Down in the park

Hello friends and readers! 

We've been back from our very short - and very wet! - weekend break since Sunday. However, before I can make a start with the pleasurable task of telling you all about it, there's yet more catching up to do!

You'll be relieved to read that my blog has finally reached November, so why not begin at the month's very beginning? 

The First of November, All Saints' Day, is a public holiday here in Belgium. This year, it was on a Wednesday, splitting the working week neatly into two halves. What's more, a bright and sunny morning was hiding behind our bedroom curtains when we got up that morning.

If the weather forecast was to be believed - and funnily enough they are usually spot on when bad weather is in the offing - the sun would soon be hiding behind a layer of grey again, and a smattering of showers was expected from mid-afternoon onwards.

In anticipation of Storm Ciarán, which would be reaching our shores overnight, there was the proverbial calm before the storm which offered the perfect conditions for a walk in the park. 

Once again, we opted for the park on the edge of the nearby town of Boom, which is only a 15-minute drive from Dove Cottage. 

The weather was in total contrast to our last visit here a couple of weeks ago, when we sheltered from the rain under the awning of the visitor centre, so that we were able to enjoy the scintillating sights and scents of Autumn to the full.

The non-stop rain of the last couple of weeks had filled the brooks and ponds to the brim and plenty of water - rather than the usual tiny trickle - was cascading down the weirs into the brook. 

At 15°C, it was mild enough to wear my burgundy vintage Tweed jacket with knitted sleeves and yoke, supplied by the goddesses of the charity shops in October 2019. My tan beret is from Burberry, found at Think Twice back in the mists of time.

The triangular and elongated park, which covers all of 27 hectares, used to be part of a larger wood. The leafy area was turned into a park in 1925, established along the banks of the brook which meanders through it and which ends in a series of pools. 

In the not all too distant past, the water used to be quite murky and green with algae, particularly in the brook where it was almost opaque at times, giving off an unpleasant musty smell.

In recent years, however, there has been an overhaul of the park, which involved cleaning the ponds and restoring them to their former glory.

The temperatures we were blessed with that day allowed me to remove my jacket and introduce you to one of the latest additions to my Winter wardrobe. In fact, it was a tad too warm for this wool and polyester mix vintage dress. Picked up at Think Twice a couple of days previously, when another one of their sales campaigns had kicked off at minus 30%, I was nevertheless adamant to give it its first outing.

I picked up the burgundy squiggles in its pattern with one of my King Louie cardigans and the tiny ruby dots with my opaques, while my big vintage poodle brooch echoed the off-white buttons and belt buckle.

My outfit was bookended with my beret and a pair of tan boots which might have seen better days but are just perfect for muddy walks. More tan was added with my scarf of many colours, an old favourite from H&M, which has been going strong for well over 10 years.

Jos was showcasing his new C&A coat again, which he wore combined with a blue flat cap, also from C&A. He shopped his wardrobe, as they say, opting for a yellow cord shirt, blue zip-up cardigan and dark blue jeans. His shoes are Clarks, obviously, bought in the sales during our Shropshire holiday back in June. 

It was back to work on Thursday the 2nd of November, which brought us Storm Ciarán with hurricane-force winds accompanied by an incongruous 15°C. As I had to brave the elements to go to my hairdresser during lunch break, I was glad I'd had the forethought to bring my special storm umbrella. 

No damages were sustained, apart from my coiffure being a bit skew-whiff by the time I arrived back at the office. 

I noted in my journal that I was asked by a guy on the tram whether I was English. Being an Anglophile, I was quite chuffed to be asked that question, but when I asked him why he'd got the impression, he told me it was the checked coat I was wearing (this one).

Although the storm had upped and left by Friday, it was still windy and quite chilly, with a drop in temperature to 10°C.

Due to our mid-week holiday, I'd decided to forgo my usual Friday off, although I did feel the need to indulge in some second-hand shopping therapy to tide me over.

With sales prices at Think Twice down to € 6 per item, I snapped up a rose-patterned needlecord skirt

and a vintage light green Courtelle dress with top-stitched placket, collar and pockets.

Saturday saw a return of the rain and highs of 12°C. 

I'd woken up during the night feeling a bit nauseous and although I seemed to be back to normal by morning, we decided to stay at home instead of going gallivanting around the charity shops.

That didn't mean I was completely idle though: I'm glad to report that I finally finished my seasonal wardrobe exchange and tackled a couple of small sewing jobs.

My outfit was built around another one of my wool-blend dresses, a dark green vintage Trevira one patterned with orange and sage green swirls.

Although I was in socks and slippers for most of the day, I changed into a pair of matching green suede boots bought brand new from an actual shop last Winter.

A sage green long-sleeved t-shirt was layered underneath my dress, which I accessorized with my recently charity shopped Massimo Dutti belt and an enamelled orange flower brooch, which was a gift from the lovely Kezzie when we met up earlier this year. A brown fused glass ring (retail buy) and orange beaded necklace (vintage shop find) completed my outfit.

Sunday the 5th of November was yet another rainy day, this time brightened by a midday rendez-vous with Inneke and Maurice. 

We'd invited them for lunch at 't Kasteeltje (transl. Little Castle) in nearby Boechout as a thank you for looking after Bess during our week away in September.

Only a handful of photos were taken, as obviously we were far too busy chatting. And eating, of course! While the boys opted for a seasonal special - pheasant with chicory, quince and some fancy potatoes called "pomme Anna" - the girls both enjoyed fettuccini with marinated chicken, spinach, mushrooms and candied tomatoes in a mild curry sauce. Yum!

The pinkish-red skirt I was wearing, in a deliciously strokable blend of polyester and mohair, must be one of my favourite Winter skirts ever. It was an old Think Twice find, as was the blouse with its little shawl collar and sprinkling of red, pink, orange and tan flowers.

It boggles my mind that I hadn't worn the blouse since January 2018. According to my blog, that is. Too many clothes, too little time! I'm the first to admit that even some maximalists might have a fit at the sight of my wardrobes. And yes, that's plural!

Both my ring - which had been lost for a while - and the brooch were picked up at the indoor flea market, while the necklace and belt were among my recent charity shop hauls. The watch with its leopard strap was a cheapo from a high street shop.

The rest of the day was spent finishing the epic 700+ page blockbuster called Atlas, and selecting Emma Donoghue's The Wonder from my reading pile for my next read. Set in 1859 in the Irish Midlands, it tells the story of a young girl who has supposedly lived without food for months, claiming that she is living off "manna from heaven", and an English nurse who has been sent over to watch her to make sure the girl's claim is valid. I've finished it while we were away and it is one of the best novels I have read so far this year. 

So, that's another catch-up done and dusted. I'm hoping to be back with more before the week is over.

See you soon!