The Distancing Diaries - 12th & 13th February, 2021

 Despite the cold I just had to run outside barefoot, clad in just a vest & leggings to capture Friday's blood red morning sky. I did my final Wii Fit workout of the week, filled the bathtub and utility room sink with water and gave the houseplants drink. With having the central heating on all week, the poor things were parched. After our breakfast Jon popped out to the post office, calling in at Morrison's on the way back for groceries.

I made a start with catching up with blogland and, when Jon got back, posed for a couple of photos before he dispensed with all his layers for the day and concentrated on sanitising the shopping & putting it away.

Wear:Sleep:Repeat continued with my Ritu Kumar midi dress, worn with a Wetherall of Bond Street wool cape bought from a charity shop twenty years ago, my me-made pompom hat, the beer mittens Liz had made me for my birthday and one of my eBayed Amor Lux Breton tops. 

The details: 1970s French high-heeled wellies (jumble sale), silver ball earrings (Shilpa Silver) and vintage Kuchi tribal necklace (bought in Jaisalmer, Jan 2020)

After our lunchtime noodles I gave the bathroom a good scrub and mopped the floor, continuing down the stairs. Jon helped me swap the plants over so each had their turn. I caught up with blog comments and had the rest of the pizza for tea. 

Later we watched the second half of the Shannon Matthews documentary we'd started watching the previous evening followed by Rebecka Martinsson: The Arctic Murders ( I prefer the dogs, Snoris and Tintin to the main character) and another episode of the Great British Pottery Showdown, accompanied by rum and cola. Despite the late hour I decided to mop the kitchen floor before bed. I do live life on the edge!

Jon was up first on saturday morning, he made tea and brought it back to bed where we lay and read until 8.45am. After he'd gone downstairs to put the sausages in the oven I stripped and changed the bed, loaded the washing machine and sat at the kitchen table painting my nails. We ate our sausage sandwiches accompanied by a mug of coffee marvelling at all the birds assembled on the feeding station and wondering where they all were on the day of the Big Birdwatch a fortnight ago! 

Another day of sub-zero temperatures meant I had more layers than a layered thing under my vintage Anokhi pinafore dress...I do have a waist normally, honest! Wear:Sleep:Repeat saw the return of Friday's Breton top and yet another wearing of my trusty sheepskin hat.

The details: 1960s go-go boots (car boot sale), vintage Indian silk screen print scarf & white metal earrings (both charity shopped), Barry M's Ginger nail paint.

I know I keep banging on about it but I'm really enjoying my challenge to rewear a garment from the previous day. In normal times I'd have worn my new-to-me purchases immediately but now they have to wait until I can slot them into my outfits. 

I photographed and listed some of the stock of vintage bags on eBay - longtime readers may recognise quite a few of these from my personal collection. Again I used the kitchen wall as a backdrop, I don't think I'd have had a face left if I'd taken the photos in the garden!

I haven't been further than the top of the garden for almost a week, I'm so excited about the arrival of milder temperatures in the next few days and the possibility of venturing further than the compost bin that I made myself a new pompom hat especially. 

My new specs made all the difference. Repairing my Anokhi jacket and crocheting are a lot easier when I can see what I'm doing.

A year ago today I achieved a lifelong ambition, to have beers in Mumbai's iconic Taj Mahal Palace Hotel and to run up and down the grand staircase recreating the scene from the Merchant Ivory film, Bombay Talkie. 

Although we've visited our beloved Mumbai a lot over the years we'd never been brave enough to try and get into the swankiest hotel in all of India, expecting the doorman to take one look at us and send us on our way but, in 2020, we took a deep breath, made our way towards the front entrance where the comissionaire raised his cap and waved us through.

They were the most expensive beers we'd ever had in our lives but they were massive and the snacks and the service were so good that we ordered another round.

After the Taj Mahal, Mumbai's Taj is the most photographed building in all India. We said that we'd make beers at the Taj, like bhelpuri on Chowpatty beach, shopping in Anokhi and watching the sunset over the Art Deco splendour of Marine Drive something we'd do every time we went to Mumbai - I hope it won't be too many years before we get to hang out in our favourite city again.

We've had a whopping great big tea tonight - a vegan Morrocan pasty, roast parsnips, peas, carrots, sprouts, Yorkshire pudding and roast potatoes - and I'm so stuffed I can hardly move. I might just be able to manage some rum!

Cheers, stay safe (and warm) and see you soon!