Thursday 27 March 2014

I'm afraid it was inevitable

Amidst the stress and misery of decluttering, contemplating downsizing and having a home report prepared (big rant on the latter to follow), it was to be expected that a trip to town and lunch with Helen would be the downfall of my good intentions not to acquire more material goods.  
Firstly one of those charming ladies on a John Lewis beauty counter collared me, dabbed a bit of product round my eyes, sprayed me with one of their new perfumes and relieved me of £25.  In my defence, Touch Eclat is currently one of the best selling beauty products so I really should have my own.
In Debenhams there was a 10% off event and I've been wanting some of this eau de cologne for ages,  the sales lady filled my bag with extra samples, 6 in all I gave one to Helen. 
I know this is a masculine product, but I love, as the blurb says,  the sensual blend of fresh citrus top notes and intense base notes of neroli, leather, benzoin and ginger.  I don't know what benzoin is but ginger gets my vote every time and what girl doesn't want waft around with a hint of leather about her.


Finally after lunch we ventured into Beinspired, the lovely local yarn shop in Marchmont and I was seduced by two balls of beautiful alpaca, one jade one mushroom. Even if I never get round to using this 100 g of softness they are a real non-fattening comfort, better than Cadbury's Dairy Milk which could be my next major purchase.

Thursday 20 March 2014

Selling and spending

I realise I'm in danger of driving you all away if I keep banging on about my downsizing efforts, but it's important that you understand that I am getting rid of clutter and how difficult it is.
So I have sent more bags to the charity shop and I've also put some of my more precious items on ebay.  
These Beswick Beatrix Potter figures I've had at least 50 years, I could pass them onto Amelia and Esme my grand nieces but they would probably appreciate the money more.  
I've also started sorting my extensive Emma Bridgewater collection and put a few interesting pieces up for sale, they seem to be doing well. Again I love them very much but feel its better to keep the mugs that I use daily rather than have purely ornamental pieces.
All sounds good doesn't it but I had a major setback yesterday when I took my 25 year old Rolex into Edinburgh for repair, it stopped suddenly and hadn't been serviced for years.  I've been quoted between £400 and £500 to have it sent back to Switzerland for work and it will be away for about 6 weeks.  What can I do, Rolex don't provide the parts for repairs and not using genuine parts would just devalue the watch.  I blame Mr FF for giving it to me for my 40th birthday, though I have loved it since that day and feel its worth every penny even though it feels like spending without buying, not a great experience.
I had a quick look round the shops but only bought these two bottles of nail varnish, I couldn't resist the springtime speckled egg effect.  
Finally we have a valuer coming to look at our house next week, scary biscuits, it's all getting so very definite.

Tuesday 11 March 2014

Not much to report


I haven't blogged for a while as things seem much the same round here. We've had some glorious sunny days and I've been busy in the garden, the bulbs are coming along a treat and while we may be behind most of the UK with no daffodils in flower yet, there is plenty to see.   I was working in a short sleeved t shirt today though my neighbours probably thought me mad as the ones I saw out and about were still wearing jackets and scarves.
We are still seriously contemplating moving into a smaller lock up and leave property, getting this place up to scratch and continuing the downsizing.  
Look I've already made some space in the wardrobe, OK it is the wardrobe in the spare bedroom and mine is still very full but I call it progress.  I showed Pam the other day some of clothes I intend giving to the charity shop, I slipped on one of two wool coats to show her.  She agreed it was a lovely coat so I asked if I should keep it, her answer was a firm no.  I have been known to put items into the charity bag then take them out again, I've even rescued things when I'm almost on the shop doorstep and brought them home.
Getting rid of things is hard enough without Mr FF's Yorkshire based sense of value.  I put some plates in the bin the other day, they were very cheap, the pattern was wearing off, we have loads of plates but Mr FF was quite upset as we had been using them.  I explained we have at least 18 white dinner plates in the cupboard, we will never be short of a plate.
No knitting wool or toiletry purchases so far this year, using up stock, but I couldn't resist 3 books for £1 at a community shop the other day, and now I've gone and joined our new local library. 
I was going to take this book back unread because its longish, about 460 big pages and I need to clear my own shelves but then I thought I'd start it just in case, I do enjoy Isabel Allende,  and now I'm really enjoying it. Just don't let me take anything else out when I go back to the library however tempting.

Sunday 2 March 2014

Fighting with fluff



Several years ago Mr FF bought me two lovely boxes of soft wool and angora, tiny 10g balls of violet and lemon wrapped in tissue paper, he found them in a charity shop and I was delighted.  

They sat on the shelf until I started decluttering in earnest
I thought each box would make a cowl and sourced a few likely lace patterns, finally going for this which seemed simple yet effective and would convert to knitting in the round, I do expect a big return for not a lot of effort.  So I have been battling with these fluffy clouds of marshmallow that disintegrate in my hands, its like knitting with over cooked spaghetti.  I have cast on several times, often the yarn just falls apart before I even get enough stitches on the needle to knit a round.   If I do manage a few rows and things go wrong with the pattern pulling back isn't an option as that weakens the wool even more. It does feel beautifully soft but I am covered in fluff, on my trousers, up my nose, it's everywhere.  Mr FF complains that he keeps finding pieces of abandoned knitting about the house.   I've read a few posts on Ravelry and while there are collectors of this now discontinued (I wonder why) vintage fibre, many people have made the same complaint, I'm surprised there are any completed items.
I like to finish what I start but Mr FF has given me his blessing to get rid of his present and I think this time I am beaten.    I completed three rows at my latest attempt, lost a switch somewhere, had several breakages was mad as hell, for my sanity I must let go.