I've Lost My "!"

It's the 3 year anniversary of The Pouting Pensioner.  Yay.

Just yay.  For I seem to have lost my "!".  Don't get me wrong , it's still on my keyboard but I've felt deflated here of late, like I've lost my posting exclamation mark, but metaphorically.

  

First, let me take you back to 2016.

First outfit pic posted 29 January 2016 (see sidebar link).

My latest pic, posted 26 January 2019.

I like to think that my day-to-day style has improved over these three years, and that was the key driver to setting up this blog, after all.

And getting my style mojo back over this time has been a blast.

But now I find myself at a blogging crossroads.

And I know I'm not unique, for how many times have I read of other bloggers losing their mojo, taking a sabbatical or stopping blogging all together?

Which direction do I take?

Monetizing the blog would allow me to invest in a more secure and bespoke whizzy site and creatively increase traffic, but it's not for me for several reasons.  

So I'll be trying things differently in subject matter and regularity in the coming weeks to see what works for me, and for you, so your feedback will be most welcome.

The stand-alone joys of creating good copy and making fun friendships through comments are not enough, as over time I need to  feel that I'm upping my game to keep my personal motivation and momentum going.  This blog needs to bring me joy.

But I need to know that my blog brings you joy too,  for I don't want you doing a Marie Kondo job on me.   (Ooh, I almost felt an "!" moment then ...)

   

So yes, I'm at a blogging crossroads.   Which way do I go? 

I have some ideas.  TP's given me his suggestions; one was to post more scenic stuff so I can do that now ...

The sea whipped up after Saturday night's gales.

Perhaps  you could help me with some feedback on the bits of my blog you have enjoyed (and even those not so much) since you started popping in? 

I thank you in advance for helping finding Mary's "!" mojo.

A la perchoine,

Mary x.

2 Years + 2 Acts of Bravery

Hi my dearies, hope you are well.  I thought I was well, until I realised that I'd missed my second anniversary with you. Ooops.  This was MY FIRST TIME HERE..  Yes, I missed it by two days.

So I've been blogging for 2 years.  And 2 days.

It's been an amazing journey, to coin that over-used cliché. Or should I say it's been amazeballs?  Because I've picked up a few Americanisms along the way.  But what can I say, language is my jam - oh, and there's another!

 Many many MANY MANY times in the past two years I have thought to give up, to stop blogging. I'll tell you about that sometime.  But I'm still standin', as my mate Elton would say (yes, my mate, I met him in Stockholm BITD, such a nice guy)

To celebrate my 2 years and 2 days anniversary, I'd thought I'd go a bit out of my comfort zone with my garb of the day

With a white shirt!

White shirts don't suit my shape and my colouring.  But I had a whizzo idea of softening the blow with a jumper.  A leoprint jumper, bien sur. I chose one of the two white shirts I've attempted to make work for me in the past 10 years.  This one's a Next long version which I let show below the hem of my jumper.  It has tucks and seams going on so it frills a little at the bottom - I kinda liked that.

I added pearls and I think they bring a lady-look to what could be viewed as something a little on the edgier side of pensioner. 

What do you think my dearies?  Do you think I could be brave enough to show you me in this shirt without the woolly camo?  Maybe let you decide if I can do white shirts or not?

My 2nd act of bravery to mark this special 2+2 anniversary was my first choice of skirt.  Leather.  This skirt is coming up for 20 years old.  I've never worn it on the blog before because I stopped wearing it; I thought it looked too short on me.  And TP certainly agreed with that.  But today I manned up and wore it.  And y'know, TP said "Maybe it's not too short after all". 

And I think I've worked out why we both softened to this skirt today.   Opaques.  Gabor Pollyanna boots.

My view is a leather skirt needs the right backdrop, the right leggage.  And this was it.

What do you think, dear reader?  Can I get away with wearing this M&S so-soft leather skirt again?

But perhaps leoprint + leather was a step too far for this old bird.  So I then went for safety with a wool skirt, also old, also from M&S.

The extra length and little side kick pleat thing going on make it comfy. And it is an old faithful.

What do you think, sweeties?

Is a leather skirt a little "trying too hard"?  Maybe a little mutton dressed as lamb?

Is leather AND leoprint just laying things on a little too heavily?  A little too Bett-ish?

Is a longer wool skirt where I should be at, given my pensioner status?

Should I not be going for safety in my garb?  Every.  Single.  Time.  ?

And for those of you non-Brits who haven't got a clue what Bett-osh is, here's our Bett.

Bett Lynch was a barmaid in the Rovers Inn, a pub in a soap called Coronation Street.  She was your archetypical warm and friendly barmaid and became a national treasure.

She was also known for her leoprint style of dressing.  It's her legacy.

So I may be Lady Leoprint, but Bett is forever the Queen of Leoprint!

A la perchoine.

Such a Perfect Day

I have just celebrated the anniversary of a very special day.



My OOTD then.

And my OOTD now.

I'm still digging into my capsule so on went M&S jeans, necklace and jade cardi, black Next top.

The weather was gorgeously sunny and warm the day I wore that fancy long dress, and so it was again on my yesterday.  We had a leisurely day, driving to Pashley Manor Gardens for a stroll around the pretty grounds, then a tasty quiche and salad lunch on their café terrace.  It was so warm, the cardi came off and I sat out eating lunch in my vest top.  What a funny autumn.

In the evening we chose a seafood restaurant that we hadn't tried before.

Just a 15 minute walk away.  

OK, dieters, I think you know the drill by now.  Food alert!

I sipped pink prosecco and nibbled on black olives, focaccia and anchovy butter. 

As we have pensioners' appetites these days, we did our tried and tested two-starters meal, which gives us just the right sized dishes to taste without feeling uncomfortably full,

or leaving lots on the plate.

A crab dish with beetroot and mango.  So light-tasting.

My date chose a scallops and chilli "main", with sides of chorizo mash and creamed spinach.

I chose prawns piri piri on patatas bravas, with a green salad side.

The food was wonderful - fresh, good ingredients prepared and cooked beautifully.

A good Sancerre was the perfect accompaniment.

A fabulous limoncello on the house.

And after a superb meal, we strolled home along the dark seafront and stopped to listen to the waves pounding softly along the shore. 

The day was absolutely perfect back then, and so it was again yesterday.

Such a perfect day.  I'm glad I spent it with you.

A la perchoine.