Harvest festival and killer heels

Well here we are into September already ..what a marvellous summer it's been, so much glorious sunshine...Too hot even for my Aussie relatives when they visited back in May.  So, you would think, wouldn't you, that come this time of year , the fruit trees and vines that I planted last year would be laden with delicious fruits.   Not so...As usual, my crop has produced a strange collection of small, wizened and misshapened oddities that resemble something from an agricultural experiment ... Have to wonder what my lovely grandad would have made of them, (he being an expert gardener and producer of enough home grown fruit and veg to keep us all going for months) "never mind luv", he'd have said "I'll pop over and sort out the soil for you "...Awww, I do miss him!...

It's been a slightly better summer at my new venture, Coffee and Collectables.  Having extended out to include clothing and accessories we have been very busy with that side of things....As I'm into dangerous territory, though, I have to remember my mantra 'buy to sell not to keep' when I'm tempted by some slinky little number or a pair of killer heels!

Talking of killer heels, my latest acquisition , (a pair of gorgeous strappy wedges) actually did try to kill me...Not whilst wearing them, which I managed without incident, but when trying to take them off. Note to self, after several Kir Royals, to avoid the possibility of serious injury,  better to sleep in complicated shoes rather than try and remove them.

Well that's about it for now.....No further mishaps to report, thankfully!!

Just enough time before lunch to rustle up a delicious plum crumble.. Thankfully the local farm shop has got an abundant suppy of home grown fruit....

Sue x

Suzy's Blog

Shifting Sands

 

So excited!!...I have, in my garden, in pride of place a huge stately gazebo...It stands there looking  bit like something from a bedouin camp, tall, elegant and welcoming. I have to admit to being a bit fazed at first when faced with a flat packed array of poles, cord and no less then 45 different nuts and bolts, but, hey, less than 2 hours later and with a team of only 2 of us, (3 if you count the dog), there it was...And it doesn't wobble!...All that's left to do is to furnish it. I'm thinking table and chairs, (obviously) and maybe lanterns, (not the type that start fires, hopefully), a place for wine and glasses, (essential) , and a few Lawrence of Arabia type lounging cushions....Oh, and I guess I will definitely need the sunshine to continue for maximum enjoyment...

 

So that's the fluffy enjoyable stuff dealt with which just leaves me with the dull hard labour in the rest of the garden. ....Where do all these weeds keep coming from....Grrrrh!.

Well that's about it for now. Soon be time for a languish and nice glass of chilled white in my not yet collapsed gazebo...

Technical blip and a photo will follow shortly ( Hopefully)

Sue x

Suzy's Blog

Tantrums and Tiaras 

Hello blog. Yes I know it's been a while since we last spoke, and yes I admit I have neglected you, but here we are, reunited at last.

So what's been happening in my world over the last few weeks?....Well, apart from major frustration with my new devil phone, (now returned to Satan) I have been concentrating on the new addition to the shop, vintage and modern clothing. Have to say I do find vintage clothes fascinating, must be something do do with my preoccupation with dressing up in my Mum's clothes when I was a child. Oh the childhood memories, many a day was spent traipsing round the garden in a ten sizes too big ballgown, (my mum was a bit of a socialite in her day) glittery dancing shoes and a tiara, pretending I was Cinderella. My poor long suffering brother always used to make himself scarce on those occasions in case I roped him in as prince charming! Felix, the pet cat wasn't safe either. Long before the current trend of bling collars for pets, Felix was quite the glamour puss, regularly adorned with diamanté necklaces and a little lace neckerchief, sitting haughty on a velvet cushion. All very well until one day he was spotted sprinting across the lawn wearing one of my Mum's favourite  satin scarves....Oh, happy days..

 Vintage frocks seem to have an air of glamour and mystery about them, and the very fact that many of them are still around today is testament to the fine quality of the fabrics and workmanship. Can't see many of the clothes currently hanging in my wardrobe still being around in fifty or so years. 

Anyway, back to the present, Poor Russ, he comes back from holiday nicely chilled and relaxed to find the place full of women's clothing. It must have been like walking into a giant wardrobe!..

Couldn't resist revisiting the dressing up box of my childhood again and getting a picture taken in this beautiful 1920s gown!

 Toodle Pip x

Suzy's Blog

As I'm still still trying to get to grips with my new phone, (note to self, avoid phones cleverer tham me in future) I have decided to keep this blog short and sweet...Not a bad idea as this is my third attemp at writing this, the first two were accidentally deleted just as I got to the last paragraph....(a few unprintable words were flying about I can tell you!)
Anyway, what I'd like to say is how relaxing June has been so far, (apart from aforementioned phone) compared to a hectic May.  Plenty of time to catch up on a few things  that I've been putting off, new window display at C&C, a bit of buying and a revamp of my website, maybe even a you tube channel,  (blimey, sound and vision..eeek!)  So lots of things to get stuck into. 
Hope you like the two recent photos,  no cartoon this time, a bit too much for my basic grasp of this phone..
Well I seem to have made it to the last paragraph again...Try to press the right key this time...Here goes!!!
Sue x

Suzy's blog

Dame Edna and other Possums

Since Friday I've been unable to
 stop humming the 10cc song, 'I don't like cricket....' (dreadlock holiday), must be something to do with the Aussies being over at mine on the same day we beat Australia at cricket...hee hee! Not that I'm a cricket fan, just that everyone else seemed to be, (almost fanatical in fact), so I got sort of carried away with  it all.....Jimmy who? Oh Yes, Anderson!...

Anyway, my lunch party, which I had expected to be a few hours over some food and drink, turned into a marathon 8 hours during which we polished off several bottles of red and white wine, a bottle of champers, 9 bottles of beer and half a bottle of Remy, (the only leftovers were 6 bottles of non alcoholic beer, bought by mistake and ignored by everyone)... And how did we finish the day off?...A visit to the pub!!..

 After a few days recovery, (yes, as I expected the hangover was pretty severe!) I can honestly say that these days a lunch that lasts longer than 7 hours and rounded off with a visit to the pub, whilst fun, is just a bit too much...In fact the whole day was a bit like living in an ad for Fosters lager!...We even had the sunshine!
Quick change of subject and country, I am ecstatic to report that my gorgeous french sofa now has an equally gorgeous friend...a matching chair.

Talking of blasts From The Past

OOOOh Sunny days .....

 Perfect for sitting and enjoying a lovely glass of chilled white, I thought!...well it would be if I had any left!.....

G'night Possums!
Sue x

Suzy's Blog

French sofas, shoes and Les Miserables 

It is now day seven of my miserable no cake, chocolate or biscuits diet, (I am, of course, still allowing myself alcohol) and I have now reached the severe withdrawal stage.  I should have realised I was at crisis point when the chocolate candle became the fragrance of choice and the dogs bonios started to look appetising!....I wouldn't mind all this were it not for the fact that, after all this effort, denial and self discipline, (a new thing for me, I have to say) I feel absolutely no different....boo hoo!!
Anyway, enough of all this poor me routine, I have had one major indulgence this last week, (which is helping take my mind of choccy) in the form of an exquisite antique french sofa.  This spectacular thing of beauty is residing grandly in my sitting room in all its gorgeousness, oozing sex appeal, (well it is french after all!) and making everything around it wilt in its presence. It almost  seems to be saying, 'don't dare sit on me'!!...Just have to hope my cat takes note, as she's rather partial to a cosy nap on a sofa,but then she's Persian so she probably doesn't understand french!!..
At least I can sit for a moment on it !!

Continuing on a french theme, I just have to pay homage to another recent acquisition, shoes. Utterly beautiful and very Parisian....Aren't I a lucky girl!! All I need now is a suitable occasion to wear them at.
Please excuse my final comment, but I just can't resist finishing on a very apt quote, (although I don't think she did actually say this) from Marie Antoinette....'Let them eat cake'!....Oh yes, could you make that a double chocolate one, please!!
Happy days and....Au revoir!!..
x

Suzy's Blog

Sunshine and champagne

Just when I thought it would never happen summer seems to have arrived..(well for the last three hours anyway) In order to make the most of it, and following the best bit of health advice I've ever read, (apparently champagne is now considered to be good for us) I decided to raid the rack and open a bottle of bubbly.  So here I am enjoying a warm sunny afternoon with a book and a glass of champers...bliss!!

 
I'm hoping this is just the start of a month of celebrations, worthy of a bit of cork popping.  After a disappointing start when I was unable to make a 'page 3' reunion dinner in London, I now have a couple of interesting events to look forward to. (may still get to wear my new frock after all!)
Something I'm definitely not celebrating is the news delivered by the vet that Olive, my lovely sweet Shar Pei has been diagnosed as being almost completely deaf.  'Poor little thing', said my Mum, sympathetically, 'she'll now have something in common with your Dad'..

.. Hmmm! I always thought it was a bit of selective deafness with my Dad, funny how he never seems to have a problem hearing the football commentary!...
Oh well, on that note I'd better get back to my health initiative before the bubbles go flat. That certainly wouldn't do, would it!!.
Talking of sunshine , which appears to be a distant memory at the moment .....Here is another distant memory ....!!

Have a lovely  weekend, and make the most of any  sunshine...
Sue x
Ps Oh dear, should have posted this earlier, it's now raining....Back to the wellies!!