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

Despite the Indian feast, late bedtime and skinful of ale I'd downed the previous evening, I was up at 6am on Monday morning. Although disappointed that England hadn't won the Euro 2020 final I wasn't downhearted, the lads played tremendously well and I have every hope for Qatar 2022. What I was upset by was hearing the news about the racial abuse Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka, the young players that had missed penalties had been subjected to by knuckle-dragging scumbags. 

Please sign this petition to help ban racists from football matches for life. We're nearly at a million signatures. Let's reclaim the beautiful game. HERE

Sunday night's curry - paneer Madras, nan bread, basmati rice, poppadums and onion pakoras - nice one, Jon!

Despite the forecast for a damp and dreary day, it felt warm and settled on my wander around the garden so I did a load of washing and pegged it out on the line before my Wii Fit workout. After that, I wrapped the overnight eBay sales and joined Jon in the kitchen for breakfast.

While he was out doing the post office & supermarket run I sorted some summer menswear from the Kinky Shed, ironed, photographed and listed it on eBay. 

WEARING: Vintage Phool midi skirt, Turkmen silver earrings; embroidered ramie blouse

I couldn't resist trying on the embroidered chartreuse blouse I'd picked up in the clearance chazza the previous day. I've not worn anything made from ramie before, an eco-friendly linen-like cellulose fibre made from the Chinese nettle plant and it definitely holds its shape better than linen. It's a keeper!

You know how I'm always banging on about our National Trust visits inspiring us? We'd seen a fantastic enamel sign when we were at Biddulph Grange Gardens last week and Jon managed to track one down on eBay. His task was to drill holes in it and attach it to the wall - the original plan was to nail it to a wooden stake and stick it in the lawn but we know that would be asking for trouble and it would be nicked in the blink of an eye.

Of course, technically they're not weeds, they're native British wildflowers!

I was just washing up our noodle bowls when Liz & Al popped by. We sat in the garden drinking tea and chatting, gave them a tour of the garden and had a rummage in the Kinky Shed for outfits for a 1970s brown & orange themed wedding they'd been invited to next month. Needless to say, the search was a fruitful one!

Tea was veggie sausages, chips, poached eggs and peas accompanied by a glass of wine, which is the law when BoJo's making an announcement, he makes more sense after a stiff drink. Later, after I'd snaffled a couple of bargains on eBay, we watched another episode of Beck and started on a series we'd found on catch-up called Greece with my Son.

On Tuesday morning my walk around the garden revealed the first of the gladioli, the continued purpling-up of the alliums and another sunflower. After my Wii Fit workout, I looked out more menswear from the shed, ironed and measured it ready for photographing and listing on eBay later. After breakfast, we hurriedly got dressed and headed to the charity shops of the neighbouring town of West Bromwich (a 4-mile drive from Stonecroft).

With the hideous racism directed at our national team continuing to make the headlines, I thought I'd share The Celebration with you, situated in New Square, where we always park. Unveiled in 2019 and created by Graham Ibbeson, the bronze statue represents 1970s West Bromwich Albion legends Cyrille Regis, Brendon Batson and Laurie Cunningham celebrating a goal.

The statue symbolises more than just a goal, it is about the ground-breaking influence the trio had in overcoming racist taunts and prejudice at football grounds throughout England. How depressing that four decades on and our black players are still being abused. On a brighter note it was wonderful to see so many St George flags flying and loads of people still wearing their England shirts, we didn't win but there's so much pride in our team.

The trio were christened The Three Degrees after the US pop group with the same name arrived at The Hawthorns, West Bromwich Albion's home ground, to meet them in 1979.

SOURCE

On the charity shopping front - here's the morning's finds.

1980s English-made jade wool fedora; camo & tattoo print parka; Moroccan tooled leather babouches; 1970s belted day dress; Rajastani painted elephant; 1980s St Michael midi skirt; Fringed Indian cotton peacock print shawl; 1970s handmade patchwork waistcoat; Autograph merino wool jumper; Mdina handblown Maltese glass paperweight.

After our noodles, I photographed and listed the menswear on eBay. How bright are those trousers? Meanwhile, Jon finally got round to erecting the awning he'd bought for the 2020 festival season that never was - we'd left the last one by the bins at End of The Road 2019, knackered and torn.

This model is inflatable and was up in no time, much better than poles and the ensuing rows.

It was a day of sunshine, the odd sharp shower and temperatures creeping upwards, ready for a weekend set to reach the heady heights of 27°C. It was nudging 21°C while we were in town and the old 'uns were already complaining about being too hot (take the fleece off, love!)

50 and Counting, a fellow Lotta from Stockholm fan, asked if I could share my collection. I'm wearing the first pair I acquired, the turquoise (this colour is now discontinued) low woods, with my Dilli Grey dress. The rest are all the high woods, I was worried that they might be too high for me when I first ordered them but I can wear them all day, walk around Greece in the height of summer with neither a blister nor an achy hip, as you saw from last week's Biddulph Grange photos, I can scale rocky crevices, stone steps and steep terrain without mishap. Several pairs were lucky eBay finds and the rest were direct from the Lotta website (not sponsored, I just love this indie company!)

Talking of footwear, look what turned up today...my gardening Crocs, all the way from The Netherlands! Obviously, I had to buy the blingiest style. Goodness me, they are absurdly bouncy and comfy to wear and I think they look quite good, too.

Talking of gardening, I've done nothing other than a bit of deadheading today, I bet I'll be full of ideas after tomorrow's National Trust trip.

More nasturtium madness, I swear I can almost see them grow!

Tea was a salad with some veggie spring rolls from the depths of the freezer. 

See you soon!