Monday 24 July 2017

Raindrops On Roses - July

These are a few of my favourite things.


An anniversary bouquet. Mick and I celebrated our twenty seventh wedding anniversary earlier this month and I was quite taken aback when he surprised me with a beautiful bouquet of flowers as we don't really celebrate our anniversaries. We usually get each other a card but that's it. The photo doesn't do the bouquet justice, it was huge and contained roses, lilies, carnations, alstroemeria, gerbera among other flowers which I don't recognise. He can be romantic when he tries.


Outdoor events at Lotherton Hall. I've posted many times about our visits to Lotherton Hall. This month there were two events which we popped along to. The first was an Edwardian weekend where there were lots of themed activities for families. It was a beautiful day but we only went in the morning so we missed the brass band which was due to play later on in the afternoon. We did make it on time for the Punch and Judy show though, not that I'm a fan really. There was lots of Edwardian fun for the children with sideshows including splat the rat, high striker and coconut shy, and there was dressing up in the hall as well as craft activities. Last Thursday we were invited to a Member's Summer Party. It was 6pm to 8pm and as well as a scavenger hunt, there was a barbecue and a live band. It was a lovely evening but we gave the scavenger hunt a miss, preferring instead to sit on deckchairs whilst we listened to the band and ate our hotdogs.


Bargain shoes. Clarks had their sale on this month and I managed to snag a pair of shoes marked down from £50 to £25. The great thing about this is that it's years since I've bought a pair of shoes, I usually wear sandals in summer and boots in winter and that's it. I've mentioned before how I've had trouble all my life with shoes rubbing my feet, so I tend to buy footwear and stick with them until they literally fall off my feet. Comfort before style every time for me. So, when I found these shoes, which feel really comfy, I snapped them up. They'll do nicely for the transition from sandals to boots. I just need to wear them in a bit now, plasters at the ready.


Shopping in York. I don't get chance very often to spend time alone just looking around shops, I won't leave Archie long on his own so if I go shopping, it's usually with something in mind and I'm there and back. With Eleanor being at home I've got the chance to leave Archie with her and please myself for the day. I went to Leeds last week but it definitely isn't one of my favourite places, there's all the high street names there and lots of designer shops, but they're really not my thing. I much prefer York which also has the high street names, but there's also lots of independent shops there too. Mick was working in York on Friday so I decided I'd hitch a lift, I was there about four and a half hours and I had a lovely time looking around the shops.


A Street Cat Named Bob. I'd read both of the Bob books and noticed that the film had recently been released on Sky so on Saturday afternoon, whilst Mick was at cricket and Eleanor was working, I sat down to enjoy it, and enjoy it I did. Based on the true story of James Bowen, a recovering drug addict, and his loveable ginger cat, Bob, it's an inspirational tale of how someone can turn their life around. When James met a stray ginger cat, he had all the inspiration he needed to get clean. Bob plays himself in the film and, of course, he steals the show.

What favourites do you have this month? How about joining me and writing a post about them?

34 comments:

  1. These are great favourites this month, Jo. Happy anniversary to you and Mick. I do love your shoes. :o)

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    1. Thank you. Sometimes it feels as though I've been married longer than twenty seven years and then others it seems like two minutes.

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  2. Happy Anniversary Jo! The bouquet is lovely. Glad you found some in between shoes and hope that breaking them in is not too painful. To break new shoes in, I sometimes wear a thin wet sock to soften the leather with a combination of moisture and warmth. I do this in the evening, feet up on the footstool. Your shoes are nice! x

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    1. Thank you. That's a great tip, thanks for that, I'll have to try it. I envy people who can just buy shoes and wear them without any problems.

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  3. I loved the books about Bob, we also want to watch the film. Nice bargains on your shoes. We have a local independent shoe shop which is expensive but I do watch their sale days.

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    1. I didn't think the Bob film was as good as the books but it was an enjoyable, feel good film. You can pick up some great bargains in sales, I think £25 for a pair of Clarks shoes is good value.

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  4. I saw the film when it came out but I wouldn't rave over it. It was a easy feel good film. Scavenger hunt sounds fun.

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    1. I thought it was a good film to sit and watch on a Saturday afternoon but I did prefer the books, I usually do prefer books to films anyway.

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  5. Nice post and pictures. That's a lovely bouquet. I'm all for comfy shoes, and indeed comfort over style in general. xx

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    1. The bouquet was a lovely surprise, I wasn't expecting anything which made it all the more special. Gone are the days when I suffered for fashion, I'm all for comfort these days.

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  6. I'm a Clarks girl too... cant beat their sales.
    I too loved the Bob books, the film of a book never lives up to the expectation I find... perhaps this one might be different.

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    1. My mum always took me to Clarks as a child though I'd have preferred fashion shoes. Nowadays I'm back to Clarks, I much prefer comfort than style now. I agree about books over films, and it's the same in this case, I enjoyed the books more than the film but it was enjoyable to watch.

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  7. Belated Anniversary wishes, such a beautiful bouquet. I love York, I was actually born there and lived there as child many moons ago. I struggle breaking in new shoes too.

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    1. Thank you, the bouquet lasted for about two weeks so it did very well. I love York too, there's always something to see and lots to do there, we're lucky that we live so close. I've always struggled with new shoes, I'm just hoping that these new shoes don't take too long to break in, they do feel comfy already.

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  8. Happy anniversary! Like your shoes, I bought a pair of Clarks when we were in England a year or so ago. We were going to go to church and I had brought a dress---I think I own 2--but I forgot to bring shoes. So we went shoe shopping and I found a pair of Clarks on sale and I still wear them.

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    1. Thank you. Clarks are more expensive than some other brands but they do tend to last. I bought a pair of sandals in 2014 and this will be the fourth summer that I'm wearing them, they are wearing out though now so I shall be looking out for some new ones next year.

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  9. What a beautiful bouquet, you must have felt very spoilt, lovely. I do love your new shoes, I would consider them stylish myself, though I think my daughter thinks I have dubious taste xx

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    1. I was thrilled with my bouquet, I wasn't expecting it at all. Yes, Eleanor's the same, she definitely wouldn't consider my new shoes stylish but they feel comfy so that's all that really matters to me.

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  10. Your flowers are lovely. Happy anniversary to both of you! I love your new shoes. I need to get some shoes of the same type, something to get from summer to winter. I've only recently started wearing Clark's in the past couple of years, having bought two pairs of sandals from their brand. I absolutely love my sandals, so I should really try their other shoes. I would love a pair like yours. Shoes are so hard for me to find just right, so it's always a challenge.

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    1. Thank you. Clarks have been around for years, I was always taken there for my school shoes and I took Daniel and Eleanor for theirs. I'm just the same, finding it hard to find shoes that are right for me, so it's a big deal when I do.

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  11. That is a beautiful bouquet ... belated happy anniversary wishes.

    I always enjoyed the traditional punch and Judy shows with the children during our summer holidays ...seeing your photograph bought back many happy memories.

    Isn't it lovely to be able to have a mooch around the shops - I'm like you I prefer places that do have a few independent shops too, always something to see!

    Your shoes look good, I hope they will be comfortable.

    Have a great week

    All the best Jan

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    1. Thank you. I must admit that I was always scared of Punch and Judy as a child and I think it put me off for life. York is a wonderful place for both shopping and sightseeing, I really enjoy my trips there. My shoes feel comfortable so far, the biggest test will be when I wear them for any length of time, I'll just have to make sure that I have plenty of plasters ready.

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  12. Happy anniversary to you both, the flowers are beautiful. We usually end up forgetting out anniversary as it's too near Christmas and there is so much else going on.
    Love the shoes, I don't own many pairs of shoes either, I tend to wear the same ones every day for work then i have either canvas shoes or flip flop type things at the weekend.
    I think i've only been to York once, a long time ago, it's quite a jaunt from here, glad you had a good time.
    I haven't read the 'bob' book but we have watched the film, i think Mark enjoyed it more than me to be honest.
    Have a great week

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    1. Thank you. I was really pleased with the flowers, they really were beautiful and such a surprise. I'm definitely not a shoe shopper, going shoe shopping fills me with dread so it's such a bonus if I can just drop on something like I did here. I love York and it's somewhere I'd always recommend to anyone as it's got so much to offer. I can always find something to do there no matter how many times I've been. I thought the Bob books were better than the film but it was enjoyable enough to sit and watch.

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  13. Sounds like July has been a good month with happenings at Lotherton Hall & shopping in York, as well as your surprise flowers. Evidently Yorkshiremen aren't very romantic (giggle). Mine isn't either. Love the shoes & I bought some along similar lines at Morley Markets & they are very comfy for my poor old feet. Have a good week & take care. I wonder if we'll get the movie about Bob, as I've read the book too.

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    1. I'm not so sure about that, Yorkshiremen were, apparently, voted the most romantic in the country last year. Mick has his moments but they're few and far between, which, I suppose, makes it all the more special. I'm sure you'll get the Bob movie over there at some point. I don't think it warrants a trip to the cinema but it was a nice film to watch on a Saturday afternoon.

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  14. Belated Happy Anniversary wishes to you both. How lovely to have been surprised with the flowers.
    Time out for yourselves just having a wander sounds like a marvellous way to spend the day.
    How cute is Bob!
    Love the sound of both of the trips out to the Hall, deckchairs just mean happy summer times.
    Lisa x

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    1. Thank you. I don't often go looking round shops without a purpose but it was lovely to have plenty of time to please myself, I really enjoyed it and it's made me determined to set some time aside once in a while to do it again. Bob is so cute, I'd love a ginger tom cat but Daniel's developed an allergy so no more cats here. I'm so pleased that the events at Lotherton Hall coincided with good weather, it's such a shame when rain spoils plans. It was lovely just sitting and enjoying the evening.

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  15. I hope that you had a wonderful anniversary - those flowers are just lovely!

    I'm very much the same way when it comes to shoes - I have my running shoes, my "normal" shoes which are all about comfort and my winter boots. Gardening boots and shoes do NOT count, though! Just got myself a pair of chicken Sloggers and LOVE them!

    I haven't purchased heels in over 20 years but I do still have a closet full of them from when I used to work. Some I've only worn a couple of times and nowadays, they only come out for events - good thing I'm into plain styles as they will likely give me another 20 years use!

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    1. My anniversary was much brighter this year with that lovely bouquet of flowers, it was such a surprise. I've never heard of chicken Sloggers so I've just looked them up, I know what they are now. I can see they'd be really comfy and I love the designs. I used to wear heels when I was younger but it's many years now since I have, I doubt I'd be able to walk in them these days.

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  16. Congratulations on your anniversary, the bouquet is beautiful. I hate shoes, left to me I wouldn't wear them, the pair I'm currently using are now six years old and look it, but so comfortable. I live my life in slippers both indoors and out in the garden, but not the same pair.

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    1. Thank you. Like you, I wear footwear for years, I find a pair which is comfy and tend to stick with them until they drop off my feet. I love slippers too, the rest of my household walk around in bare feet but I wouldn't be without my slippers.

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  17. Lovely favourites Jo. I must watch that film! Good on Mick, that is a lovely bouquet and a fine pair of shoes. I have the same problem, I wear shoes and boots until they fall apart, I dread the blisters new shoes produce, hope yours are worn in quickly.xxx

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    1. I think you'd enjoy the film, Bob is so cute. I'm hoping that my shoes wear in quickly, I can't stand having sore feet caused by new shoes.

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