A Contented Weekend...

  I’m rather aware that most of the weekend’s loveliness evolved around food, but hey I went for a run on Thursday night!

Trying on my bridesmaid dress  ★ Snoozing on the sofa with Smudge whilst the hubby sank a few “Old Hookys” at the local country pub★ Porridge and tea in bed on Saturday morning with a large spoonful of golden syrup ★ wondering around a second hand furniture shop and swooning over a well-loved massive side board (one day, when we have our forever home) ★ Stopping off for coffee and a BIG slice of Victoria sponge in my favourite Witney pub ★ Discussing the costs of cigarettes as we bought a cheesecake in Waitrose (Mr TallyV gave up 3 years ago) ★ Getting slightly addicted to the memory game Memrise ★ Cooking a very tasty dinner of Sea bass and potato gratin – stripy potato gratin thanks to the 5 counties cheese (-:★ Eating farrrr too much cheesecake ★ Enjoying a sunny Sunday morning walk with Smudge ★ Eating a bacon sandwich and reading the Sunday papers ★ Enjoying having the neighbour’s dog over to play with Smudge ★ Cooking roast chicken ★ Writing my next blog (not THIS one, the next one!) ★ Changing the bedding and loving the fresh cottony smell that now lingers in the bedroom ★

Loveliness....

… but The Sound of Music is definitely not one of them!

In no particular order…

• Tea, especially out of a tea pot
• Dinner out with my husband
• Bed sheet change day – nothing beats fresh, white, crisp cotton
• Smudge, our border terrier and the 3^rd member of our family
• Home
• UK history
• A run with my Ipod
• Neat, tidy and organised
• Dressing up in pretty things
• Big Bang Theory, a dose of Sheldon Cooper can always make me chuckle
• Stripy socks, no alternative will do. In fact I like most stripy things
• Nice stationery
• Seeing the world
• Elephants
• My bobble hat (knitted by my 97 year old nan)
• Terry’s chocolate orange
• A good book, if it makes you laugh out loud, cry, or not want to put it down you’re on to a winner
• My Tiffany locket and wedding day gift from my husband
• Airports (read blog 1)
• High heels
• Brown paper and string
• Dancing
• Photographs and taking them
• Scones, jam and cream
• Gin, champagne and cocktails (not together!)
• Converse trainers
• Hydrangeas
• My whistling kettle
• Aeroplanes
• Weddings (organising stuff, pretty dresses, happy lovely people...)

A Book for Brides...

Whilst rummaging through one of the Lechlade antique stores last year I happened across a rather interesting book: “A Book for Brides”. Published in 1948 this little treasure seemed the perfect gift for my close friend and bride to be.

I love a vintage inspired wedding, (I’ve a particular fondness for 50s and 60s style dresses/fashion) but marriage today is rather different than it was back then.

Unfortunately I don’t have any quotes to hand. From recollection there was plenty of advice for impending matrimony. Ensuring that you always looked presentable for your husband, how to run a good household, how to present yourself on honeymoon… it also gave some words of wisdom on the emotional front.  

When I next see my friend I’ll get some quotes from the book but for now here are some genuine adverts à la 1948…..

Sorry about the cropped edge, the page seem made the scanning tricky