Tuesday 20 July 2021

Like spinning plates

My blog has finally reached my first week back to the hamster wheel of full-time office life. And what a week it was! In spite of being able to pinch a day off each week for the foreseeable future, it still left me exhausted by Thursday, wondering how the hell I ever managed week after week of nine-to-fives. Or, in my case, eights-to-four thirties :-)

Life just feels like spinning plates right now. It's just one day more than the three-day weeks I've been working since March but it feels like I'm forever strapped for time.  It boggles my mind how I coped before "the rona". Where did I find time for gardening, reading and blogging, never mind the inevitable household chores? Looking back by way of my blog, there seemed to have been no shortage of fun things either. I can't imagine how I fit all that, and more, into my busy schedule!



We had a rainy start on Monday the 5th of July, with some watery sunshine from early afternoon onwards, and the temperature still hovering around 20°C.Although I’m usually working on a Monday, it felt totally different this time, as it wouldn't be followed by my usual non-office Tuesday. I only had just enough energy left for a quick watering session after work, quenching the thirst of those plants which hadn't benefited from Sunday's rain. As a matter of fact, I felt so overwhelmed that it didn't even enter my head to take outfit photos.

Last seen on my faithful assistant Angelica a couple of posts ago, this King Louie was long overdue an outing, so I wore it to work on Tuesday. It's the dress which kick-started my love for King Louie stuff back in 2012, and one of a handful bought brand new rather than charity shopped.



I took full advantage of its navy, red and orange pattern, picking navy for my Millefiori bracelet and ring, red for my wooden bangle and cat brooch, and orange for my necklace.

For once, though, I didn't swap its self-fabric tie belt for a contrasting one from my stash, in spite of there being plenty of likely candidates.



Judging from the outfit photos, you could be forgiven for thinking it was a sunny day, but in fact it was and utterly grey and rainy one. There was a brief let up during lunch break, so I decided to brave the crowds and walk to the nearest Think Twice shop. Rounding the the corner, however, I could see a queue snaking towards the shop's entrance, so that I turned heel and went for a quick walk around the block instead. I'm so, so tired of forever dodging the crowds!



At the time of writing, the Hydrangeas you can see peeking out above the jungle of ferns in the previous collage are a sorry mess, but here they are still looking fresh as a daisy, their azure and faintly purple tinged blooms with the odd new-born lime green one thrown in, a veritable sight for sore eyes.

The mixed hanging baskets and cones of Pelargoniums under the awning were at their pinnacle too, as were the pots grouped on and around the barrel at the back of the garden. 

And look: the slugs didn't kill off my lovely Astrantia 'Primadonna' (above, bottom left) after all. Aren't its pink pincushion-y flowers gorgeous?



The sun rejoined us on Wednesday, even if she once or twice played peek-a-boo with the clouds, and the day's highs of 22°C meant a cardigan could be dispensed with for once.

I was wearing a yellow dress sprinkled with orange and brown dots which, in spite of missing a couple of buttons, I fell in love with on the spot when I spied it at Think Twice in June 2016. As I didn't like the existing buttons anyway, I replaced the lot with pearly ones salvaged from a high street blouse which had seen better days. 



My sleepy Lea Stein lookalike cat brooch is nestling among the dots near my dress's collar, while other accessories were a chocolate brown beaded necklace and a brown mock croc belt with a faux tortoiseshell buckle.

As I had to wait in for a courier, I took an early lunch break while my colleague, who only works mornings, was still in the office. Once outside, I made a beeline for Think Twice where this time there was no sign of a queue. I spent a happy half hour or so browsing, finding three skirts and a a dress for which I paid a whopping ... € 16. I hadn't even clocked they were having one of their sales!



The sunny weather and my unexpected Think Twice bonanza gave me a well-needed boost of energy. 

I happily pottered around the garden after work, watering the thirsty plants and deadheading the annuals. I even uprooted several nasty Nasturtiums, the offspring of last year's climbers which had sneaked themselves into the border next to the bench uninvited and had by now grown far too big for their boots.



Looking innocent and innocuous at first, they seemed to be conspiring together in taking over the garden. Of course, I couldn't find it in my heart to get rid of the variegated leaved ones (bottom left) but the larger ones really put me in mind of the fearsome plants in The Day of the Triffids!

And there's no escaping them inside Dove Cottage either! What are the odds of having not one but two tins decorated with Nasturtiums! 

And now, without further ado, here are that day's Think Twice finds which, once again, Angelica has the honour of premiering on the blog!

First up is a red cotton skirt, which has a shirred waist stitched with rows of multicoloured thread. Garlands of embroidered flowers trail along its hemline, a crocheted lace peeking out, creating the illusion of a petticoat worn underneath.



This handmade cotton skirt has a delightful pink, blue and maroon millefiori print and has the added benefit of being fully lined.


I was charmed by the faux patchwork pattern of this vintage C&A skirt, which might well be my favourite of the three.



My final find was this Diolen dress in shades of lilacs and pinks, with the cutest of lilac buttons and a chevron patterned skirt. You'll see me wearing this one in a next post.



When photographing my finds, Angelica wasn't my only assistant this time! 

Like Phoebe before her, our Bess is keen on giving a helping hand, although she seems to be more interested in the dust bunnies living underneath the landing bookcase here.



To say that I was glad when Thursday finally rolled along is quite an understatement.  I was actually overjoyed to have made it through my first four-day working week. 

The weather gods had even cranked up the thermostat to 23°C for he occasion, so yay!



When I pre-selected and assembled a couple of outfits on Sunday, I was adamant to include a skirt and top combo among the row of dresses, as these kind of felt like the easy way out. You know, just add some accessories and you're ready to go.

As this outfit was a bit of an afterthought, I didn't try it out in advance, so I was happy it worked as well in real life as it did when planning it in my head.

Both the skirt and the cotton peasant style blouse are from the high street by way of a charity shop, the blouse having joined my wardrobe only recently.



Accessorizing was a doddle with all those colours to choose from. I picked an orange beaded necklace to tie with the skirt and added a green butterfly to frolic among the flowers on my blouse.

Stretchy belts are just perfect for accenting one's waist while not being too restricted when sitting at a desk for most of the day, and my feet were comfortable and happy in a pair of blue wedge heeled shoes trimmed with a tan bow.

And so we have arrived at the end of this post. I'll be back soon, please do stay safe until then, my friends!


32 comments:

  1. You have picked up some beautiful skirts! I'm sure transitioning to full time work is challenging and I hope it gets better for you.
    xoxo
    Lovely
    www.mynameislovely.com

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    1. Thank you Lovely, I'm sure I will get used to it over time! xxx

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  2. Yes, setting into a new work routine can be hard and make us feel like there is no time for anything.

    Beautiful outfits. The first dress you wore is beautiful but I think my favourite look is the one with the second dress. That shade suits you so beautiful. Wonderful print mixing in the second outfit. That skirt is so lovely.

    Your Think Twice finds are fantastic. I love the red cotton skirt and the details on it. The purple dress is fabulous as well. Have a lovely day!

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    1. Thank you Ivana! I'm sure I'll get used to working full time again, but it's still a bit of a struggle for the time being! xxx

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  3. one can´t have enough nasturtiums in my book :-D
    especially as i use to eat the leaves in the salad or on a sandwich......
    totally love the last outfit - its so fresh with the colours and mixed flower patterns!
    xxxx

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    1. That's what I thought too Beate, but they were totally taking over our small plot, as so many of them were self seeded ones from last year. Some of our other plants were struggling to survive! xxx

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  4. I can imagine it's hard to go back to full office days.
    You look amazing in your dresses. I am in love with this red skirt:)
    Your garden is amazing, so many wonderful flowers.
    With a very huge hug Tina

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    1. Thank you Tina, sometimes it feels as if I will never get used to it, though ... xxx

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  5. When I retired at first I used to wonder how on earth I managed to work and do other things, too! I am just as busy now 7 years on but the difference is I'm doing things I want to do - and I love it! I hope you get back into the rhythm of working the 4 day week soon...

    Lovely outfits! The one with the brown and orange spots was my overall favourite especially paired with the orange shoes. I also liked the first dress with its own belt.

    You picked up some fab bargains. The red skirt is gorgeous - that embroidery - all three were such good finds.

    Loving your garden and I love your nasturtiums. I tried to buy some last weekend at the garden centre but there were none to be had. The nasturtium tins were almost as good as the real thing...

    Hope you have lovely weather for the weekend ahead; it's too hot here for me!
    xxx

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    1. Thank you Vronni! I'm sure I'll be just as busy once I retire, and I'm very much looking forward to it! I'd gladly give you some of my Nasturtiums if we lived closer! xxx

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  6. I can imagine that another work day added, is overwhelming. I also can imagine that it can feel quite depressing. Freedom is more important then we think. But some shopping therapy is always a good idea. Even if it is during a short lunch break. But those skirts are absolutely amazing!! All 3!! But the red one is my favourite. Your garden is fabulous, so many flowers in it. If that doesn't put a smile on your face!

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    1. Thank you Nancy! Shopping and gardening therapy are helpful indeed. As does some of that elusive thing called sunshine :-) xxx

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  7. I am still appreciating every 3-day work week right now, Ann, as my week will go back to 5 days very suddenly, likely within the next 2-3 weeks. I'd hoped that it would be gradual, but once our office opens up, I'll need to be here every day. I'm so sorry that you're finding it hard - I'm sure that it's going to be a rude awakening for me.

    Now, let's get our minds off that nasty cycle! (the nasturtiums are not the only "nasty" thing!). Your King Louie dress is a great pattern - how have I never come across any clothing by them here, when I see all kinds of high-end European brands. I demand my own! :)

    Your speckled dress reminds me of a bird's egg - I love orange with it. Your final outfit is my favourite, as that bright orange skirt really appeals to me. I love it when Vizzini photobombs me in the background, so happy to see it's a feline trait! Bess is such a little cutie!

    Your garden is so soothing and lovely. Wonderful. I enjoyed your purchases and am looking forward to seeing them styled up!

    Take care, my dear! Remember to indulge in as much Purr Therapy as you need.

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    1. Oh no, I'm really feeling for you Sheila! I'm not going to beat about the bush: it does take some getting used to!
      How strange that you've never come across any King Louie, but then again I hardly ever find any Essentiel Antwerp clothing in our charity shops ... xxx

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  8. I bet it feels very odd with those extra days of work. You totally deserve a little retail therapy after that shock to the system.
    That red embroidered folksy skirt is particularly lovely, can't wait to see you waering it.
    That first dress looks so crisp, cool and fresh and the sleepy cat on the second one is just perfect.
    Talking of cats, look at that little minx of yours!
    I've had to take out a few nasturtiums, they were strangling my patty pans and can't be having that! xxx

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    1. Thank you Vix! I've yet to wear the red folksy skirt, hopefully the weather gods make up for their nasty ways soon, as I need a gorgeous Summer's day for it. Oh Bess, a little minx she really is, but we love her to bits! xxx

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  9. It is a strange feeling but I also feel pressed for time and I don't need to work from an office. I'm sure it will all fall into place eventually.
    You found some great stuff, as you always do.

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    1. Thank you Goody, I do hope so. I'm sure that the pandemic has a lot to answer for in that direction as well! xxx

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  10. I can well imagine the feeling of tiredness. I found it very hard to go back to 3 hours a day of travel 5 days a week when I went back full time after each lockdown!
    I love your new purchases so much. They are super pretty!
    The flowers in the garden are so wonderful. I'm really jealous of your Trifid Nasturtiums as the ones I planted got decimated by the bugs and the new ones planted are tiny! The ones I planted at school are doing better but who will water them for 6 weeks!?

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    1. Oh, Kezzie, 3 hours a day of travel sounds absolutely horrendous! I'm not sure I could cope with that on top of everything else ... I do hope those Nasturtiums at school survive the holidays! xxx

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  11. I love your navy, white and orange dress, Ann. It looks beautiful with the orange beaded necklace. I know, our lives are always so busy, we have to constantly prioritise what we want to spend our time on. X

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    1. Thank you Jess! Being my age, I'm not sure that work is still the thing I want to prioritize! xxx

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  12. Greetings! I enjoyed reading your post - you have great style! Love your recently acquired red cotton embroidered skirt. Garden slugs are a menace aren’t they? I’ve recently planted some blue campanulas which slugs adore apparently. However I have read that slugs hate ferns, Euphorbia and Rosemary so that’s good to know. X Claire

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    1. Thank you Claire! Oh, how I do wish slugs didn't hate ferns! We're absolutely inundated with them, so I'll gladly share some of them with the slimy creatures :-) xxx

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  13. Hope you can readjust to a longer working week soon! I've found the days I work in the office it feels like I have so little time and energy - definitely an adjustment as life returns back to normal, after so long working at home. Being an introvert I find being around people all day in the office a lot more taxing than running meetings from behind my computer screen at home, haha!

    I really like the dresses you wore and I'm very impressed with the skirts you found! :)

    Hope you are having a good weekend! Was a busy day yesterday so will be a relaxing one today!

    Away From The Blue

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    1. Thank you Mica! Being an introvert too, I know exactly what you mean. I am lucky, though, in that I'm mostly on my own in the office, having only one part-time colleague! xxx

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  14. I'm also missing my lockdown timetable (but not the lockdown itself!) and feeling a little bit overwhelmed by work at the office. I'm also astonished by all the activities I used to manage in the good old times. I'm lacking energy these days indeed.
    Love your King Louie dress, a particularly fabulous piece!. And also a fabulous accessorizing with a cute brooch and rocking style!.
    Lovely polka dot dress too, such a classic style (cute buttons!) and fab brooch again!.
    Glad to see Angelica sporting your last finds, lots of stunning pieces, my favourite it's the embroidered skirt!.
    Lovely ensemble of skirt and blouse, I couldn't guess which two pieces were not vintage!. The mixed prints and colour combo look so amazing and joyful!, You Rock!
    besos

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    1. Exactly my feelings, Monica! I am feeling a bit overwhelmed, and not just by my work at the office. The lack of energy is so annoying isn't it? xxx

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  15. Sooo, sooooo, soooooooo in love with your elegantly pretty flax, brown, and orange ensemble. It strikes me as the perfect earlier tastier of fall's colour palette and is totally something I would wear in the quickest of heartbeats (at any point in the year) as well.

    Autumn Zenith 🧡 Witchcrafted Life

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    1. Thank you Autumn! I had that outfit in mind from the moment I spotted the blouse in a charity shop, and it worked out exactly as I thought it would. I'm a fan of fall's colour palette too! xxx

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  16. Having to get in for eight in the morning sounds like an utter nightmare - I have to commute in for 9:30 and that's bad enough! What time do you have to get up?

    I know what you mean about 'where did I find time?' I think the 'rona has left a lot of people thinking hard about their work/life balance.

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    1. Officially it's 8.30 to 5, but now that Jos takes me to work and back by car, I'm able to start half an hour earlier without having to get up earlier than I did before. Which is 6.30 by the way ... xxx

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