Wednesday 23 March 2016

mid week randoms


Miss K and I took a train ride last week. We were gutted not to be able to make toast or style our hair........ We decided a microwave and curling tongs might be ok and will plan our next breakfast and fashion looks accordingly.


J and I drove over to see his mum at the weekend, to check up on the status of the flood damage and to see what progress was being made. We found 3 wonderful layers of oh so stylish wall paper behind where the kitchen cupboards used to be. I can decide if I prefer the fake wood effect or the oh so stylish brown floral with boats and cottages..... I truly can't imagine anyone thinking orange was a good colour for the kitchen.........


To say the house is looking a little sad would be an understatement, but after several hours work there are less skirting boards stacked up in the yard and a satisfying pile of firewood ready for next winter!


Back home there is progress on a new flower bed, this side of the garden doesn't get much sun, this year I may throw several packets of wild flower seed at it, and see what happens, whilst I come up with a creative plan (work out what might possibly grow there........)

and finally more blossom. just because. 
sometimes we need all the promise and hope of spring we can get.



24 comments:

  1. It makes you wonder whether people have tried to use toasters and hair dryers when you see a sign like that. I can just about understand the hairdryer bit but a toaster!!!!

    Brown and orange were all the rage in the 70s and early 80s, I remember when I was a child we had a dining room with orange walls and a brown ceiling, sounds revolting now but back then it was just the thing!

    Sadly there are houses like your Mother in Laws all over my area (I think she lives very near me). It takes such a long time to sort them out doesn't it. On some journeys I make there are builders vans outside house after house after house.

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    1. I did really wonder what prompted the sign!
      your dining room sounds like it was the height of fashion!
      the house is taking forever, it isn't even dry yet, I would love there to be builders there x

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  2. I always bring the entire complement of small household appliances on a train with me. I'm frankly very surprised to hear that you do not. ;)

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  3. Would a sandwich toaster be OK do you think?! You've just reminded me of the fake wood wallpaper in my parents' house in the 70s; I'd forgotten all about it. xx

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  4. Our newly decorated 1978 kitchen was orange painted woodchip, brown ceiling (?!?!) and mustard coloured plastic handles on the cupboards and drawers. Even at the time i remember thinking it wasn't a good idea...

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  5. I'm always whipping out my hairdryer to dry my hair on the train after I've washed it in the train loo... Hilarious. Gosh, I do hope work on your mum-in-law's house speeds up – how frustrating. You might be able to grow a couple of roses up that fence. Rambling Rector is fast-growing, good for shade and smells lovely. It also has white flowers which will brighten up a shady spot.

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  6. Gosh you have to wonder what prompted the no toasters sign don't you!! Someone trying to run a whole household from one plug socket perhaps!!! I like the brown tile effect paper, very vintage! Hope that the repair works keep going well and that your MIL will soon be home again. xx

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  7. Gorgeous blossom. I grew up in an orange kitchen with big flowery orange and yellow curtains and to be honest I've still not quite got over it. CJ xx

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  8. I've been told that a picnic of hard boiled eggs is an absolute must on a train ride.
    Amalia
    xo

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  9. Such lovely randoms! I laughed at your comment about orange -- I fear there were probably many orange kitchens (along with their coordinating avocado and harvest gold) back in the 60's and 70's. Quite happy we're done with those decades LOL!

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  10. Arh blossom surely Spring is here! Xxx

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  11. I don't think we ever had an orange kitchen, but I do remember a purple bedroom in my teens . . .

    I would like to hope that it will not be long before your MIL can start selecting paint colours but sadly we know just how loooooong it takes to recover after flooding :-{

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  12. Love your randoms Tess! Hope your MIL's home will be fixed again as soon as possible. I always find it fascinating uncovering old wallpapers through the layers! Some can be astonishing! And thank you for the blossom picture...happy spring!
    Helen xox

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  13. That wallpaper! There's retro and then there's retro. I do love uncovering old wallpaper though, it's fun to imagine who might have hung it and what their story was.
    I hope your MIL's home will be a warm and comfortable place for her soon. x

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  14. Hoping we get a long spell of warm dry weather that helps speed up the drying process in your MIL's home.
    The excitement of planning a new garden area....looking forward to seeing how it develops. xx

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  15. thank you for sharing the wallpapers, a peek into another time. I am glad the house is progressing, but sorry it is taking so long. Hope you are all well x

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  16. When I was a kid brown and orange was fashionable. I made a granny square pillow (cushion) cover for my granny. It had a mistake in the middle and she never said anything. That wall paper is actually very interesting and pretty. It looks like a lot of work however it will look great when all is done.

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  17. I find those coyly wry signs in Virgin trains very irritating! Your poor mum jn law, I can't begin to imagine the disruption and distress caused by flooding. Looks like you are bringing a bit of order to the mess now. X

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  18. My childhood kitchen was dark brown and bright orange. It seemed quite 'normal' back then. Hope you get your mum in law back to normal, or some kind of working solution soon. How horrible for her! xCathy

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  19. I like the idea of the wildflower seeds! Go for it! Hope your Mum-in-law is managing okay... My parents had an avocado bathroom to match the orange kitchen!

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  20. Oh my, your poor MIL's house, I hope it's looking much better by now. And I'm no use at knowing what flowers grow better in shade but if you've had any good suggestions please pass them on! (Having said I'm no good, what about foxgloves, the woods near us - very shady - are full of them at the moment and they look gorgeous, especially with vibrant green ferns. In fact I'm sure there was quite a shady wall border in the garden when I was a child and it had foxgloves and ferns, and also climbing roses and honeysuckle, maybe they work too?)

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    1. yes foxgloves. I want some of those x
      no progress on the house. it is SO frustrating.....

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