Peter Jones was chocca with infants in prams being dragged around the sale. Seems there has been a sudden population explosion in Chelsea and au pairs are out of fashion. It was rather vile so we escaped into Patisserie Valerie and enjoyed a cream tea. Am becoming a very grumpy old woman.
Cabbed back home - the cabbie used to live in Perronet House and had a chance to buy his flat, but bought a pokey place in Tooting and has regretted it ever since. Had a quick sparkling wine in Lye Torng and came home.
No sooner than I had tucked into some leftovers and started soap watching than Dorothy rang to invite me out to Arbutus for dinner. By this time I had eaten far too much and the effort of staggering about in Chelsea had exhausted me.
I shall have to put my spare crackers away until next year unless I can rapidly invent a single person cracker-pulling mechanism. Closing a door on one half while pulling the other half? Tragic, really. I am tempted to dismantle the tree tomorrow, in advance of Twelfth Night.
I never managed to change the sofa covers, which are decidedly grubby, before Christmas. I am also inclined to take the arm off the sofa and put it on the other end. I could then slide the sofa back into a corner to the left of the doorway. Then the table would fit in where the sofa now is. Might make the room look larger. The curtains need to come down for washing and alteration too. but cannot get them down.
The retirement home beckons.
Thursday, 31 December 2009
New Year's Eve
Here's the brooches. Those on the right are pinchbeck and the middle one on the left. I think the top one is 9ct and the bottom one, both with buckles, is 18ct. There are some very cheap ones due to arrive - one gold but modern, an enormous paste vintage one, and a collection of three pinchbeck from Ireland. Then that's it for the brooches. I always remember my mother's amethyst pinchbeck brooch which I coveted, and which disappeared without trace. She probably sold it or gave it away.
I will either meet Madeleine in Chelsea or she will come around here for a catch-up today. She always spends New Years Eve night at home, and will set off again tomorrow for the weekend.
Wednesday, 30 December 2009
Wednesday
I have been confined to barracks again. By the rain, which has been pelting down all day. Also sheer laziness.
The 'highlight' of the day was, after I had reheated some curry, the plate (vintage and obviously cracked) fell from my hand broke onto the floor, shards of china and heaps of hot curry spread all over. Realising that curry stains would not benefit my pale oak floor I did move rather faster than usual to sweep up the awful mess with a good result, but necessitating some new lunch. Good thing I had some roasted remnants in the fridge. I must remember to throw away those plates before there's another mishap.
Kook is very disgruntled - he has ventured out once or twice for a couple of minutes, but spent most of the day sleeping and being bored, poor thing. I am hoping for better weather tomorrow, but will have to wait in for redelivery of a parcel, which I hope will arrive early.
The 'highlight' of the day was, after I had reheated some curry, the plate (vintage and obviously cracked) fell from my hand broke onto the floor, shards of china and heaps of hot curry spread all over. Realising that curry stains would not benefit my pale oak floor I did move rather faster than usual to sweep up the awful mess with a good result, but necessitating some new lunch. Good thing I had some roasted remnants in the fridge. I must remember to throw away those plates before there's another mishap.
Kook is very disgruntled - he has ventured out once or twice for a couple of minutes, but spent most of the day sleeping and being bored, poor thing. I am hoping for better weather tomorrow, but will have to wait in for redelivery of a parcel, which I hope will arrive early.
Tuesday, 29 December 2009
New Year Soon
Thate was a bad snap of my brooch. In reality it is huge: about two and a half inches across, and very impressive. Will take more snaps.
I have purchased a few more brooches, some expensive and some cheap, but all large and fairly noticeable. The only ones I have avoided are mourning brooches, with bits of hair inside and dates and names engraved on the back. These seem a bit creepy as jewellery unless worn by a loving relation. Actually, maybe they should come back into fashion. I have to say I would not mind having a lock of my dear mother's hair in a locket or brooch in memory of her - a way of keeping some part of her close with me always. Ah well. Perhaps this trend is unlikely to return.
I have purchased a few more brooches, some expensive and some cheap, but all large and fairly noticeable. The only ones I have avoided are mourning brooches, with bits of hair inside and dates and names engraved on the back. These seem a bit creepy as jewellery unless worn by a loving relation. Actually, maybe they should come back into fashion. I have to say I would not mind having a lock of my dear mother's hair in a locket or brooch in memory of her - a way of keeping some part of her close with me always. Ah well. Perhaps this trend is unlikely to return.
Monday, 28 December 2009
Tuesday
Yesterday disappeared rapidly without any help from me. Watching TV and eating some food from Morley the evening vanished too.
I have not been outside since Christmas Eve. However I shall attempt to get out, if only to bank Pierre's very welcome Christmas cheque and purchase a newspaper and coffee.
Just heard there's no congestion charge until 4 January - they kept that quiet!
Just tweeted about throwing pips away. Hoping for a palm forest in the garden. I have thrown away olive and cherry pips, date stones and avocado stones. So far, only two avocado plants have appeared, though I live in hope. I do fancy an oasis in my garden.
Seems my spotty face is not just from eating chocs - appears to be yet another form of psoriasis, pustular psoriasis. I do feel rather afflicted by psoriasis, but am in good company - apparently Quentin Crisp had it all over, poor thing.
My TV says we are in for another cold spell - my fire is on in anticipation.
Stuffed cheque in bank and had some soup at Lye torng. It is totally vile outside. But I have ventured out once more, wearing my large amethyst Victorian brooch. I have decided that these, and old citrines and cameos will be my fashion statement for the time being.
Sunday, 27 December 2009
Sunday
I have been spectacularly lazy today. A little dishwashing, a little clothes washing, but never out of PJs all day and no newspaper. Strange. Have been watching iplayer programmes and TV and making a huge thing of soup by whizzing chicken and vegetables and gravy plus wine in the Magimix. Chestnuts have added a festive touch, and smoked paprika for a bit of a kick. Put about half in the freezer. I shall continue reading the Oldie annual in bed tonight. May have an early night.
Currently watching a Come Dine where they are bitching away in a satisfactory manner.
Dorothy and Julian have just rung and are turning up from shopping in town.
Currently watching a Come Dine where they are bitching away in a satisfactory manner.
Dorothy and Julian have just rung and are turning up from shopping in town.
Boxing Day
Yesterday was Boxing Day, spent in solitary splendour, lying about, occasionally doing washing and a little clearing up, eating and drinking and mainly, watching TV. Purchased a biscuit tin on Ebay with tartan sides and a photograph of Eilean Donan on top. This is a very spooky place where people used to be buried. On my one visit to Scotland in the nineteen seventies I saw this place, and it struck me as rather sinister at the time.
It was a great trip to the Highlands and Skye. Apart from staying in a tent and being bitten badly by midges, we were lucky with the hottest summer for years, I think it was 1976. Scotland was hotter than London. For some reason, when we spent hours driving the huge distances between one town and another in the Highlands, the experience of being able to see for miles ahead was very relaxing.
God, the recycling people have turned up unannounced. Lugged my stuff upstairs. Julian keeps squashing things for me to recycle. I have tried to explain that if I were to seriously recycle I would need a skip outside the flat,so I have been doing token recycling. This is because the containers are so heavy and awkward for me that I am in danger of falling while carrying them up from the kitchen to take outside, so I don't put too much in them. Julian suggested I left them outside the front door, but this just would look dreadful and annoy all my neighbours. The hall, of course is too narrow to leave anything there. It would be better if I lived in a block of flats - they just have one large bag for all recycling, rather than these large ungainly plastic containers and separate bags for paper as well. I am quite glad they have come - different company of course because it is a Sunday!
It was a great trip to the Highlands and Skye. Apart from staying in a tent and being bitten badly by midges, we were lucky with the hottest summer for years, I think it was 1976. Scotland was hotter than London. For some reason, when we spent hours driving the huge distances between one town and another in the Highlands, the experience of being able to see for miles ahead was very relaxing.
God, the recycling people have turned up unannounced. Lugged my stuff upstairs. Julian keeps squashing things for me to recycle. I have tried to explain that if I were to seriously recycle I would need a skip outside the flat,so I have been doing token recycling. This is because the containers are so heavy and awkward for me that I am in danger of falling while carrying them up from the kitchen to take outside, so I don't put too much in them. Julian suggested I left them outside the front door, but this just would look dreadful and annoy all my neighbours. The hall, of course is too narrow to leave anything there. It would be better if I lived in a block of flats - they just have one large bag for all recycling, rather than these large ungainly plastic containers and separate bags for paper as well. I am quite glad they have come - different company of course because it is a Sunday!
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