The Distancing Diaries - 8th & 9th February, 2021

 On Monday I was up just after 6am, the Beast from The East had arrived with aveagence and The Lads had a quick recce of the garden before dashing back indoors. I did my Wii Fit and was so delighted to be able to touch my toes again that I did the Sun Salutation twice. I joined Jon in the kitchen for our fruit & yoghurt breakfast and was dressed and ready to leave to house for 8.30am. With the ice, sub-zero temperatures and snow flurries Jon decided to drive into town, the first time I'd been in a vehicle this year. Although Specsavers had no appointments left for Jon, his usual optical assistant saw him waiting outside and squeezed him in and we were both able to try on our new/reglazed specs with no need for adjustments. After popping into Wilkos for some envelopes, we were back in the house by 9.20am. 

My new readers and prescription sunglasses from Specsavers' 2 pairs for £69 range

Izzy delivered one of my eBay finds (there's been a few recently!) which I tore open and immediately left glowing feedback for the seller. Although this vintage 1960s Ritu Kumar for Rosafi block print midi dress wasn't cheap, the seller had misread the label and incorrectly listed it so it slipped under most of my rival collector's radars. Ritu Kumar still has shops all over metropolitan India, her designs are exquisite but prohibitively expensive.

I wrapped up my ebay sales and Jon dropped them off at the post office, doing a supermarket run on the way back. I ironed our stock of vintage mens scarves hoping to photograph them in the kitchen but it was far too dark, even with the lights on - the joys of a snowy day!

Lunch was Stilton and broccoli soup - out of a can - Jon found it on special offer. 

Wear:Sleep:Repeat continued with Sunday's Tricoville wool cape, this time worn with a vintage Anokhi maxi skirt and jacket (both eBay), Liz's handmade beer mittens and my trusty sheepskin hat. That's snow in my hair!

The details: Mum's Biba boots, Turkomen earrings (eBay) and a Missoni scarf Jon snaffled from the British Heart Foundation clearance shop a couple of years ago for a fiver.

I caught up with blog comments while Jon had a wardrobe sort out, donating a few scarves to the eBay pile and bringing his vintage Tootal collection downstairs to wash. Afraid of ruining the tassels, I stopped him putting them in the machine and washed them all by hand, hanging them to dry in the utility room.

We listened to the latest government press conference, had quiche and salad for tea and spent the evening watching Deliver Us (Fred Til Lands). Yet again Walter Presents has triumphed with this dark, unsettling and downright gripping Danish thriller, you'll never look at chickens in the same way again.

I got up on Tuesday morning to more snow and other than a cursory sniff, the lads weren't at all interested in going outside. I did my Wii Fit workout and cleaned the lounge.

After breakfast it was finally bright enough for indoor photos, so I spent the morning photographing and listing the men's scarves whilst Jon sorted out and ironed our stock of cravats.

After our noodles I took more photos and listed the cravats on eBay. Like scarves, Jon's got a huge collection and often ends up selling the one he's wearing to a customer at festivals and vintage fairs. They look great worn with a teeshirt and a waistcoat, casually knotted.

Beate and I decided that we'd both wear our boots today, she's called her post "The Sisterhood of the Fake Snakeskin Boots". How fabulous do she and Lisbeth look in the snow? Her Banjara skirt was a Kinky Melon purchase four years ago. See her outfit in all its glory HERE.

 Jon decided to join in the fun by getting his R.Soles out. 

His python boots originally retailed at £495, not that he paid that much, they were an eBay find eight years ago.

As well as my inspired by Beate snakeskin boots, I'm continuing with my Wear:Sleep:Repeat challenge by rewearing Monday's vintage sheepskin hat and Missoni scarf with an early '70s Janet Wood for Monsoon Afghan dress, a thermal poloneck jumper (both eBay) and a 1950s fake snow leopard coat that used to belong to our dear friend Lynn's mother-in-law (the Wandering Welder, Philip's, mum).

The details: Rajasthani enamel pendant strung on a vintage Banjara dowry necklace, Indian earrings (gift from Helga, 2010) and a collection of tribal bangles.

I was going to rewear Monday's Anokhi jacket, too but it was obsolete under the coat. I wonder what I'll repeat tomorrow? 

I'll let you into a secret, although I'd rather be in the tropical heat of Goa in a halterneck maxi dress accessorised with a sheen of sweat, damp hair and smudged eyeliner I'm rather enjoying the novelty of layering up & dressing for winter. I get really annoyed by people moaning about their lives being put on hold because of the pandemic. Okay, we can't do what we usually do but we can still live, we just have to adapt and enjoy what we've got. Stop whingeing and start living, things won't be changing for a good while yet. 

Jon & I, the last to leave our favourite restaurant, Johncy's on Benaulim beach, 13th February, 2020

Tonight we'll be eating pizza (again!) and watching Interior Design Masters. Apparently we can expect temperatures of  -°11C later, which isn't normal in the UK. Hot water bottles at the ready....

Stay safe & see you soon.