My baby's got a face like a long wet Sunday

The weather is chilly, the evenings are getting darker, but the onset of autumn doesn't have to mean a lack of colour, does it?

So the hair has had a russet-y boost...

...and my collection of tights (does a huge bag full of tights count as a collection? I don't see why not) is coming back into its own.

And before I went to the hairdressers, I wore this floral beauty, a gift from darling Helga...

...along with these boots, a recent rediscovery. 

I found myself browsing Ebay for tan ankle/work boots to wear with my skirts and dresses, just to roughen up the feminine edges a bit. 

But I had these Clarks boots all along.

They are years old, cast aside to the bottom of the wardrobe for the annoying habit of making any socks I wore with them wrinkle their way down my feet. 

I had forgotten all about them. But they will do nicely, and wearing them with tights gets around the Disappearing Sock Issue. Result!

I need a bloody good sort through my stuff, there may be all manner of items which could have a new lease of life, if only I knew they were there...

1980-90s dress - gift from heavenly Helga

Cardigan, bangles and tights  - charity shopped

Boots and necklace - retail (sale, ancient)

Oh, how the hair needed cutting.

And just look how much the red had faded up to a light coppery colour.

Kew top, Gap skirt, M&S tights, necklace and bangles - charity shopped

1960-70s suede jerkin - gift from Lady Lucy (Dinner, that is)

The jerkin saves me from being a totally high street whore/bore, but at least it was all acquired in charity shops.

Raindrops on roses...

...and whiskers on kittens.

I have been trying my hand at applications for jobs lately. 

I can't go on being an unemployed layabout forever, so I thought some weekend retail hours might work for me, then I wouldn't have to shell out all my meagre wages in childcare costs.

Various stores were advertising for casual Christmas staff, and I reckoned I might stand a chance. You know, being a mature and sensible person with many years of work, paid and voluntary, behind me.

It seems not. Not even shortlisted. Oh.

Although I do have a telephone interview with Debenhams* next week.

Well, at least I don't have to worry about what to wear. Just what the hell to say.

*For non-UK folk, Debenhams is a department store selling mainly clothing, cosmetics and homewares.

So despite my initial optimism, I am feeling a little deflated.

If I was an animal, I'd look like this.

I know - a random photo of a capybara. But isn't he gorgeous? 

We saw him in the summer, when we visited the Yorkshire Wildlife Park. I had forgotten to charge my camera battery, so this is one of the only pics from the day. 

We are off to town for an meal with the kids - they have chosen Italian, and that is just fine and dandy with me!

Buon appetito!

xxxxx

You're looking good, just like a snake in the grass

The UK continues to have hot weather, so I thought I should turn up the temperature too.

Red dress and red hair!

Which makes this my contribution to Jane's Shiny T Tuesday link up - red on red.

My hairdresser Kirsty thought she detected that I was bored, so she suggested a brighter colour.

I love it - even though I know red fades like mad so it won't stay as shiny and vibrant as this for long.

I have had some funny comments on the school run of late.

One mum gave me a raking gaze from head to toe and back again, then said you're not afraid of colour, are you?

Indeed not - why should I be?

Heights, bad things happening to my children, and terminal illness. These things scare me. Not colours.

Another mum suggested I start a style blog. 

Consider it done.

And the lollipop lady was the person who inevitably sang Lady in Red to me today.

I knew someone would.

Although to be fair, I have an annoying habit of singing lines from songs sparked off by things people say.

It drives the kids bonkers.

Some people think I'm bonkers, but I just think I'm free.

See?

Child: Can I have some money...

Me [sings]: I've got the brains, you've got the looks, let's make lots of money...

Child:  ...for a disco ticket?

Me [sings]: D.I.S.C.O. She is D (Desirable)...

Child: Well, can I?

Me [sings]: Well make a stand for your man, honey, try to can the can...

Child: Stop it, mum.

Me [sings]: You'd better stop, before you tear me all apart...

Child: Muuuuum!

Annoying. 

I know.

Can't stop it.

1970-80s Shubette dress, striped vest, sunglasses, belt and bangles - charity shopped

Sandals - Ebay

Necklace - retail (sale)

Willow update:

I took her to the vet again today. Her eye is much less swollen (it actually looks like an eye again, which can only be good) but it is still cloudy and the pupil is not dilating properly . So we have yet more antibiotic eyedrops, and also eyedrops to dilate the pupil.

That's five doses of eyedrops to be administered every day, which can't be given at the same time.

Five.

One two three four five senses working overtime...

She hates it. She hates us. 

She may lose the sight in that eye but the vet is more optimistic that the eye itself can stay put.

On a cheerier note, I pinched these photos of the Mad Men party from my friend's Facebook page.

Didn't we look glamorous?

And the post title?

My Other Half's usual compliment to me is to say looking good, Big M (not a flattering nickname, but I ignore that bit).

To which the obvious response is you're looking good, just like a snake in the grass.

Don't pretend you didn't recognise a bit of ELO - they're not cool, but then neither am I!

And if you can sing all the other lyrics too, you get a Gold Star and my undying love. And affection.

xxxx

Sheffield Sunday

 
  A lazy day is in order today, I think.

Apart from ironing the kids' school uniform and the customary drill of swimming lessons, that is.

And I suppose I'll have to cook some dinner later...

That's OK.

It's been a good weekend.

We took the kids out for a curry for tea on Friday. It took some perseverance but they finally all like something at our local Indian restaurant. This is useful, because it is situated at the end of our road, and OH and I do love our curries!

Littlest likes to run ahead and ask for a table, she is quite a favourite with one of the waiters who always shakes her hand and calls her "my friend".

On Saturday, I had my hair cut and coloured, always a joy.

I popped into a vintage fair at the Town Hall and might have made a small purchase or two...

And the man and I went out for the evening too!

Velvet jacket, cardigan, necklace, bangles and sequin beret - charity shopped

T-shirt and gloves - retail

Vintage carpet bag - flea market

Royal Worcester bone china brooch - car boot

1970s velvet maxi skirt and faux fur collar - awesome gifts from my awesome friend Sarah

Boots - Ebay

We went to see guitar maestro, folk-rock hero and all-round uncategorisable musical genius, Richard Thompson.

It's the fourth time I have seen him play live, the first being when I was a student in 1984.

How can that possibly be nearly 30 years ago?

If I were to draw a Venn diagram representing people at the Girls Aloud gig on Monday and those seeing Richard Thompson last night, I suggest the overlap would be very small.

Singular, in fact.

Me.

As we sat in our seats prior to the start, OH said he had seen someone he knew from work.

"Which one is he?" I asked.

"He's over there, " said OH, pointing, "he's balding with grey hair."

This was a description which fitted the majority of the men in the audience, so it didn't narrow things down much...

Hey, we're all getting older. 

If my darling hairdresser didn't work her magic on me, I'd be grey too, though not balding, thankfully.

Anyway, the gig was great. I loved it, along with all the other ageing audience members.

 I go through phases of posting Youtube clips, have you noticed?

I do tend to watch the videos other bloggers post, though they may not always be to my taste, and it does take time. But I like to hear new music and it's interesting to find out what my blog friends are into.

If you fancy watching, here is RT on cynical, angry, rocking form with Dad's Gonna Kill Me (2007) and showing his softer, wistful and more lyrical acoustic side on Salford Sunday (2013).

With a career spanning 45 years and 40 albums, there is a lot of music from which to select examples!

Hope you have had good weekends where you are! 

I'll be linking up over at Patti's Visible Monday as usual.

  xxx

 
   

         

Random abandon

I wish I was one of those women who could afford to go to the hairdressers every month.

I love my hairdresser, Kirsty, and I love sitting there drinking coffee and chatting and flicking through ridiculous magazines while someone who knows what they are doing sorts out my grey roots and out-of-shape frizz. 

The light is weird in these photos because the flash fired. 

 

2.30 in the afternoon and it's too dark for outside pics.

Roll on the winter solstice on Friday, and let's start the journey back towards the light!

So I treated myself to a haircut.

I had previously treated myself to the spoon ring from a stall at a craft and vintage fair.

Notice how fashion forward I am with my emerald nails - it's next year's colour, apparently.

Since I am also wearing a mustard cardigan and oxblood boots, I am almost unbearably on trend.

Hahahahaha!

Like I give a shit!

And I promise never to use the term on trend again.

Leopard print dress, cardigan and bangle - charity shopped

1980s boots - Second to None, Walsall

I feel slightly all over the place this week.

 There are so many different events happening, concerts and parties at school, the PTA is organising discos for the kids, there is a big food shop to do, Christmas cards to deliver, and I still haven't wrapped the presents...

So forgive the random oddness of this post, it's all gone a bit stream of consciousness, and not in a lyrical Molly Bloom's soliloquy sort of way either. 

Sorry.

1960s lurex goldmine (should really be silver) in a charity shop this week.

Sadly, this girl is too small for the Mi Size - Fashions for the Bigger Girl dress, but the Dereta maxi skirt fits perfectly. 

£2 each.

Lovely Christmas gifts from Liz - a 1970s dress (great print), eye shadows, and a cool vintage cat for my collection. 

Ahh, thanks, Liz!

 

 

Blessed are the cheesemakers.

Especially those who make this one. It never fails to make me snigger.

And because I am in a random frame of mind, let me share with you a recent puzzling statistic in my blog's keyword search information.

Some poor misguided soul had googled Large hanging labia and found themselves directed to my blog.

Err... really? 

Do they show? 

Why didn't you tell me?

Moving on...

Actually, that's all I got.

Even the foliage is giving me trouble today, randomly attacking my hair.

Get off, that cost good money.

I think that search term deserves an almighty -Ta-Dah, don't you? 

I'll be over at Lakota's, lowering the tone.

xxxx

                              

T-t-t-time, don't it fly?

So here we are;

summer holidays over, kids back at school, and routine bites hard.

Doesn't mean the wardobe has to be routine, does it?

Of course not.

I am trying not to be stuck in my comfortable rut, remember, and an easy place to start is by wearing a fabulously loud frock and messing with my hair. 

I know, I'm really challenging myself here...

Baby steps!

Elvis would approve of that collar!

Speaking of loud frocks, I have just received two delightful parcels of frockage from blog friends.

Heaven sent from Helga...

... a spectacular 1970s maxi dress, a homemade 1970s day dress and skirt, and a fabulously blingy gold pendant. I've worn the maxi already!

And from Supermodel Tamera...

... a wonderfully groovy 1960s maxi dress and a slinky wrap top, plus handmade card and two amazing necklaces.

Ladies, I am thrilled and delighted, thank you so much!

1970s maxi dress - gift from Sister Sarah

Sunglasses - gift from Helga

Orange hair flower - gift from Mrs Coco

Belt, necklace, yellow hair flower and bangles - chairty shopped

Clarks sandals - Ebay

I think I look like the lesbian love child of Noosha Fox and Margo Leadbetter.

This, by the way, is a good thing.

You are welcome.

I look so 70s-tastic, the Virginia Creeper wants to eat me. 

Oh Noosha, how I love you...

Almost as much as I love my dear blog buddies.

xxx

                  

Beyond the Fringe

I finally got round to making a hairdresser's appointment, my grey roots have been driving me crazy, and I felt like a change.

Who's that girl?

Why that would be me, with my new hair do!

Looking pretty smug!

What do you think? 

Looking back at old photos, I think it's about 3 years since I last had a fringe. 

I am past the stage of fretting about hair cuts or colours, thank goodness. It's only hair! Though I do remember weeping over my first ever perm (disastrous) and when a hairdresser cut all my layers back in after I had spent ages growing them out. He spent more time looking at himself in the mirror than at me. Why was I so unassertive back then?

Going to get my hair cut is a very pleasant experience these days. 

And I had the go-ahead from fellow Fringe Dweller of Note, darling Sarah, so that was all the encouragement I needed. 

My lovely hairdresser Kirsty is just back from maternity leave, so we talked births and babies and broken nights and being besotted. 

And hair, of course, you have to talk about hair.

1970s Tricoville dress (last seen here) - gift from fabulous festival floozy Vix 

Cardigan and bangles - charity shopped

Belt and Fly sandals - retail (sale)

Necklace - my mum's

Sunglasses - vintage shop

Shiny new haircut - Kirsty at Creator

I used to work with someone who reckoned a change of hair style indicated a change in life. If a colleague turned up to work sporting a new do, he's nod sagely and whisper "Bet she's got a new fella."

No new fellas in my life, but I do feel the need for some change. Nothing major, but I know I am in a rut. It's comfortable but I feel lazy.

Maybe it's time to shake it up a little.

   xxx

A little bit of heart and soul

Oh the rain.

It's not raining men, or in my heart.

It probably will rain until September.

Why does it always rain on me?

Yes, here we are in July, and I'm wearing my winter boots. Bloody hell.

 

I like this In-wear frock, which I charity shopped ages ago. I don't wear it so much now as my mostly-black years are behind me. I suppose it's from the 1990s, but the slouchy bat-wingy style reminds me of the 80s.

I'm kind of loving a bit of 1980s style these days, after all those years of mockery.
 
So because I couldn't take any outfit pics today (torrential rain meant outside photos were impossible, and it's been so dark and dreary that the indoor photos were disastrous), I thought I would entertain you with excerpts from my 1980s-early 1990s curly years.


 

I longed for Pre-Raphaelite hair, and paid handsomely to try and achieve it.

 

 

 

 

Permed, dyed, backcombed, with a ton of hairspray - my 1980s hair was chemical-heavy and frankly crackled to the touch. I may have put my own personal hole in the ozone layer. I do apologise.

 

 

 

I wanted to look like... 

 

Sarah Jane Morris...

 

 

 

The Witches of Eastwick...

 

 

Rosie Vela...

 

or Madonna in Dick Tracy.

 

But I fear I was rather more like...

Deidre Barlow. Oh dear.

 

The person I was most often likened to was...

Carol Decker. Hmmm....

 

These days, I don't push too hard against nature. 

 

 

 

 

The hair is straight.

 

(Still dye it though!)

 

Have a good weekend!

  xxx