Speed of light

I almost did a double take this morning when I switched on my computer at work and realized that the last week of January is already upon us. My mind boggles at the speed at which time is whizzing by.

One would think that the combined forces of the pandemic and the year's dreariest month in the northern hemisphere would make time appear to slow down to a snail's pace instead of defying the speed of light!

Still, my blog's journey is lagging behind as never before. We were only a few days into 2021 when these photos were taken. Oh dear, I really need to step up!

Sunday the 3rd of January was the last day of my 11-day holiday which, in spite of the day's sunny outlook, was making me feel a bit sorry for myself.  Even the fact that I was only looking at a two-day working week wasn't enough to lift my maudlin mood.

But once again, I found solace in dressing up, selecting this vintage flower and circle patterned frock from my wardrobe. You could be forgiven for thinking its main colour is black, but it's actually a delicious chocolate brown!

I took the lead from the turquoise in its flower clusters and selected opaques in the same shade. The dress came with its own tie belt, which I replaced with my zebra print belt to add more interest, and I wore a classic, gold tone and pearl vintage brooch pinned to its bodice.

Before stepping into the garden, I added a chunky knit longline cardigan and my beloved burgundy boots and hid my scarecrow hair under a black turban hat.

Speaking of hair, Jos's was even worse than mine, sticking out all over the place and making him look like something the cat dragged in. 

There was nothing for it but to bring out the hair clippers in a bid to try and make his hair look presentable again. We both agreed that I did a well enough job, although I'm not about to switch careers any time soon. Also, it was now so short that he needed to wear his one and only woolly hat outside in order not to catch a cold.

Monday was my first office day of the year but, in spite of my fears, it turned out not to be too hectic so that I was able to catch up in no time. 

Meanwhile, about 40000 people had returned from their red-zone Christmas holidays, so we were  holding our breaths. Apart from those arriving back by plane or train, a lot of the returning travellers were expected to slip through the net, and there was no guarantee that they would all be disciplined and responsible enough to get themselves tested and quarantined as required.

Trying to be as zen as possible about the whole situation, my spirits were once again lifted by the contents of my wardrobe on Tuesday.

My outfit was based around the recently charity shopped brown velvet skirt with its diagonal trails of lacy flowers. Still in the mood for uplifting oranges, I combined it with this funky pussy bow blouse - a charity shop find just after the first lockdown - which connects to the skirt by containing a couple of brown swirls. 

On top came my fluffy greyish green cardigan, which was another charity shop find, while both the belt and orange felted flower corsage were retail buys. I was swayed by the belt's fabulous buckle when I came across it in a high street shop back in June.

Speaking of charity shops, the lure of them was once again too strong to resist on Tuesday morning. We try to visit them in rotation and this time it was the turn of a shop on the outskirts of the nearby town of Lier.

We were happy to find it reasonably quiet, so that we could browse at ease. Obviously, as befits any sensible and rule abiding citizens, we went browsing separately. Sometimes, though, it feels as if we are the only ones doing so, which isn't helped by the shop personnel turning a blind eye.

Pickings were meagre, but I still came away with a yellow, blue and purple skirt with a rather eye-confusing print. Yes, I am hearing you Sheila :-) 

The purple necklace, as well as another one which is not pictured, was also part of my finds.

After having avoided jumpers for years as they weren't doing my hot flushes any favours, I am now once again in the market for them.  The striped one with the mock turtleneck, originally from Etam, was a no-brainer. As was the H&M Nordic style cardigan!

Wednesday was another office day, which was quiet enough for me to pop out to Veritas, a haberdashery and accessories shop a stone's throw from my workplace, before the sales zombies hit the town. These four pairs of opaques landed in my shopping basket, as did the mustard coloured knit turban headband I was wearing on Thursday.

This vintage Lapidus of Sweden dress with its yellow and tan flower pattern had been patiently waiting its turn. The problem was that it was slightly wrinkled and needed a quick iron. As you'll probably know by now, ironing isn't one of my favourite pastimes, so that more often than not a pile of items in need of attention is building up for months.

That morning, while Jos was doing the twice-weekly food shop, I not only ironed the dress but everything else that was awaiting a once-over with the seldom seen household appliance.

Needless to say, I felt very smug afterwards!

Apart from my new turban headband, I was also wearing one of my new pairs of opaques - the brown snake print ones - for the occasion. I kept the rest of my accessories in brownish hues as well.

Both the brooch and the necklace, which reminded one of my Instagram followers of liquorice, were charity shopped fairly recently. My caramel hued ankle boots were bought from the high street last Winter, and while I don't remember the belt's exact origins, I think I can safely assume that it was another charity shop find, as is the majority of my belt collection. Why pay over the odds for a belt when there's a huge choice to be found for less than € 2 at the charity shops!

I'm including a bit of label porn here! 

The chunky, wide-collared, burnt orange cardigan was another pre-Covid charity shop find and was perfect to keep the chills at bay on a little foray into the garden.

What else did I do that day? Well, according to my journal, we stripped and changed the bed and washed the duvet cover and sheets.

I also pottered around upstairs, doing some dusting and continuing my eternal re-organizing, which is a bare necessity in a small house inhabited by hoarders.

These tapestry bags have been roped in as storage, holding things like belts, woollen tights and vintage slips.

Oh, and I started another book! I've been seriously getting into my reading stride lately, which often happens in the colder months. Apart from reading in bed - often nodding off mid-sentence - I have been taking my current read downstairs for afternoon reading sessions on the couch. I'm trying to remember to photograph the covers and share them on the blog for future reference.

 

So, that's it for now. Thank you for joining me on my little journey in time.

To be continued, as they say.

In the meantime, do stay safe, everyone!