Hi everyone
I haven’t done an end of the month review for months and can’t remember why I stopped. But I thought this might be a good time to have a little review of life, the universe and everything – here goes!
Apologies for the melt-down I had some weeks ago but I think it is so important to be real and say how you feel rather than keeping quiet and pretending everything is lovely. This ageing lark is not for softies and I have come to a few conclusions about health, wealth (ha!) and life.
First of all, I am really OK with the hair now and even went back to my original hairdresser for a tiny tidy-up, which turned out to be a good experience, especially as she said don’t come back for 3 months and that’s because I’m growing the hair to be long enough for a mid-length shag cut! So I have adjusted to the layers and even embraced them!
The ageing thing. Over the last couple of weeks I’ve done more stretching and strength exercises in between my classes than I have ever done, plus one day we walked over 12,000 steps. And gosh do I feel better for it. I mean it is hard to do the exercises every day, but when you feel that good, you think I really must do this. It is such an improvement from the beginning of this year when we both had the ‘flu in February and Covid in March and then post-Covid fatigue, which lasted two months. The consequence of sitting down on the settee and feeling crook for weeks was that I became unsteady on my pins and when out walking I thought I wasn’t far from using a walking stick. I have improved big time and don’t feel unsteady anymore. That expression, ‘use it or lose it’ is so important, because it is true.
Here I am walking briskly through the cemetery on a cool, crisp afternoon to The Depot to watch a film. That’s my mad and old Smurf-like hat! The jacket, as you know, is new at £5, and everything is last year’s buy or further back. The skirt is a very old charity shop buy and the Rieker boots were bought last year for £8.
It’s my favourite walk. But can you see they’ve cut the grasses and wild flowers back, which is a shame. However, that’s good management of a wild-flower meadow as there always has to be an annual cut back.
I do love looking at the gravestones and reading who the people were and, how old they were. It’s a truism to say that the alternative to what I called this ‘ageing lark’ is what you see in the photo!.
Clothes and the buying of them. The entire first world is based on growth and consumption and with regard to clothes – we have far too many. I’m just as guilty as anyone who constantly buys clothes from the High Street brands. I am determined to slow down my buying and reduce my wardrobe and to a certain extent I have succeeded. The charity shops still get over half of the culled items, but I had wanted to get into re-selling. But what a start I had with the scammers, which I now know are always there. I will try Ebay but haven’t got round to it. However, the Dress Agency I use has taken more of my clothes and there is a second dress agency where I live and that I will try as well. If this one takes my cruise and party frocks (which the current one doesn’t like) then I won’t need to use Ebay.
I have a very clear view of what I’d like to buy this winter, though, and it’s a pair of good quality skinny black jeans, and some good quality straight blue jeans. If I can’t find them in the charity shops I’ll look in Marks & Spencer’s when there’s a sale. Also I quite fancy one of those silver pleated skirts that seem to be popping up everywhere, I bet a lot will reach the selling platforms after Christmas, but can I restrain myself, I’d love a silver skirt now!! I’d also love a new coat, a long one. I don’t need a new coat (I have many coats) this is just me thinking it would be good to buy another coat. See, I am as guilty of being embroiled in our capitalistic consumption as anyone buying from Boo-Hoo or Temu or wherever, not that I would, as I want a wool coat. But gosh, the expense of a good quality wool coat – you’re talking several 00’s and that’s way outside my budget. So it’s strictly only charity shop coats for me and maybe the Spring sales, when winter coats get reduced.
My walk through the cemetery took us to our wonderful independent cinema, The Depot for the film The Great Escaper starring Michael Caine and Glenda Jackson. Now I don’t usually like films centred around older people. I’ll qualify that by saying, I usually find this type of film sickly sweet. I really can’t abide the falsity of these films and their sentimental view of older age, but this one, based on the true story of an old soldier breaking out of his care home and going on his own to France to celebrate the 70-yr D-Day reunion was redeemed by its grit and the brilliant acting of Michael Caine who was wonderful. But equally wonderful was Glenda Jackson in her last film made shortly before her death. How I loved her old, lined face. Her depiction of an old woman still in love with her husband was genius. It’s such a good film – highly recommend.
And talking about cinemas, we are once again helping to keep Newhaven Cinema going with its monthly showings of films. (Yes, we started helping after a 5-yr break and then stepped back when we both got ill) I don’t know about you but finding volunteers to run anything these days is very challenging. I think it’s a combination of the retirement age being far higher than it was when I retired at 60 (with not a great pension I might add hence the charity shop shopping) and the cost of living crisis here in the UK. Consequently more older people are working into their 70s, so finding people who are free to run voluntary societies isn’t as easy as it used to be.
So we’ve stepped into the breach, but we have to find people who actually live in Newhaven for starters and, here’s the thing, are younger than us!!! We set up the film society (as it was then) when we were in our mid-60s. Running it when in one’s mid to late 70s is a different matter! It is lovely to be involved in a community and one I think everyone in their 60s to 70s should contemplate. Why? Because it can enrich your life. But there comes a time when you think, really, we could do with retiring again!
Now for some news about the blog and its timing. Last week I met up with a cousin I hadn’t seen for some time, and I realised I had so many stories in my head, of both sides of my family, which pretty much no-one else has any knowledge of (I’m the eldest cousin and the only one alive from my birth family) so, readers, I have decided to write these stories down. I’m not calling this a memoir, it’s not as grand as that (I’ve tried writing ‘The Memoir’, so many times and failed every time) instead I am calling this ‘Stories’. But to do that something has to go. So…. I think, I have to reduce the hours I spend on the blogging. You see, I think it important to reply to everyone, I cannot bring myself to not reply to you. Instead, I will keep the quality of the blog up including my replies to you, but the blog will come out every 2 weeks. I do hope that this is OK with you all. I shall still be sitting at my desk writing but every other week will be dedicated to the ‘Stories’. I will still endeavour, though, to show you all the clothes I buy from charity shops and you will still hear about my life, but not quite as often.
Finally, I wonder if you are feeling devastated by the news and the dire state of this world. Another bit of writing I would like to do more of is writing for My Other Blog. I haven’t written there for months, partly because of ‘life’ and partly because I used to be quicker at it! I don’t really do much campaigning these days, nor do I do marches. I am thinking of joining Extinction Rebellion (Lewes is just the type of town that has a well-attended branch of it) but I haven’t got beyond the thinking about it stage. What I can do is write and I would like to write more about stuff, and OMG is there a lot of stuff about at this moment. Don’t, by the way, go looking for anything on this other blog yet, as I haven’t started writing for it, but here’s the thing, I would like to write more about the state of the world. I am not turning my face away from it.
I want to end with hope for the world, and another incredibly good watch, which is Once Upon A Time in Northern Ireland on BBC iPlayer. Look, it’s a hard watch, a very hard watch, there’s no denying that. We had to watch it slowly, getting through one episode and leaving the next episode for a couple of weeks. It is in the form of interviews of people who went through great suffering and, of the people who were the perpetrators, from both sides, of the killings and bombings. You get the context, you understand where people from both sides of the fence came from. And let me tell you, everyone thought the Troubles (as it’s called) would never ever be resolved. But it was. There is always room for hope. Watch that series, it’s very relevant to today’s world.
Thank you so much for reading to the end and following this blog. I appreciate you all so very much.
That really is all for now, until the next time, with love, Penny, the Frugalfashionshopper
Depot cinema is lovely – comfy seats and free parking in Lewes from 5pm. With nice eateries too. For wearing clothes – I am still wearing trousers that are 7+ years old. I find it very difficult to find clothes that fit, so tend to have a pretty set rota. I am having yet a further cull of clothes that I bought and never wear, so the local charity shop does well. Am interested in your second dress agency – am aware of Roundabout. But if there is another one….I have a few good items that I would like to sell and no way am I bothering with ebay or Facebook market. See you at the lovely Hillcrest cinema
The Depot is a great asset for Lewes, and wow, those cheaper seats on Tuesday – there’s no excuse for not going!!
The second dress agency sells very high end stuff, mostly designer and pricey too. I haven’t taken anything to them yet, as I thought I didn’t have the right clothes, but actually in the cull I have identified several items that might do. Will let you know what they’re like.
See you Saturday! Thanks Alison 🙂
I was so inspired by your articles via the Look Fab website. Would you be interested in coming to Forest Row Women’s Institute sometime in the NY to talk to us about your ideas on frugal shopping and how to look smart doing it. We would obviously pay for your time. My name is Sue Scaife and my email is suescaife73@icloud.com. Many thanks.
Hi Penny – you look fantastic as ever. I love the checks with the tartan, something I’d never have imagined would work, but it really does. And the Reiker boots! What a great find.
I am a very standard size 10-12, shoe size 5, and I rarely find anything that fits me in charity shops, much as I try. I too would like some slim fit back jeans for winter, but I expect I’ll end up in M & S for those.
My mother, aged 96, wants new trousers. She sent me the measurements the (very old) ones that she had from M & S, so I went into the shop, and also into Bonmarche next door, and measured almost every pair of trousers they had. Not a single pair was anywhere near the same as her old ones. The ankles were all either tapered – which she doesn’t like – or very wide, which I fear she might trip over. The tops of the legs were all narrower. Sizes have definitely changed. I suggested that she might like track suit bottoms for indoors – I wear them as they’re so comfortable and warm. She said ‘I’m not wearing old lady trousers!’ So that was me telt, as they say up here.
Re exercise I agree, you have to keep moving. I do some stretching exercises twice a day, and since moving back up to Aberdeenshire, over 3 years ago now, I’ve walked every day too – usually for about 2 hours, sometimes more. In summer I often split that into two walks, but in winter our hours of daylight are so short that I generally just have one long walk around lunchtime.
I am very very lucky to have such beautiful countryside on my doorstep, but I also walk in the city sometimes – our library has a set of free leaflets for themed ‘trails’, which make walks much more interesting. It’s amazing how many things I have walked past for years and not noticed. We also have a great beachfront, and a walk from one end of that to the other and back is excellent, especially if there is ice and snow lying out in the countryside. When we lived in Newfoundland there were even ‘mall walking’ groups, who did several circuits of the shopping mall before having a coffee – it was a good solution in a place where winter outdoor walking is only for the young and hardy. I have noticed that friends who don’t walk, or take any other form of exercise, seem to get breathless very quickly, even walking on the flat.
I agree with you about volunteering, it is so rewarding and really helps you to get to know your community, but as you say it is harder and harder to find people to do it nowadays. I think many older people were understandably put off by Covid, and still don’t feel confident about coming back, and as you say, many people are having to work far longer than we did. Also many friends are looking after grandchildren to allow their children to work, and many are also looking after aged parents too. I don’t have grandchildren and my mother lives in very sheltered housing, so I have much more time available (though it rarely feels like that!) and very much enjoy the volunteering that I do.
Thank you for the recommendation re Once Upon A Time in Northern Ireland. I hadn’t heard of it and I will now watch it. Another harrowing but worthwhile programme that I can recommend is AIDS: the Unheard Tapes (https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m0018t1c/aids-the-unheard-tapes). I wasn’t sure the format would work but it really does. It’s so moving, and so informative for people like me who were embarrassingly ignorant about it all. I watched it after seeing It’s A Sin.
Thanks as always for your very interesting and inspiring blog
I think your mother sounds amazing and absolutely one always wants a good fit for jeans and/or trousers. She’s so spot on for not wanting to wear ‘old lady trousers’ and I hope I continue to see things the way she does! Indeed we all think that people who are ten years older are the ones who are really old!!! Yes, I too think I’ll buying my jeans from M&S.
I went back to Brighton yesterday and it was absolutely buzzing but I do like the slower life that Lewes gives and its proximity to some lovely walks. Mind you I don’t really like uneven ground so the urban walks with themes are the ones for me, and the cemetery of course.
BBCiPlayer is so good and the Once Upon a Time in…. is above and beyond excellent. Did you see Once Upon a Time in Iraq – it has the same format and was a devastating watch.
Thanks so much for your interesting comment Rosemary
Hugely agree about the Northern Ireland series. Stories about mothers being dragged from their homes and never seen again were so moving. It was fascinating.
I’m trying to do a cull of my clothes but I need to get a friend to oversee because everything I take out to donate ends up going back into the wardrobe! And NEVER GETS WORN AGAIN!! What is wrong with me!!!!
Lesley, a tip myself and my husband found is that we now have a two tier charity pile. We put things into another cupboard for a few months to get used to the idea of it going! if we haven’t worn it or are sure by then, we pass it on. Sometimes I change my mind about something, but it helps with it not feeling too final on the first round! 🤣
Ps thanks all for the TV / film recommendations. We just finished ‘left behind’ on iPlayer which was very good too.
OMG I’ve got a few of those clothes still!
That programme was so good. That’s television at its absolute best what with its take on both sides of the fence. You really got how people think – and why they act the way they do. Did you see Once Upon a Time in Iraq? It was the same format and absolutely devastating to watch.
Now one day what they need to do is Once Upon a Time in the Middle East which is currently such a cauldron of chaos and disaster. That I would like to see as that might mean some kind of resolution – if only….
Thanks Lesley 🙂
No apologies needed for your post a few weeks ago, Penny. I only have a handful of blogs I read and yours is one of them, for the topic but also the “keeping it real” angle. 😊 being nearly 48 but feeling a bit older *currently* (determined to keep getting better) due to fibromyalgia / or poss long covid, I appreciate your take on life. You manage to be “with it” IMHO, Penny without denying your age. Btw I’ve discovered ‘gentle somatic yoga’ with Megan McCarthy on YT recently which I’m finding so helpful.
Love the outfits as always.. you look great. I am very much on the sales or charity shops too. I do feel better knowing I’m helping a charity when I’m updating my wardrobe too.
Thanks so much of those kind words, Jen. Sorry to hear about the fibromyalgia and do hope it improves 🙂
Afternoon Penny
Thanks for this interesting post. Lots to comment on, so I’ll start with the The Great Escaper, which I also enjoyed. The relationship between Caine & Jackson was realistic and John Standing’s character was moving. Apart from the ‘usual’ issues of ageing, I thought the element of ‘redemption’ in the men an important reminder to ‘put our house in order/make the most of…’ etc. When I say ‘etc’ that’s not to lessen those messages, but to reinforce, remind myself. It was also realistic and an important reminder that many of the caring jobs were staffed by people from ethnic minority communities.
I was interested in you not usually liking films about older people; certainly there are few where older people are interesting/not patronised. One that stands out for me is Song for Marion with Vanessa Redgrave and Terance Stamp.
Ageing: I don’t mind ageing (so long as I can carry on doing what I want to do – as if I can pick!) I agree with ‘use it or lose it’. I go to the gym/swim three times a week and see a personal training once a week. I’m with you on walking: big thumbs up (and at the moment it looks like I’ll be doing more than usual: last Saturday we walked for 3 hours on the ‘Free Palestine’ march in London. It was exhilirating, people of all ages including a healthy sprinkling of older people – several in electric wheelchairs and even two with walkers. Actually, I think activism is good (for me) – keeps us engaged, looking forward … hopeful for better.
I’m pleased to hear you’re back with Newhaven Cinema (I preferred the old name!) I think I’ve mentioned before, we ran a cinema club and, matter of fact, twenty years later we’re in the process of starting another. I had the urge to organise a showing of The Big Lie and the response was positive so… here we are.
Yes, there’s certainly fewer people available to volunteer these days – for the reasons you say plus many people retire to look after their grandchildren or care for aging parents. State funding has shrunk so much it can be a full time job supporting/transporting elderly people to appointments. I’ve heard it called ‘the sandwich generation’ – which is certainly how I felt.
Writing: as you know, I also started writing my memoir a few years ago. But my energy/enthusiam waned. So I put it on hold until we were approached to write an introduction to a play about the community we were active in Brixton in the 70s. It spurred me on and earlier this year, when a friend of ours turned 80 I was moved to compile a book celebrating his life – a mix of photographs, press cuttings, stories from other people and us. It got me back in the writing groove and, coincidentally, I am writing stories too. (We must exchange stories!) I’ve wondered what impact the blog link-ups have on your flow/creativity/time. I usually only read a couple of the other blogs – because of time.
Which leads me to your decision to cut back on posting fortnightly. Good choice. When I read about people our age or a few years older dying, I get the heebie-jeebies that time is running out. With the best will in the world we’ve only got 20 years left! That certainly focusses the mind. Yet still I ‘waste’ time on Twitter, duff articles etc. However, finally, I’ve released myself from having to finish a book: I’m getting there!
I reckon it’s very important that we use what time we have left in ways that fulfill us and give us joy .. which brings me to clothes. Like you, I love clothes; they give pleasure, and if you can raise a bit of dosh through your clothes, go for it, Penny.
Over, not out! Mary xx
Hi Mary and thanks for the wonderful long comment! Yes, The Great Escaper was fictionalised a bit as the Michael Caine character did not meet someone on the boat to France, but most of all I loved their untouched, lined and old faces and I’m mainly thinking of and disliking those rather twee American films starring women who’ve had a lot of work on their faces, so not true to life or, certainly, British life.
And wow, good for you starting up a cinema club again. Btw, there’s an American film called the Big Lie (see link below) which sounds really interesting but I expect you mean the Jeremy Corbyn doc??? Another very good film with a similar title is The Good Lie – that’s a good one to show.
I really do feel I must write my ‘stories’ down and feel quite positive that because I haven’t started out writing an all-encompassing memoir I will be able to write down the stories of my family that are rattling around in my head, especially my mother’s stories which consist of both a ‘mystery’ and some gothic tales of abuse. I know about them but no-one else does and I absolutely have to get them down on paper before I pop my clogs. You talk about us having 20 years left, that is possible but 7 of my friends died in these last three years (none from Covid) so I do feel that life is to be lived NOW.
Thanks again, Mary, and btw have you seen your Instagram feed, I have tagged you onto my most recent post where I show Bill with a new and simply amazing hat – the first one that I have ever liked!!!
Very best to you 🙂
https://tribecafilm.com/films/a-world-premiere-the-big-lie-jon-hamm-2022#:~:text=The%20Audible%20Original%2C%20produced%20by,Hughes%20during%20the%20Red%20Scare.
Thanks for this post Penny. I can understand that you need to free up some time for other writing but wonder if you need to reply to us all individually? What about a general feedback say 2 weeks later to give everyone who wants to comment time to do so ? Maybe it wouldn’t save much time, just a thought! We do have to decide where to direct our energy when it is no longer as all-encompassing as it used to be.
We enjoyed The Great Escaper although following up the real story there was quite a bit of ‘artistic licence’. Despite the poor reviews we’ll probably see Golda for Helen Mirren’s performance. We are going to some music on Saturday, Beverley Craven and Judy Tzuke, and also to ‘Poppy Fields’ in Winchester Cathedral next week with daughter and granddaughters. It is described as an ‘poignant immersive experience’ & I’ll no doubt be tearful as I find WW1 in particular intensely tragic.
I know I still buy too much, albeit ‘pre-loved’ but I do love something new to wear. Just bought a White Stuff dress at the Oxfam shop ; I think the brand must run big as a size 10 fitted me. Really funny as I thought I’d left my vest behind when I tried it on, rang them up & then found it inside the new dress ! I love Rosemary’s mother not wanting to wear ‘old ladies trousers’ at 96 ! It just shows how we remain young in our heads long after our bodies age. I retired from my last role as a local councillor at 62 and decided not to take on any more volunteering or committees as I’d done so much previously. HI retired from work in the same year, having started at 16, which in the light of Covid and my illness at least gave us 5 good years of retirement to travel & enjoy ourselves generally. Lucky us!
Yes, the storyline of The Great Escaper was doctored somewhat, but I just loved those two actors and their old faces. I expect the Poppy Fields will be a very emotional immersive experience and will be excellent, but quite right too, that it’ll be emotional, what with the waste and death of so many young men on both sides.
And yes, like you, I do love my clothes and I have to say, I love researching/looking at clothes and then buying them as frugally and now ethically as possible. But my wardrobe was bulging and I really had to get rid of some I don’t wear. So I do feel good about the ‘cull’, but it’s getting rid of them that’s the challenge. I’ve put about half of the culled items into one side of the wardrobe to be ‘sold’ – somehow!
I think what you said about not replying individually is interesting, but I can’t actually not reply to each person who comments. I have come to know you and am interested in you and wouldn’t want to spoil that connection. But I must write my ‘stories’ down – and if possible write about the current situation both national and international. Something has to give but I will still keep the quality of this blog up.
I totally get why you retired from being a local councillor – that’s a huge commitment and a humungous amount of work. Well done you for being one in the first place!
Thanks Lynda
I also enjoyed watching the Great Escaper. As you say, both leads still at the top of their game in this moving film. I’ve had a health scare this year after contracting COVID over Xmas, resulting in a diagnosis of Atrial fibrillation and a 10 day stay in hospital to deal with fluid retention. I’m much better now, but it’s left me more tired than I used to be and rattling with pills! I’m trying to build up my activity levels which dropped to almost nothing due to breathlessness and the fluid but its hard going as I am naturally indolent! I also need to get rid of my ‘work’clothes and make space in my wardrobe. I can proudly say that, apart from underwear, I’ve not bought anything new or otherwise this year! However, as I’ve lost about 4 stone since my illness, quite a few of my trousers especially are getting rather loose!
Wow Alison that’s an amazing amount of weight you’ve lost – well done you. So good and you must feel so much better for it.
Not the same thing but as well as my purse directing me to charity shops it was a sudden loss of weight and nothing fitting me that got me into looking at what was available in these shops. Seaford has good charity shops – try there.
The film was good, wasn’t it. I liked their unadorned faces – so true to life, although the film changed the actual story a bit.
Thanks Alison 🙂
This is the second time you have mentioned being scammed on a selling website Penny, and I notice that you have been careful not to mention the name. However, would you be prepared to say whether it was a very well known one beginning with a capital V ? I am concerned because I have recently made an arrangement with my teenage granddaughter that she will sell my unwanted clothes for me. The deal being that she gets half any money she makes to supplement her pocket money. Obviously I would not want to put her at any risk whatsoever and so I’m wondering whether we should stop.
No it wasn’t an actual scam as I wasn’t caught out. But with my first encounter with anyone on the ‘V’, someone said they couldn’t see the photos and would they send me the photos to their email, which they gave. As it was the very first encounter I didn’t realise that you must immediately take a screenshot and report this as the scammer is asking you to get out of the V platform. Within the platform you are mostly protected but if I had replied I would have given this person my email. So I dithered but continued to engage – wrong. By the time I’d decided to report it they’d taken down their message to me and I couldn’t prove what they were doing.
With the ‘F’ scammer – they didn’t want to come to the door but wanted to send a courier and I didn’t disengage but continued to dither and reply but it got ridiculously complicated and I backed out. What was daft was it was a really old jacket so why go to that bother? They definitely wanted something from me – it was very dodgy. Again I should have reported and disengaged immediately but I dithered as I couldn’t quite believe what was going on.
One has to realise that scammers are part of the fabric and will always be there – we just mustn’t engage. Also people do have excellent experiences with all of the selling platforms it was just unlucky that I encountered two scammers with the very first items I tried to sell. It’s rather put me off, to be honest.
But someone young is probably far more au fait than me as to how these platforms work. So as long as you ask her what experience(s) she’s had, it should be fine. Hope that helps 🙂
Memoirs are incredibly important. Sometimes think that family, close and extended, wouldn’t be interested, but they are. Everyone wants to know about the past, and family. Good on you for doing the memoirs
Thank you – I will do this writing starting from next week. Really looking forward to this 🙂
I love Michael Caine and had a huge crush on him forever! I still think he’s quite good looking. I will have to look for that movie. We used to ride our bikes to the cemeteries in my hometown and just wander up and down between the graves. Are the wildflowers allowed to grow up around the graves during the summer? That would be such a wise way to take care of a cemetery instead of the constant mowing and trimming.
I think charity shops in the UK must be so different from here in the US…not that I’ve been in that many. You always look so chic and put together. I can appreciate the want for a good woolen coat. They’re so hard to come by and fit well at the same time.
It’s interesting you write about stepping back from your blog for a bit as I just wrote about bloggers who quit without letting their readers know. I’m glad you’ve let us know. Your “Stories” will be so interesting. I know that from reading your posts for our Global Writing Challenge.
I will also look for the series on the Troubles. It sounds quite interesting, especially as both sides are portrayed.
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
Actually if you get to see this film, you’ll see that Michael Caine is looking very old now. He’s 90 and has just announced his retirement from films so this is the last film for him, as it was for Glenda Jackson. Both were so good in The Great Escaper, which is a slightly embellished but true story. I remember reading about it in the paper.
That television series about Northern Ireland was amazing and there is an earlier one about Iraq, Once Upon a Time in Iraq with the same format. That was a devastating watch. But so good – journalism and television at its best.
The thing with our ‘charity’ shops is they are not large warehouse type places or in malls, instead they’re all in what we call the High Street, which is usually a road with small shops either side. That’s how the bulk of our shopping is still done in the UK and these charity shops are all kitted out as little boutiques so they’re pleasant to be in as well. I have done a blog some time ago about the way we shop in the UK but I’ll might do another blog about how these charity shops look.
And yes, I couldn’t just stop blogging as I love it so, but I am keen to get my ‘stories’ down on paper, so I aim to keep the quality of this blog going – it just won’t be as frequent as it is now.
Thanks Marsha 🙂
reat to see you walkin, I like to walk wen I can!
I love walking and it really gets you going! It’s good exercise and really any movement is good.
Thanks Jacqui 🙂
Dear Penny…please do as you feel led. It is good to read of your renewed purpose and re-focused vision of what you want to do. We should all be so blessed to have such energy and devotion to live so fully.Your wonderful community of readers will still be here cheering you on!
May God bless you with strength, insight, and peace as you move forward…
Charlene
Thank you so much Charlene I really appreciate your kind words – thank you again 🙂
Like you Penny I have a passion for coats.I’m shocked at how expensive good, wool coats are now. Luckily I have several that” will see me out”, but I still might be tempted to acquire another one ! Not from a charity shop, we don’t have them here, but in the sales is a great idea. I have a
lovely Toast one that was a bargain.I also have a beautiful black alpaca coat, years old, that I tremble to think how much would cost now. Really like the outfit you are wearing, it’s very you !
I will have to see if there is some way I can get to see The Great Escaper.
I know! The price of a good quality wool coat is astonishing and while polyester coats are in my budget range I won’t get one. So I’ll continue looking. Toast coats are divine! Thanks Maisie 🙂
No need for any apologies for your post on aging Penny. In fact I want more of this honest dialogue and one of the reasons I I am always happy to see your posts. And I am inspired by your followers comments. The other night on TV I happened to catch an interview of the dancer Twyla Tharpe by ballet dancer Misty Copeland, during the program Tharpe, trim and sharp at 82 played a brief portion of her morning routine. I doubt many teen agers could get through it. Since then I have been trying to do more, perhaps push myself to walk when I feel tired and would like to curl up and read. I also remember a former yoga instructor with whom I took classes with. she taught all through her 90’s and when she was 99 I attended her book signing of the memoir she had just written. But first she gave a demonstration of her award winning ballroom dancing skills. with a partner decades younger. She took up competitive dancing in her mid 80’s. She did die at 101,but what a life. these women are outliers of course but to me it emphasizes the adage of use it or loose it.
I am trying to buy less, shop my closet. it is not easy as I am tempted all the time. the other evening I was at a local theater presentation and a woman coming around selling raffle tickets for this community group had on the most lovely blouse, a soft peachy pink with lace detail. it matched her earrings, I complemented her and she told me about Temu. she was apologetic as she told me about it, how she is buying to much and probably not good for the planet but clearly had no intention of stopping. I was thinking of checking it out but have decided I do not need anything more. If I see something special and can see it in my wardrobe who knows, but for now I will try to be mindful about consumption. I will probably have to purchase some black basic boots soon, as my old short and tall boots have already been repaired once and are showing wear again, but I can hold off for now.
I have not watched any new films lately. I do think that the US does a poor job in general of portraying older persons, most of the movies about those in my age range are from the UK or maybe Canada or Australia. Here there are commercials pitching cosmetic Botox to those in those 30,s.
Tomorrow I am off to the Boston area for a family birthday party, my son in laws grand niece who will be turning one. With all that is going on right now in the world, this is a n even to celebrate! Love from New York, Darby
Yes, move and exercise every day, even when tired, some gentle shoulder rolls, arm stretches and a few door press-ups have to be done. And the back feels better for it.
Like you there are a couple of things I need, like some long boots which are essential in this weather we’re having. But I really want to reduce my consumption.
Enjoy your family birthday party. We have several birthdays coming up in the next few weeks including my daughter tomorrow and a grandson next Sunday. We definitely need our loving families and friends around us during these extraordinary challenging events happening around the world.
Thanks so much Darby, you take care 🙂