Wednesday 16 December 2020

Little black rain clouds

The year's final month tiptoed in on a Tuesday. In stockinged feet, time only left the faintest of footprints as it passed the threshold into December. The clocks tick-tocked on relentlessly, another handful of minutes of daylight shaved off each day until the Winter Solstice turning point.

The weather gods kept having the last laugh with temperatures up and down like a yo-yo and the sun playing a game of tag with the clouds.

On the menu that Tuesday, intermittent drizzle, followed by a peek-a-boo appearance of the sun and a dessert of heavy showers, the mixture drizzled with a neither here nor there 10°C.



That morning, my wardrobe offered a seasonal symphony of greens and reds, which started with the soft-as-silk faux-suede bottle green skirt. 

Both the skirt and the lightweight jumper have their origins in well-known high street shops, but while the skirt was last Winter's sales bargain from Uniqlo, the mid-century look jumper is Zara by way of a charity shop. 

Short enough to wear over my skirt rather than tucked in, I treated the jumper to a square buckled belt in exactly the same shade of green as the skirt. My jewellery collection came up trumps with a beaded necklace in a similar colour as well. And speaking of mid-century, the vintage brooch I pinned to the jumper, a flea market find with an Edelweiss in the starring role, is the real thing.



As we had an errand to run, a generous helping of burgundy was added in the shape of my boots and tweed-and-knit vintage jacket. I kept to green with my beret, but added a dollop of blue, orange and magenta with my wavy knit scarf.



Zipper teeth rather than moths had left several holes in the scarf, so in order not to make matters worse, I dug into my stash of charity shopped darning wool and settled down to some mending.

With the day a definite write-off on the weather front, my next task was selecting new reading matter from the shelf of unread books in our spare room.

I'm trying to be severe and only keep those books that have really gripped me and redonate the rest. However, I'm still fastly running out of space and have already resorted to creating double layers as well as cramming books into every available nook and cranny.



The piles on the bottom shelf below are just the tip of my reading iceberg, picked up in charity shops here as well as on our UK holidays over the years. As I still keep adding to it, there's no fear of a reading black hole here at Dove Cottage!


The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender had been patiently waiting its turn. The book's protagonist is a young girl who has the ability to taste emotions in the foods she eats. I have finished the book by now, and I'm still not sure what to think of it. While the descriptive writing is brilliant, I was having a hard time with the surreal elements laced through the otherwise quite realistic narrative. A problem I didn't have with Audrey Niffenegger's equally surreal The Time Traveler's Wife.



But I'm digressing, for on that Tuesday I was yet to make myself comfortable on the couch and start my journey into the unknown territory of a new book. Before I could do so, however, there was another choice to make. Now, which of these warm Winter slippers shall I wear?



If you guessed the pair on the far right - on old charity shop find - you guessed correctly :-)

Wednesday's office day soon rolled along and as non-essential shops had re-opened on Tuesday, I certainly hadn't been looking forward to it. However, the continued dismal weather must have put a lot of people off, as the city streets weren't nearly as crowded as I'd expected them to be. At least they weren't by the time I called it a day and went home, so that I could make it to our pick-up point without having to sidestep non-complying people!

There was no improvement in the weather on Thursday, so it would have been another quiet day at home if it weren't for the demise of one of our floor lamps. 



An old IKEA uplighter with added reading lamp, it had lived next to our sofa for many years. Lately, however, it had started leaning precariously, as the tube was detaching itself from its base.

Jos's attempt to do some temporary repairs failed bitterly, and as it looked as if toppling over was imminent, which would have caused quite a bit of damage in the process, we needed to replace it without delay. 

We'd already tried a local DIY store, without success. Nor did our visit to a well-known lighting shop bring any solace, as apparently they were having a closing down sale, which resulted in the inevitable queues.

On Thursday afternoon, after consulting several shop websites, we finally found what we were looking for in another DIY store a bit further afield. As we are restricted to solo shopping, Jos went into the shop to get it while I waited in the car, keeping myself amused by taking a selfie and snapping the view through the rain-streaked windshield.


And here it is in situ! I'm not sure I'm too keen on its streamlined look, but it does do what it's meant to do, and much better than the ancient uplighter too. Besides, we can always customize it by replacing the lampshade with something more appropriate later!

The good thing is that we didn't have to spend any money on it, as we were able to pay with Ecocheques. These are vouches which most Belgian employees get on a yearly basis and which can be used to purchase energy saving devices and all kinds of environmentally friendly stuff. 


For my outfit, I took the lead from the plummeting temperatures by selecting a vintage, midi-length wool-blend dress, baskets of flowers dotted liberally on its black background.

Accessories were a multi coloured beaded necklace, an ice blue cat brooch, a translucent aqua flower ring and a turquoise belt. All of it second-hand finds, apart from the brooch.



The watery sunshine Friday started with was no match for the clouds which soon chased it away, leaving us with a dismal, cold and windy days.

This meant that our new lamp was already put to the test, working overtime to lift the daytime gloom. Its position right in front of the display cabinet in the corner did however show up the accumulated dust on the glass shelves, which were long overdue a thorough clean. This would be my task for that morning.


The cabinet in question holds Jos's collection of EXPO 58 memorabilia, his fascination for the 1958 Brussels World Fair dating back to his visits to the fair as an impressionable young boy.

His modest collection got quite a boost on the World Fair's 50th Anniversary back in 2008 when lots of forgotten items were unearthed from attics where they'd languished under layers of dust for years. Often commanding absurdly astronomical prices, unfortunately.


In the afternoon, I continued with a task I'd started over Summer, weeding through stacks of holiday brochures and leaflets and putting them into appropriately labelled box folders.

When visiting National Trust, English Heritage or privately owned properties, we always try and buy a guide book, and I was happy to rediscover those of William Morris's Kelmscott Manor, visited in 2006, and Virginia Woolf's Monk House, visited one year earlier.

The Black Country short breaks and days out guides took me by surprise. Apparently, back in 2007, when we were trying to decide which area of the UK to visit next, I'd applied for these online. We eventually went to Herefordshire that year, but little did I know I would meet Vix, who is a Black Country girl, several years later!


There must have been a break in the clouds later that day as not only were we able to take outfit photos in the garden, I am squinting in bright sunlight here. As a matter of fact, most of the photos we'd taken turned out far too bright and bleached of colour, so I'm using the best of the bunch here.

I was wearing a long-sleeved navy Diolen dress printed with sky blue and sea green motifs, yet again using greens for my opaques, belt and necklace, but adding a splash of orange with my brooch.



The blue boots were a charity shop find from just before Lockdown 2.0.

I might have been squinting in the sun, but there's no denying our micro-climate little garden is relishing the rare rays which are keeping some of our flowers going well into December.


Aren't they a cheerful sight on a bleak December day?

I'll be back in a couple of days, but in the meantime I hope you are all staying safe, sane and fabulous, my friends!


34 comments:

  1. I really enjoyed the Lemon Cake book; but didn't like the 'Time Traveller's Wife' at all. I gave up after about 30 or so pages; I'm not a fan of fantasy or magic realism books on the whole.I think it's a good idea to only hang on to books you love or want to reread; otherwise what purpose would the books serve? I try to practise this strategy myself.

    I loved your suede skirt and red jumper outfit and you looked so chic in your burgundy jacket, boots and colourful scarf. Both your dresses were so pretty and beautifully accessorised - as always.

    I followed your recommendation re the Maybelline lipstick and I'm very pleased with it - thank you! I bought one online; and need to go into Superdrug or Boots to see the other colours in real life.

    I think your new lamp looks very elegant. I bought a new one a few weeks ago from ebay and the owner kindly dropped it off to me for a small fee.

    I can just see Jos' Expo 58 collection on The Antiques Road Show...

    Take care and stay safe
    xxx

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    1. I'm not a fan of fantasy or magic realism books either, but for some reason I loved "The Time Traveller's Wife". I enjoyed the Lemon Cake book to a degree, but the chair thing was a bridge too far for me. I'm glad to hear you're pleased with the Maybelline lipstick. xxx

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  2. Wonderful outfits! The cat brooch is so cute!
    xoxo
    Lovely
    www.mynameislovely.com

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  3. well done mending that pretty scarf!
    we always give the common novels in paperbacks away right after reading.... the only books we keep are useful non-fiction books, high end versions in linen covers and special editions illustrated from artists. and some coffee table books. and my agatha christie collection ;-D
    still a lot.
    sorry for the hassle with the lamp - if i had to buy a lamp new i would never find the right one. all our lamps are vintage/antique. but you found a nice model, very classic.
    and you wore some pretty outfits!
    hugsies! xxxxx

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    1. I confess I'm a bit of a book hoarder. OK, a hoarder in general :-) We would normally have gone for a vintage lamp too but had not time or inclination to trawl the charity shops. This one isn't too bad, it's really growing on me! xxx

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  4. We also buy books in the UK, mostly on weekly markets. And we also have a pile of brochures of mostly Sussex. Love that cat brooche and your blue and green dress. I have to go now, online meeting!

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    1. Thank you Nancy. I have quite a few Sussex brochures too. Would love to go back there one day! xxx

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  5. I'm amazed at how alike our climates are!

    Loving all your outfits, Ann, but that first one - WOW! That shape of skirt is so good on you - the length is perfect.

    My bookshelves look like that too - books all shoved willy-nilly in a rough alphabetical order. I have done a mass cull of them and am just waiting for the charities to resume pick-ups.

    I picked those slippers as soon as I saw them! Sorry to hear about your lamp woes, but how nice to get one for free with your Ecocheques - what a good idea! Love your little cat brooch.

    Take care, my dear! I hope you have fun putting up your tree today!

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    1. I'm glad I'm not the only one with that kind of bookshelves :-) And I have two boxes in our basement from my latest cull. They have amassed a bit as our charity shops weren't taking donations for the longest time! xxx

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  6. Your wool blend basket of flowers midi dress is up in my all-time favourite dresses of yours, it looks amazing on you!
    What a wonderful idea those Ecocheques are, I agree that a funky lampshade would transform it - but you could always throw a silk shawl over the shade until you find the right one.
    As soon as I've read a book I donate it back to the chazza, it's rare I keep them. The only ones I hold on to are reference books. I love that you've got a Black Country Guide. One day Jon and I will escort you around all the highlights in person (I hope!) I loved The Time Traveler's Wife, it's not normally my genre but I loved all the Punk music references (I bet you did, too!)
    Look at that wonderful colour in your garden, it gladdens my heart! xxx

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    1. Oh, wouldn't that be amazing? It's always a delight to get to know a place through the eyes of local people. I guess you're absolutely right about The Time Traveller's Wife, the punk references were definitely a bonus! xxx

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  7. I love the red patterned jumper you paired with that lovely green skirt and belt. Such a pretty combo and with the fabulous beret and the vintage brooch it is simply perfect. The blue and green pattern dress you wore with the green necklace is also gorgeous. You look fabulous in this outfit! I also like the dark vintage wool dress you wore with boots and freshened up with a light blue belt!
    Ecocheques are such a great idea, something all countries should copy from Belgium. I wonder if we have a similar initiative or something like that here.
    Travel guides are a great thing to hang on. I like to collect them but I think I'll have to put a stop to it until I figure out a nice plan to store them.
    I'm thinking of donating some books too, I'm running out of space. I haven't read The Time Traveler's Wife. I think a saw a glimpse of the TV version on TV, I remember that Eric Bana was in it. The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake sound interesting. I watched a film with a similar premise, a film in which a lady could infuse her feelings into food, I forgot the name of it. Now, that I think of it wasn't that also the premise of Latin American classic- Like Water For Chocolate by Laura Esquivel? I often enjoy magic realism and blending of fantasy and a more realistic fiction so I might enjoy this one.

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    1. Thank you Ivana! I think you might like The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake! Aren't the Ecocheques a wonderful idea. Over the years, we've bought a fridge, freezer, washing machine and bicycle using those cheques! xxx

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  8. Ohhh this first outfit is stunning. I love the green and orange together.♥ You look amazing.
    Wow ecocheque is a great idea. I have never heard about it.
    I wish you a wonderful weekend, with a very huge hug Tina

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    1. Thank you Tina! The Ecocheques are brilliant, aren't they? You can even spend them on a new fridge or washing machine! xxx

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  9. The soulful poetry of your opening lines is nothing short of gorgeous.

    Autumn Zenith 🧡 Witchcrafted Life

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    1. Oh, thank you so much Autumn! Your comment truly made my day! xxx

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  10. I’m glad it’s not just me who has doubled up book shelves. I keep the books I’ve loved and are likely to read again. The rest go to friends and charity shops. I’ll look out for the Lemon Cake one. I read the Time Travellers wife quite sometime ago so I’d have to refresh my memory on that one.
    I just started The Piano Teacher by Janice Y K Lee, it’s based in Hong Kong in the 50’s and seems quite a promising read so far.
    I like the new lamp Ann. I’ve got a bit of a fetish for lamps and shades. I’ve found a couple of lampshade makers who use the most fantastic patterned fabrics and have to stop myself ordering more.
    Loving the red jumper. I’d have it put on my pile but my boobs are to big for it haha.
    Take care dear friends xxxx

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    1. And I'm glad it's not just me! Although I do redonate quite a lot of books and am having regular culls, they just keep amassing! xxx

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  11. Totally in love with your red jumper, its delightful color and style, and with your skirt (wow, so fab texture and shape!), and loving your matchy accessorizing. Looking fabulous!
    Glad to see that you're not running short of reading material!. I have had some massive clearances through the years (before and after moves!) but still own too many books, even if we're heavy users of our local library. When it was closed for months during lockdown, I bought an ebook!. Now I hoard archive files instead of objects ;D.

    As a huge fan of dark florals, love both last dresses, and its stunning prints: those cute baskets and the abstract motives are both fab!. Love particularly this navy and green color combo and your brilliant styling!.

    Glad that you found a new double-duty lamp so quickly. We have some fixtures that need replacement and it's taking ages to find the right thing.
    besos

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    1. Thank you Monica! It would have been horrible to be without reading material, especially when the libraries were closed here. I've yet to succumb to an e-book! xxx

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  12. I love the Pink slippers! And the blue floral dress is lovely on you Ann. I'm stopping by to wish you the best Christmas possible and best wishes xx

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    1. Thank you Laurie, and I hope your Christmas is/has been going well in spite of the circumstances! xxx

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  13. The particular sadness of lemon cakes is a favourite of a friend of mine and the time travellers wife is a favourite of my sister's. I bet you were very cosy in those slippers.
    The new light looks perfect for reading under. I made my first lampshade recently, it was easier than I thought it would be.
    I like the idea of ecocheques, we could do with something like that here. xxx

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    1. Thank you Sally, that lampshade you made looks amazing! I guess Ecocheques is one of the things Belgium is doing right. You can buy all sorts with them, even fridges or washing machines, which we did in the past! xxx

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  14. Warm feet make life better. I would have chosen the ones on the right, too. Very nice warm slippers, they seem to be. Stay warm! Regula

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    1. Very true, Regula, and those are the warmest and most comfortable ones! xxx

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  15. You are absolutely winning with all these gorgeous outfits! I thought I liked the first one best and then you showed the last one. Swwwoooon!
    So nice to see your gorgeous book cases. Thsnks for those! I like the sound of that lemon Book! So imaginative!
    You have excellent slippers!

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    1. Thank you Kezzie, and the Lemon Cake book might be exactly your kind of thing! xxx

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  16. Nice post, Ann..and what a nice library! Here too books find a welcoming place ... and definitely crowded! You couldn't do without it .. right? Nice picture of Jos struggling with the new lamp ... and you smiling in the car while it's raining outside ..
    Hugs, Carmela

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    1. Thank you Carmela, I definitely couldn't live without - lots of - books :-) xxx

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  17. That flower basket dress is gorgeous - a real hint of late 60s/early 70s Edwardiana about it. Maybe it's the slightly puffed sleeve heads...

    Glad to know it's zip damage and not moths in the scarf... they're the most appalling little clothes-ruiners; I hate them!

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    1. Thank you Mim. The flower basket dress in actually one of my favourites. I'd wear it all the time. Luckily, and fingers crossed, we have been spared of moths! xxx

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