It's the end of the year as we know it
*Looks back*
Well, wasn’t I a rubbish blogger last year? Seven posts? I keep thinking I should let this blog go, but I’ve put loads of time into it, and met great people through it, so I’m reluctant to do that. And if I only managed seven posts in 2023, it must be possible to do better in 2024.
So, let’s start with a few of the things I did and never got round to telling you about…
IMPROMPTU PROFESSOR ELEMENTAL GIG
We went to the pub one Saturday afternoon as one of Mr Robot’s former workmates was in town. Then one of my workmates showed up. By the time we left the pub, Mr Robot wanted a kebab. And who should be at the kebab van but Professor Elemental? He was playing a gig in the tiny, 50-persons-max Village Pump, so we ran home with our kebabs, dropped them off, then went back to catch the gig. Support was a two-person skiffle act, Devil’s Doorbell, whose rendition of saucy 1930s tune My Girl’s Pussy was very well received.
TALK AT TROWBRIDGE MUSEUM
Trowbridge Museum had a few fashion-related events on in mid-October; I went to a talk by The Dandy Dealer all about 18th century highwaymen’s fashion, and even got to touch items from the period. My favourites were the silk scarves – one was printed with the times it took to get between various place, and the other was Indian. Made me think of my own privateer ancestor. It was fascinating seeing all the sparkly buckles and shiny accessories that people with money favoured at that time, and hearing about how they'd wear the less-good stuff for travelling in case they got robbed.
MOVIE NIGHT AT THE PARADE HOUSE
The Parade House is a grade-I listed Georgian building in Trow, which was nearly turned into bedsits. It’s now been restored, and a little cinema put in the cellars. We went to see Powell & Pressburger’s 1946 classic A Matter Of Life And Death there; it was fantastic.
FINISHED TROUSERS
Yes! A completed sewing project – another pair of my beloved ‘beach pyjama’ style trousers, this time in a linen/viscose blend with an arts-and-crafts sort of print. I have enough fabric to make a jacket to match too.
A WEEKEND IN DEVIZES
We go to the butcher in Devizes every weekend, but public transport to and from it is a bit rubbish. (There’s no train station, and the last bus back to Trow leaves fairly early in the evening.) And so we decided to have a couple of nights at The Bear, a coaching inn dating back to the 1550s. We drove home in the morning in between to feed the cats, then had fun looking round the museum (mostly fairly average, except for the stone/bronze age exhibits, which rival the best collections anywhere, thanks to Wiltshire being home to sites like Stonehenge and Avebury, and the county having a long tradition of poshos liking to dig stuff up). It was a really nice couple of nights.
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| ACTUAL beaker people beakers. Mr Robot got very excited at these. |
And after that I was into my traditional Deadline Hell at work, getting the mags to press early because the printers close down over Christmas.
Anyway, it’s good to look back and realise how much I actually did, and to think that I should try to post here about stuff in a more timely fashion in 2024. How hard can it be to manage eight posts this year? One down, seven more to go...
Let’s make it a good one!
You can do it, Mim! Oh, and I would miss you if you were to give up blogging!
ReplyDeleteThe Dandy Dealer talk sounds really interesting, and I'm absolutely loving your beach pyjama style trousers! xxx
Apparently wide-legged jeans are coming back into fashion. I'm sticking to my slim-leg velvet ones, but at least my trousers will be on trend...
DeleteHappy New Year, Mim, Mr R and the Urchins. 7 blog posts, I definitely think you should improve on that score, your regular presence in Blogland is much missed.
ReplyDeleteI remember seeing Professor Elemental at The Acoustic Festival on your recommendation a few years ago, he's ace.
Those trousers are fabulous, a matching top would be perfect, very Diana Rigg in Evil Under The Sun.
A couple of my festival family live in Devizes, my friend Molly has a shop there, Vintage Relics. Her £5 rail at End of the Road festival is legendary. xxx
Yes, she's in Elm Tree Antiques - been a while since we poked around in there; I think the last time we went in there Pete was after something for plants. (I can't remember if it was for the garden or his office jungle.) Devizes is a gorgeous little town.
DeleteI'm trying to decide whether to edge the matching jacket with the same fabric, or to do a contrast one. I think I'll put it off for now while I decide... I do fancy doing an orange-coloured tunic to go with them, to pick out the flowers in the print. (There's a blue flower in there too, but I fancy the orange.)
Sounds like it was a good year, Mim! Loving the new trousers; the style, the colours the fabric....I'll say thank you in advance for 8 posts next year! Happy New Year, btw.
ReplyDeletexxx
And to you!
Delete"Poshos liking to dig stuff up" is so accurate it hurts!
ReplyDelete-Goody
As opposed to the other sort of archaeologist, which a pal at uni termed 'Underpaid crusty graverobbers'. (He was dating one; she wasn't impressed!)
DeleteI would miss you too - even though I'm a Bad Commenter. :) Love your trousers, and that exhibit about the dandies and their clothes sounds incredible.
ReplyDelete