This Week

I took a cheap day return train to Brighton.  The mission was to try on the new Emmylou dress at my favourite shop, All About Audrey.  They have made this lovely modern day replica of a 70s hippy kaftan.  But it justn't wasn't right for me .   from this changing room pic I see not enough material for my liking and the rear view was not the best... hair's getting long though which is good.... but never mind about the dress, I already have a few very beautiful things from this shop (that specialises in vintage and recycled sari silk made into floaty dresses) and the kaftan of my dreams will one day appear on EBay at a fraction of the retail price, hopefully.

I'm loooking plump, gym has not been visited much lately. bursitis of the hip and carpal tunnel of my hand are my excuse.  I kept up swimming 30 lengths twice a week though.  Will do better.

Brighton was cold and grey, there was no sign of all the lovely paper lanterns of Solstice night, recycled no doubt, but there was a delicious avocado wrap and hot coffee waiting for me at Pret and a nice look round the chazza shops, but nothing of note brought home.  It was a good day for sea air and a lot of walking in flat, comfy boots though.  As I spent childhood holidays here with granny and her nutty sisters Hilda, Lily and Babs, I have some very happy memories and enjoyed wandering The Lanes just like I did as a child of the 60s.  They would have approved of the kaftan dress.

Window shopping only ... I spotted a very lovely amethyst ring, its my birth stone.

I took the Christmas tree and foliage swags down yesterday, it feels empty in the house without all the fairy lights and bling.  I forgot to put the curtains back up... am not sleeping well, infact blogging at 4 in the morning here which is not healthy.

I have been to my allotment over Christmas, saw deer up there several times (the other plotholders want to prevent them getting in, but I don't mind sharing a bit of veg with them.   had to check my red onions.  Sprouts and leeks are ready and I couldn't resist moving the spades and paraphernalia of netting/pea sticks and plastic tubes around to make them look more arty in my manure box.  OCD is featuring heavily at the moment.  

My recent shopping has been boring and sensible, some non slip matting for the back door, as the patio gets slippy, but the cat hates the new rubber outdoor mat and leaps like a gazelle over it rather than step over it.  I felt it was essential to replenish underwear supplies  - 'new year new undies' is my motto.

We are half way through watching a real life 4 part tv series which we recorded Mr Bates v The Post Office .   700 postmasters were wrongly accused/prosecuted for mismanagement of funds.  This was due to bugs in the Fujitso software, Horizon, installed in UK post offices Nationwide.  The books didn't balance and the Post Office prosecuted these poor people for mismanaging or removing funds - some were prosecuted, convicted and even went to prison, wrongly.  It's heartbreaking to think of the years of misery these people went through fighting their cases...

Mr Bates vs The Post Office true story: The scandal behind ITV's drama | Radio Times

Source:  Radio Times, Mr Bates v The Post Office

This weekend we will be visiting our oldest son in Tooting (London) for a curry and a quick look round the ethnic food shops in the area where I hope to stock up on fenugreek leaves and black mustard seeds for making our own curries.

I'm off to catch up on some sleep now!