The Distancing Diaries - 26th & 27th March, 2021

Friday got off to a miserable start with plummeting temperatures, high winds and rain. After my final Wii Fit workout of the week, I wrapped the overnight eBay sales, did a load of washing which I hung up to dry in the utility room and filled the bathtub and utility room sink with houseplants.

After breakfast, Jon did the post office drop-off and the supermarket run and I listened to 6Music whilst hemming my new-to-me kaftan. After another try on I realised it was too big, so I put it on inside-out, pinned the side seams until I was happy with the shape, sewed up the sides and trimmed the excess fabric off with pinking shears. Whilst I was at it I decided to take in the vintage Chelsea Girl maxi dress I was already wearing.

Richard arrived with the post which included an appointment for my three-yearly NHS breast screen which I scribbled down on the calendar. What with our Never-Had-A-Wedding anniversary on the 1st, a trip to the hairdresser and meeting up outside with Liz, Al, Liz & Adrian when the rules are relaxed next week, April's starting to look almost busy! 

Liz, a vintage trader friend, was having a bit of a stock sale on her Easy Tiger page and when this jacket popped up on her Facebook page, I just had to make it mine. I was very excited when it arrived.

After our lunchtime noodles, the rain had eased off but it was far too cold to hang about outside for long. I did notice that the reduced to clear violas I'd bought from B&Q last Autumn had bloomed again.

I finished my replacement Only a shitter drops litter banner using the remains of a charity shopped shirt I'd made masks from last summer, trimming it with poms and rik-rak. The sequinned medallions were added after I accidentally stuck a needle through my thumb and dripped blood everywhere. That'll be a nice surprise if anyone decides to nick this one.

Here's the vintage Chelsea Girl dress I altered earlier and, in keeping with my Wear:Sleep: Repeat challenge, I'm wearing my deconstructed waistcoat I made from Marcus's old Levi's again. 

The details: Doc Martens (Facebook selling page), Jhumka earrings (Cheryl), Enamel pendant (from Rajasthan) strung on a Lamani dowry necklace (from Goa) 

I had a play in my wardrobe, taking out a few dresses that will be perfect under my new jacket.

After I'd removed the plants from the sink and the bath and given everything a good scrub it was time for tea (and wine!)

After pizza and potato lattices with a dollop of chilli mayonnaise from Johal's, we settled down in from of the TV with rum and watched Waking The Dead, a BBC cold case drama series from the early 2000s. 

On Saturday Jon brought tea back to bed and we lay reading for an hour. I stripped and changed the bed, loaded the washing machine and, despite the grey skies and miserable temperature, pegged the bedding out on the line. We ate veggie sausage sandwiches and watched last night's Gardener's World.  

Jon had decided today was the day he'd rehang the garden rope lights that Storm Ellen had brought down last year. Leaving him to it I tacked the pond area, managing to rake up 12 wheelbarrow loads of leaves, three empty wine bottles, another which used to contain vodka and a can of K cider which used to be my drink of choice. I'd like to say that it brought back happy memories of clubbing back in the 1990s but at 8.4% a can it's all a bit of a blur.

After a posh coffee in the shelter, I supervised Jon while he planted the gooseberry bush I'd bought from Wilko last year and then did an inspection of the crops. 

Purple sprouting broccoli, onions, leeks, Winter Marvel & Reine des Glaces lettuce, mizuna leaves, strawberries, wild rocket, cauliflower, Shiraz peas and Greek Gigantes beans. It's all very exciting.

We went for a walk around the block and noticed the groundsmen preparing the bowling green ready for reopening on Monday when Covid restrictions on non-professional sports will be lifted. (That modern building in the background is Wolverhampton University's halls of residence.) I didn't take my grab stick with me and was outraged when I saw that some inbred knuckle dragger had dumped the remains of their Mc*** on the pavement (it's always from there, maybe their customers are more stupid than those that frequent other fast food outlets).

Wear:Sleep: Repeat meant another outing for my 1960s Chelsea Girl maxi dress, this time worn with my new vintage quilted block printed jacket and, of course, a me-made pom pom hat.

The details: Afghan earrings (eBay), tribal cuff (charity shop), vintage amulet pendant (Gujarat), 1970s wellies (jumble sale), Black Pistachio nail paint (Barry M).

The rest of the afternoon was spent catching up with blogland (me) and making music (Jon). I had planned to plant my dahlia seeds but I shall do that tomorrow, I'm all gardened out now (sorry, Monty).

Tea was a salad with garlic bread, homemade potato salad and homegrown lettuce interrupted to pop outside and capture the lights. We'll be drinking rum and watching Grayson Perry's Art Club later. If you're a Brit don't forget to put your clocks forward before bedtime.

Stay safe, well and happy!