The Virtues of Vertical

Thank you so much for all your good wishes, healing vibes and sympathy, I'm sure they have put me on the road to recovery!

But bloody hell, it comes to something when your achievement of the day is being vertical!

Still, it's good that there is less of this...

 (move your head towards and away from the screen)

...and more of this.

Up and dressed and suitably autumnal, despite the highly irritating deafness.

Anyone know how long it takes a perforated tympanic membrane to heal?

I think this shot sums me up at the moment.

Dozy, half-asleep, crumpled, jacket askew, not quite knowing what to do with myself.

But let's not underestimate the virtues of being vertical!

1970s maxi dress - vintage fair

Cardigan, trusty denim jacket, boots, umbrella, leather bag, bracelets, bangles and necklace - all from charity shops

Here's a shot of the bag, specially for Kelly - she loves a brown leather bag!

A bargain at £1.99, suitably scuffed and worn in and ready to go with anything.

As I was about to take the pic of the bag, this is where I found it...

... Naughty Jess!

Can't be cross though, she's too beautiful. 

My good buddy Joanne, who has been an Angel of Mercy and helped out loads while I have been unwell, decided it was high time I had a change of scene this morning, and insisted on taking me out for coffee and cake, and a quick look in a charity shop.

Her instincts were spot on, I did appreciate being out, and picked up these two gorgeous 1950s silk scarves for £1 each (pictured here as found, unwashed and unironed!)

That made me feel better!

I'm doing my inaugural link-up with Lakota - being upright is surely worthy of a Ta-Dah!

It's good to be back!

xxx

I'm so dizzy, my head is spinning

Have you noticed I've been missing in action?

Make that inaction.

I've been to the doctor.



 

My ear hurts. I mean really hurts. 

I feel dizzy. 

And deaf.

I have an ear infection, and a perforated ear drum and vertigo as a result.

I feel decidedly...

...unbalanced.

General functioning has rather gone by the wayside, with lovely friends doing the school run for me, and OH doing breakfast, packed lunches, tea, shopping, and taking care of Littlest's skin care regime.

The washing, ironing, tidying, hoovering, cleaning, etc etc, has remained undone and is quietly accumulating...

Bear with me, darling blog buddies (and thanks to those who got in touch wondering where I'd got to), I will be round to your blogs to catch up as soon as humanly possible.

I miss you!

xxx

Infect me with your love

Hello you lovelies, I am so sorry for the lack of posts but we have been a House of Infection this week.

Computer - succumbed to a virus. Now happily de-bugged and restored to us (at some scary expense...)

Littlest - another skin infection, now improving with antibiotics.

Me - sore throat, cold, cough, head full of mush, yuk. But getting better.

I wore this 1980s C&A dress last week, to a very muted response. 

What's wrong with people, don't they see the light and floofy (thanks to Amber for this word, a perfect descriptor!) fabulousness of it? 

The print is tropically fruity.

There are built-in petticoats for extra floof.

It has light and breezy angel sleeves.

What's not to love? 

I bumped into a good friend and her partner while wearing this dress. He looked me up and down several times with a what-the-fuck? expression on his face, until clearly unable to contain himself any longer, then he said pointedly, "I like your shoes."

He can kiss my arse, can't he, Charlie? Or maybe yours.

My grotty week was much improved by some gorgeous gifts sent by my lovely blog friend Fiona, who must have known in some spooky fashion that I needed cheering up.

1972 Enid Blyton Story Annual, a beautiful bird cage pomander (which I had admired when Fiona posted it on her blog, and the darling gave it to me), one of her handmade felt flower hair clips, and a beautiful handmade card.

Thanks, Fi, you brought a much needed smile to my miserable face!

Oh and by the way...

...doesn't this little girl bear an uncanny resemblance to our own dear Sarah Misfit?

Now, those of you who follow Vix, Clare and Louise will already have seen their photos from our Big Day Out in Walsall last Saturday.

It was such a joy to meet up with these ladies for charity/vintage shopping, lunch, and plenty of chat.

If a photo could sum a person up, then this is Essence of Vix!

Clare having a St. Trinian's moment.

Krista and Louise.

I soooo want to make a joke about jugs, it's actually hurting to hold it in...

Louise, Lucy, Krista and Clare.

Is it any wonder folk stared?

Unusually for me, I didn't buy anything. No, not even the crazy 1970s Crimplene bell bottoms Vix spotted for me to try.

Pinched this hilarious pic from Clare!

But I didn't come home empty-handed as darling Vix gave me this gorgeous little Cloisonne pill box which had been her mum's.

And I was full of blogger love and friendship, and money can't buy that feeling!

Calling in at your wonderful blogs has made a tough week bearable, so thank you for doing what you do!


May your weekends be infection-free!

   xxx

                              

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