Ditsy Belle #30 - Chore

Bins! Bins! Smelly bins!!

 

 

I had Mr B to thank for this (old) photo that he searched out from our huge collection. It was taken the first day of the new wheelie bins collection and was a bit of a disaster...and several years down the line and a few more bins and crates added to the mix it hasn't improved that much!!

 

It seems that a lot of the town have issues with the company that won the tender after the council gave up on doing it. Well, I have found them to be very good, pleasant and efficient. Can't ask for more that that, can you?

 *****

On a totally different topic - noticed that this was taken before 'bitch from hell' moved in upstairs, (hence, the For Sale board).

I have just coped with the many family members celebrating three August birthdays; with a stinking barbecue and a pro DJ playing music outside from early afternoon until about half an hour ago when somebody, in no uncertain terms, asked them all to shut up!! (No, not me! or Mr B, some other long-suffering neighbour I presume!). I hope I haven't grown into a grumpy old woman, but, when the bass from their speakers, in the garden, can be felt while I'm sitting on my bed, yeah, you get my drift!

 

So wow! Thank you for your heartfelt comments...it must be working.

Z xx 

 

Just A Note

Just to say...thank you to those of you who have commented and to those of you who have 'followed' and those of you who want us to 'follow' each other.

 

The last fortnight I have started a new course of CBT on a one-to-one basis. I am incredibly lucky to have been offered this option on the NHS, but, there is no denying it is difficult to do and also very tiring -mentally and physically.

 

There are ideas for short and long term goals, including, (possibly), coming off my  meds.

This in itself is a BIG THING for someone who has been on anti-depressants of one type or other for nearly 20 years.

 

So, please forgive me for not popping over and saying 'hello' or anything! I hope you can appreciate why.

 

*****

Todays' photo item is 'chore'. I think mine will be "putting out the bins"; whereas it IS a good thing, with all the options, the 'bin police' and all the other paraphernalia, it has become a bloody great chore!

More of that (photo) later!

Z xx

Ditsy Belle #29 - Eyeshadow

Can I pick just one? Can I, heck! 

l to r

 Carine Roitfield for MAC - Sahara Dust, Cactus Thorn, Desert, Carbon; MAC palette - Mink Pink, Bruised Plum, Black Tulip, Jungle Moon; MAC Packed To Go (6 cool smoky eye shadows) - Seedy Pearl, Tendersmoke, Satin Taupe, A Brown Suit, Beauty Marked, Carbon (written about here)

 



Hello Liberty Kitty palette, see here for my original post, written before I bought mine in the sale at Boots! (Bargain...couldn't resist)

 

l to r

 Cinder Ash, Mehndi Brown, Onyx,

Diamond, Tsarina, Pasha

 

Goodness, this palette is ancient, but if I could only take one set away with me, (as opposed to enough to fill a beauty counter), this would be 'The On'e. It is by Diane von Furstenberg, who I didn't even know did make up!  I found it in TK Maxx when it first opened in Birmingham.

Totally love this set.



l to r

Full Frontal, Glamazon, Socialite, Boy Toy, Skinny Dip, Lucky Charm

plus a tube of Shadow Insurance base

 

And, finally an eyeshadow kit by Too Faced. I found this earlier in the year for £6.99 in TK Maxx. A lot more zingy colours than above.  Looks good? Any one tried this?

Z xx

Ditsy Belle #28 - Water

Our solar powered fountain, trying really hard to produce some 'whoosh' in the rather overcast weather today.

 (Yes, I know, I should've taken the photo yesterday, when it was lovely and sunny!)

We like to think it transports us back to the Generalife Gardens in Granada, as we sit in our back garden!

 

In my dreams...

Ditsy Belle #27 - Black & White

"You're going home in a black and white ambulance"

 

 

and other such lovely rhymes.

 

When we lived in Southsea it was our 'thang' to travel over to the Isle of Wight to see our team play ice hockey. I love this game. Not only do you have to be able to ice skate but hit a small, black, flattened ball-type thing, called a puck, as well.

Very fast and often quite furious.

Can't think of a better way to spend an early  Saturday evening.

Z xx



Ditsy Belle #26 - Glitter/Sparkle

These two pairs of socks actually belong to Mr B!

 

 

A dedicated follower of fashion. Ha ha!

 

 



My 'not-worn-very-often' gold sequined baseball boots. So ancient I cannot remember where they came from???

 

Of course, I have to add a link to fellow Northamptonian and mega-blogger, Louise, from

http://sprinkleofglitter.blogspot.co.uk/.

 

We have met, (once!), and this is her post about it.
 

 

My very own 'Baby Glitter'. If you pop over to Lou's you'll understand! Get those diamante knickers. Eat your heart out, Carrie Bradshaw!

 

 

"Oh my God! She's fashion roadkill!"

Great script. Great music.

The designer of her 'pants', William Ivey Long, also designed costumes for the show that Mr B worked on when it first opened in London, "Chicago".

Ditsy Belle #25 - After Dark

View across the River Thames from The O2 to Canary Wharf.

 

To have my Triple A (access all areas) view of The O2 click here.



Ditsy Belle #24 - Item

 

I believe they have stopped doing the 'Golly' brooches now because they are deemed un-PC.

 

But as a child I dutifully collected the tokens off the Robertson's marmalade jars and after a nail-biting session of choosing which design I wanted, sent off my 6d or whatever and eagerly awaited the postman's delivery.

 

I didn't get many and probably my favourite is my Lemon Shred one with 2 lemons, but I have never seen this one, ever.

(And me being such a plane lover, I'm sure I would've spotted one)

 

So, hurrah for the Vintage Fair and the lovely lady and her young daughter from the 'Oh my - it's VINTAGE!' stall.

Z xx

Ditsy Belle #23 - Fresh Fruit

Fruit in the garden.

 

 

 About as fresh as you can get!

 

 

And no pesticides! 

 

Bon appetit!

Tomorrows' title is 'Item'. Seeing as there is the Fair on, no doubt I'll be able to find an item or two!

 

Have a wonderful August Bank Holiday Weekend!

Zxx

Ditsy Belle #22 - Sunrise/Sunset

 

Never up early enough to catch the sunrise; and even if I was up this morning it was as grey as an elephant. All day.

 

So, a few scanned photos from several years back. The top two are Southsea and the third one is Bournemouth. 

Z xx

Ditsy Belle #21 - A Treat

This has definitely been my treat of the summer...despite its' terrible TV advertising.

Yum!

Zxx

Ditsy Belle #20 - Bath/Body Product

 

For a Brit, 'Bed, Bath & Beyond' is somewhere I would fancy going to visit if I went to The States.

We first heard of it in the American sit-com, Will & Grace.

Mr B is brilliant though. (Who else would take this photo for me??) 

 

Years back there really was a Mode magazine, (nothing to do with Betty, ugly or otherwise). It was an American mag for 'the larger lady', and it was a treasure trove. I'm sure it was in one of these that I first read about Cetaphil skin care and I would highly recommend it. It is one of those skin ph thingy-ones, (non-comedogenic) and I tried it for my scaly backs of arm problem. It was brill. This last trip Mr B came back with a body wash and a different face wash. Love 'em!

 

 

I think at one point Boots (the Chemist) had a TV ad for it over here in the UK but I only ever saw it once. Mr B bought these at Target in the States, where the calico re-usable bag came from too!



Ditsy Belle #19 - Entertainment

Ditsy Belle #18 - The Sky

 

Ditsy Belle #17 - OOTD

 Oh yes...another day, another version of iced coffee!

Starbucks iced coffee frappe. No cream, no ice cream, lots of  crushed ice and very, very nice.

 

 

Mind you, sitting in the drive-thru coffee shop, it was raining that really fine rain that soaks you through, (Peter Kay joke there), and it looked bloody miserable and wintery outside. But of course it would...it's The Balloon Festival weekend! 



Blue T-shirt & shoes, TK Maxx

Khaki trousers, Evans (I think)

Eiffel Tower necklace, Briony @ the Vintage Fair

(Present from Mr B)

Z xx

Ditsy Belle #16 - Phone

I picked this phone from a choice on offer because it was solid and chunky; with solid and chunky fingers a more 'girly' petite phone was not really an option!

 

 

I then found out that it was known as 'the builder's phone' because it is quite solid and keeps the dust out, which in a 2-cat household is no bad thing.

 

I had my previous phone for years and still prefer it to this one. It wasn't anything special, I just want a phone that I can make phone calls with. Is that so odd? I feel nowadays they do everything  but make you a cup of tea(!), but in my eyes that just means there's more to go wrong and a bigger possibility of it being nicked!!

Z xx

 



Ditsy Belle #15 - Shoes

 

 

Northampton is 'Shoe Town'. It is still home to several shoe manufacturers, including Church's.

(A post about me!).

 These concrete shoes are nearby and the local blocks of flats are named after various shoe-making processes, such as 'Clicker House'.

 

 

Ditsy Belle #14 - Workplace

 

Today's theme is 'workplace'. Seeing as I don't work, I thought I 'd show a few past places. Above is me with a cast member of Ennosuke III's Kabuki Company. I had my name written in Japanese on a piece of gaffer tape to wear at all times, which is still stuck on the side of my chest of drawers.

It still ranks as one of the greatest jobs I have ever been lucky enough to do.

 Just fantastic.

 

 

I was able to get my best mate to work with me too. The whole room was covered in matting and we were not allowed to walk on it in shoes and were given pairs of oriental socks to wear. Some of the costumes were hundreds of years old and had special ways of being folded and tied. The history and tradition was awe-inspiring.

A truly cherished memory.

 

 

Here I am wearing a jacket I sewed for a silk painter who has work on display in the V&A.

I was self-employed and worked at home quite a lot of the time.

(Don't-cha luv the yellow Hot Tuna surfing sweats and my permed hair ponytail!!)

 

Finally a picture of  'my boys'; dancers from Sadlers Wells Royal Ballet. I was employed as a costume maker for the company, but to make a bit more money I'd do 'dressing' as well when they were at The Wells. 20+ years on one is the Ballet Master with the same company, (now renamed Birmingham Royal Ballet), one has his own dance company, one passed away desperately young and one I have written about his medal-winning Chelsea display here.

 

So, my workplace...here adorned by jockstraps! Can't say that about many workplaces, can you?

Z xx



Ditsy Belle #13 - Food

I have photographed these 'Yo-Yos' before.

 

 

Small Viennese-y/shortbread-y loveliness from Muffin Break.

Washed down with a glass of iced coffee for me and a café latte for him.

 

And, in a bizarre, has-to-be-done-sort-of-way , a scan of 'Meteor Crunch'.

 

 

I mean, when we have been up until 2 am the last 2 nights to watch the Perseid's meteor showers, it has to be shown, doesn't it?

And, they look like the yo-yos too!

Ditsy Belle #12 - Nail Polish

 

At the moment I am wearing "You're Such A Budapest" from OPI.

 

I had to use 3 coats and the coverage isn't great, but the colour makes me go 'wheee' every time I see it.

 

 

 

I bought this set the other week from TK Maxx for about nine quid. I think it was from a Halloween 2012 collection. The colours are fab; I very rarely paint my fingernails as they are pretty rubbish, but I tried out the black, 'Mourning Glory' on one nail and think that is going to feature a lot this coming Autumn!

Drum roll please...

I have to say my favourite nail polish is by the wonderful Leighton Denny.
 

 

 

 

 

Ditsy Belle #11 - Skincare Routine

My skincare routine, such as it is, tends to revolve around some product from Clinique.

Has done for, ooo, 20 years or thereabouts.

I usually only buy it when there is a Bonus Time, so you can get more bang for your buck!

I swear by 'take the day off' make-up remover.

The DDML has just recently been revamped, but the original is that good I have only changed to the gel formula, as I hit the 'hot flush' time of life.

My most recent and newest-to-try product has been their CC cream, which has been excellent, but I know doesn't suit everyone.

Another new purchase, with thanks to Mr B and the fabulous sales advisor from Clinique at The Loop (duty free) Dublin, was this trio above. Total fan of Moisture Surge in all its forms. Bloomin' brilliant stuff.

And I got the towel, at the top of the post, FREE!
Also, I must mention, for all you blokes out there, that the mens' range comes highly recommended by Mr B.

http://www.clinique.co.uk/

For less moola I would suggest Vichy and, having used it that long ago it was still "Oil of Ulay", I would also rate Oil of Olay, the basic pinky fluid moisturiser too.

such a blast from the past

Zxx

(All images sourced through Google, except my towel picture)

Ditsy Belle #10 - What Are You Reading? With Picture of Book in Question!!!!

Apart from all your blogs (!), I really want to get my teeth into this...
 

"Tales of The Alhambra" by Washington Irving. For reasons why click here, which was the trip to Granada that never quite happened!
I bought the book the first time I was there, meaning to read it when I got back. Never did. Tried to find it to take with me to read there... couldn't find it! (Thanks to all that refurb last year). So Mr B bought me a new copy, which I still haven't read.

I am late in posting as I have been 'helping' Mr B build this wonderful swing chair.
(Somewhere to read my book!)
And my fabulous "Saddle Up" cowboy quilt from HenHouse fits a treat. 

 

Mr Bs' treat...the last of the cherries. So red and juicy now.

And thoroughly enjoyed by one of our blackbirds too!

Z xx