Wednesday, 25 March 2026

Mile High Club


 Good afternoon! After only swimming once last week, on Monday we visited one of the borough's other pools, going back today as the technical issues at the Gala show no signs of being sorted and, as usual, I'm basking in my post- one-mile swim euphoria.


Faced with trepidation I wore my comfort blanket aka my beloved 1970s Pakistani kaftan, bought from eBay eight years ago and still as vibrant and beautiful as ever. Wearing this I feel ready for anything!



Tuesday was a morning spent pottering and, with all our tasks ticked off the list, we headed over to Birmingham to visit a couple of our regular chazzas.


After last week's False Spring it was back to the Winter layers. I've been on this planet for almost 60 years and I'm not daft enough to pack away anything just because the calendar says it's spring. If you've been following me for a while you'll be familiar with my vintage 1960s Indian velvet maxi dress, green wide brimmed hat and my witchy sleeved velvet jacket, like old friends they emerge from the depths of my wardrobe year in and year out.

We snaffled a few decent bits for the Kinky rails and I was delighted to find the Cancer UK bookshelves groaning with "uncorrected proof" paperbacks (books sent out by publishers for review). Many years ago I had a journalist friend who edited the literary section of a well respected broadsheet but he couldn't keep up with all the books he was sent so used to pass them on to me to review, my name never appeared in the paper but I used get a real kick from seeing my thoughts in print!


Jon loves Pendleton and adores tea so he was pleased to spot this large Pendleton mug for £1...it passes his exacting standards and retails at £30....I'd better take care when I do the washing up!


Look at last night's rainbow! That's no filter, the sky was positively golden when we were eating our tea and shortly after that vision of gorgeousness we had the most atrocious storm which went on for most the night.


For this morning's swim I wore my vintage 1960s Mythical Beasts maxi dress by Shubette of London, last seen worn whilst swanning around Rome (HERE). My roots were shocking, hence the reason I kept my cap on in the house (Jon's just redone them!)


The weather continues to be all over the place. This afternoon we've had hail, gale force winds and snow. I swear the magnolia tree is a bit stupid, it waits for the worst day possible to burst into flower.


I listed a dress on Vinted that I wore on repeat a few years ago but wasn't feeling it any more. I managed to sell it for the price I bought it for and this is how I spent my takings..on Vinted, of course!


An All About Audrey recycled sari dress, still with the tags attached (the seller bought the wrong size and left it too late to return).


A spectacular 1960s cotton velvet maxi skirt from Dollyrockers.



Although they aren't generally great for those of us with arthritic joint pain, I've wanted some of these Converse x Missoni since they came out 12 years ago and at £7 I couldn't resist. I shall buy a pair of insoles and see how I get on (I can always relist them if I can't walk in them). 


A Kuchi pendant and a vintage velvet bag, handmade by the seller. 

This week we've been watching Danish cop drama The Pushover on Channel 4's Walter Presents, which was pretty good although the constant ad breaks drove us to distraction. 

Its rum night tonight and I'm not sure whether to start Taylor Sheridan's new series, The Madison or watch a film instead although, after today's early swim, there's always the chance one of us will fall asleep in front of the TV!

See you soon! 


38 comments:

  1. I haven't found an adequate swim option. Summer the public pool will open and I can bring pup along to do day trips to the lake where swimming is divine. I don't swim and still fall asleep watching things past 9:00, but I might trying to get my day started earlier too. As usual, your shop and Vinted finds are classy abd full on Vix. Great tea mug!

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    1. I love the sound of your lake swim, Sam. Two out our four council pools are currently out of action, terrible timing as the kids have broken up for the Easter holidays, it's going to be chaos tomorrow morning! Xxx

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  2. Ah, I really need to swim! It's been too long! The times don't quite work for me and you have to prebook which I'm not good at! I hope to go in the holidays!
    Your new purchases are great! I like the colour of the Audrey dress! The books look really interesting! That's very cool about your reviews!

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    1. I hope you get to go swimming over the holidays, Kezzie. I don't think I'd fancy having to pre-book, it takes the fun out of going having to be organised like that! X

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  3. It sounds terrible but our public pools have tiny parking lots and are too far to walk. They also have a very high rate of locker thefts.

    It's day two of third winter. Snowed all day and it's the fluffy stuff which is wet and heavy. Our youngest is driving home this weekend and has to cross the Rockies. He'll break his trip at his Granny's house rather do the entire drive in one day. It's still 14 hours from his Grans.

    I honestly didn't know Pendelton did coffee mugs.

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    1. I hope your boy managed to get home safely, I don't envy you that weather.
      Your swimming pool facilities don't sound great. I'm not too happy about having to rely on the car to get us to the pool, as a non-driver it means I can't go unless Jon takes me.
      The leisure centre we're now using is in the area locally known as "The Lost City", with tattered Chinese-made St George's flags hanging at half mast from lampposts, I did think the pool was going to be full of knuckledraggers but thankfully not!
      Jon's very happy with that mug. I keep getting Pendleton adverts pop up in my Facebook feed, gorgeous stuff but way out of our price range! Xx

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  4. I love all of these outfits!
    I always like your Shorts on YouTube and it is great being able to see the outfit in more details.

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  5. I had to look up Pendleton as it is a village not too far from us and I could not for the life of me think that there was a pottery there - bit of googling and I have been set straight!! haha, definitely not local.
    We've had yet another late flush of winter complete with snow *yay* but today so far although cold looks beautiful!

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    1. Is that the village connected with the 17th century witch trials? I bet the American Pendleton was named by British settlers.
      I must admit, frost and snow do make everything look beautiful although after 10 days of it earlier this year I'd be happy not to have any more! xxx

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  6. That velvet dress is lovely. I am fond of velvet! The weather has been crazy hasn’t it? Yesterday I popped out for petrol (before the prices go up yet again), it was sunny when I left the house then by the time I got a mile down the road there was a violent hail storm. Crazy xxx

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    1. I love velvet, too - one of the joys of Winter dressing! Jon filled Patrice up the day before he decided to trade him in and had to syphon off the tank, he looked very dodgy with his hose at 7am! xxx

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  7. Ooooh the All About Audrey dress is stunning! I've been very tempted by their clothing but very rarely buy newly made clothes because I do worry about the fit & quality.... I see you have a number of their pieces which always look so wonderful on you, so I'm really tempted to see if I can find any on Vinted! Rachael x

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    1. Thanks, Rachael! I really like All About Audrey, most of my collection was bought from Vinted but I've been really happy with the garments I've bought directly from them. The wrap tops are so useful and work brilliantly with vintage pieces. They do pop up on Vinted regularly and All About Audrey sell on there, too - occasionally selling seconds at greatly reduced prices, so well worth following. xxx

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  8. Oh, I hope the nearby pool gets fixed soon. Soo many lovely finds! Adoring your outfits. You are so inspiring. I love that bag, as well. Thanks for being here! Thank you for your comments! I hope the rest of March goes well for you. Stay the beautiful you 💗

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    1. Thanks so much, Ellie! I'm keeping everything crossed that the pool reopens next week, I'm missing my walk there an back and looking around the charity shops on the way home! xxx

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  9. The False Spring is so cruel lol I layer year round so it’s on with another two, take one off - I love my velvets so it’s no problem to keep them out for now! We had a morning of hail squalls followed by snow yesterday - all gone by lunch - but mesmerising watching great curtains of weather come and go. Today is beautiful but we are housebound waiting for the Openreach engineer to update our fibre and take the landline out and our Panda is having his MOT - bless his slightly rusty undercarriage.

    You did so well on the swag - that Dollyrockers skirt is divine - as are the Missoni Converse (I hope they fit - nothing more gutting, as I’m finding out going through my clothes at the mo). Love the kuchi pendant - I’m going to take a couple of necklaces (the ones with the coins that flip about and drive me mad) and rethread the box onto some cord - I’m not wearing them so I need to do something or move them on.

    Missing wearing my bangles (one arm crutch, woot!) but I can’t bear the thought of just wearing them on one arm lol - got to be piled on in pairs.

    Elaine Anon

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    1. I hope everything got fixed, Elaine! You were lucky to get the BT and Panda appointments on the same day and only had to be housebound once!
      The weather is nuts at the moment, when the sun's out it glorious and then next thing you know is having to chase down the road after a hat blown off in a freak gust of wind or running for shelter from the hail!
      I've never seen a Dollyrockers garment in velvet before, I'm dying to wear that skirt. I've stuck some gel insoles into the Converse so shall give them a test run this week (if its not too wet!)
      I'm liking your ideas for the coin necklace. You inspired me to make Liz a necklace using some broken Kuchi and Indian necklaces I've been hoarding for years for her birthday, she loved it!
      I can't wear just one bangle, either - its all or nothing! xxx

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  10. I LOVE the Dollyrockers skirt and the velvet bag, and I hated the day I realised that I could no longer wear Converse, even with insoles. :-(

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    1. Thanks, Sue! I hope I can wear these Converse, they're too flat on their own but I'm hoping the gel insoles work for me! xxx

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  11. That vintage velvet dress is so beautiful, I love the outfit. It looks fantastic on you. I'm almost glad it got cold again so I could see it. :)

    The rainbow sky is magical.

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  12. Hi Vix, love seeing your Pakistan vintage kaftan coming out for an airing! I had a lovely swim yesterday despite the cold outside, took some willpower to get there but well worth it, going again tomorrow. I love magnolia, didn't know you had one. They must like the cold! I had a wardrobe turnout today, things that don't do it for me any more that will prob go on Vinted. Im looking out for a Sezanne chunky heart/bead necklace - unlikely to find one on Ebay/Vinted, but you never know, my dress sales will go towards it maybe. The Boy with the Topknot - It rings a bell, I will look out for it at the library - will be interested to know what you think. It's brass monkies here but were heading to the allotments for a few rum and coke with other plot holders, we will have the log burner going and huddle in the shelter we made. Cheers! Betty

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    1. Thanks, Betty! I'm always surprised when I see a photo of myself in that kaftan, it's so comfy to wear I donlt expect it to look so good!
      I hope you had a good time with the lottie gang and your rum and cokes!
      I'm glad you managed a swim. The number of times we walk down to the pool in torrential rain or bitter cold and ask ourselves what we think we're doing and immediately change our minds once we get into the water!
      I love having an incentive to sell some clothes. I'll often buy something on Vinted then run upstairs and pull out something I can sell for the same price as the item I've just bought. I don't know those necklaces so I shall investigate!
      the Boy with The TopKnot was such a good read, a sad but fascinating insight into a family's struggle with mental illness with lots of interesting insights into Sikhism and Punjabi traditions. xxx

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  13. As always you look amazing
    Wednesday marked three years since Tony died - so a quiet day -
    Our daughter had to defend her Phd thesis ( viva ) the day before his anniversary - terrible timing . I was so anxious for her
    She passed and is now Dr Rosie
    We went charity shopping today to celebrate
    Siobhan

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    1. Hello Siobhan! Well done, Dr Rosie, how proud you must be. I'm sorry she had to jump through the hoops at such a sad time. I hope you managed to find a gem in he charity shops. Xxxx

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  14. Oh my! That rainbow looks absolutely gorgeous. We've been experiencing all four seasons in one day here, recently. X

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    1. That rainbow was too pretty not to capture. It's vile here today, hail, high winds and cruel temperatures, I'm not venturing out! X

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  15. Loving the vintage velvet bag. Flippin' Baltic up here despite the sunshine! Clocks go back this weekend just to add to the confusion! Happy weekend.xxx

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    1. Clocks go forward! Confusion reigns!!

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    2. Clocks go forward! Confusion reigns!!

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    3. Those few warm days we had last week feel like a dim and distant memory now! I remembered the hour just before I got into bed and changed my alarm clock straightaway!
      Fancy that seller going to the trouble of making that lovely bag and selling it for £6! Xxx

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  16. Buff el tiempo totalmente invernal, que largo se hace.
    Una belleza tus vestidos. Coche nuevo para nosotros un kia Niro hibrido, ojalá salga tan bueno como los anteriores y nos dure otros 20 años. La taza de Jon es preciosa, Un saludo
    Blanca

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    1. ¡Feliz coche nuevo, Blanca! ¡Espero que te dé muchos años de conducción feliz y fiable! Este invierno se me hace eterno, ¡tengo muchísimas ganas de que llegue el calor y el sol! xxx

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  17. I love that dark, Indian velvet dress on you. It's so beautiful.

    Your weather sounds similar to the weather here in Melbourne. Rainbows and storms! X

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    1. Thanks, Jess! Spring is such a frustrating month for weather, just when we think Springs here it goes and snows on us!! X

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  18. That handmade vintage bag is so pretty.

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Lots of love, Vix