After the heatwave the UK is enjoying much needed rain.
I have done a blog post about my recent Paris trip on my other blog HERE
I have been busy this week planting carrot, parsnip, fennel, rocket, fenugreek, spring onions and more on my allotment.
I got two huge dog water bowls from the recycle centre for £2 each, perfect as a bird bath and to provide drinking water for passing foxes or deer.
Back soon, how's your week going?
I got back from a 3 night Eurostar break in Paris on Saturday to find my allotment has been looking spectacular, (thanks to our Sprinkler group where we volunteer and water each others plots). The main attraction has been a mallow plant that i didn't plant; it seemed to appear overnight, grow to 4 feet, produce the most beautiful pale pink blooms - then promptly collapse under its own weight and die off!
France has suffered the same heatwave conditions as the UK so with this in mind, I packed our bags on Tuesday night and on Wednesday, we set off (via Kings Cross St Pancras, a 40 minute train journey from Gatwick, which we live close to)... and hopped on Eurostar for a short break to Paris. I had booked this early in the year and got a fantastic deal of 3 nights B&B at the Best Western in the Opera district of Paris and our Eurostar tickets too.
I had my biab nails infilled the day before leaving. This is a new thing for me as my nails have been very weak and should help.mine to grow stronger. I painted my toes, thank goodness for pilates classes. You need to be a bit of a contortionist to do toes!
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| Didnt take long to unpack |
I am getting good at packing light and was able to carry everything with room to spare. I was in such a hurry to go that I forgot to take pics of what I was taking, but remembered on arrival so snapped what came out of my bag!
I keep the disposable laundry bags that hotels provide as they are perfect for rolling and packing clothes and keeping them uncreased and clean inside the bigger bag. I took trainers, my hat, 2 floral jersey day dresses, one ginger and cream silk maxi dress (All About Audrey £10 bargain rail), my favourite browns and creams wrap maxi skirt (Naked Generation,), and a couple of blouses from East that I always take as they are so comfy - long sleeved with gold pattern on both, a sleeveless vest top, 3 nickers, 1 spare bra, trainer socks, half slip and a silk scarf (Kerala souvenir some years ago).
There's me! Entrance to hotel right next to a vintage kilo shop! Everything was very petite, a lot of leather and suede and skimpy silk, all of which made my 5ft 5 1/2 inch, size 14 frame look positively giant. There were several of these shops in this district of Paris (where you buy by the kilo rather than per item).
My Primark hat has a drawstring within to tighten the crown and so there was no chance of it blowing away; although I also tied my silk scarf around it so I didn't have to carry it unless I needed it to cover my shoulders - I didn't need it as temperatures were in the low 30s.
The trip itself was really lovely and details will be on my travel blog as soon as I get a minute to upload some pics if you would like to know more.
Im taking it easy on the gym classes for a couple of weeks whilst awaiting an MSK appointment to check why I am getting pain in my elbow and knee. so for now it's just pilates, swimming, allotment and garden weeding. Probably some joint strain due to walking 8+km a day on these recent trips (I guess you can't have it all, 66 and not counting but think I need to pace myself next time!).
This weekend I am catching up with friends who have kindly watered both my allotment and the garden and helped my son with cat sitting duties.
Another UK heatwave is imminent, hosepipe bans and train delays due to overheated rail tracks can be expected
How's your week going?
We have been at the beach for 10 nights on the last leg of our trip. We have a beautiful air con villa with own pool and are right next door to an elephant sanctuary. My travel post is on my other blog CLICK HERE.
I was on a waiting list with the library ⁰to borrow the Kindle version of The Dressmaker of Dachau: How lucky that it became available whilst lounging at the beach!
Its an absolutely brilliant novel about a London dressmaking apprentice who ends up as a prisoner in Nazi Germany and is taken to the house of the commander of Dachau concentration camp where she becomes dressmaker to the German elite for the duration of WW2.
There are signs for Tsunami evacuation around the hotel. This is because in 2004 the last Tsunami to hit this coast claimed so many thousands of lives, they had never experienced this before and now have procedures in place for early warning.
There has been brief. heavy rain in Kao Lak the last few days for an hour or two , but there's always the beach bar, the elephant sanctuary next door (been twice), the sea and our villa if we need to dry off.
I'm not good at outfit posing but had to give this pretty kaftan some adoration, .monsoon, chiffon, very floaty!
Enjoying our last couple of days before heading home, here's some pics of the amazing food we have been tucking in to!
Weather has been in the 30s in this part of Thailand so not much clothing required, mostly kaftans and swimwear...
My crocs have been the most worn suitcase item!
I've just finished reading a book from the hotel library which was spellbinding right to the end, a murder mystery:
There has been heavy rain but usually only for a few hours , it's the beginning of the rainy season. We have a few more days and can swim in the sea in the rain so no problem!
Update: last day in Kao Lack there was torrential rain, we left 4 pm for phuket airport and the roads were flooded, poor visibility. The monsoon has started! We got home safely but tired after about 16 hours in total including 2 long flights.
Come over to my travel blog for another post on Thailand HERE
No idea what these are, cakes I think. Im keeping travel posts on my other blog as need somewhere to add video and more pics and keep tidy! Infact I have last year's trips to add. Blogger is a great place to store pics free until i find a better place for safe, free storage. Ideas are welcome.
Hi folks, I've decided to keep my travel posts separate on my old Travel blog HERE as I have quiet a bit to say... so if you would like to see more about Thailand. Come on over to my travel blog MAGIC CARPET TRAVELS! My first post is Bangkok.
I joined Vinted and sold some of my Anokhi dresses (which I bought years ago on EBay so have actually made a profit!). I've been shopping on there too, a copper bangle - I love copper. When I Googled this one I found it was made by a British designer of the 60s and 70s, Moda of Malta, specialising in hand beaten copper jewellery.
I had a lovely week of lunches with sons ... Lunch made at my place by younger son and his girlfriend, a really nice afternoon together chatting and chilling out.... then on Friday I went on a train trip to London to see my older son, we took a bus over to Spoons in Wimbledon and visited the Buddhist Temple, wandered the very peaceful grounds and asked a monk to do a prayer and blessing for us (and for a friend who is currently building her house in Sri Lanka) and we came away relaxed and refreshed.
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On the subject of my Sri Lanka friend I am sharing a little of her house build which s in the Sri Lankan hills where it is cool and green (she spends half the year there, half in the UK. She is rebuilding her family home. The workmen prepared the area before starting work with ceremonial food offerings and smudging (smoke) from coconut leaf woven lanterns around the four corners of the plot, to keep away any lurking evil spirits, an astrologer determines the exact date work can start. Some pics/video below that she sent me.
Swimming is becoming a regular event now I'm retired and I am now up to 50 lengths per visit. I have made a few friends at the pool and there's usually a nice chat in the changing rooms after :)
I got a mixed pack of seeds from 'Chiltern's at a reduced price. they have given a lovely selection, radish, beetroot, carrot, dill, a variety of lettuce and tomatoes - should be fun seeing what pops up... last years pack gave me this beautiful.mallow in the mix.
I enjoyed reading The Bones of You, A really good thriller and first book by a new writer, Debbie Howells Found in a charity shop.
Hi bloglanders, in the merry month of May I am beginning to relax into month 3 of retirement and not counting.
My first major retirement achievement has been to actually read a book without cheating and jumping pages. The book was gifted to me last year by my friend *Vix* and I had tried to get into it several times last year and failed because I have a short attention span. Im glad I tried again as it was a really good read: about a journalist who finds the love of his life in Egypt; the book gives a window into the social and dating scene, expectations and restrictions/taboos for modern day Muslim women in Egypt. It was superb and I like true stories. thank you Vix!
I have been to Brighton twice this month. I tried out my pensioners free travel bus pass - it took 3 1/2 hours! two buses, both taking a very long and winding tour of local towns and villages, it was a very rattling, bumpy ride and I wouldn't do it again! Second time I took the train which is only 40 minutes into Brighton. Both times involved a big afternoon sleep on the beach. I love browsing The Lanes and this time bought a collar necklace from.my favourite All About ,Audrey. These are my favourite stones (they aren't real unfortunately).
There were a lot of colourful characters around who just loved having their picture taken!
Up at the allotment things are beginning to sprout and due to the unusually high temps in the UK, watering has been almost daily. We now have a group (Sprinklers) on Whatsapp. we volunteer to water for each other during holidays/absence on a rota. I have been doing 2 other allotments and it is a great way to see what others are planting, how they space things out, companion planting, the recycled resources they use to cover their seedlings (wire freezer drawers are popular to deter birds from pulling things up) and what grows well together - I'm learning from the experts, some of whom have been there about 10 years.
On my 60 x 60ft plot I have planted:
After the heatwave the UK is enjoying much needed rain. I have done a blog post about my recent Paris trip on my other blog HERE I have be...
