Signs on shops...

I passed this shop the other day on the bus and had to get off so I could take a photo of the sign.  I thought it was fab- and I also wondered how many items are 'PLUS'...turns out there were only a few things that were actually 99p- and most ended in 99p! As in 1.99p and 10.99p!  How clever!

Then a few days later I saw this shop and thought maybe I need to teach these silly British people a thing or two about expressions that are appropriate for shop names and signs.

Maybe they specialise in those two types of haircuts? Or maybe they're looking for that sort of client? Or maybe...nope, I still think it's a not-so-good decision!


xt

please help me out by 'liking' my page on Facebook

and back to summer good things...

...when a good NZSB isn't on the shelf and you're in the mood for something different.  Too bad it's not widely available as it should be.  My summers won't be the same again.

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I finally opened the Toffee Apple Cider

Hmmm.

Brother's Toffee Apple cider reminds me of...cream soda.  Sweet but maybe a bit too sweet...?

Still, it's doing it's job and making my head feel a bit light.

xt

crazies on the trains tonight

So there's two men sitting across from me. One guy's whispering to himself 'lemon, lemon, lemon ORANGE!'... The guy beside him keeps saying 'Herman, now he's funny' and 'I never met a Herman I didn't like'. I don't think I've ever even met a Herman.

And the ticket guy looks like CarrotTop. Seriously, I can't make this sort of stuff up!

And I suppose we've all got our own sort of 'crazy' anyway. I call mine 'vintage' because I can't call it 'Scottish'.

xt


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

the truth

I couldn't have said it any better myself but some wise person in the horoscope section did it for me anyways.

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It's Emma's birthday!

For my special friend
on your Birthday!
Part of me calls you my special friend
because you're special to me.
But part of me calls you that
because it makes you sound 'special'.

Happy Birthday Ems!

xt

I'm going all matchy-matchy

I love receiving gifts that mean the giver knows me- and I mean really knows me. Knows that I will love their heartfelt sentiment- that they saw something, thought of me and actioned that thought with some sort of trade- be it cash, craft, or trade.  Or even made with the giver's hands themself!

This pillow is one such treasure.  It flew here in a heavy bag from New Zealand a few Tuesdays ago and I've finally got a fluffy feather pillow for it- now I just need to sew it up and put it into service!

xt



(the blanket on the left is from the Red Cross shop in Timaru- a 'special order' as it's three times the usual size...made just for me! and the one on the left was a bargain find at a local charity shop- £2!).

comments?

So for the past three years that I have been writing this blog (I know, I know)- it's been moved twice, renamed once and I've neglected it several times...and I'm not too sure who's still reading it - and I suppose, who's not reading it!

I've enabled the comments post- so feel free to leave me a message- tell me if you like it or not, ask me a question- I know a bit about quite a few things!... or just say hi.

xt

community

you've got to love this- outside a shop and waiting reclamation.

I love living in a community where this sort of thing happens.  Hopefully it was found and is happy again with its rightful owner.

xt

Carboot season!

We are well into carboot season now...and I've had some hits and some misses.

A few weeks ago I was desperately looking for a punch bowl for Easter lunch- you know, a big glass bowl with matching cups hanging off it on little 's' hooks?- Well, for neither love nor money could I find one...until the very last aisle and the funniest ladies standing guard over their pitch!

 

I ended up with this for a the unadvertised price of £1 but no hooks.

BUT, before finding ma raison d'être I found this...

 

Oh yes, lovely blog readers, an eiderdown has been added to my collection of blankets, afgans and linens. The boy rolled his eyes- but- credit due- he didn't ask me if I 'really need another blanket'? When I fluffed it out over the bed I have to say I was v. quick to clean up all the feathers that escaped and did some quick patchwork to cover all the little holes- I didn't need that flack too! (plus I have a sneaking suspicion that we are both slightly allergic to downy feathers so I had more reason to hurry and contain the fluffy mess...)!

I have to admit that last year at a local fête I passed up a lovely vintage eiderdown and haven't stopped thinking about it since.  Sad, I know, but it's little things that fill my head some days!

I searched my sewing box for some lovely cotton ticking but ended up with the closest colourway that matched...cotton quilting fabric in stripy lavender. Only adds character.

Amazing that after all the years this eiderdown has seen it's still fluffy and warm!

ei·der·down

[ahy-der-doun] –noun

1. The down feathers of the female Eider Somateria mollissima plucked from her underparts to line the nest and to cover the eggs. It is the best insulating material known

2.a heavy quilt or comforter, especially one filled with eiderdown.

 

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'twits'

So I'm just on the tube wondering if celebs that use twitter to let us know their every move(ment!) are still allowed to file restraining orders for stalkers?
xt

Imogen's birthday aternoon tea at Swissôtel The Howard (finally!)

Imogen resplendent in all her afternoon tea glory! I actually booked this for us way back in November (her birthday is in March) and have been patiently waiting our date.  Not often these days that we can grab an hour (well, it was 3 hours!) on our own anymore!  It was such a lovely few hours to catch up, talk about everything under the sun and have a good giggle together.

We didn't manage to get through all of it- but we did make a dent. Thankfully they were well equipped with takeaway purses for us. 

 

These were the main plates- and I had the most scrummy pomegranate oolong tea at the urging and  suggestion of our waiter (he said 'it's my favourite' so I said we'd give him out verdict afterwards).  

I drank TWO pots of it! Yum.

...and then these biscuits and chocolates were the finale.  We didn't even touch this plate! Our waiter said most people don't so he was well prepared for us to 'take away'.  

They were shortbread, white chocolate and dark chocolate with flavoured icing and the river Thames in icing.  Friday night at the pub these went down a treat- even with those who said 'no'- when the cutting up was complete their grubby paws were in there just the same.

I've decided that these sorts of 'treats' need to become more commonplace and not so few and far between!

xt

Fake tans and the summer Orange Brigade

Ladies: after seeing so much flesh on display walking through Richmond this lunch hour- please heed these words of advice!
'If you insist on using fake tan on your legs- use it on your feet and arms as well!' Tanned legs and nothing else looks FUNNY!
And if you use it on your face for heavens' sake do your NECK too!
I have several (single, male) friends who will gladly assist you...

xt

Michael's 30th

walking home along the Thames from the Anchor pub and Michael's birthday drinks (a few weekends ago now) I was amazed at the simplicity of the beauty that surrounds us everyday...and night.  This view of St. Paul's Cathedral was taken from the Southbank immediately before I got creeped out at being alone on the footpath and walked as fast as my blistered feet would take me to the closest bus stop- which was under a bridge and darker than I would've liked...but I felt better because I was there.

I might add that Michael's birthday was actually the week before so maybe he needed some time to let the number factor sink in? Ah, rest assured, he'll always be young at heart even if his hair is getting thinner (actually he's got a proper mop, MH does)!

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Richmond May Day

...was on the 14th of May this year (a bit after the real May day) but it was a success nonetheless.  We didn't think there were as many stalls as years previous but it was still fun and the sun came out periodically and I still managed to bring home a bag (well, hatbox) of treasures.  Definitely not as much stuff as year past (which is a good thing) although still things nonetheless (the boys especially like the vintage cat pillow- although it won't be gracing my bed, sofa or head anytime soon).

 

 

 This was a procession through town with an Indian dance troupe.  We saw them dance later in the day and they were fabulous.

 

The carnival horse merry-go-round was a huge hit- line-ups on all sides and there were kids and teen and 'tweens and adults waiting for their horse, unicorn and stallions. 

Oli- in profile!

Loved it- and the company I had on the day was great too!

xt

Amazing allotments in Sheen

 This is the view of the North Sheen allotments from the rail bridge at North Sheen station.  I am green with envy.

I have had my name down for one of these teeny plots of land since 2004.  Still nothing.  I resort to this:

Of course I can't leave it on the windowsill- it's windy up here and there's the forever threat of the windows below.  I can't have lots in the kitchen because there is simply no room to go- not even up!  So I nurture my (forgotten) green thumbs when I can.  It's and usually with the supermarket pots of 'living herbs'- they seem to last just long enough and they are small enough for the postage stamp sill and kitchen.

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I'm going all matchy-matchy

I love receiving gifts that mean the giver knows me- and I mean really knows me. Knows that I will love their heartfelt sentiment- that they saw something, thought of me and actioned that thought with some sort of trade- be it cash, craft, or trade.  Or even made with the giver's hands themself!

This pillow is one such treasure.  It flew here in a heavy bag from New Zealand a few Tuesdays ago and I've finally got a fluffy feather pillow for it- now I just need to sew it up and put it into service!

xt

(the blanket on the left is from the Red Cross shop in Timaru- a 'special order' as it's three times the usual size...made just for me! and the one on the left was a bargain find at a local charity shop- £2!).

the Evening Standard, Wedding Edition

So a friend of a friend sold a copy of the Evening Standard Royal Wedding edition on eBay for £8.  I had several copies- some of which I have posted overseas, others are still here awaiting pick-up and yet another is in my 'archive' box...Steve reckoned that '£8 is two pints- I'm selling mine!'.  I think I'll leave one in the archive box, the spoken ones spoken for and the spare one can be eBay'd- with the proceeds to next week's pub kitty!

xt

I'm not one to get all catty...but maybe just this once!

I had to laugh (a little) although I think these have been doctored... and I wouldn't go as far as to say I'm an 'anti-royalist' because I do like all the ceremony... and I wouldn't go as far as to say I am a 'royalist'- but yes, I paid for that wedding too...

xt

Summer's good things- MELON!

Oh so sweet and juicy! It was a really yummy melon though.  Cut the way mum used to (still does)- just right for eating right off the rind.

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the new wave...

...of things to come? Or maybe they've already been?

...while I was in town the other (month) I saw this.  I remember when we used to ride our bikes to school.  That required calf muscle strength, not foot-push-power.

Whatever happened to bikes with flags and banana seats?  Oh, and those cool streamers we stuck in the ends of the handlebars! What happened to the Trix rabbit?  Flags on bikes- and I do not mean the mobility scooters!

My bike was purple and it has a 'bejewelled' yellow banana seat.  Bejewelled back then was a fancy way of saying 'it sparkles'...I had a flag and some of those cool plastic clippy things on my rims that made a 'tick tick' sound when the wheels went round.  It's be worth a penny or four now I bet.  Wonder what part of the landfill it'd be in? And what it's under...or maybe someone salvaged it and there's another kid's butt on that bejewelled seat now.  I think I had a basket too.  And a bell that was securely fastened...

That said, I am seriously thinking I should get a foot-powered scooter.  All the cool kids have them and I think with my dodgy knees it'd be fun...or fun-ny.

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weather

I just realised I haven't commented on the weather in a long while...because how can you complain when it's SUNNY?!

Well, I suppose it has been SUNNY and windy- but mainly SUNNY!

sun sun sun sun sun sun sun sun sun (does that sound like I'm gloating?)= I AM!

And along with SUN comes amazing SUNsets.

Like this last night...

and the night before...

 

(obviously this is the same direction {taken by me hanging out of my bedroom window} and ariel, church spire and tree- but the SUN always sets in the west when you live on earth...what can I say?)

xt

and I'm still laughing!

I know, I know. It's a video of a man taking and a dog not talking.  But it's so funny and it's made me laugh so hard- I still have tears in my eyes!  For those of you who've had an animal you know they've got their (speech) bubbles filled so much of the time and it's hard to bark and just wag your tail!

My dear friend Cliff used to speak for his cat Clark- and for mum's dogs and the ducks, the quail and the neighbourhood animals.  Crazy but real and funny but true!

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Hummingbird cake...

So, still on the topic of birds, I thought I'd include this:

  pre-Easter hummingbird cake trial 

(before)

and (after)

A-mazing!

Hummingbird cake.  The recipe here makes a HUGE amount (mine was 3x 12inch round cakepans!).

The only thing I changed was the quantities of nuts etc.- I just added a handful instead of measuring- and I also added a can of peaches.  I reserved the juice from the peaches and pineapple for the icing and only used half of the cream cheese.  I also used a runny drizzle of icing sugar and the reserved juices between the layers- I cut each cake base through the middle and thought they needed a bit extra moisture (but they probably didn't)!

It got a good reportcard from everyone- light enough for us cooks who like to cook but not eat all the cake...and yummy enough for the rest!

The only thing I did differently for our Easter cake was roughly chop the peaches.

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birds

I love birds.  I love the way they look, their freedom and their sounds.  Well, I love most birds.  I could do without the one who takes up residence outside my bedroom window at 4:42AM almost EVERY morning with her horrible screeching caw caw caw- and no, it's not a crow, it's not a lovely little English songbird, it's not a goldfinch (or any other finch for that matter)- in fact, despite having a relatively wide repertoire of bird calls and caws on file- I cannot, after almost 3 years identify the unknown heckler.  Seriously now, if I had a clear shot of the little warbler I'd- well, I don't have a clear shot- I can't even see her (it has to be a her- no other sex on earth is so persistent).


So. Birds.  I like them. A lot.  I have artwork of birds.  I have a tattoo of a bird.  I even used to own a bird.  I was 7 and it was a stinking cockatoo called 'TJ' (after me).  To be honest I don't know whatever happened to her (him?) but I didn't miss it when it was no longer in the house.  Bet mum didn't either.  Unlike a cat a bird isn't cuddly.  Unlike a dog a bird doesn't appear to be loyal.  Like a small child they need to be constantly monitored when let loose and cannot be around open doors (opportunities to escape for freedom) or windows (likewise).


In Richmond we have a rather large flock of wild parakeets (perhaps it's several flocks- perhaps it's the same ones playing sillybuggers with us humans)- and I like to call them 'posh sparrows'.  When I first arrived in the UK I spotted a few at Kew Gardens- but since then I've discovered they aren't so specific- they're apparently all over the UK- and particularly West London.  Hmmm.

Birds are everywhere...

 ...in the tree down the road (taken from my kitchen window with a zoom lens)...

...awaiting the recycling...

...and on my mum's deck...her Sunday morning deck surprise.  

Brown bird and a red tipped black bird.  

(I wonder who won?)

Birds do all sorts of interesting things.  They make strange holes in strange places to be filled with strange creatures... 

 

(mouse in the Woodpecker's hole)

The handiwork of this hole was completed over the course of about five years by mum's nemesis the Glenmore WOODPECKER!  She heard it, she watched it, she saw the devastation it caused her apricot tree (although she didn't feel any particular affection for the tree she was mightily pissed off when she heard or saw evidence that the GW had been!)... At least it's been made into some useful purpose aside from just being a hole in an old tree.  A proper house for a mouse.  Safe from cats, barking dogs that look like cats- and the grounds keeper!

Must say- that's a mighty bold mouse! Bless him.

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xt

the (Royal) Wedding

So I went into town a little trepidatious- as I was, to be honest, quite content to stay at home, attend the street party at the end of our street, drink a toast to the happy couple and perhaps celebrate with a few friends later in the day.

I did not.

I went to town.  I had to run for the 9:15am train (which started some incredibly painful blisters and shin splints that are still lingering on).  I suppose I had better quantify that I ran in my birkenstocks from last year- which despite almost living in them for 8 months of the year- my feet had not become accustomed to just yet- and I paid the price.

Friends were waiting for me- encouraged that I actually made the train- and then we walked the length of the entire UK in 7 short hours.  Well, maybe not, but it felt like it with these blisters.  At one stage- well, how about I get to that later...

So there we were in town, I was seriously a 'follower' as I had little expectations of seeing much but thought it would be a nice atmosphere so long as there weren't any demonstrations...which we saw not a one.  The whole place was buzzing such a feel-good vibe that my feet stopped hurting.  Well, we'd actually managed to locate ourselves in a decent position and I didn't have to walk for a while!

This is where we were stationed.  The traffic light at the left side is Whitehall which leads down to Westminster Abbey. As you can see, we had an unobstructed view...of the cranes!  Seriously though, once I was standing on the barriers I did have a great view and was so pleased with shouting 'Kate & Will' and 'the QUEEN' that I forgot to take photos until it was too late! I did manage a few though...

 

If I put the zoom on my camera to it's full capacity I could see this through the lens- which was actually directly in front of where we were standing- Horseguards Parade is just past the archway- which is on the way to the Mall which finishes at Buckingham Palace...this is the archway that the tv cameras were taking footage from- you can see the camera even! I was (almost) on tv!



There were all sorts of people out with us- the 'crazy hat guy' who was taking photos of people taking photos of him- (quite clever- I might have to try that one day)- he was interviewed on the BBC- yes, sadly I did watch the BBC coverage of the event a few days later!- Well, I figure even though I was there I missed something (I actually realised I didn't miss anything after I'd fast forwarded the coverage for the tenth time)! And then there were the people (like me) trying to get a better view that anyone else- although I din't go to their lengths- and saved my fingers, knees and pride I'm sure of it!

sore fingers!

BBC tv cameras above us

An empty Horseguards Avenue

 So at the end of it all I had these:

 First in the proceedings was the runaway horse!  I thought it was some sort of symbolic thing- but turns out he just got spooked and ran home!

 

Kate & Will...almost...

 

...the bridesmaids...

 

...the parents...

 

...the Queen...

 ...and Harry and the boys.

Not too bad!

So then we moved onto the foot of the Mall for a popping of bubbly, a quick picnic and a regrouping of what the next plan of action would be.

This is our view as we moved down the Mall towards the Palace for a spot to see Kate & Will on the balcony.  It was an amazing credit to the police as everyone was moving orderly and it was carried out so well.  We managed to get a decent spot next to a tv crew- so although we could see them- well, we could see people on the balcony- we weren't crushed by the mass.  

 

the fly-bys...

Afterwards we went for another picnic, a snooze and a bit of red wine...then headed home via the bar at Southbank and the riverside pub in Richmond!

Here's a few random shots that I thought were worthy:

 

Our 'bunted' house!

 

these guys were only too happy to pose for me!

    

LOVED this lady's hat! LOVED IT!

Then there was the Hackney Pearly Queens- there were a few pearly princesses too but they must've gotten split from their group- because there were no Pearly Kings!

They were being interviewd by a tv crew when we happened upon them- and they were loving it!

And then there was the fallout for being up so early- and a big day of events for the tv crews.  These guys must've had that crane up and down three times while we were standing by them. 

So.  The blisters.  I was seriously in a world of pain and had to stop walking at one stage.  I finally managed to find a group of medics walking up the Mall- and not ONE of the 8-strong team had a plaster!  They explained it away by telling me that they were equipped mainly for 'disasters'- but don't you need plasters then too?!  I ended up at the St. John's tent and had to sign a form authorising treatment...(the treatment I received was being handed a tiny squeeze bag of saline solution and a plaster)...so I asked for two plasters!  Made the walk home a lot more bearable.  Thank you for having a first aid tent St. John's!- but I'm still confused by the group of 8 walking around London town with backpacks full of everything BUT plasters- and looking for a disaster!

Fab day- and I'm so pleased I was there to see it all happen...although as a friend has just said '...too bad you didn't actually get photos of anything actually happening...'.  WHAT?! The whole DAY happened!

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