Balance is the key

On Friday, while the older two kids were out with friends, Littlest and I had an afternoon of pottering about in our local area.

Yes, I do have an existence outside of my garden, really I do.

First stop - lunch in our lovely local French-Turkish cafe, Des Amies.

Beautiful lights.

And Littlest blowing you all a big kiss. At least I think that's what she's doing.

We walked past the Abbeydale Picture House, a wonderful Art Deco building, once a thriving palace of entertainment.

My next-door-neighbour remembers folk queuing round the block to get in in the 1950s and 60s. It housed not only a cinema, but a tea room, billiard hall and ballroom with a sprung dance floor, and was the place to be seen.

Now it is sadly in a state of disrepair. It was sold last year, and apparently there are plans to turn the Grade II listed building into an indoor climbing venue.

Abbeydale Road is part of Sheffield's Antiques Quarter, with a fair few shops selling secondhand goods, antiques and collectables.

There is an eclectic mix of fancy cafes and delis, a variety of restaurants and takeaways, continental grocers, charity shops, florists, shops catering for those with money for upmarket interior decor, an artisan bakery, and a salvage/reclamation yard.

After a while, Littlest needed another pit stop (and a wee), so we called in at Bragazzi's cafe and deli for a drink and a chat.

Shades of a million Instagram pics!


It did occur to me as I was editing these photos and making collages that it is easy to skew reality. I could make our area look rather gentrified and bohemian, when actually there are boarded up premises and plenty of down-at-heel traders and pawn brokers in the mix too.

There is the obligatory graffiti and dog shit. The River Sheaf, although healthy enough to have resident ducks, brown trout and a visiting heron, is hardly the most picturesque of waterways.


But that's life, isn't it? A mixture of the interesting, dirty, useful and useless, ridiculous, disappointing and beautiful.

On our way home, we stopped to admire these metal fence panels.

They aren't gates, though they look as though they should be. They are set in the wall which fences off the scrubby, litter-strewn bank leading up to the railway line. It's not a road many people walk along, and I have no idea why these ornamental pieces are there or who made them.

But they are an unexpectedly lovely surprise.

I guess balance is the key.

It's not always something I find easy to achieve.

1960-70s suede jerkin - Second to None
1970s Dereta cotton velvet maxi skirt - Ebay
Top, wool hat, necklace and bracelet - charity shopped
Bundle of bangles - gift from dearest Tania



Finding beauty and satisfaction in small things is also good.

The basket of My Little Ponies stayed in the charity shop; the plate, handkerchief vase and blouse came home with me.

 

Hope your weekend has been a delightful blend of many good things! 

  xxxx