DAPHNE ~ OUT AND ABOUT WITH MY SHOPPING BASKET

Good Morning to you,

The first day of February has arrived and the month of January, is now behind us.

.... and I have decided, I am not going to utter those words. You know, the ones you are thinking of right now, after reading the last sentence.

.... but on second thoughts, I might as well get it over and done with, because I just know, at some point during the day, the words are going to tumble from my mouth.

So here goes.

Where on earth did January go? 

There, I've said it, I have got it out of my system and yes, I feel much better now. 

.... but seriously, where did it go.  I cannot believe that February has arrived. Now I could continue with this train of thought, and talk about living in the moment, taking time to enjoy life, but I feel that is a whole other conversation. I think, for now,  I need to let this go and move on to other things.

How about shopping?

That sounds good to me.

.... and what have I been placing in my shopping basket during the month of January?

There is no list, because to be honest, I tend not to visit the shops during January, because after Christmas, there is nothing which I really need.

.... but I have been out and about, mainly visiting our local garden centre oh yes and charity shops.... well that is where the bargains are to be had at this time of year.

It always amazes me, the treasures which can be found, after Christmas in charity shops.  I'm not sure why.  Maybe people have a good clear out  of their old possessions, to make way for their new Christmas gifts. As they say, out with the old and in with the new.

.... and in with the new certainly applies to these beautiful Alstroemeria, which I bought at my local supermarket. Flowers always put a smile on my face and the added bonus is, they will stay in flower for 2 maybe 3 weeks. 

I was also seduced by these little daffodils.  They were planted in yellow plastic pots, which were not very pleasing to the eye, so on my arrival home,  I searched my cupboards to see what I could find. I discovered some glass candle holders which I had saved and also these little mercury glass candle holders.  Oh yes and a silver rose bowl, which I thought would look lovely planted with yellow daffodils.

.... and look how they have grown.  I am going to enjoy them indoors and then once they have finished flowering I am going to plant them in the garden, where they will bring me pleasure once again.

Oh and I also bought some more wool.  I love this colour and it works beautifully with my cushions.  I have two more frills to finish and then I will drape the throw over my sofa.

I took this photograph this morning, I just had to show you how the daffodils had grown . They really are a ray of sunshine on a grey day.

.... and my most exciting purchase, was these 4 beautiful 'Real Old Willow' teacups. Admittedly they were sold minus their saucers, but I don't mind, because it will give me something to look for when I am next out and about. The handles are a lovely shape and the cup is beautiful.

.... and take a peek inside the teacup... isn't the design just perfect.

Talking of beautiful, isn't this Zephirine Drouhin rose just gorgeous. Buying plants for my garden is possibly one of my favourite pastimes, along with gardening itself.  I am waiting for the delivery of some bare rooted roses, so that I can plant them this month.

When it comes to roses, my favourite grower is David Austin.  Each rose I have bought from his nursery has never failed to impress. 

 .... and when the word exquisite, which is a word I love, is used in the description, well this Queen of Sweden rose is certainly going to grace my garden.

.... and this climbing Rose, Graham Thomas with its beautiful yellow colour will look magnificent climbing up my pergola. I am looking forward to summer time when I will be able to show you these beautiful roses, flowering in my garden.

My final purchase was,

The Cornish Coast Murder by John Bude.  Initially I picked it up because I liked the front cover and then I noticed it said 'British Library Crime Classics'.  I opened up the book and discovered it was originally published in 1935. The Cornish Coast Murder was the debut crime novel of Ernest Carpenter Elmore.  Ernest used the pseudonym John Bude for writing his crime novels. Maybe he thought his own name was a little long winded.  Personally I thought it was a lovely name.... not a name you hear every day.

When I picked the book from the shelf, I noticed that it had not been read, its condition was pristine. Maybe the original owner, mistook the title, thinking it would be too graphic.  Whatever the reason, their loss, was certainly my gain. 

I do enjoy a good crime novel, but I am not so keen on today's crime novels, as I find they are too descriptive. If I have to skip pages, then there is no point in reading the book.  This is the perfect book for me,  after all I am a huge fan of Miss Marple's.  I started reading this book in the evening and couldn't put it down, suffice it to say, the book was finished in 2 days. 

I was quite disappointed when I finished reading the book, for no other reason than, it was a thoroughly good read.  I often feel that way when I finish a good book, as I want it to continue, I don't want the story to end, although end it must.

I feel sure, after reading The Cornish Coast Murder, I will be looking for more John Bude novels.  I will let you know if I find anymore.

I am now going to look at my seed catalogues as a few dropped through the letterbox this week. Browsing through seed catalogues and choosing seeds for our garden is always a lovely way to spend an evening. 

Take care and I will catch up with you next Thursday.

As Always.

OUT AND ABOUT WITH MY SHOPPING BASKET

Good Morning to you,

Do you know something, I cannot believe that the time has arrived for 'Out and and About with my Shopping Basket'. The weeks seem to be flying by and before we know it we will be saying hello to the month of December and once again, Christmas will be with us.

Nothing heralds Christmas, like a visit to the town. All the shops are overflowing with everything associated with Christmas. Each shop visited has Christmas decorations hung, and its own style of Christmas music playing in the background. 

As you know I love Christmas time, but I do try hard not to get carried away with the season. I decide which gifts I want to buy each member of the family, I make a list, then George and I head to town to do our Christmas shopping. Hopefully, if we are successful, everything will be bought in one visit.

But before that day arrives, I thought I would  go in to town, because there was a little something I wanted to buy for myself, and to be truthful, I missed out on buying the 'little something' last year, because I left it too late.  You know what it is like at Christmas time, you have to buy before you need it, or  it will be sold out, which is so disappointing.

I'll give you a little hint of what I went in to town to buy. Something for my feet..... something which is so comfortable, that they fit like a glove.

Any thoughts? Have you guessed?  Take a look at this photograph and you will know exactly what I wanted to buy.

If you have been reading Ivy, Phyllis and Me! for a while, you will know that I am a great fan of 'Hotter' shoes.

Shall I open the box and let you take a peek inside? 

Oops, I couldn't wait to try them on. To be honest, they were unwrapped and out of the box and on my feet in moments.  

Do you know something, I am not a flamboyant person, but I do like a snazzy shoe and not only are these Hotter shoes snazzy, they are as comfy as you like.

The 2 1/4" heel is just perfect for me.  Oh and I forgot to tell you the name of the shoe. The shoe  is called Donna. They come in a variety of colours and this is my third pair.... I know extravagant, but it has been over a period of 3 or 4 years, so I feel the cost is justified.  Actually, I am sorting through the rest of my shoes, to donate them to charity, as I tend to only wear the Hotter brand now. I have a black pair of loafers which I wear all the time and a lace up pair of brogues which are perfect worn with jeans. I cannot recommend them highly enough.  If comfort is what your after, then take a look at 'hotter' on line and as an added bonus, at the moment, there is 25% off the normal price.  

I have to be honest and say, some of the styles are not for me, but, I adore the shoes which I already own.

.... oh and just a thought, you may have noticed that my leggings are a little ruched around the ankle, that is intentional, as I am wearing my Indian leggings. I thought I would mention it, just in case you thought I looked like Nora Batty from Last of the Summer Wine.

So what else was on my list,

As you can see my Hotter shoes were right at the top of the list. The next item I wanted to buy was a new mascara.

I really don't wear very much makeup, but there are two very important things which I always use, lipstick and mascara.... oh yes and a Benefits eyebrow brush.  Well that isn't a very good start is it, because that makes 3 items.... alright I had better come clean and tell you I also wear blusher and eye shadow when I go out.  I think that is all. I'll let you know if I remember anything else.

Anyway back to the mascara. I wanted a change from my usual mascara so I decided to visit Boots. The young assistant I spoke to was so helpful and she suggested that I try the Roller Lash, apparently it is so popular it has even out sold Chanel mascara.  The hook 'n' roll brush, promised to lift and curl my eye lashes.  I was a little sceptical at first, but I was told if I was not happy with the product, then I was welcome to return the mascara.

So the next day, out came the hook 'n' roll brush and it coated my eye lashes brilliantly.  I put the mascara down and double checked in the mirror.... think of this as a drum roll..... rat a tat tat.... yes, my eye lashes were curled.  

So I thought I would recommend this mascara to you. I love it when my friends recommend products as you know first hand what does and doesn't work.

My next visit was to Marks and Spencer.  I do love their bedding, cushions and candles.  So I popped in to see what they had on offer and discovered this brilliant Christmas cushion. It took me a moment to decide, and in that moment, I had decided, that  not 1 but 2 cushions would adorn my chairs at home.

.... and whilst in Marks and Spencer's I decided to look at the candles.  They were very easy to find, I just had to follow my nose, as the perfume would tell me where to go.

I discovered these little beauties.  The lids are so pretty and I love the Christmas fragrance. So I popped them into my shopping basket.... well after paying that is.

I was wanting some pot pourri, but not the one with small bits and bobs in it.  I wanted the pot pourri to be substantial,

with lots of pine cones and I found just what I wanted in Next.  I think the red painted nuts are pecan nuts and when I rattle them, I can hear the nut inside.

The tangerines take me back as I used to make my own dried tangerines for Christmas time.  They are so easy to do, I really must make a note and show you how easy it is.

Now the following items were not on my list, but they never tend to be, 

as I always stop to visit second hand book shops, as they are such good value for money. It is amazing how many books are donated by people in aid of charity. 

I was thrilled to find this gardening book written by Monty Don, as I love watching him present Gardeners World on a Friday evening.  It was the colourful Alliums which first attracted my attention and upon opening the book, I discovered, it was a fascinating account of Monty and his wife Sarah, buying a derelict house with a 2 acre field. Further down the first page Monty talks about 'Finding evidence of at least three buildings on the site, with Saxon remains, the footings of a medieval hall house and the existing building, which is, itself an amalgam of two separate timber framed Tudor houses'. The diary begins  on 1st January 1998 and ends on 31st December 2001.  I have a feeling I am going to thoroughly enjoy Monty's book.

.... and my second find was The Button Box by Lynn Knight, I just had to pick up this book,

not only for the content, but look at the inside of the book.  Isn't it beautiful. I'm sure your grandmother and mother were just like my grandmother Ivy and my mother Phyllis, they always had a button tin, which as a child I loved playing with. Even when I was older and had children of my own, I would often rummage through Phyllis' button tin.

When I discover a book I have not read before, I tend to read the first page,  to get a feel for the style of writing. When I read the first page of The Button Box

'I used to love the rattle and whoosh of my grandma's buttons as they scattered from their Quality Street tin.'

.... I was smitten. I cannot wait to read the rest of the book.

.... and my third and final book is one I thought I already owned, but had not been able to find.  A lot of our books are still in boxes stored in the loft, but I really don't remember packing it.  We sent a lot of our books to the Charity shop, so I am wondering if this book went with all the other donated books.  It would be funny if I had bought the original book I already owned.

I love old cookery books, because they give us an insight into how our mother's and grandmother's cooked and the ingredients which were available to them. I love the title, 'Tested Recipes in Plain Cookery' by Miss Mason.  'Add the Chef touch to all your dishes - cook by gas'!

I was browsing through the book and discovered a recipe for jam sauce, the recipe itself was simple, but on reading the Method, I reached the final sentence where it advised serving the jam sauce with Canary pudding, Cornflour Mould, or other farinaceous puddings.... what on earth is farinaceous?  I had no idea, because Canary pudding is a steamed pudding and a Cornflour mould, I take to mean blancmange.  I couldn't make the connection, so I had to look the word up.

Well I never, farinaceous means 'consisting of or containing starch'.... well that is certainly a new word for me. I wonder if Jamie or Nigella would ever use the word 'farinaceous'..... I very much doubt it, but on second thoughts,  Nigella might.

I was really pleased with all my purchases.  The red Hotter shoes have been worn, because George's niece recently became engaged, so I wore them to the engagement party.  I danced the night away, without the merest hint of sore feet.

The Christmas cushions have been put away until December, but I couldn't resist leaving out the candles and the pot pourri as they fill the house with an exquisite aroma.

I told you I love Christmas, so the merest hint of Christmas, is just fine.... for now.

Take care I will catch up with you next Thursday.

As Always,

OUT AND ABOUT WITH MY SHOPPING BASKET

Good Morning to you,

Are you a casual shopper?

Do you enjoy wandering around the shops, for nothing in particular, but to see if there is anything which takes your fancy?

I have to tell you, my days of casual shopping are long gone.

When I was younger, I loved meeting up with my friends to shop.  I shopped with Phyllis and I shopped with Natasha and Danielle and still do when they come to visit, but nowadays I tend not to go to the town as much as I used to.

As I've grown older, I tend to make a note of the items I am running low on.  For instance, if I see that my favourite bottle of perfume is running low, then I write it down in my notepad. I then wait until a few more items have been added, before I take a trip into town.

.... and last Thursday afternoon, I checked my notebook,

and discovered, 

there were enough items on my list to warrant a visit to Newcastle.  I asked George if he fancied a trip into town the following day.  Although before he agreed, he did  check to make sure I was not buying him clothes. When I replied, absolutely not, only then did he agree to come with me.

Now you may be wondering about the 'absolutely not', it does sound rather harsh, but you will understand, when I tell you, that George is a dreadful clothes shopper. He loves wearing nice clothes, but he is an absolute nightmare when it comes to shopping for his clothes, and for someone who is so easy going it really doesn't make sense.  What I have come to realise is, when we were both working, George was super busy and really did not want to think about the clothes he wore, so I took on the role of buying George's clothes.  I would show George the clothes I had bought and he would happily put them on. Although having said that, I do remember on one occasion, I had bought George a pair of brown casual shoes, nothing fancy, just something casual to wear with his corduroy trousers.... yes he loves cords. Well, when I presented the shoes to George, he really did not like them, in fact I would go so far as to say George hated them. 

The offending shoes were relegated to the back of the wardrobe, never to see the light of day, for about 8 years.... honestly I kid you not, 8 years. They were brand new when we moved to Cyprus and they were in the same condition when we returned to England. So a couple of years ago, I decided it was time to do something about the shoes, they really needed to be moved from the back of the wardrobe.  I mentioned to George that I had found the said shoes and if he was not going to wear them, I would donate them to charity.  After all 8 years is a really long time to have a pair of shoes languishing unworn in the back of the wardrobe. George took the shoes and said 'Those are nice, I'll try them on'.  Well, you could have knocked me down with a feather, he really didn't remember them.  I held my tongue as George put on the shoes.  He walked around the room and said 'I like these, they are really comfortable' and so I couldn't help myself, I asked 'How about the colour?' I know, naughty wasn't I,  to which George replied, 'Actually they are nice, I think I'll wear them with my cords'.  Yes he really said that.  Now it could have gone either way, I could have mentioned the fact that George had made such a hullabaloo 8 years ago about the shoes and that was why they remained unworn, but I chose not to follow that tack, because  if I did, I think there would have been a few choice words spoken. So I decided to bite my tongue and say nothing,  so that peace and harmony could remain in the Bryson household.  Although I couldn't help myself, I had to vent my frustration somewhere, so I mentioned what had happened to the girls, who both laughed and said 'That's dad for you!' They then said, 'Don't feel down, you haven't lost your knack, remember, you really do know what dad likes to wear, even if it takes dad a few years to realise it.   So with a smile on my face I left it at that.

So Friday morning arrived and we hopped onto the bus and enjoyed a 30 minute journey into Newcastle. It is so much easier using the bus, rather than trying to find a parking space in town.  It makes the whole shopping experience, much more relaxing.

Our first stop was,

Kiehl's.  I love their products and this Turmeric and Cranberry Seed Masque sounds like it should be added to one of my dishes rather than to my face.  I love this product and I find after applying the masque, my skin looks much brighter afterwards.  I would say that, rather than rinsing off the masque, which contains seeds, I find it easier to use a wet flannel. I buy flannels from the Pound Store and wash them after each use.

The masque is put onto a cleansed skin, left to dry for 5-10 minutes, then water is added to the masque and you gently massage the face before finally removing the masque.

I know turmeric is very popular with ladies who live in India.  Natasha did once bring me a packet of  turmeric from India, especially for the face, but knowing how turmeric stains, I never had the courage to use it.  After all, walking around with a yellow tinge to the face is not a look I like.  However, I promise you, there will be no yellow tinge from this Kiehl's masque, it will leave you with a lovely glow.

We then headed to Holland and Barrett to buy,

some organic quinoa.  I use this quite a lot in my cooking as it is full of protein.  In 2015 we made a Quinoa salad and further back in 2014 we made Tabbouleh using quinoa.

I also bought some Vegan Yeast flakes, because I am trying to introduce more plant based food into our diet.  I was shocked to hear about the way a factory in Bromsgrove dealt with their chickens.  I won't go into detail, suffice it to say, I feel at the moment, a plant based diet is something I am becoming more and more interested in.

.... and now it's time for tea. I wonder, are you like me? Do you sometimes find, when your head is full of 'busy', it is hard to sleep at night. I was talking to Natasha about this, and she suggested trying Valerian tea, as she had read that it was a good aid to sleeping.  So an hour before I go to bed I drink a cup of Valerian tea, and do you know, it's working. What I would say, is, check with your doctor before taking this tea as I know some herbal remedies can interfere with prescribed medications.

It was then time to head over to Neal's Yard.

Are you confused, no it isn't someone's back garden. Neal's Yard is a company which sells ethically sourced products.  My sister in law, Gloria, recommended their products when I visited her a couple of weeks ago. I normally buy Molton Brown products, as I love their hand wash and hand lotion, but when I used the Geranium and Rose hand wash in Gloria's bathroom, I was smitten. I  decided to try the Citrus hand wash and hand lotion as I wanted to use them in my kitchen.  The hand lotion is light and rubs into the hands so easily and the combination of these 2 products are really lovely.

We then headed over to John Lewis where I chose some Christmas material for the 2 quilts I am making. I will not share the material at the moment but I will when I show you the progress I am making with the quilts.

We had thought to stay in town for a coffee, but we were both feeling a little tired, so we decided to head for home, but before we did, there was just one more shop I wanted to pop into. I was hoping to buy a pair of pyjamas for Sadie, my mother in law.

My goodness the buyers must have read my mind, because on a counter near to the entrance, I discovered these lovely flannelette pyjamas,  which I know Sadie will love. It's interesting, because both Sadie and Phyllis, my mother, love pink. Actually I have bought a pair for Phyllis as well.

So job done, we headed for home.  Well almost, as on the way to the bus top, George popped into the Dickman's Pie Shop, where he bought two pork pies.

.... so much for our plant based diet.

Before I leave you, I wanted to say, I am not paid to recommend these products to you.  They are products which I use in my own home and which I thought you would be interested to know about.  I also thought it would be fun to introduce 'Out and About With My Shopping Basket' every 4 weeks.  Sometimes I could share hats... I adore berets, or it could be a scarf or a piece of jewellery, sometimes clothes, maybe flowers, also food.... who knows.  It all depends on what I buy during the week and what I feel will interest you. Knowing me, it will be quite an eclectic mix of items.

So take care and I will catch up with you next Thursday.

As Always,