after complying with safety rules for 9 months? It's beyond me.

    We'll be staying home - even if we're getting very irritable doing it. I think being able to spend the day outside made summer easier - far too cold to sit outside with coffee - even bundled-up - unless there's some sunshine to lift the spirits! Come on 2021 - please get rolling!

    I love that a lot of folks are fascinated by graveyards - so much local history there. I like to go sit, stay out of the way of grave-tenders and keep company with the oldest graves for a while. Such a long time since that has happened.

    Once the Bank Holiday is done we need to cancel two holidays we booked in a fit of optimism last August. We can move one of them forwards - but the other one is a lost deposit and a lesson learned. Never mind - we're going to push the other forward to mid-September - it's a UK city break, so fingers-crossed. Tier 4 means travel is out of the question anyway - but even so, neither of us feel safe doing it anyway.

    Looking lovely Vix - I've dug out the velvet and am gothing about like a good 'un lol Got the everyday wardrobe down to 1 x 6ft rail plus a 3ft rail for coats and jackets - amazing for me. Have growing eBay and donation piles lol. Let us know if that gardening magazine is a good read - I find a lot of gardening books are quite discouraging/assume you have a giant allotment!!

    Maryland! If you're reading the comments, lovely - I hope you're feeling a bit stronger now 2021 is here and all the festive stuff (which is tough anyway) is out of the way. Big Love and candles lit for anyone who needs some light.
    Keep going xxxxxx

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    1. Happy New Year to you! Will we be in lockdown by midnight? Will it make any difference to us? probably not! I do feel sorry for the younger folk (she says, sounding ancient) and I'm not entirely sure I'd have been quite so compliant if I was in my early 20s but there again there's internet and mobile phones and technology now so it's still possible to have a chat and a virtual chat without risking killing your nearest and dearest.
      What a shame about the holidays, we were really fortunate with ours and I'm still pinching myself that we did getaway. Jon was on the cusp of booking a flight to Greece last week just to have something to look forward to but I talked him down.
      You're an inspiration with your wardrobe reshuffling!
      I still haven't read that magazine, I keep getting distracted.
      Lots of love! xxx

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  25. Here is to 2021 being a whole lot nicer!
    Also a fellow tier 4 here, but we have spent most of the lockdown loitering around the high tiers all along (yay - go us ...) so it was expected all along Give me a country view of a cityscape any time :) having said that, I do enjoy a good explore around a church and grounds - so much history to discover!

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    1. I do hope so! Will we still being tier 4 tonight or are we going even higher? The BoJo waits! xxx

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  26. Everything's closed over here too, except for grocery stores and pharmacies. I had a lovely long walk with a friend yesterday afternoon, and went to bed before midnight last night, so no NYE excitement here.
    Cemeteries are excellent places for a stroll, and I love the brilliant colour of the moss that is covering the headstones. Much nicer than plain grey stone.

    I'm looking forward to some fun this year, even though that may not be until next fall. At least there's a vaccine, and Trump will be out of office later this month, so definitely things to celebrate. Wishing you and Jon (and the lads) all the best in 2021.

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    1. I'm so glad you were able to meet up with a friend, I bet that did you the power of good having some human contact!
      aren't those mossy headstones gorgeous, like they've been bathed in sunlight?
      Here's to a vastly improved New Year, every happiness to you & Sylvester from us! xxx

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  27. Wonderful news that the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine has been approved in the UK. I wish they would hurry up with it here too. Your area being moved to Tier 4, on the other hand, isn't good news at all. It's good to hear you've got lots of interesting things on your doorstep. We'd be rather limited, especially as we cannot escape into our garden like we did in Spring.
    St Matthew's Church and its cemetery seem to be well worth a visit. Our village church too is where my parents (and maternal grandparents) were married. My Mum and Dad, and consequently me, were never really church goers, and as I switched to a non-catholic state school at age 6, we didn't it never really featured in the school's curriculum either.
    I'll never tire of seeing that Afghan dress! And I'm hearing you on browsing the rails of the Kinky shed. I love browsing my flea market boxes too, but I try to resist it as chances are things end up back in my wardrobe! Wishing you, Jon and the lads all the best in 2021, xxx

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    1. It's such good news! One of our good friends is getting the Oxford jab this week, he's younger than us, works for the NHS and has been shielding - he's delighted!
      How interesting that you live near the family church, too.That sounds like a cracking blog post, I bet you've got loads of photos. xxx

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  28. What a gorgeous picture of your mom & dad! Your mother looks elegant so I can see where you get it from. Of course your dad too. I would have never thought to turn a dress backwards to wear it. Only you, Vix, and you made it look stunning!! I wish our country's leaders would have the guts to enforce "tiers" like your country. They don't and that's why we're in such a HUGE mess. Happy New Year, my friend! ~Andrea xoxo

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    1. Thanks so much, Andrea! Wishing you lots of love for a brighter and better New Year! xxx

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  29. We've found ourselves shunted into tier 4 as well, but with starting back at work and school next week (for now, at least) we just continue on as we have been doing.
    Sending my very best wishes for a Happy, Healthy and Hopeful New Year. X

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    1. Much love to you and Lily, dear Jules! xxx

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  30. So many fabulous clothes! I shall hop over to your eBay site and see if you have any in my size.....that first blue dress is so wonderful.

    It's such a lot of work the ebay selling business and I'm far too lazy to do it...

    Your Afghan dress looks as good backwards as it does frontwards; I need a dress like that!

    St. Matthews is a lovely church and the gravestones are so interesting. I love reading gravestones in old churchyards and get very frustrated when I can't work out what some of them say due to missing bits and wear.

    I say thank God 2020 is done and roll on 2021!
    xxx

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    1. Thanks, Vronni! That blue dress soon went. It was tricky to photograph, the best ones often are, thank goodness for a shed and some drawing pins!
      Ebay isn't too bad once you've set up a few templates and can just over type the details although I have to be in the mood.
      Here's to a fabulous 2021! xxx

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  31. Hi Vix and a very Happy New Year to you,Jon and the fur boys hope it will be a great one as I'm sure it will We let in the New Year with a Baileys and a bag of crisps, wild living.. I certainly will look forward to meeting up with you in Bilston or West Brom and I hope it will be this year, just imagine if all your virtual friends from all over the world could meet up in a big marquee, everyone would need a name badge!
    Maryland all my thoughts are with you and you will have lots of support here, I always think that whatever our age us girls have a sisterhood think of the film Steel Magnolias. Won't go into detail but 2019 was my worst year and we are still getting through each day as it comes. Keep Warm and Well Vix, Brummie Sue Xx.

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    1. Hello Sue! Can you imagine the fun we'd all have, all these like minded women getting together and setting the world to rights? No bitchiness, no back biting, just interesting & intelligent women all there for one another.
      I have every confidence life will have some semblance of normality by the Autumn and West Brom or Bilston will be ours!
      Here's to a much improved 2021! xxx

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  32. Happy new year dear friends. Let’s hope we can all get a bit of normality before to long.
    The eBay stock looks really good. How I’d love a rummage through the Kinky stock rails.
    I’m back to looking like I’ve been dragged through a bush backward with my hair now that Angela can’t come and sort it out for me.
    Philip is excited about the Oxford vaccine. That’s the one he wants. I think out of the four of us he will be the first to get it with him being 71. My mum should hear about hers before to long. She’s been great, she just hates not being able to go for a coffee with her friend when they’re out shopping. She goes out more than me and always on the bus. She’s braver than me, I wouldn’t do it.
    Take care you two and the lads
    Lots I’d love from us two xxx

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    1. I do miss the days when we'd see each other every month at Stockport!
      You'll have to get your wool out and make yourself a hat, I can't be bothered doing my roots so I've taken to wearing mine from the minute I get dressed every morning.
      I hope your Mum gets her jab soon. I hope it won't be too long before they get to Philip and then to us, my arms ready! xxx

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  33. Happy New Year to the both of you.
    Here's hoping for a much better 2021

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  34. Love having a peek of your stock, Vix. Seems you've found a lot of blue garments.

    What a shame to read you are in Tier 4. From what I've heard on the news, the UK are in a horrible situation.

    Hope you have an improved and happy new year! X

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    1. Thanks, Jess! I think a lot of people think the 1970s is all brown and orange, I'm all about the blue!
      I think we'll be in lockdown later tonight, back to how we were in march. We're okay about it, if that's what it takes. The Covid numbers here are truly awful! xxx

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  35. Happy New Year to you, Jon and the lads. I believe that vaccines will work their (scientific) magic soon, even if we'll have to wear masks for a while and be careful. But it's going to be such a relief!. I hope that Mr.A.'s parents are vaccinated soon (and my parents too, but they're younger, so down on the list!).
    Sorry that you're in Tier 4, it feels like taking a step back to lockdown times. Hope we can avoid it this time, even if so many people have been celebrating with family and friends, the cases will increase next weeks, for sure. I'm not even getting angry, just ready to be extra-careful.
    Love your afghan dress worn backwards, showing another point of view and different colours!. And love that you decided to go out for a walk in the neighbourhood and share some fab photos of this graveyard. The moss and the victorian typography are so delightful!. And you look cosy and stylish in this animal print coat and cute hat with your dress and booties!, fab ensemble!.
    Love to see your parents wedding photo. I've never felt particularly attached to any church, as I abandoned totally the whole business of being catholic very young (10 years old), even if I still attended a catholic school until 17. This has been a 'catholic by default' country for ages, but probably I decided that enough was enough at a tender age.
    I'm also a urban girl, love some lively streets, many storey buildings, cafés and retailers everywhere. Hope we can enjoy them soon!
    besos

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    1. I think masks might be a thing for a good while yet. I've got a quilted one and I'm rather enjoying wearing it in these cold conditions.
      Al's Mum & dad got the vaccine last week and G, one of our friends who is younger than us but who had to shield due to health conditions gets his this week, he can't wait!
      I think we might be going into lockdown tonight, we've been told to expect an announcement. If that's what it takes to bring this horrible virus back under control than so be it. I have books and wool!
      I love that you're also a godless woman! xxx

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  36. Happy New Year ... and don't your parents look lovely on the steps of the church :-)

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  37. The wedding photo of your mother and dad is beautiful. I love the sixties wedding dresses fashion. Your mother looked fantastic, I love her whole wedding look and the hat is fabulous. It is fun seeing the church as well. As always, great outfits on you as well. I like both the maxi and the midi dresses, you wore them fabulously.

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  38. Belated happy new year to both of you! It's nice to see bits of Walsall.

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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