Friday, 1 May 2026

The Darling Buds of May


May already! Where on earth has this year gone? 


On Wednesday we skipped our post-swim Spoons breakfast as we'd arranged to meet Tony in there for lunch and much as I like Walsall Wetherspoons, visiting twice in one day might give us a bit of a reputation.


It was the first time I'd worn this All About Audrey recycled silk maxi dress. I'd been watching it on Vinted for months and snapped the sellers hand off when she offered me a substantial discount. It still had the original tags attached. 

 
 I reinvested some of the proceeds from the charity-shopped Clarks boots which I sold on Vinted. As I already own a pair of these boots in velvet (from their collab with Liberty) I knew these Hudson beauties (handcrafted in Portugal) would be comfy....and they were and, of course, navy blue with orange is the perfect combo. 


We spent six hours in Spoons, getting back home in time to start watching the final season of Fargo.
 


We'd been dreading Thursday as William was due at the vets for his annual boosters and he's the world's worst traveller. He was furious at not being fed and aunched himself at me whilst I was doing my Wii Fit workout, biting my leg! 


Miraculously we managed to get him there and back without incident. The vet, a young woman we'd not met before, was very pleased with his overall health but said that he was overweight and needed to lose half a kilo. No more fresh chicken or treats!


I wore the co-ord featuring a Mucha print of Sarah Bernhardt which I'd made from a tatty vintage Sears kaftan last year.


My profits from my Clarks boots didn't just cover the Hudson boots, they also paid for these Adidas Vs Nizza high top flatforms which felt like I was walking on air when we did our Vinted parcel drop off.





I started reading All The Light That We Couldn't See, demolishing a third of it before tea (what a stunning read). Later we watched a couple more episodes of Fargo with a break for Race Across The World in between.


Today (Friday) kicked off with an early morning swim followed by a Spoons breakfast and I was delighted to discover that their avocado muffins with pico de gallo, a poached egg and a rocket salad were back on the menu. 


After a mooch around the charity shops we headed home. I snaffled a handful of interesting things for the Kinky shed, a lovely 1980s Indian rayon midi skirt by Flowers, a pair of vintage red glittery jazz shoes, still stuffed with their original tissue paper and a lurex turban trimmed with rhinestones.


Our magnificent Laburnum burst into bloom this week...


One of our geraniums, Little Monster, flowered this morning,


As did the Bearded Iris.


Before changing into a bikini for an afternoon of basking in the sunshine, I wore this vintage block printed Indian cotton maxi dress and this gorgeous 1960s Indian embroidered jacket, both found on Vinted during the winter. The dress was £4 and the top, which had been listed for almost 2 years, wasn't much more. 




I was joined in the garden by next door's feisty tabby, Kitty.


I can't believe how quickly Fridays roll round. Jon's currently blasting out a couple of his latest vintage vinyl finds, Come Inside (Feedback Max) by Thompson Twins and Back A Yard by The In Crowd while I slice up the limes ready for our rum and colas. (Chin chin!!)

Thanks for reading and have a fabulous weekend!

32 comments:

  1. Gosh, your garden is so much further on than mine, what a difference a couple of hundred miles makes.

    Most envious of your laburnum, I lost mine about 10 years ago in a drought :-{

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    1. Isn't it weird? There's a couple of gardens in the next street who are weeks ahead of us, they've had poppies for a fortnight!
      That's so sad about your laburnam, I love looking at it from the bedroom, it makes the garden look like it's bathed in sunshine. xxx

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  2. A solution to not going to Spoons twice would be to just stay...theres a good reputation. I read All the Light... practically in one sitting-so good. Poor William, but glad he had TLC from vet. He's joined pup in no extra treats.

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    1. Haha! I did think of doing that, sam, staying in Spoons for a 12 hour session!
      All The Light wsa incredible, so easy to read and somethibg that will stay with me for a long time.
      I hope Pup's being better about his lack of treats than William is, he's very cross about it! xxx

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  3. Ooh, nice flowers from the garden with great names!
    oooooh, drooling over that charity shopped skirt- I'd totally buy that!!! The Spoons food looks good!
    Your Laburnam is really pretty. I sold my Hudson boots to another cosplayer- they just didn't quite fit me. I think I might get rid of most of my Clara shoes as I don't really enjoy wearing most of them! Wish I hadn't bothered buying them but there we are!
    Oh dear, getting cats to vets- eek!!
    Well done on the orange Audrey dress! I really would like one of their velvet wrap tops!

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    1. Thanks, Kezzie! I didn't really need that geranuim but the name was too good not to!
      I find Hudson boots really comfy, about the only pair I can tolerate with a thin sole, I'm much beter with platforms as they are less impactful on the hip.
      You ought to buy one of the AA velvet wreap tops, I don't regret splurging on mine! xxx

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  4. Our tulips have just broken through the earth! I think the Hydranga and Plum Tree survived the winter. The Rowan is looking rough and may have to be taken out.

    I've started some sunflowers off and 5 out of the 10 I planted have broken through! So I'm hopefull they will make it to being planted.

    Our 16 year old little fox faced Spitz is doing well. The 5kg Princess had us worried as she lost 500 grams when we were in Spain. Her dogtor was concerned and she's ben having monthly weigh ins. She's regained 250 grams. We could tell he was worried because of her Cancer a couple of years ago.

    Are you still wearing your Lottas? Mine are finally out of the closet. They were banned during the Achilles issues.

    Enjoy the weather!

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    1. Spring is finally on the way! I'm not sure I could cope with living in your part of the world, I moan enough with our relatively short and mild winters. I love sunflowers and did really well growing them during lockdown, I ought to give them another go, they made all my neighbours very happy!
      Your Spitz is 16?! You must be superb dog parents, that's agreat age, isn't it? I'm glad your little one is gaining weight. I wish I could send you some of William's excess lbs!!
      I tried my closed in Lottas recently and they didn't hurt my feet. I keep meaning to try my Lotta sandals, maybe a day when I'm at home just in case they cripple me! I bet you're loving wearing yours again! xxx

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  5. Wow your orange AAA dress is stunning! My favourite colour and if it was my size I would mug you for it :) I have decided to follow your example and wear my nicest things whenever I want (not just for holidays), lifes too short to keep stuff for 'best'. Your laburnum tree is beautiful. We have the opposite prob with Mollie, she's small and borderline underweight at 3.2 kg but has always been around that mark and often regurgitates food due to anxiety so I have to make sure I 'top her up'. Your flatform trainers look nice, and comfy. We're off to Corfu in a week and Im focused on comfy footwear, my lottas will be coming with me. Betty

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    1. I knew you'd approve of that AAA dress, Betty, knowing your love of orange! Another on ein the same style popped up a day later for £8...the colours are even brighter, Jon's got no chance of losing me!
      Fancy you have the opposite problem with little Mollie. I love cats, each one is totally different.
      Thaose flatforms are wonderfully bouncy although I've had to invest in a £3 shoehorn as I'm really struggling to get them on with my misbehaving hip!
      I haven't tried my Lotta sandals yet, the closed in ones are still confy on my arthritic toes but I think I'll probbaly stick to my velcro-fastening Tevas when we eventually book a Greek escape, just to be on the safe side! xxx

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  6. Oh wow, I love that two-piece outfit with the Mucha print, it looks fantastic on you!

    William really bit your leg... take good care of yourself while you put him on a diet. :D

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    1. Thanks so much, Andrea!
      William is such a bad boy, he looks like a housecat but he's still got his streetfighting spirit! xxx

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  7. Love the All About Audrey maxi dress. Those sleeves are eye catching and elegant. I read All the Light We Cannot See quite a while ago and really thought it was a good read. Poor William. It's tough being a cat, sometimes. He's as handsome as ever. Ranee

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    1. Thanks, Rae! It is a shame for William, he's got into a routine with his treats and fresh chicken, we've created a monster! I loved The Light That We Cannot See, so beautifully written and haunting. xxx

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  8. So lovely outfits, so inspiring summery vibes!. Even if I love that 'Mucha' print, my favourite one has been that orange AllAboutAudrey dress, what a fabulous dress and also fabulous colour, you rock it!
    Glad that you managed to take William to the vet and back without incidents!, he doesn't look so vindictive in the photos!, what a character!. But he's so handsome!
    besos

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    1. Thanks so much, Monica! I didn't realise just how bright that Audrey dress was when I bought it, Jon says it almost shimmers, it's so vibrant! xxx

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  9. Oh crikey! Did you have the bite looked at? I worry for your leg! Book recommendation, Four Winds by Kristin Hannah. Keep your hankies close!xxx

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    1. Don't worry, he's only got two of his fangs left so it's more like a suck than a bite really1 He's such a bad cat! Thanks for that recommendation, duly noted! I know we like the same books! xxx

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  10. I love what you did with that maxi, turning it into a top and a skirt. Simply ingenious!

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    1. And I also wonder where the time has flown by. I can't believe it is May already.

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    2. Happy to hear that you managed to get him to the new vet. I love how vets always spot the weight thing, I I never notice. No more treats for him. Do you think he got away with it because black is slimming?

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    3. I hadto giggle at your "black being slimming" comment, Ivana! i think you're right! Poor William, he's missing his treats! xxx

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    4. Yes, supposedly black is slimming. :) I remember one actress saying she never goes to the gym, she just wears black when she gains weight:):).

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  11. Hi Vix, it's great to see some sunshine at last and to bring out some summer favourites from our capacious wardrobes and to invest in some new choice pieces. I particularly like the 1960s Indian embroidered jacket. I am amazed that nobody had bought it before, it looks beautuful. As others have commented the new All About Audrey dress is rather special. I am glad it has found a suitable new owner in you. Do you feel that way when you sell a particularly special dress to a customer? X

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    1. Hello Alysia! I do get a real thrill when I sell lovely clothes to deserving people, its so much more rewarding doing it at fairs and festivals, too then you really see how excited they are.
      I can't believe that jacket was on Vinted for so long. The photos were lovely and it was well described, too. It must have been fate that I spotted it. xxx

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  12. I can't believe it's May already either, but then again most of this year has passed me by.
    Orange and navy blue are one of my favourite colour combos - I'm actually wearing these today. Those high top flatforms do look the epitome of comfort and I'm rather partial to that lurex turban!
    Poor William! Travelling and having to go a diet as well ...
    I absolutely loved All The Light That We Cannot See, one of my favourites ever. xxx

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    1. Fancy us both being attracted to orange and navy this week. They do seen to work together beautifully!
      I can't believe William's almost doubled in wright since he arrived three years ago, he eats like a horse, I shouldn't be surprised really!
      All The Light That We Cannot See was incredible, I loved it. xxx

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  13. The last season of Fargo is great.. esp Juno. Love the two piece set.

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    1. Juno was amazing, I think season 5 might have been my favourite! xxx

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  14. The weather has been glorious on some days hasn’t it? I just wish it would be consistent, I put my washing out this morning and had to bring it in out of the drizzle this afternoon! I love those Clark’s boots xxx

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    1. We only had a bit of rain on saturday night, it's been surprising good for a bank holiday here! xxx

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  15. I love Thompson Twins! Naughty William biting you! We are eyeing Barnabas as he's getting a bit chunky, but are trying not to fat-shame him. I love the laburnum! I saw so much of it out here, and irises too!

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Lots of love, Vix