The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

On Sunday evening hubby took me to Warwick Arts Centre to see ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’, which is the movie based on the book by Stieg Larsson. Whilst hubby has now read three of the books from the Millennium series, I’ve read none, but he does continually comment on how astoundingly good they are, and I recall Lauren writing a review on this very book and commenting on how good it was.

So, the film. The film was subtitled in Swedish; personally I have no problem with subtitled films and actually prefer a lot of foreign films to some of the tripe that comes out of Hollywood, although I know that for some people it’s an issue. On top of this it was quite a long film. It was, however, set at a good pace which made it easy for someone like me who has not read the book to keep up and not get bored. According to hubby the characters were quite good in relation to what he had read, and in particular the lead character of Lisbeth Salander was an accurate portrayal of what he had imagined while reading. The story is very clever I must say, and although it did get violent in some parts I didn’t feel that it was particularly gratuitous. There are a couple of unexpected (if you haven’t read it) twists at the end and the story and it certainly maintains your interest throughout. It was a really good film and I don’t feel that it would have been half as good if Hollywood had got there first.

In the car on the way home hubby was keen to know if I would want to read the book now having seen the film. Whilst this sort of story wouldn’t be my usual choice I certainly think I would give it a go, particularly as everyone seems to be raving about the Stiegg Larsson trilogy at the moment. I would say that whether or not you have read the book, this film would definitely be worth seeing.

This film never showed at any of the other cinemas in Coventry, probably because it is subtitled and maybe a bit less mainstream. It is on, however, until the 29th of April at Warwick Arts Centre, so get yourself down there tout suite.

Tewkesbury

Dress - Vintage (eBay): T-shirt - Traidfair: Glasses - Givenchy: Hat - Customised

Yesterday I made the most of the glorious weather by taking Mum out for a day in Tewkesbury. You may remember we were meant to go last bank holiday, but some Bailey shaped shenanigans meant that didn't happen, so this time hubby stayed home and looked after the dogs while Mum and I went.

It was closer than I thought it would be, the 1 hour drive making it a rival to our usual days out in Stratford, and finding parking was very easy to boot. As soon as we got out of the car though we regretted not having packed a picnic because there was a beautiful picnic area, with benches, overlooked by the beautifully imposing abbey.

Once we arrived in Tewkesbury we headed straight for the Abbey tea rooms, which was a delightful old fashioned tea shop which sat right in the line of the Abbey. We devoured a delightful clotted cream tea, on cherry scones, the thought of them makes my mouth water. After this we went straight over the road to explore the beautiful Abbey.

The Abbey itself is very imposing in a Gothic style which in some ways is reminiscent of Notre Dame, although perhaps not quite so ornate and grand. Inside, the Abbey seems surprisingly small, although with an abundance of carvings and ornate gold leaf it's still a very awe inspiring setting. What never ceases to amaze me about these tremendous buildings is the fact that the technology for building which we have available to us today was not around back then, and yet they still managed to produce these masterpieces of architecture and engineering... breathtaking.

Tewkesbury Abbey

Tewkesbury Abbey Inside
Ornate Carving

After our peruse of the Abbey we set off to the high street, and I have to say I'm surprised that it was a big as it was. I expected a small village feel, something like the Cotswolds, but no they have a bona fide high street... with LOTS of charity shops and antique shops. Many of the buildings were reminiscent of the Tudor style that's all over Stratford, so there was lots to see. I bought a delightful little picture necklace which I found in a junk box outside an antique shop, it cost me £2 and it's very on trend to boot. I also bought a delightful white linen jacket from a charity shop for £4. I bought a few gifts for hubby, and Mum bought a few things too. After a breather in the pub we set off towards the river for a 25 minute river trip. It was beautiful as the sun was blazing and lots of people were out on their boats (how the other half live).

It had been our intention to take a boat ride, and then go to a pub we had passed earlier for dinner. Bizarrely however, the pub stopped serving food at 3pm, it was now 4.30. So we went to another pub, but they were closing too, and all the restaurants seemed to be closed. With no other option for tea we decided to buy a bag of chips and eat them on a bench outside. It was a lovely day, and the chips were very tasty.

Finally as we were heading back to the car we happened upon a little vintage shop called Replay Vintage. My, what an Aladdin's cave it was. Filled with beautiful dresses, handbags and even sewing patterns I was in my element and could have stayed in there all day. Despite finding a couple of dresses I loved though I opted to be good, and not to buy any... although I do regret not purchasing a beautiful blue and pink creation that looked not unlike a Pucci dress. Anyway, I took the business card for the shop, I fully intend to pay it a visit again when I have more money in my purse.

We returned home, and were back shortly after 6 having had a truly delightful day in this Gloucestershire town. I definitely think I'll go back again, and next time I'll take a picnic with me!

Pru Gardening.

We installed a new hose in the garden yesterday, you have to watch this video for the hilarious reaction of our dog, Prudence. (p.s. I'm sorry for my lack of computer skills which mean you have to turn your head to the side.)

Suited and Booted

After last nights' live gig at the Nursery Tavern, which I have to say was fantastic and included an amazing bluegrass band called The Brave Sons of Elijah Perry, I was surprised that I actually managed to get up in time for my 7:30am train to London this morning for the RICS Planning Conference, let alone look any good in doing so. Anyway, I did manage it and opted to wear my best suit and briefcase for the event. The surveying profession is still quite male dominated, and dressed like this I really feel I can hold my own in that setting. In some ways I do feel a little masculine in this suit, but in a good, strong, confident way. The Pink Aspinal of London briefcase, a gift from hubby a couple of christmasses back, is just enough to make it look feminine again, but still corporate.

Suit - Calvin Klein; Shoes - Van Dahl; Top - Next; Breifcase - Aspinal of London; Sunglasses - Gucci

Anyway, after all the fun of the planning conference (which believe it or not is very interesting... well at least I think so). I walked along Oxford St, taking in the sun and plenty of shops along the way. I have to say, I adore all the romantic girly floral accessories in Topshop at the moment, it's just dreamy. I also took a visit to the Fever shop, a favourite haunt of Roisin, where I purchased the Maui maxi dress. It's gorgeous.  I also bought hubby a record deck which hooks up the computer so he can transfer his vinyl to his MP3 player, so I was definitely in his good books when I got home. Now, I'm off to make some bunting for my impending camping trip.

Gypsy Boy by Mikey Walsh

Gypsy Boy by Mikey Walsh is one of those books that comes along every once in a while that really does tug on the heart strings. Hubby read this book first, but exclaimed on finishing it that it was so good I really should read it. I have to say, he was right and I’m glad that I did.

This book is a true life account of one boy’s childhood growing up as a Romany gypsy. Ordinarily gypsy culture is very guarded and secret and so I believe that us Gorgias (non-gypsies) can often have a highly romanticised view of life as a Gypsy, I know I certainly did until I read this book. This really is a no holds barred tale of the harsh realities of gypsy life. On the one hand you have a very moral society with strong beliefs and a strong patriotism to their way of life. On the other is excruciating violence, discrimination and on this occasion child abuse. Mikey’s tale is really thought provoking, born into a life where he’s expected to be a champion bare knuckle boxer his training (read daily brutal beatings) begins at age four. Throughout his whole life he is challenged to fight on and on, and every time he loses the fight he falls deeper into a state of loathing by his father, and ultimately never feels up to his role as the strong gypsy man. I don’t want to ruin the story for anyone who is going to read it, but the end is particularly uplifting. Mikey Walsh reaches a point in his life where he has to stay true to himself, irrespective of the perceived shame this would bring on him as a gypsy man, and despite the extremely harsh upbringing he has he is still fond and protective of the gypsy culture.

The book is fast paced, and is a real eye opener. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone, at times it’s hilariously funny, and at others it’s a real tear jerker, but it definitely makes you understand this mysterious culture in a whole new light.

Fashion V Sport

Image courtesy of the Herbert Art Gallery Website

As I mentioned, I visited the Fashion V Sport exhibition, organised by the V&A at the Herbert Art Gallery in Coventry over the weekend. I found the exhibition to be particularly thought provoking, and much better than I expected.

Examining the links between sportswear, and fashion items this exhibition couldn’t fail but to take a look at street style. This style probably really achieved popularity in 1970s America where ‘sneakers’ and baseball jackets would often be wore along with baggy jeans in true ‘hip hop’ style. Fast forward to the 1980s, and loungewear had really taken hold, complete tracksuits along with very white trainers. This, however, is where this exhibition really makes you think because alongside the blatant sports wear, are exhibits of less obvious sports influenced items. Afterall, jumpsuits another 1980s style staple which have recently regained popularity, are they sportswear? Surely not? Well, of course, if you take it in its extreme version of satin and sexy then no, you probably can’t see the resemblance, but there are areas where the lines are definitely blurred. Take for example a jersey jumpsuit, such as the one shown in the exhibition. Of course, this can be devilishly smart paired with a sexy pair of high heels, but lets not forget that jersey has it’s origins in the sportswear market. This is how the lines between sportswear and fashion can become increasingly blurred.

I myself am not a fan of sportswear. Trainers are for the gym and not for general use, and sports clothes tend to be for sports in my wardrobe. Following this exhibition though I started to see the clothing I own in a new light. Granted, it may not be sportswear, but for some of my much beloved items their origins certainly lie in the sportswear field. Take for example my crisp cotton Pringle skirt, of course it looks delightfully laid back in the summer with a cotton vest top, but it’s origins are in golf wear; the harem pants I keep looking at so longingly are largely made of sports friendly jersey and so forth. Aside from this, many of our day to day clothes now benefit from technologies which have been honed in the research of sports clothes, making fit and durability something which we come to expect both inside and outside of the gym. Of course, there is still a prevalence of sportswear street style, particularly in countries such as China and Japan and cities like London and New York, and this is evident in the photographic element of this exhibition. However, even where people haven’t signed up to this street style, then it’s still important to recognise that a lot of what we wear today is influenced in some part by sports wear, and this exhibition certainly makes that clear.

The exhibition runs until May 3rd at the Herbert Art Gallery in Coventry. Entry is free.

Gardens, Music and Art

It's been another delightful weekend has it not? Once again, I've managed to cram a lot in too, I seem to be far more productive when the sun is out, perhaps I am solar powered, how very eco of me. Anyway, enough pondering the marvels of the sunshine, time to catch up on how I've spent my time.

Saturday morning we did the usual routine of going to visit the inlaws, only I made everyone sit out in the garden because it was so delightfully sunny I just wanted to be outside. I don't know about you, but I'm stuck in an office 5 days a week, so by the time the weekend comes I'm dying to feel the air on my skin, and sitting inside on a sunny day is not an option, unless of course I have a migraine.

Anyway, hubby and I spent the rest of the day in the garden centre, and gardening. We did so much with our garden, and I just got ridiculously excited that hubby was fitting a rotary washing line for me. I've been drying our laundry on the radiators for 3 years now, so that was more than welcome. Once the garden was done, and the step-children had left, we got ready to go to The Belgrade Theatre for one of their late night music sessions. We'd looked up the two bands on the internet; The treehorns and Wes Finch and the Dirty Band, so I knew it would probably be a folksy, indie kind of crowd and therefore I could dress a little laid back. I opted for the maxi dress I bought from M&S earlier in the year, and a cardy of course to keep me warm.

Shoes: Next (swapped), Dress; Marks and Spencers, Cardigan; Vintage (Dog, Princess Prudence) Sorry about the blob on the picture, my photoshop skills aren't dapper enough to deal with it.

I really like the dress, it's very comfortable. Anyway, the two bands were fabulous. It wasn't until half way through the first set that I realised I went to school with some of the first band, I couldn't believe how talented they were. Unfortunately this did make me want to learn how to play guitar, which, considering I don't even read music could be no mean feat. The second band were phenomenal, honestly they were so chilled, relaxing and folksy. If you get the opportunity to go see Wes Finch and the Dirty Band, I certainly would. You won't be disappointed. It was a really nice way to spend an evening, particularly after working so hard all day.

This morning, we were up bright and early for church, and Mum even came along which was really nice. After that we headed to the Herbert Art Gallery, which, I have to say, following it's impressive refurbishment and extension is really putting on some fabulous exhibitions. I'd been meaning to visit the Fashion V Sport exhibition for weeks. The whole premise seemed really interesting to me, exploring the links between sports wear and fashion. As such I was very pleased to finally see the exhibition. It wasn't what I expected, it was better. I thought it would just be photographs, but instead we were faced with a space full of clothing exhibits. They really made me think about the role of sportswear in fashion clothing, and hopefully if I get time I'll discuss my thoughts, provoked by the show, in another post. Needless to say though, if you are a fashion blogger living near Coventry, this is definitely one to see, it certainly makes you think differently and runs until 3rd May so there's not much time left to go see it. While we were there we also took in the Coventry open. Hubby had meant to submit some images for consideration for the open, but never got around to it, but it was nice to see the varied talent living in and around Coventry. My favourite had to be a photographic image inspired by a popular Man Ray shot.

Once we'd dropped Mum back home we spent another couple of hours in the garden, planting flowers, watering things and so on. It's really coming together now... who knows I may even have a BBQ in it this summer, it's decidedly less embarrassing than it was before... although my disused greenhouse is still something of a sore point with the hubby.

After an evening of sorting through the linen chest in search of some Summer clothes which have mysteriously vanished, I've now resigned myself to a few hours rest in front of the box before it's time to think about work again (*sigh*), but never mind, it's been a nice weekend.

Rich Girl, Poor Girl

I’ve been reading Rich Girl, Poor Girl, by Leslie Lokko for a while now, and finally finished it this week. It’s the first book of hers that I have read, and I simply picked it up on a whim one day in Sainsbury’s. I have to say, having read the book I have very mixed views of it.

The book follows the lives of three unlikely friends, and weaves a strange web of entanglement which all leads back to one girl’s father. Caryn is brought up on an exceptionally poor estate in London, Tory has an average upbringing but some pretty apparent issues which have been brought on by a family tragedy, Nic has lead a privileged upbringing in South Africa, the daughter of a mining tycoon. The three are brought together at a select public school in London, and the book follows their lives through school and into their twenties, as well as the lives of a few other key characters, the story culminates in a few downfalls and has some major twists and turns.

Lokko has a lovely writing style. Her descriptions are very vivid, even down to the accents of the South African characters. The settings, the words, the way of life of all of the characters seems to me to be particularly well researched, and it’s great the way she has managed to describe the challenges and lifestyle of the exceptionally poor characters just as well as she has the exceptionally rich ones. I found her style to be flowing and eloquent. On the negative side however, this story does seem a bit disjointed, particularly in the early parts of the book because there seems to be too many characters, which early on appear to be unrelated. This results in short chapters and lots of jumping between characters to set the scene. Of course as the story evolves it becomes apparent how they are all interlinked, but part of me thinks that perhaps there are just too many coincidences in this book. Things that would be highly unlikely in the real world, and I know that stories can be escapist, but I sometimes find things like this with such a level of coincidence just too difficult to comprehend. I think that Lokko could have dispensed with a couple of characters and built the story around a tighter plot which would have reduced the length of the tome significantly. Alternatively, she could have dispensed with the lengthy background setting to the three key characters through their schooling and early days, again reducing the lengthy tome. I have to admit, once you are about 2/3 through the story it really picks up pace and this was where I started to find the book unputdownable. There were more twists and turns during the latter half of this book than a helter skelter. This really upped the ante of the story and made the pace faster and easier to understand. What I particularly liked about Lokko was that she didn’t shy away from broaching difficult subjects including prostitution, poverty, corruption and murder, and her descriptions of these less savoury practices were never obscene or offensive. It was easy to see that any descriptions were there for the sake of the story and not gratuitous. The ending was a little flat, I had expected some more fireworks, but nonetheless I still enjoyed the book.

Would I read this book again? Probably not, would I read another of Lokko’s books? Probably yes. I would say that if you get easily confused by plots which jump around a lot, then this really isn’t the book for you, also if you are looking for a quick read again this is not the one for you. If, however, you want to immerse yourself in something for a few weeks and have the patience to let this one develop then it would be worth the read.

Dresses, Stunts and Summer Sun

Well, hasn’t it been an absolutely glorious weekend? Finally we can dispense with the tights it seems. Brace yourself for a pretty long blog, I managed to cram a lot in this weekend.

Friday I met with the lovely Roisin, and it was our first meeting. It was very nice to meet one of my fellow bloggers, and we had a lovely time rattling each others heads off. We found out we had a fair few things in common… including a penchant for lime pickle.

Friday night was fairly quiet, so I made a start on the denim clutch bag that it seems like I’ve been making forever. I’ve still not finished it, but it was nice to be on the sewing machine again. I can’t remember the last time I used it, and sometimes it’s just good to get a bit of practice in.

Saturday we were up bright and early, and off to visit the in-laws. It was a beautiful summery day so I opted to wear the vintage dress I bought last week, and some sandals which haven’t been out in what seems like forever. I was really pleased with the dress, and as soon as I got to the in-laws I was complimented on it, so, I’m feeling pretty smug about that purchase. I left the in-laws laden down with cake tins… I think they may be dropping me a hint since the lemon layer cake I left with them for Easter seemed to have gone down particularly well.

Sandals - Next (swapped); Dress - Vintage; Bag - Swapped; Belt - ASOS (Charity Shop); Jacket - H&M; Glasses - Gucci

After visiting, we pottered along to Go Outdoors to get a new inflatable mattress for when we go camping later this month. Eagle eye hubby however found a sale rail in there, and on it was an absolute bargain of a Berghaus body warmer. Hubby and I love to do outdoorsy things, walking, camping and so on, so, it’s always handy to be able to stock up on some more kit, this though is not only practical being filled with duck down, and therefore stupidly warm, but in a gorgeous shade of raspberry it looks really nice too. We snapped it up, along with a new sleeping bag for the step-daughter since she’s off to the Reading festival later this year.

Once I’d dropped everyone back at home I set off to get Mum and go into town for a few hours. When I got there, she was wearing a heavy black wool coat, I don’t think she’d quite realised how nice it was outside. I sent her back upstairs quick smart to change as I knew after half an hour she’d be carrying the coat. She loved my dress when I got there too which just increased my smug feeling all the more.

Town was really busy, unsurprisingly, and every shop we went into seemed to be playing the Animals classic, House of the Rising Sun. By the end of it we were singing along too like a couple of crazy ladies. I didn’t spend a great deal, but I bought several things I needed: Some pumps, some flip flops and a summer hat from Primark, a lovely new bangle from the second hand shop and a cutsie little picture frame from Homes of Coventry. I also had an amazing ego boost when, as we passed a couple of women one pointed me out to her friend and said that she would like to have been dressed like me. Yes, my smug-o-meter was and still is through the roof… my head has expanded and I am finding doorways difficult to negotiate lol. No seriously though, it does make you feel good about yourself when you get so many compliments in one day.

We finished off in the hairdressers where Mum had her mane of blonde hair cut into a lovely rough bob, and then I went back to hers to sort her DVD player out… that’s what daughters are for.

When I got home I had just about enough time to change. I pulled on my jeans and a top along with my new pumps and my new Berghaus body warmer. Hubby and I were taking the kids out to Coventry Stadium to see a stunt driving show. I have to say I was possibly more excited than anyone about this, you see when I was a child we were frequently at such shows and I even vividly remember my Dad volunteering my Mum to get in a car which was driving on 2 wheels. I don’t think she spoke to him for about a month after that. Anyway, the stadium was packed, and the smell of hotdogs was wafting out to the car park, unfortunately by the time we got in there were none left and I had to have a burger instead. The show was fabulous though. There were motorcycles doing jumps and tricks, people crashing cars, other cars ‘drifting’ and of course, monster trucks. This was real petrol head entertainment, and I loved it. The noises, the smells of burning rubber, the danger, it all appeals to me, and just made me want to get on the track and burn some rubber myself. Despite my love of all things girly such as pretty clothes and fabric, baking and Cath Kidston, I can’t hide the fact that I’m a tomboy through and through. I spent much of my childhood climbing trees or playing football and many of my childhood friends were boys, so when it comes to something like this, that element of my personality really shows itself. The show ended quite late, and we all left happy but tired.

Sunday morning we were up for Church. Afterwards, once we’d had a spot of lunch, we set off to view some boarding kennels for the dogs in advance of our next holiday. We weren’t that impressed by what we saw, so I think we’ll just stick with the one we usually use which we know is good… even if it is a bit far out. On the way back into Coventry, driving through Fillongley we were invited into one of hubby’s friend’s house for a cuppa and a catch up, which was really nice, and their house and garden is just phenomenal.

Back at home I’m afraid the rest of my day was filled with cleaning and cooking. I have a huge cleaning backlog, so even though I blitzed some yesterday there is still much to do, I’ll just have to keep at it, not very exciting, but necessary nonetheless.

We finished the weekend off by meeting my Mum in the pub with the dogs. Ah bliss!

Insomnia

Since I was around 18, I have suffered frequent bouts of insomnia. I believe it was brought on by the stress of doing A-levels, and has left a legacy of sufferance ever since. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t spend each and every night of my life lying awake, I can go for months having glorious sleeps, but then something will click and my sleep will be interjected with weeks of tiredness and frustration as the elusive sleep evades me night after night. At the best of times I can be a frustratingly light sleeper, and at all times I have to wear a sleep mask to keep any sliver of light from waking me, but there is a distinct difference between my nights of light sleep, and of very little almost no sleep.

Let’s take Thursday night as an example. Having done 2 lots of sports during the week, and having had a delightful long hot bath, I was exhausted. Not least because the previous 2 nights had been disastrous in terms of sleep. I set off to bed at a reasonable hour, and read for a time to wind down. I fell asleep quite promptly, but awoke after half an hour. It wasn’t just momentary wakefulness; I lay there for an hour listening to the house around me sleep, watching the darkness. This is when the frustration and the envy kick in. The envy that others around you are sleeping soundly, that the world is sleeping soundly, and yet you just cannot switch off. It’s difficult not to become angry with yourself that your body cannot achieve something so simple, and then the pondering starts. What should I do to make me fall asleep? You try to clear your mind, but something inevitably pops in; you ponder taking sleeping tablets, but I’ve taken Nytol, and Kalms and all the other over the counter medication, eventually your body becomes used to it and it no longer works. In this lonely and irrational place you can even find yourself pondering taking more than one sleeping tablet because even though it’s too much, it’ll surely make you sleep. Thankfully I’ve always been a bit too rational to attempt it, but I’ve thought about it time and again; you ponder getting up and sipping some brandy, but that can just as easily keep you awake as send you off and I often find that after a night drinking alcohol that I can’t sleep. Finally the tears kick in… your eyes hurt so much from being awake that you can almost feel the puffiness gathering. I went and lay on the sofa, watching some crap film that was on freeview, cold, lonely and huddled up under my nightgown. Finally shortly after 1:30am I went back to bed and I fell asleep… I was awake again by 5:00am though, and the rest of the nights sleep until 7:15am when my alarm goes off was fitful and interrupted. The following morning is painful, my limbs are aching anyway from badminton and jogging, but there is a different sort of ache that pulses through them the morning after a poor nights sleep, it’s almost reminding you of the damage you are doing to your body, but what can you do about it? It’s beyond control. The whole day is then spent looking forward to getting back into your bed that evening… and you are so sure that you are so tired that you’ll have no problem falling asleep, but there’s no guarantee.

For those who are lucky enough not to suffer insomnia I think there is a lack of understanding as to the nightime torment endured by the thousands of sufferers. It’s lonely, it’s frustrating, it’s upsetting and most of all it makes you feel (and look) absolutely awful, furthermore it is actually detrimental to our health. People who get limited sleep are more likely to suffer from obesity, stress and heart attacks than those who do not. For those who do suffer insomnia, however, I think there is a lack of understanding as to the effect it has on the people around you. Not just because your wakeful hours are spent tired and groggy and snappy, but because sometimes we end up taking our frustrations out on the person who can sleep. We disturb their sleep with our late night wanderings, turning TVs on, huffing and puffing and tossing and turning in the bed, so in the end the insomniac and their bedfellow are equally affected by one person’s problem. Where do we go next though? I’ve raised my problem with my doctor before, and he’s always pushed it aside as some imaginary problem, or some side effect of living in the modern world, so that only really leaves me with alternative therapies. Lavender I know is good, herbal tea I already have before bedtime and like the sleeping tablets I think my body is slowly becoming tolerant to it. If you have any suggestions though, at this moment in time I would give my right arm for a good nights sleep.

Easter Weekend

I hope you all had a nice peaceful Easter, the break went far too quickly though didn’t it?
Friday morning, hubby and I popped into town with my Step-son to take something back to Game. It’s no good asking me what; I don’t understand these X-box type gadgets. Anyway, we had a nice relaxing day, and even got to try out the new Italian Coffee House on Trinity Street. This place is fabulous. It’s been open 2 months, and seems to be owned and operated by proper Italian people, which is always a bonus. They also make the most artistic cappuccino I think I’ve ever seen, and most importantly it’s not too expensive.

We weren’t spending the whole day in town since I needed to go to Central 6 to see if I could find a sports bra. On the way back to the car, however, we stopped off at one last charity shop where I found this cute skirt. I pondered over a few things in the charity shop, but in the end just plumped for this pretty lace number.

Central 6 was fruitless, the sports bras in the sports shops are ridiculously expensive, and the ones in TKMaxx are nowhere near my size, so I may have to check out the internet.

On the way home we collected Mum, who spent the rest of the day with us. I had intended to make vegetarian sausages (because you shouldn’t eat meat on Good Friday) and Colcannon. A wrap we’d had at lunchtime though proved to be exceptionally filling, so I just did baked potatoes, and made the sponge for my Easter lemon layer cake.

Unfortunately, during the course of the day/ evening Bailey and Alfie had fisticuffs. We didn’t realise until we brought them in and Alfie had a bloody cut nose. This put paid to our weekend plans of Birmingham on Saturday, and Tewksbury on Monday since we now couldn’t leave the dogs alone together in case they had a fight.

Saturday, hubby obligingly stayed home with the three dogs so that Mum and I could go shopping. We had intended to go to Birmingham, but when we got to the train station there was a rail replacement service instead (a bus). We’ve done this so many times and it’s such a pain that we decided not to go through with it again, and instead took the car and went to Solihull. It’s a while since we’ve been there, and it made a nice change. I dragged mum around all of the second hand shops, and while they have some nice items, they certainly know how to charge there. I also took the opportunity to try on 2 pairs of harem pants in River Island. They were an absolute bargain in the sale and I do love the way they look… however, trying them on I’ve discovered that they aren’t for someone as adequate in the hip department as I am. Shame. Apart from a new nail varnish I came back from Solihull empty handed… and yet I still managed to spend the best part of £30. How does that happen?

Sunday, I just had a lazy day lying on the sofa and reading magazines. Mum came up and cooked us a delicious roast beef dinner, and then I finished my lemon layer cake, decorating it with the little eggs I’d ordered from the cakecraftshop. It was delicious.

Bank Holiday Monday hubby and I decided to drive to Birmingham and park up at a cheap little car park in Digbeth, right near Cow Vintage. I was really excited to be getting to Cow; I’ve not been in at least a year. I shuffled through so many rails, and fell in love with a couple of maxi dresses, I was good though, I didn’t buy them. I also hovered for a very long time over the jumpsuits and playsuits rail. I love this current revival for the 1980s jumpsuit, and I just think playsuits are cute anyway… however; hubby’s grimaces when I pulled a couple of examples out just made me return them to rails. I may return with Mum after I’m paid again, she’s a bit more open minded to 1980s fashion. Don’t get me wrong, hubby loves vintage just as much as I do, but not the 1980s… he refers to it as the decade that fashion forgot and whilst on the whole I agree with him, there are some things which are just too funky to ignore, and that’s how I feel about jumpsuits at the moment. Yes this is definitely a trip to do with Mum. Anyway, I finally came away from Cow with one dress, a white 1980s shirt dress which is going to be fabulous in the summer.

We were disappointed to find that Urban Village in the Custard Factory was closed because it was bank holiday so went for lunch in the Connaught Bar on Digbeth High Street, an inspired choice. Steak and Guinness pie with mash, sprouts and carrot and Swede set us back by a fiver for each meal. It was so delicious, and the setting was lovely. I usually find it very difficult to find anywhere nice to eat in Birmingham, well; I think we’ve now found the spot.

Hubby in the Connaught Bar

Following a fruitless trip to TKMaxx (why is there an assumption that only small bosomed girls need a sports bra?). We hovered around Schuh where I looked longingly at some irregular choice beauties.

In Selfridges, however, hubby managed to bag himself a jumper shaped bargain from Hugo Boss, while I meandered around the shoe and bag department looking longingly at these shoes by Vivienne Westwood, which at only £100 aren’t too bad and who knows I may even purchase these for a wedding in September, although I wonder how comfortable the rubber will be?

I also looked longingly at a Christian Louboutin bag, which at over £900 will never be mine… unless of course I win the lottery. Why do I torture myself so by looking at these items?

Aside from a new necklace and a headband to tame my growing out stage, I made no further purchases, but again seemed to have spent a small fortune. We went home, via the in-laws for a quick Easter visit, and spent the rest of evening reading before retiring for an early night, ready for the week ahead, how quickly the two bank holidays passed.

Skirts

Last week hubby and I got rid of our beautiful, but completely impractical vintage wardrobes. The upshot being that we now have one wardrobe between us to hang suits and dresses (mine, not his), and everything else must go in drawers. I made a start tonight with skirts.

I have a bit of a love affair with skirts. As a 6ft curvy girl, it's almost impossible for me to find trousers that fit properly and so I've always veered more towards a skirt. I'm so well recognised for always wearing a skirt that on the odd occassions that I wear trousers people usually suspect me of power dressing. There's just something fabulous about a skirt. There's nothing as sexy as a figure hugging pencil skirt that makes you wiggle when you walk, and highlights your curves in all the right places, at the same time, it takes a lot to beat the comfort of a flowing gypsy skirt in the warm summer months. Don't get me wrong, sometimes I resort to one of the 2 pairs of jeans I have, or the few pairs of shorts I own for the summer, the sexy 1950s capri pants, or a pair of loose fitting trousers. 9 times out of 10 however it's a skirt you will find me wearing. Since I don't do the daily outfit shot with any regularity, I thought that while I was sorting all of my skirts out into a neat pile in drawers I would share them with you. This is all apart from the ones which are in laundry, or form part of my few suits. Also, please spare me some grace with the ironing situation... some of these have been in storage since the start of winter, and of course they'll see the Morphy Richards before they see my hips.

Brown Taffetta - Per Una

Coral - Marks and Spencer (Gift)

Vintage Yellow Golf Skirt - Pringle (Charity Shop)

Green Baby Cord - Marks and Spencer (Charity Shop)

Vintage Tartan Pencil Skirt - Edinburgh?

Camel Cord - Zara (Swapped)

Patchwork Gypsy - Gift

Green Gingham Appliqued Wrap - Vintage

Grey wool with pink pinstripe - Fenn Wright Manson

Floral - Laura Ashley (Charity Shop)

Floral - Karen Millen

Coral Broderanglaise - Mark and Spencer (eBay)

Mini Kilt - Edinburgh Kilt Shop

So, there you have it... I'm sure I have a couple more, but on the whole there is my skirt collection. Which is your favourite?

Alice in Wonderland - 3D

Wednesday night hubby and I joined a group of his colleagues at Coventry Sports Centre after work, for a few games of badminton. We used to play weekly before we were married… way before we were married, but hadn’t been in a long time. Hubby had found out that a small group of people from his work go weekly and share a court, so we went earlier in the week to buy a couple of new racquets, and we were there with them to play this week. It was great fun. There were 9 of us in total, and I got to meet a few of hubby’s colleagues, who are all very friendly. We both enjoyed it so I think that will be our weekly fitness session now. My shoulder and right leg ache a bit today, but I guess no pain, no gain.

When we got home I was really excited to see a parcel waiting for me. It was the vintage dress which I had won from eBay earlier in the week, and what a bargain it was. I’m afraid you will have to wait for a picture because as soon as it arrived I dunked it straight into a bowl of water to soak away some vintage grime, but once the weather improves I think this dress is going to get a hell of a lot of wear with its easy shirt style and bright floral print. I love it when my vintage bargains work out well.

Finally though, after a quick change and a walk of the dogs, we made it to the cinema to go and see Alice in Wonderland. As you know I’m a massive fan of Alice in Wonderland, and since time has been pressing on I’ve been worried I was going to miss seeing this on the big screen. Thankfully we got there, and even with the Orange Wednesday ticket I did wonder why it was working out so expensive… but then I was handed some 3D spectacles and my concern evaporated, replaced by a childlike joy that I was going to see a film in 3D. I hadn’t seen anything in 3D before. What a wonderful technological development. It’s not like you imagine 3D to be, it’s subtle and realistic and with a film such as this which is full of wonderment, it’s a fantastic experience.

Alice in Wonderland was just awe inspiring. I’m sure you know it has a stella cast including Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter and Matt Lucas, and of course it’s directed by the amazing Tim Burton. Needless to say, although the film is based on the premise of the book, it doesn’t really stick to the story 100%. Instead Alice is grown up, and ends up being a warrior rather than a little girl lost. It builds on her first visit to Wonderland as a child, and the transition between worlds imbues Alice with certain courage when she returns to some difficult decisions in the ‘real world’. Often when directors use artistic license with a story, it ends in tears, but I have to say it worked in the case of Alice in Wonderland. Johnny Depp delivers a classically whacky Depp performance, and it’s everything that Johnny Depp fans (me included) have come to expect. My favourite character though had to be the cheeky Cheshire cat, voiced by Allan Rickman the creepy cutie is just fabulous, and in 3D there are times when you feel like reaching out and tickling his ears he seems that close. Following close behind this is Matt Lucas’ Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum. Each and every time they came on screen both hubby and I almost fell out of our seats with laughter. There wasn’t one performance within the whole film that I could criticise, perhaps I am biased being an avid fan of Mr. Burton’s work, but I seriously think that this film is an event not to miss because of the wonderful imaginative effects, and the wonderful performances. I’m sure many of you have been to see it already, but if you haven’t then I would seriously consider getting yourself down to a cinema over the Easter holidays, furthermore if you can find it in 3D then it’s an experience not to be missed. I myself will be waiting avidly for the DVD release, and am now feeling very content that I finally got to see it.