Friday 27 October 2017

Raindrops On Roses - October

These are a few of my favourite things.


Catching up with friends. I used to see some of my friends all the time when our children were little. I live just around the corner from the primary school which our children went to so it was really easy for friends to pop in for a coffee just after dropping off time or else they'd call in for a coffee an hour before they were due to pick up their little ones. Once the kids went to secondary school, I saw these friends less as it was a case of arranging a time to meet up, it was less convenient than just popping in for a coffee on the way home from school. We have lots of news to catch up on when we do meet up so we usually arrange to meet in a cafe and spend a couple of hours hearing what's happening in each other's lives. I had one such meet up this month, a new garden centre opened very close to where I live last year and it's got a lovely cafe so we arranged to meet there and we spent a lovely couple of hours putting the world to rights.


Autumn colours. I can't say I'm a huge fan of autumn, I'm definitely a summer girl so it's with a heavy heart that I admit to my favourite season ending and the arrival of the cooler weather. One thing I do love about autumn though is the colour pallette. We're now at the time, just before the trees lose all their leaves, when there's an array of yellows, oranges, reds, pinks and purples brightening up the parks and the trees put on a fantastic display.


October television. As soon as the darker evenings descend, we're treated to new series of old favourites on TV and some new goodies too. I'm pleased that Strictly Come Dancing is back on our screens, though I don't know many of the celebrities, I'm still enjoying watching. The second series of Victoria was just as good as the first. Liar has had it's fair share of coverage in the media, and though I did enjoy it, I found I enjoyed Rellik, over on the BBC, more. This thriller was told in reverse, apparently showing us the killer at the beginning of the series, but as each episode unfolded backwards, there were twist and turns aplenty. Even the title of this programme was in reverse. Cold Feet, ahhhh, I loved this series in the 90's and I think the revived series works just as well.


Shopping with Eleanor. A lovely day was spent with Eleanor in Nottingham, and though we were shopping, which is definitely not my favourite thing, we had a lovely time. I'm not a particularly girly girl so I could never imagine myself with a daughter, especially after having Daniel. How lovely it is though to spend time with my gorgeous girl.


The Body Shop soap. I'm not a lover of scented soap really, not only do I have sensitive skin but I have many allergies too and lots of things make me sneeze. I do love soap from The Body Shop though, I've used their products for many years. I tend to go for the citrusy scents, pink grapefruit and satsuma are favourites, but I like the tropical fruity scents too, I'm using a mango scented soap in the bathroom at the moment. One complaint is that they no longer do the lemon soap which used to be my absolute favourite, and I liked the apple one which they no longer do either. I wish they'd bring them back.

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

36 comments:

  1. Meeting a friend at a cafe in a garden centre - combines 3 of my favourite things - gardens, coffee and chit-chat...how perfect! I agree - as we get older, it becomes more of a challenge to co-ordinate schedules and meet up with friends. I just laughed at your girly-girl comment - I'm not one either (being more of a jeans/t-shirt & no makeup type of girl) but do find that having a daughter around tends to bring out the girly side.

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    1. It was lovely to meet up with a friend in a cafe, I managed to have a look around the garden centre too whilst I was there. Eleanor's quite a girly girl but it surprises me as she hasn't got it off me at all.

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  2. I use to be a summer person, but can no longer tolerate the heat. I love Autumn, the cooler air, the colors, the holidays.

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    1. We don't really have to contend with summer heat over here in the UK, I'd probably enjoy autumn more if I lived where you do.

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  3. I was disappointed when Cold Feet finished last week, I did enjoy catching up with them all again. We do enjoy a good TV drama, I loved watching Victoria with Imogen every week. It is lovely to have a daughter isn’t it, though having a son is pretty wonderful too! xx

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    1. There's been some really good programmes on TV just lately but many have finished now, I'm waiting for the next wave. I think we're very lucky having both a son and a daughter, though I'd have been happy anyway, I know it's a cliche but having a healthy child really is all that's important.

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  4. I'm enjoying Strictly as well although, like you, I don't know who half the "celebs" are. There are still some who need to go and then we can get on with the real competition. :o)

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    1. I must admit that I like some of the less better dancers, and some of them make more improvements than those who seem to be able to do it all right from the start, which is what the show is really about. I've got a couple of favourites that I'd like to do well.

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  5. I do like your Raindrops on Roses posts & think I'm definitely a Spring girl, having been born in the last days of Winter, though I too enjoy the colours of Autumn. Don't enjoy shopping either & why oh why, are they taking all our favourite things off the market. I seem to experience this all the time with anything from clothes & toiletries to food items & other bits also. Our TV watching is very different, mainly with documentary type, as if I miss an episode of an ongoing series, I find it hard to resume the storyline. We do have our Dr. Blake back on at the moment & enjoy that. Have a good weekend & take care.

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    1. Autumn just reminds me of the bad weather ahead so I'm never pleased for it to arrive. I don't know why so many things are taken off the market, even when they seem popular. I suppose there must be a reason for it but I can never see it. I love documentaries, they're my favourite kind of programme and Eleanor enjoys watching them with me, though Mick's less keen. I've never heard of Dr. Blake, I don't think it's one we get over here.

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  6. Strictly on the TV is a countdown to Christmas although we're not really talking about that yet! It doesn't seem cold enough for Halloween or Bonfire Night yet. Nice to catch up with friends, it's not the same as those school collections in the playground.

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    1. You're right, you know we're on the countdown to Christmas once Strictly's back on TV. It is nice to catch up with friends, we used to see each other in the playground every day but it's much less often these days so there's always something to talk about at our meet ups.

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  7. Where is the new garden centre? Must admit I just couldn’t get into Rellik. It’s format just confused me.

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    1. The new garden centre has been built on the site of the old Saville's on the Cliff. I taped Rellik and ended up turning it off when I first started watching it as it confused me too, but I gave it another go and I'm really glad I did as I enjoyed it. It was a very clever way to reveal the story.

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  8. I love soap - gosh i haven't been into a Body Shop for many years and there is one about 500 metres from home too!

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    1. The Body Shop has changed a lot since I started using their products in my teens. Their soap is my favourite thing from there.

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  9. How nice to spend time with your old friends. I can tell that it made you really happy. I'm so excited for Victoria to come back for the new season here, I think in January. I haven't been to the Body Shop in a long time but I used to love their glycerin soaps. I had a melon-scented one that I loved so much.

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    1. It's lovely catching up with old friends, you have so much to talk about having not seen each other for a while, and the cafe in the garden centre is very nice. I enjoyed Victoria as much as the first series, something for you to look forward to after Christmas. I wonder why The Body Shop stopped doing all the old scents in their soap, lemon was my very favourite.

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  10. Always nice to catch up with friends and particularly at a Garden Centre. I am usually a great fan of Strictly but this year I haven't enjoyed it as much for some reason, maybe Len not been around.

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    1. I think the new judge is working really well on Strictly, though I must admit that Len got on my nerves a bit. Just got to give Bruno the elbow now as he's another one I could do without.

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  11. Nice post and pictures. I like autumn providing that it's not wet and windy. xx

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    1. I don't mind the crisp, sunny autumn days but I'm definitely not a fan once all the leaves underfoot turn soggy.

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  12. Such a lovely post Jo.
    I love Autumn and Spring, they are my two favourite seasons. The photograph you've included here just has the most amazing Autumnal colours in it.

    I'm with you on meeting up in garden centres ... lovely to have a wander around, or meet up in the coffee shop (where I usually have tea, LOL!)Sometimes it's so good to meet up with old friends and enjoy a natter and of course put the world to right.

    Enjoy your weekend - don't forget to alter your clocks!

    All the best Jan

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    1. There's some beautiful colours around at the moment but it won't be long now until the trees drop their leaves. I too have tea in a coffee shop, I've never drunk coffee and have only recently started drinking tea on a regular basis. I'm looking forward to the extra hour in bed tonight.

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  13. Wonderful to catch up with friends, good old chin wag. I too like Strictly, Cold Feet, and Victoria, but I didn't gel with Liar etc, as we are an hour in front I find those types of programs do nothing to entice sleep! Our autumn now is nice and warm, bright and the flowers and plants get a second wind as the temps cool to mid 20´s. I to have to stick to old favourites in the skin care department so haven't tried the body shop range. xcx

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    1. It was lovely having a catch up in the garden centre cafe, I must make more of an effort to do it again soon. It's come rather cool here now, in fact today has been the first day that I've worn a long sleeved top and pulled my hand knit socks out of the drawer, I've been nice and cosy.

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  14. How lovely to meet up with friends you care for and chat. Your month sounds wonderful so far.

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    1. Meeting up with friends in a cafe really is a treat, it's nice to catch up with what they're up to and share my own bits of news too.

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  15. Some lovely favourites Jo. Catching up with friends is the best. I'm also going to miss watching Cold Feet now. I've really enjoyed this series. X

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    1. I was unsure how Cold Feet would work when they brought it back but it feels to me as though it's never been away. The characters just work so well together.

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  16. Dh was not impressed with the ending of Liar.
    Cold Feet was a fun watch, I enjoyed it before and wasn't sure how it would be this time, it didn't disappoint.

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    1. I believe Liar has got a second series so I don't know what they're going to do with that. I've really enjoyed Cold Feet again since it's been back on, though I don't really take to any of Adam's girlfriends, I'm glad he split up with this recent one.

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  17. Meeting up with a friend for a catch up is one of my most favourite things to do. I hope you enjoyed your time together.
    The colours of the trees are just beautiful aren't they.
    I haven't seen Relik but it does sound like a really interesting concept.
    Oh yes we love a bit of Strictly here. Like you I'm not familiar with all the contestants, some of they are good and some not so good but that's what it's all about!
    Lisa x

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    1. We did enjoy our meet up, it's a while since we've seen each other so we had plenty to chat about. I'm just waiting for Strictly results show to come on, I wonder who it'll be tonight.

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  18. It's always good to catch up with old friends, sometimes we have to make the effort to keep in touch.Daughters are just wonderful!xxx

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    1. You're right, we do have to make an effort to keep in touch with friends, it's always worth it. I'm so lucky to have such a lovely daughter, and son too.

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