Saturday 26 March 2022

Unseasonable Sunshine

I'm running out of adjectives to describe the unseasonably warm weather the UK is currently experiencing but the endless sunshine is utterly fabulous. 

On Thursday we took Stephen to the vet to start a monthly course of injections for his arthritis, something we'd discussed with Becky, our vet, when we'd taken him for a check-up a fortnight ago. Although the manufacturer claims that effects may not be visible until the second jab, he perked up almost immediately and was back to his usual vocal and crazy self by mid-afternoon. 


With the temperatures hitting the giddy heights of 19°C it was another day for bare legs, a Dilli Grey cotton midi dress and oversized sunglasses. 

Home from the vet, Jon set about making some platforms for Stephen's food bowls so he didn't have to bend to eat. Our mate Kev popped round and we sat on the garden wall in the midday chatting. After lunch I spent the afternoon in the garden, stripped down to a bikini and grabbed my Philippa Gregory novel, losing myself in the court of Elizabeth I and the paranoia and seething jealousy which was part of everyday life within the Tudor dynasty.


We watched the incredible Writing With Fire, a documentary about India's only newpaper run by Dalit (untouchable) women. A wonderful and inspiring watch if ever there was one. If you're in the UK you can find it on the BBC I-Player HERE.

On Friday morning we were dressed and on our way to our second favourite Black Country town before 9am and by 11.30am we were back at home and inspecting our finds with the first (and, in my case, only) coffee of the day.

What did we find? A vintage NATO issue quilted coat, a Coast mustard wrap dress with the tags still attached, two watches to add to Jon's collection, a 1980s suede waistcoat, a 1950s broderie anglaise top, a 1980s cotton leisure shirt, an Indian all-wool waistcoat, another Philippa Gregory novel (I think I've got almost all of her books now), a planished silver bangle, a 1980s green suede bomber jacket, some 1980s "Africa" shorts, made in Harare, three unused Barry M nail paints, some 1970s Fred Perry shorts and an Italian made Paolo de Ponte calf leather belt which I later found online for £82!


Cheap and cheerful! Friday's outfit cost the grand total of £7 - the Wyse, London shirred cotton midi dress, straw & leather bag and sequin-trimmed still-boxed plimsols were all charity shop finds. The gemstone bracelet was a 21st birthday present from some workmates making it almost 35 years old, scary stuff!


I threw our finds in the washing machine and then we walked down to the baths for another swim, this time doing twenty lengths. While we were swimming we bumped into an old friend, Baz (not literally) and invited him to join us in 'Spoons where we'd decided to treat ourselves to lunch, eaten al fresco in the sunshine.

Buoyed up by a couple of large glasses of Pinot, I popped into the hairdressing training academy in the next street and booked an appointment for a cut and blow dry. It's been a year since I last had a trim and my ends are starting to look a bit wispy, although I shall insist it is only the very ends they cut, I like having hair long enough to get caught in my waistband.

Back at home I pegged the laundry out on the line, washed our swimming gear and wrapped the eBay sales leaving Jon to repair a couple of loose bricks on the outside steps. Later we drank rum and watched The White Tiger. Aravind Adiga's Booker Prize winning novel of a poor man's murderous ambition is one of my favourite books ever and I was excited to discover that it had been made into a film. I'm always slightly worried about beloved books becoming films but this was beautifully done.

On Saturday morning, I stripped the bed and hung the washing on the line to dry alongside the load I'd done the previous day and had left out overnight. After our veggie sausage sandwiches Jon dropped the eBay parcels off at the post office and did a grocery run for Tony, who is still testing positive and feels very weak and feeble.

I took the recently charity-shopped Victorian japanned cabinet outside and touched up the rough bits with the gloss paint we'd bought from Wilko on Sunday before doing some pruning and shifting of plants. When Jon got back he suggested we go for a walk in Merrions Wood, a 12 hectare wildlife reserve so I grabbed my camera and dashed out still dressed in my gardening gear.


Part of a former deer park and containing ridge-and-furrow marks and ancient semi-natural woodland, much of the site was planted in the 18th century by Humphry Repton to create a grand carriageway entrance for Great Barr Estate. His planting included a Horse Chestnut avenue and although various pathogens eventually led to its decline, grant-aid has enabled the planting of a replacement Sweet Chestnut avenue.



Despite living less than two miles from the entrance to Merrions Wood my entire life I'd never been there, I always say that I know Mumbai better than I do my hometown!


We saw an abundance of primroses, daffodils and the pretty star-shaped flowers pictured above and were thrilled to hear woodpeckers and even catch a glimpse of a green feathered belly flying above us. At the end of Merrions Wood we reached the parish church of St Margaret and had a wander around the churchyard.


Dedicated to Saint Margaret of Antioch, the church was founded in 1677 but rebuilt in 1862. The tower is original 17th century but is hidden by the Gothic revival red sandstone casing which was added in 1893. The spire is 18th Century. St Margaret's is Grade II listed and its war memorial, described by Historic England as "a lantern cross in the medieval style" is also listed meaning both are protected from unauthorised alteration or demolition.















Dressed for household chores! I'm wearing a 1970s Oasis Trading gauzy indian cotton blouse, charity shopped Zara jeans, a vintage Indian silk screen printed scarf, tooled leather bag and last week's Nonverse pumps. 


Merrions Wood supports important populations of birds, bats, social and solitary bees and wasps, saproxylic invertebrates and fungi. Grant-aid has funded a bat box scheme in conjunction with Birmingham and Black Country Bat Group.













After a glorious hour and a half we returned home for posh coffees and a lemon muffin each (jon bought some for Tony and thought he'd treat us to some, too).


I stripped down to a bikini and spent the afternoon basking in the sunshine. I started re-reading Carol Drinkwater's The Olive Farm, the first of the triogy snaffled from the clearance charity shop last weekend, and discovered it was a signed edition. How exciting!


I also painted my nails with one of the Barry M paints I'd found on our charity shopping trip the previous day. Butterscotch isn't a colour I've used before but I rather like it.


Tonight we'll be drinking rum (again), starting the second series of Deadwind and trying not to forget that the clocks go forward later.

Cheers and see you soon!

44 comments:

  1. That is rather beautiful weather-hope it lasts.

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    1. I spoke too soon, it's about ten degrees colder today! xxx

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  2. Maybe I should go to Stephens vet for my arthritis. Sweet that Jon is building risers for food dishes. I think you look fabulous in the casual clothes. Just fun, but still Vix originality.

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    1. Haha! The vet would reward you with a few treats if you did! xxx

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  3. What a gorgeous wood, and the church is lovely too.
    I read The Olive Farm a few years ago and really enjoyed it, but I couldn't get into The Olive Route at all. She's had a TV programme recently which I've yet to catch up with.xxx

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    1. Can you believe I've never visited before?
      I watched Write Around The World with Richard E Grant on BBC4 last year and he visited Carol Drinkwater on her olive farm. I read so many of those relocation books back in the day they all seem to have blended into one, I'm really enjoying the revisit. xxx

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  4. I just said to Tony that it's only March and you'd think it was a summers day. What is the cost of a swim where you live?

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    1. Hasn't it been wonderful?
      It costs £4.90 each for a swim but the price is reduced to £2.70 if you're over 60 (only four and a bit years to go!) xxx

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  5. That green quilted jacket takes me back to my army days - it's actually a liner so no collar. Kept us cosy, though!

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    1. Thanks for that, Julia! I suspected it was a liner but I bet a festival goer will be glad of it on a chilly night! xxx

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  6. Hi Vix, lovely weather, much better than we've been having here in Spain!! Love all your outfits!! Poor Stephen, hope he's feeling better soon. Our dog has osteoarthritis and is now having a jab once a month. Fingers crossed he hasn't been limping recently so they seem to be working! He also has his food bowls on a stand off the floor which seems to help. Merrion's Wood looks beautiful, It's amazing how we have such lovely places on our doorstop and often don't realise. I have "White Tiger" but have never read it but will do so now. Will also try Phillipa Gregory. This lovely sunny Post has certainly brightened up my day. Sending you lots of love from Barcelona! xxx

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    1. Hello Diana! I'm sorry we've stolen your Spainish sunshine!
      I'm happy that your dog has benfitted from the monthly jabs, too. The vet also suggested putting platforms near furniture Stephen likes to jump on so it's a bit easier for him but, typical cat, he's ignored them and continues to leap from great heights!
      I think you'll enjoy The White Tiger and all of Philippa Gregory's books, her attention to detail is wonderful and they're books you can really get lost in.
      Much love to you! xxx

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  7. I really like the round purse, a friend gave me round small make up case. I believe that what it was. I like to print out a combo lock from a three d print and glue it on and use it as a purse.
    Lovely daffodils. my purple crocus is just starting to bloom
    Coffee is on and stay safe

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    1. Thanks, Dora! Those straw bags were everywhere in Rhodes when we visited last year, they're popular Mediteranean holiday souvenirs and usually quite expensive, I was very pleased to find mine in a charity shop.
      You must be a few weeks behind us, my crocus are just dying back now! xxx

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  8. How exciting you have Merrions Wood right next to you - I bet it will be full of native bluebells in a month's time - the pretty star shaped flowers you saw are wood anemone, they grow in ancient woodland so that's a good indication your woods are full of history. I am going to catch that film about the untouchable ladies, thanks... I just love that bangle you found, it will go so well with your other jewellery - isn't it amazing what other people throw out! I am currently searching our recycling centre for a wheelbarrow - a few weeks ago they were crammed with them and now none! typical. I remember we had injections for old Ambercat's arthritis, they really do seem to help immediately. Am interested to see how you do the feeding station as we have been told a raised bowl would help Mollie to stop her nervous/anxiety puking.

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    1. Apparently Merrions Wood is famous for its carpet of bluebells, I shall have to go back in a few weeks. Mind you, one of ours is already out, it must have got its dates mixed up!
      Writing with Fire was such an interesting documentary, I think you'd love it.
      I can't beleiev what people give away either, I picked up a pair of jeans today for £2, googled them when I got home and discovered that they're £200 a pair!!
      Good luck with your wheelbarrow hunt! Jon ordered one from Wilko during the first lockdown and it was bright pink when it turned up, after two years outside its faded a bit, thank goodness! xxx

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  9. I love your Wyse, London shirred dress, Vix! Your cabinet is also stunning.

    Nice to see you and Jon off on a lovely walk. X

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  10. Well done on the swimming! You definitely deserved lunch after that. The Wyse dress is a stunner Vicky. Fancy never having visited Merrions Wood before! It looks very pretty and to end with an old churchyard to explore makes it a perfect walk in my humble opinion! I hope Tony picks up soon and glad to hear Stephen is having pain relief. I must make a note of Writing with Fire - sounds fascinating. I had no idea Carol Drinkwater was a writer too - I only know her from 1980s All Creatures Great and Small. Is it good? xxx

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    1. Thanks, Claire! It hasn't taken me long to gte back into swimming, I thought I'd be struggling to do ten lengths after so long away from the pool!
      I do love that Wyse, London dress - one of last year's top charity shop finds, I thinkl. Mind you, the sleeves were tricky to wriggle into after my swim, I'm a bit lazy with drying myself properly.
      That carol Drinkwater book is a lovely read, I was obsessed with all those books about buying ruins and doing them up and longed to do the same. No chance now with bloody Brexit! xxx

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  11. Am loving the sunshine this week too. Like you I'm still finding corners of my town I didn't know even though I've lived here most of my life. Lovely Wood Anenomes. Won't be long until the bluebells are out either! Arilx

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    1. Hasn't it been wonderful? One of the bluebells in our garden is already out and the wild garlic has already started sprouting, they're at least a fortnight earlier than usual! xxx

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  12. I'm happy to hear that you Stephen is feeling better and that he perked up after his arthritis jabs. You found some lovely vintage finds as usual!
    The dresses you wear are absolutely fabulous. I also like your outfit with the tunics, jeans and non converse sneakers.
    I'm happy to hear you were satisfied with the adaptation of The White Tiger. I looked up this novel some time ago, but haven't find it in my library yet. It sounds like an interesting story so it is wonderful it was adapted (successfully) to film.
    Writing with Fire sounds fascinating as well. I will look it up. I love documentaries. It is always nice to read an uplifting story. The story of a woman from untouchable caste running a newspaper in India is certainly inspiring!

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    1. Stephen is so much perkier, I'm so relieved.
      Thank you so much, I do love it when it's warm enough to wear a dress without a coat or tights, its so lovely to feel the sunshine on my skin.
      The White Tiger is a wonderful read and the film adaptation, although not exactly the same, did the book justice. Writing with Fire is incredible, if you watch it you'll be blown away by the bravery of the women. xxx

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  13. It looks like we've been sharing weather, although unfortunately I had to work through most of it. And typically, now that I've got a week off, it has been forecasted to get much colder!
    Both your Dilli Grey frock and the Wyse, London dress are delightful, and I'm loving the Butterscotch nail paint. How wonderful to have found three unused bottles of your favourite Barry M. nail paint, as well as yet another Philippa Gregory book!
    I'm glad to hear that Stephen's first injection kicked in so soon and that he's back to his perky old self.
    Merrions Wood looks wonderful, but I'm hearing you on never having been there in spite of it being just two miles up the road. We are exactly the same!
    Aren't those Spring flowers balm for the soul. The star-shaped ones are Wood Anemones, but I'm sure someone told you already. We actually went for a walk last week just because we'd seen in passing the woods were carpeted with them! xxx

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    1. Typical, now you've broekn up the weather's taken a turn for the worse but I know you and Jos will have a wonderful time anyway.
      I love that Butterscotch nail polish, I've tried yellow before but it didn't look right, this is a much nicer shade.
      Stephen's been bouncing around like a kitten. xxx

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  14. I've started giving Sylvester a joint supplement in his food once a day after his last vet visit when it was noticed that he had some pain and stiffness in his hips. I'm glad Stephen is feeling better after his injections. We know how arthritis feels when we have it.

    It definitely looks like Spring over there. We, however had a snow storm last night so we've got a couple of inches and it's very cold and blowy today.

    You still have your fabulous Vix style vibe in your jeans and pink sneakers.

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    1. We do understand the pain of arthritis, poor cats! The jabs are brilliant if Sylvester gets any worse.
      We've got snow on the way appaarently, it's going to be very hard to go back to thermals after a week of bikinis. xxx

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  15. This post rang so many bells for me on this frigid but sunny spring day! I choose to envision myself in the quilted NATO jacket, drinking posh coffee and nibbling on a lemon muffin and watching the neighborhood ducks marching en noisy mass to the pond.

    That straw and leather "canteen" bag is a treasure! For those of us who sometimes need a cane (we feel your pain, Stephen), cross-body bags are preferable to those that literally require handling.

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    1. I can just see you in the NATO jacket, nibbling muffins and duck watching, Beth. I'd love it if you could join us! xxx

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  16. glad that the injection works on stephen - arthritis is so painful and exhausting..... (as i know tooo good).
    well done touching up the cabinet - and speaking of paint: the butterscotch nails look fab! its sunny here too - but a bikini would end in a cold here, wind still comes from an icecave. but wrapped up in wool i spent every possible hour outdoors of cause....
    xxxx

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    1. That injection made such a difference, Stephen was so quiet and much as we complain about his constant shouting, we didn't half miss it!
      I think your cold weather is on the way to us. Those bikini days have been wonderful, it's hard getting my head round needing a coat and gloves tomorrow! xxx

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  17. I love the Coast wrap dress - what a find! I also loved 'Fallen Skies;' I only read it recently. I was also so pleased to hear the adaptation of 'White Tiger' meets your approval. I feel the same about adaptations of favourite books and absolutely hate it when they get it 'wrong'.

    Poor Stephen and poor Tony! At least Stephen's injections seem to be working and I hope Tony gets over his bout of Covid soon.

    We are so lucky in this country with our amazing parks, nature reserves and other wonderful natural habitats. Your local reserve looks very interesting and how brilliant were the bat boxes?

    I loved your dresses and you do look fab in jeans! The nail polish was very aptly named - it does remind me of butterscotch Angel Delight.
    xxx

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    1. I was bullied into buying the coast dress as the volunteers made me try it on and model it for them. The colour is amazing but I think I'd need to be invited someone dead posh to do it justice!
      I might read Fallen Skies next now I've finished The Olive Farm. xxx

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  18. I quite like that butterscotch shade of nail polish - it's very elegant, like old amber. I am not used to seeing you in jeans! But you look fabulous, of course. There are so many places in my hometown I've never been to, so don't feel bad.

    Happy to hear Stephen is back to his rambunctious self. Vizzini is feeling the cold right now - he is very snuggly and wants to be under blankets.

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    1. I'd probably not have bought that Butterscotch nail paint if I'd seen it on the Barry M dispaly in Superdrug but it's lovely on. Other yellowy nail colours I've tried have been a bit wishy washy and thin.
      Stephen is bouncing around like a kitten, i think I could do with a job, too!
      There's more jeans to come, what is happening to me?! xxx

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  19. That park was another beautiful one! And I enjoyed seeing your finds!

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  20. The weather has been blummin marvellous! I'm so glad Stephen has perked up again. X

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    1. Hasn't it just? It brightened up here this afternoon but tomorrow's looking very grim.
      Stephen's so much better, that jab was well worth it! xxx

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  21. You certainly make the most of life. I love the simple pleasures you share. And what a find that Wyse dress was. X

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    1. Thanks, Jane! I do love that Wyse, London dress, one of last year's best finds! xxx

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  22. I do love a colourful washing line Vix :) You are rocking the household chores outfit! So good that Stephen is better, but why are those ducks abseiling ??? xXx

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    1. I love it when I can hang my washing out to dry, it feels like summer is on it's way! Abseiling ducks, one of Walsall's secret tourist attractions! xxx

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Lots of love, Vix