Ticket to ride

 

 

We had the most marvelous time at the weekend in Liverpool.

 

Here I am on the ferry 'cross the Mersey.

 

And this is me in the same spot in 1987.

I was 23, and wearing my boyfriend-at-the-time's cardigan and Big Hair!

 

The Pier Head buildings and skyline are fabulous.

 

We spent the weekend in the excellent company of my sister Sabena and her partner Gary.

 

 

The Royal Liver Building, and a Liver Bird relief in the Museum of Liverpool.

 

The Three Graces; the Liver Building, the Cunard Building, and the Port of Liverpool Building, part of Liverpool's World Heritage Site. 

 

 

There are new buildings to rival the splendour of the old...

and the docks are a great place to wander.

 

Statue of Billy Fury at the Albert Dock.

 

One of the Superlambananas dotted around the city.

 

 

So apart from football, what else springs to mind when you think of Liverpool?

 

(Source)

 

We braved the queue and visited The Beatles Story.

 

 

 

The kids know a surprising number of Beatles' songs and we really enjoyed the exhibition.

 Since we were staying in Chinatown, it seemed only appropriate to go for a Chinese meal.

And of course there was plenty of face-pulling and posing.

We were working on our cool album cover shots...

1960-70s Hong Kong-made maxi dress - flea market

Cardigan, denim jacket and bangles - charity shopped

Pendant - car boot

I loved the Walker Art Gallery.

Another stunning building...

...and some stunning art too.

Puck in the Sculpture Gallery.

Echo and Narcissus by John William Waterhouse.

A collection of 1970s Jean Varon dresses designed by John Bates.

Super Star Fucker by Peter Davies.

 After lunch in the brilliant Moose Coffee cafe...

 it was time to say goodbye and head for home, tired but very happy.

(PS. Next time, I'm going vintage shopping; hopefully Sandra will come with me!)

xxxxx

Written in black and white

You lot make me laugh!

I'm glad to know you are an assertive, feisty bunch who don't like being ripped off, by a charity shop or anyone else.

No, I didn't buy the items with the inflated price tags. 

Yes, I asked why they were double the price of other equivalent items.

I received a shrug as my answer.

No, I couldn't be bothered to ask to see the manager (plenty more belts and brooches in the sea of charity shops) but Oxfam, I name and shame you, and you lost a sale. I would never haggle in a charity shop, but I don't have a problem with pointing out inconsistent pricing.

 So that's that - now let's move on. 

 

I wore the same skirt two days running - an unusual event for me!

 

This skirt was on the sale rail in my local hospice charity shop - it's from the dreaded Primark, but at a quid, I thought I could justify it. 

Yesterday was sunny and hot;

 

today was not.

 

 

We have already covered the camouflaging qualities of a maxi, but they also do a great job of keeping you cool when the weather is hot, and warm when it isn't.

Yeah yeah, I know - the little polka dot vest underneath is actually navy. I thought it was black till I saw the photos. I may be a bit colour blind. Which would explain a lot.

Now having an hourglass figure with quite wide hips (no self-disparagement intended, just an honest assessment of my body shape), I apparently shouldn't wear horizontal stripes or a gathered skirt.

Styling advice for anyone considered broad, large framed, big and large, courtesy of a 1977 Jackie annual.

Hmm, well, I'm not terribly good at taking advice, so stripes and gathers it is.

 

So there.

 

Jersey maxi skirt, top, bangles, red flower - charity shopped

Sandals - retail (ancient - forgot I had them, rediscovered them in the bottom of the wardrobe)

Black flower - gift from 100% gorgeous Sarah

Red wooden bangle (I wear it to death) - gift from darling Tania

Sunglasses - Ebay

Vest, white shirt and Rocket Dog canvas flats - charity shopped

 

 I was having a bit of a shitty day today* till this arrived;

 

 

a parcel of blogger love from my dearest Clare, containing a beautiful Monsoon jacket and two chic shift dresses, and...

...this magnificent portrait of Clementine, at her sneering and sardonic bitchfaced best!

I love it all, Clare - thank you, darling!

 

 

*My shitty day?

 

We woke up this morning to find our shy sweetheart of a cat Willow had a horrendously swollen eye.

I mean horrendous - a red, inflamed third eyelid all the way across, her face puffed out, it looked as though her eye was about to explode. I'm not particularly squeamish but oh dear, it did look nasty.

I rushed her off to the vet; something has scratched her eye quite badly which has become infected - she was fine yesterday, it must have happened in the night.

 

Anyway, she has had an injection of an anti-inflammatory and painkiller, and antibiotic eyedrops,  and it's looking slightly better this evening. 

 

But I have learnt that cats - much like children - do not like eye drops.

 

And I am supposed to put lubricating drops in her eye 6-8 times a day, as well as the antibiotics.

 

She is not a happy girl, and neither am I.

 

The 2-hourly eye drops meant no volunteering at school today, and more importantly, no Chesterfield tomorrow - disaster!

 

Hopefully Willow will be back to normal soon.

 

Cats - they are more trouble than the kids!

 

   xxxx

 

 

 

Give us bread, but give us roses

So I have been pondering a question - public art or public services?

In the summer, we made our annual visit to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, where modern and contemporary sculptures are displayed in beautiful parkland. You can wander among the sheep,  the Henry Moores and other pieces, get up close and touch them, and there are changing displays and exhibitions.

It's a great place to go with kids, plenty of space for running and cavorting, and interesting quirky art to stimulate their imaginations.

I love it there.

Wearing my recycled sari skirt, a gift from darling Vix.

So here are some pics from the summer, to give you an idea of what's on offer.

We were all completely fascinated by the giant sexy rabbit ladies!

I thought Krista would like the pink shed!

The sculpture of the woman (above right, with my girls) is a Henry Moore called Draped Seated Woman, and very lovely she is too.

Moore sold her to London City Council in the 1960s for below her value, with the intention that she should be on public display in a deprived area, and she lived in Tower Hamlets until the 1990s, when vandalism and the demolition of the estate where she was situated prompted her move to Yorkshire, Moore's home county.

Tower Hamlets now want her back, and it has been decided that the sculpture, worth up to an estimated £20m, will be sold to offset some of the council's budget cuts which will effect public services in this poor area of London.

There are numerous articles online which tell the story, including this one.

So back to my question - art or services? Sculpture or social housing?

I don't know the answer. My head says money to help vulnerable people matters more. My heart feels sad. I want there to be the funding and the will to provide both. Is that naive?

What do you think?

Is it frivolous to show you what I was wearing today?

Well, maybe. 

But I think it's possible to be an intelligent, thinking woman and still appreciate a new frock, don't you?

Late 1970s-early 80s dress - Ebay

Blue top, belt, boots, bangles, wool hat and silk scarf - charity shopped

Life would be considerably poorer without creativity, artistic expression, and giant lady bunnies.

  xxxx

Day Tripper

I've been blogging for a year now (I missed my first anniversary, it was while I was ill in September) and the process has brought about some developments and changes for me.

One of these has been the unexpected delight of making new friends. 

 

Not just I make a nice comment on your blog, you make a nice comment on mine virtual acquaintances - I mean proper meeting-in-the-flesh, Skyping, hilarious emailing, gift-exchanging, you-really-get-me friends.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yesterday I went off to the vintage blogging centre of the UK, Walsall, to catch up with my dear friends Vix and Clare, and meet Em and Dee for the first time.

 

If you get the chance to meet up with other bloggers, do it - they don't disappoint!

 

It may sound like a cliche, but after you've "met" through blogging, meeting for real is just like catching up with someone you already know. It felt as though I had known Dee and Em for ages, they are engaging and funny and kind and chatty, everything you want in a pal!

 

 

 

Second to None, rapidly becoming the most famous vintage shop in the country, never disappoints either.

 

Dee was so dedicated to rummaging among the handbags , she risked life and limb up on the steps, while Clare and Vix worked their way through the day dresses, and Em found an armful of vintage goodies to try on.

Style Chameleon Vix - a Sergeant Pepper gold and purple velvet coat one minute, a 1960s turban-style hat the next!

Coffees, curry, vintage and charity shopping, all accompanied by lots of chat and lots of laughs - sounds good, doesn't it? 

It was!

 

I really enjoyed our visit to Walsall's art gallery too.

Yes, but is it art, darling?

Damien Hirst's Away from the Flock, a lamb suspended in a case of formaldehyde, made me feel sad; the Stonehenge-inspired installation made me feel non-plussed; and many of the paintings and sculptures made me feel delighted and inspired.

It was fabulous to meet up with these gorgeous, friendly, funny women, and many thanks to darling Vix for hosting yet another Walsall-based outing! You can see her account of our day here.

And what did I buy? 

 

This rather delicious 1960s paisley dress with a cute keyhole neck.

Groovy, baby!

Yeah, I came over a bit hippy-dippy chick... You can see where Littlest gets her face-pulling inspiration!

1960s dress - Second to None, Walsall

Cape - flea market

Beret - gift

Boots - Ebay

Brooch, flower and lurex tights - charity shopped

 

 

 

 

And while I'm on the subject of fabulous blogger friends, look what the wonderfully talented Joni has made for me!

EEK! I've been immortalised as a Calligram!

 

This image is on Joni's art blog here, and she is working on a fashion series, starting here.

 

Joni, you are amazing, I'm so honoured and delighted, I can't tell you!

See what I mean about blogging buddies? They are bloody brilliant!

Hair cut and root retouch for me tomorrow, about time...

Have a great weekend, whatever you're up to!

    xxx