🎵Turning Oscar Wilde 🎶

To have one flat tyre is unfortunate.

To have two in one week is to indicate a fancy for the Tyre Man.

Well, I think I'm turning Oscar Wilde, I really think so, as that's how I was paraphrasing his observation as I drove down the hill to the coast a few weeks ago.  I'd just picked up The Photographer from the airport.

 My fears were confirmed as I drove into the car park.  My car had a flattie, just a day after Tyre Man sorted out a puncture on TP's car for me, which occurred whilst TP was off-island.  The tyre had a large nail stuck in its outer side.  As Tyre Man and I stared at it, l squirmed a little.  I'll admit now that it looked slightly suspect, staged, like I'd manufactured an excuse to visit Tyre Man.


That's the back-story.  Let's take this up at the point I reach the coast.  Grab a cuppa, cosy up and allow me to tell you my
Saturday Story.

Arrived at car park.

Flat.  TP sticks a wrench on the bolt and sets to work.

I looked around idly, camera in hand.

There could be worse places to have a flattie, I say.

Let's hope we can fix it before the sun sets, I say.

I'll record this in pictures, I say.  

(Rather helpfully, I thought.)

We scratch out heads and see what else we've got in the boot.

Phew, we find a spare!  But it's an inflatable.

We chuck out everything on to the tarmac.

We scratch out heads some more and look lost.

The bolts aren't moving.  We both bash and kick at the tyre bolts (TP only light-tapping on my orders as he's recovering from surgery).  

The bolts don't budge.

I phone Bro.  Bro lives other end of island.  Says he's on his way.

We scratch out heads some more.

Bloke on his way home from surfing pills in next to us for a ... to use the facilities. 

Bloke sees two aging dimwits scratching their heads  seizes adventure opportunity.  He takes over.  Frees each bolt with a single kick.  Removes tyre with ease.

Panic.  We can't find cigarette lighter outlet in new car to plug in the tyre inflation tube.

Refer to manual.  Manual is silent on subject.

Bloke looks in his little van.  Can't find his cigarette lighter outlet either. 

We all scratch out heads.

After much gymnastic jiggling in little van, Bloke has his Eureka! moment and finds the outlet.

Bloke starts inflating tyre.

Bloke dashes off  saunters off to have a ...use the facilities.

Bro thankfully arrives 20 minutes later on Suzuki.  ( Is this how Peter Fonda would morph now, with a 21st century 'elf and safety makeover of helmet and protective clothing?)

Bro knows Bloke.  Bro sees Bloke has been at it whilst Bro sped his merry Easy Rider way along the highway the coast road which spans the length off the island.

Bloke and Bro now bloke-bond and fit inflated spare together.

Removed tyre shows serious long term erosion and on the inside too.

Phew! Surely tyre-man can't suspect I've sabotaged THIS one?!  

Meantime, as TP had arrived on island dressed only in a short sleeved polo and has a cold, I insist he wears my jacket.

My  OOTD

He looks like Don Johnson.

"When Miami Vice met Easy Rider"

The tyre is replaced just as the sun is setting.

I attempt to hand Bloke twenty quid for a beer after stepping in with such generous spirit and turning our crisis into a photo shoot.

He refuses proffered beer money point blank.

"There goes a true Guernseyman" says Bro proudly as Bloke drives off into the setting sun.

Next day, Tyre Man eyes me rather suspiciously  ...

...or am I just 🎵 Turning Oscar Wilde🎶?

A la perchoine, 

Mary.

Big thanks to Bro and Bloke for helping us out of this jam.

What To Wear To Meet Racy

Sometimes an outfit can take a lot of effort to put together.

Sometimes it takes a bit of investment.

This is a tale of one such outfit.

It started with a car, (this post HERE will bring you up to speed!), and it ended with two cars, but that's a story simply too long for today.

My car search took a turn after that post.

My head was turned by a stylish soft top. At that moment, practical flew out the window and racy flew in.

My thoughts went into overdrive - I've harboured a Mercedes Convertible crush for 45+ years.

Now was the time to live the dream and have some fun!

Soooo, The Photographer googled me my dream.

I deliberated over what to wear to pick up my dream.  It was like going out on a first date and the outfit had to be pitched just right.  First impressions, and all that.

My thoughts were leaning towards casual but classy.  Car chic.

I said goodbye to practical.

And hello to fun!

I'd had an If Not Now, When? moment.

I felt it was my last opportunity to have some fun, to try out how racy feels, for if I didn't do it now, I probably never would.

Well, racy feels goooood. 

I thought I'd feel a bit of a poser in it.  But I don't.  Just good!

And it's 2nd Loved Terri !

Right, readers, what did I chose to wear for my date with my liberating bit of fun?

Navy bardot dress (tweaked), Dotty P; Bronze sandals and coloured beads (M&S)

Silk scarf (Accessorize)

To keep the open-top breeze off the exposed shoulders, d'ya think?

Nah!  For my head - for a girl just has to have a silk head scarf for her open top raciness, eh?!!

(Vronni, please note my messy attempt at headscarfing!)

Typically, buying a racy car is a classic mid-life crisis thing.  

75 is the new 50, so hey, I'm on target.

Have you had any If Not Now, When? experiences lately?  I'd love to hear.

A la perchoine.

Rockie II

Yesterday was busy, with doctor's appointments, grocery shopping, all that sort of necessary stuff.  Totally un-photo-worthy!

But the day was rounded off so nicely by meeting up with a cousin and her partner for a catch-up at our "local", the Rockie. 
I took you there back in February here, brrr.  So this trip was your Rockie II!
You'll see me there quite a lot during these summer months, should you chance to pop by.  For the Rockie is rather like my old taupe Adesso shoes, one of my summer's constants! And like these old M&S jeggings, it would seem.  For they were out again last night.





I just had to include this rather childish pose on the left!

I wore the jeggings and the Adessos with the a White Company taupe trapeze cardi, which is a beautiful fine and light knit for this time of year.  The top is from Next, linked into the post here. 

 You see, when I was Being Nora a few days ago, I removed the blazer and tried the top/jeans combo with the cardi and realised there was something there to pull out for a pub night.  And pull it out I did, just a short few days later.  So my Being Nora is giving me spin-offs already.   For, by my channelling Nora, I'd stored that subtle little switch in my subtle little head, and hey presto, getting dressed last night was but a moment's work!

Ready for the drive down to the coast on a beautiful summer's evening in my little car; and beautiful though it was, I still grabbed a scarf should extra warmth be needed.  What an oldie I've become!

The hotel is west-facing.  Nothing but sea between us and the US of A!

This is a great place to sit with a glass of wine and watch the sun sink down over the horizon.

I smuggly enjoyed a chilled glass of Sauvignon Blanc. 

Because I wasn't driving home, the Photographer pulled that short straw!

I lusted after my cousin's seafood platter!

But enjoyed my choice, luckily, fish cake with a little new potato salad.

Such a great evening, catching up with Cuz and feeling summery.  I hope you enjoyed your trip down to my local too.  Thanks for popping in, I love it when you do. 

I wish you a happy and sunny day, wherever you are.

Are you enjoying the lovely summer's evenings?

What are you like at putting together that casual layered look? 

 I'm still working on mine - but I think I'm getting there!

A la perchoine.



My Jersey Trouser Trauma

Monday was a nice family day and a day to relax after rushing around prepping for my holiday.

I was dressed top to ankle in M&S. 

I'm wearing black jersey trousers.  They wash well and are, of course, tres comfortable. 

But I don't know whether I can get my head around the concept of these jersey trousers. 

For two reasons. 

Firstly, I have some baggage.  These trousers take me back to my maternity wardrobe which consisted of one denim pinafore dress, one black print dress and one pair of navy blue jersey trousers which were already dated when they were handed down to me.

I wore those trousers to death - definitely out of necessity and not because I looked good in them.  For I did not.  But needs must.

I longed to be rid of those trousers. 

Needless to say, they were binned immediately bump became baby.

How times have changed; there are such gorgeous maternity clothes available these days and more disposable income to spend on them, neither of which was the case back then.  Money was tight and selection was poor.

Oh, almost forgot ... secondly, and more pertinent to why my jury is currently out on them - I recognise that as I age my rear needs some serious separate, lift and sculpt action and from a fabric that delivers elastane by the bucket-load and sadly jersey trousers fail on all counts. 

These just may have been a mistake buy, only time and some brave rear view mirror research will tell.  I'll report back if and when I find the fortitude to check in the mirror.

Have you found any jersey trousers that are both comfortable and flattering?

And what are your memories of maternity clothes - good, bad or indifferent?

Now where's the nearest charity shop to drop off those trousers?

A la perchoine.