When did 1992 become retro?

We bought a car. I'm in love already. How could you not be, when the hand winding windows and the non-central locking remind you of being a teenager and the cassette player lets you listen to *genuine* 90s cassettes. Never did grunge sound so good but on the rear speaker-ed sound system and the actual key means you can both go surfing at the same time. [we haven't yet had time to do that with the new auto, but AUX's little zapper meant we either had to surf in tandem or entrust the keys to the National Trust car park man]. Plus you can listen to the radio when parked with the engine off with the window down. And then turn it off and wind it up and get out all without having to start the engine again. And did I mention we get to listen to all our 90s cassettes again. I knew there was a reason we never threw anything away... It's also only got 4 gears. Never again do I have to wonder, driving along the country lanes of Exmoor, whether I should be in 4th or 5th. No choice now. I told you it was love :)

(and when Husband pulled up he to collect me after work, he had to lean over to unlock the passenger door. I may be turning 30 next birthday, but I will forever more feel 17 and that "just off to a gig with my musician boyfriend*" excitement when my man has to lean over to unlock the passenger door for me - even if we are then driving to Taunton for him to get on the train)

*true story. he was a bassist.

Comic Relief

I know that some of you were slightly dubious about my sponsored posts but every now and then I am e-mailed about a cause which I feel does deserve the exposure.

In this instance, British Airways have teamed up with Comic Relief for a year long campaign called Flying Start to raise money to help transform the lives of disadvantaged children in the UK and around the world. They are kick starting the campaign with a headlining grabbing world record breaking comedy stunt on 12 March.

Dara O'Briain, Jack Whitehall and Jon Richardson will be teaming up with BA, Guinness World Records and will be setting the record for the 'Highest Stand-Up Comedy Gig in the World'.

The campaign will then continue for the rest of the year and BA customers will be invited to donate to Comic Relief. I personally come across children who have found themselves, at no fault of their own, in circumstances ranging from less than ideal to down right traumatic and will be pleased to support Comic Relief.

BA are also running a competition for 'audience' seats on this flight on 12th March - after all, is it really stand up comedy if there's no-one there to watch it? To be in with a chance of being one of 75 lucky people flying over the UK to enjoy two-and-a-half hours of stand-up for charity – including champagne and refreshments – fans can text 'Fly1' to 70300 or visit www.facebook.com/britishairways to enter the competition. Full terms and conditions are available from the Facebook page.

Whilst flying isn't really my thing by choice (I will take a plane if I have to, but I'd rather go to a gig on the ground) I will donate some of the fee for this post to Comic Relief.


Flying Start British Airways  Comic Relief  comedy  35000 feet


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Teal and mustard

Photo by The Sartorialist

Photo by Young House Love

Photo by Toast

I love this combination of colours - it probably comes as no surprise that teal is one of my favourite colours. Last night I went to a Fashion Show*. Bearing in mind I live in a small village near a slightly larger town, I was really going along to support the charity. But, talented girl that I am, I can spend money anywhere and so I ended up buying a teal dress. Which would go perfectly with mustard. Only I am blonde, and don't own much (anything?) in mustard. Anyone got any ideas for me?

Photo of me, by me (obv) and please excuse the poor quality and poor lighting. And the fact you can see my pants drying on the rack. It was intended as a quick snap to e-mail to facebook (by popular demand I hasten to add - people wanted evidence that there was fashion to be had where I live) but I though, what the hell.

Photo of Tulips and weird pom pom flowers by me

These are the only mustard coloured items I am aware of in the house at the moment. I think they would look fab in a wedding bouquet. I am not sure that a bouquet is the right look for my teal dress though...

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* I tried to take some photos of the show but the models didn't pause for long enough and the lighting was terrible. The average age of the audience was definitely old enough to be my mother and the announcer had some strange ideas about "what all the magazines are doing" but, among the vast swathes of what can only be described as shit, were, occasional nice pieces. Like my teal dress. And the polka dot blouse with pussy bow that I am wearing today.

LFW - Things which have caught my attention (1)

Photo by Liberty London Girl

Every morning I get up and leave the house within about 10 minutes of getting out of bed. Rare is the morning I look in the mirror til I get to work and I often have hair like that seen on the catwalk at Clements Ribeiro. (I wish my work clothes were more interesting to match). Pleasing to know that for once I am on trend, hair wise.

[sad not to be in London any more and missing out on all the LFW and LFWeekend goings on. But every year the interactive coverage gets better and better. I watched the Burberry show live through Liberty London Girl and have been flicking through all the shows on Style.com and their app on my iphone.]

9 years

It was our 9th anniversary this month. 9 years since Husband and I met in a nightclub in our old university town. 9 years since our first date. We celebrated with fish and chips and a bottle of champagne. The same meal we ate when we got engaged. Same champagne producer. Same champagne that we had at our wedding.

Valentines Day, well, that was our 8th Valentines Day. The first time around, we'd only known each other a week. Which was *way* to early to be doing things like celebrating V-day. We met on a Thursday (identifiable only because we know what nightclub we met on therefore we knew what day of the week it was and each club had a different student night) during an evening which I can only remember in snap shots. We met over a cigarette. Romantic. (I wanted one, asked a friend for one I spotted on the dance floor, Husband offered me one of his). Those were the days when you could and did smoke in clubs and thinking about it now, it just seems so disgusting that I though nothing of dropping the butt on the floor. We danced. Kissed. Outside afterwards he offered me his jumper. It was grey. Fuzzy. He was wearing a white shirt. I was wearing a black lace top with jeans that didn't fit and wedge heeled sandals. I didn't want the night to end, so we went back to mine. Talked. Slept. The next morning. [Ok, afternoon, who am I kidding] we sat on my stairs as he rolled a cigarette and put his number into my phone. A pink sparkly nokia to match my Rancid band hoody.  . Oh yes, and the eye liner. Those were the days. His jeans had the inside seams cut, he was wearing brown boat shoes. I hated his name. But not him. A few days later, he texted. Can it really have been a few days, I can't imagine how I didn't call him. I remember the text. He called me honey. I danced around my room. He invited me to his for supper.

Which, working out the days, must have been 9 years this Tuesday or Wednesday. History doesn't relate if it was the Friday or the Saturday. But I remember the meal. Chicken stir fry, with wine and proper coffee afterwards. I'm not sure what impressed me the most - the fact he could cook or the fact he made proper coffee. I was so nervous I found it hard to eat. But we started talking and we haven't stopped since. It was perfect. I can't believe that was 9 years ago.

This year I ate alone on Valentine's Day. Our first though, he asked our friends that he lived with to go out. We'd been together a year, just celebrated my 21st birthday. I wore 'nice' underwear and boots. Made a real effort (looking back I can't believe what I was thinking - but all shoes in the early 2000s were hideous. Not just mine). I got a taxi. He cooked me supper - I can't remember what. I gave him a card. He didn't. Much like this year. A few weeks later we went to Paris. Drank red wine in cheap restaurants and ate steak and sat for 4 hours, confusing the waiter by ordering tea between courses. Smoked cigarettes and drank coffee in cafes. Drank cocktails full of sparklers.Went to galleries. Walked and talked. We're going back to Paris in April. Where we will take up smoking again, and sit for hours in cafes, talking and walking. We'll be together for almost 2 weeks and I can. not. wait.

Spring wardrobe wish list

(Skirt by Hush, shoes by Topshop, bag by Marc by Marc Jacobs via Net a Porter)

It may be pissing with rain outside but I am already planning my spring wardrobe. Mainly little additions to go with my core staples from last spring/summer of stripy tops and brown leather belts mixed with blue blazers, blue cardigans and an assortment of grey jumpers. I bought these shoes last week and the skirt today. It calls itself khaki although it doesn't look like it in the pictures, so only time will tell if it looks ok. Sadly the Marc Jacobs bag is more of a wish list item, although if I get my bonus in April, maybe a reality... (don't worry Husband, if you're reading this, if I get the bonus, I'll save it, not blow it on handbags)

Happy Valentine's Day

Well, the lack of car did have a single silver lining. We were in London for the weekend which ordinarily would have meant that I would have got the train back on my own. We had to start looking for cars this morning though, so Husband and I took a train back together last night, ate Chinese food and opened our presents to each other (I gave him the card in the photo above, he gave me a vintage French dictionary so I can start practising for our anniversary trip to Paris) and this morning we drank coffee in bed together before getting the bus into the town where I work to look at a car. (which was crap). So we ate lunch in the sunshine before I went to work and he got a bus to London for the week.

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(photo on card of us on our honeymoon in Cornwall, card from Moonpig)