Hello again
Oh my word, another big apology as it really is a very long time since I posted a blog here. I haven’t been idle though, as there continue to be many appointments connected with my health. And, I’ve been beavering away on a blog for My Other Blog. It’s about Global Warming. For that I started thinking about writing it after the last of our 5 heatwaves, then I read a load of articles and a whole book! And, finally, I wrote the actual blog. This was posted last Sunday and I do hope you hop over to read it, if you haven’t already – link here.
In fact, I’m already thinking about writing another post on that subject, but this time with many tips one how to reduce the heat in one’s abode during a heatwave. We had a home visit from Ovesco’s Head of Advice, and gleaned several very important ideas from her visit, which I will share with you on My Other Blog shortly. Otherwise: here’s a few of things I’ve been up to.
The big clear-out
Well, it finally feels Autumnal and I am relishing the rain and the slightly cool breezes we are getting now. That meant a big turnout of my summer clothes and a number of items going to both the Dress Agency (I don’t sell online, it’s too much of a faff) and the charity shop that always receives the clothes that the Dress Agency won’t take. The warmer clothes have come out of their hibernation and I had a good look at what is wearable and what might not worn be this year.
Is brown the colour of the year?
Not sure, but I am seeing a lot of brown in the shops and online. If that’s the case I really love that colour and will be possibly sneaking a few more items in that colour into my wardrobe. I’ve already got a long skirt that’s predominantly brown and last week I dressed myself up in that skirt to go for lunch with a friend and my daughter. Here’s the finished outfit of a skirt and jacket you’ve seen before.
The skirt was an amazing buy at £24, and the jacket, cost far, far more but I love it.
Unpredictable weather
The thing is this weather is difficult to predict. I sat waiting for my lift, all dressed up in that outfit and started sweating – phew it was so much hotter than I thought it was. With minutes to spare I took all those clothes off and chose a dress that I’ve had for years, and some different accessories. No photo of that outfit – sorry. But here’s the dress hanging up.
I bought it second-hand simply years ago. It’s a keeper.
Using colourful accessories and a meet-up with another blogger
I haven’t told you about this before but in August I met up with my very good friend Gail, of Is This Mutton fame. We are very much on the same wave-length. It was great to meet face-to-face again.
The many appointments re: my health.
I’m ok, but the pre-assessment appointment for my hip replacement found that I was anaemic. Two further blood tests showed that the iron tablets (yuk) I am taking are not really making much difference so I am to have an iron infusion early next week.
I recently had a pre-op physio appointment and was incredibly impressed by the care they take with patients both pre-op and post-op. For instance, I will have a home visit from an OT (Occupational Therapist) as soon as I get a date for the op – to measure seats and so on, and to then give me the apparatus I’ll need for the recovery. I’ll also get a home visit from a physio 2 weeks after the op. Wasn’t expecting that level of care.
I was told that the anaemia hasn’t stopped the count-down, so I am expecting to have the op before Christmas.
What I am wearing today
The weather now is settling down and is cool enough to get out and wear my jeans. They’ve not been worn all summer and, it’s such a novelty to wear jeans I’ve been wearing them most days. Here’s me all dressed up in matchy, matchy denim.
The jeans are newish from M&S, meanwhile the jacket is pre-loved and was bought recently from the local Dress Agency that I frequent far too often!
It all looks very dark in the photo above, so here are the broaches that I use to brighten up the outfit.
And an even closer look.
I just love that spider. It’s worn in honour of the judge, Lady Hale (the President of the Supreme Court) who ruled Boris Johnson’s proroguing of Parliament as illegal. Respect to that woman.
And then the badge.
Yup, that’s my entire attitude in one badge!
Another visit to the Mole Clinic
Once again I’ve booked an appointment for the Mole Clinic in London. The appointment is early October. For those of you who are new to this blog, I’ve been going every year since I was 60, mainly because I was a pale skinned redhead who sunbathed a lot. And now I have all the skin damage that is inevitable with someone as pale-skinned as I am. It’s been well-worth it considering over the years they’ve found many Bowen’s, 3 BCC’s (Basal Cell Carcinoma), which are very slow growing but nevertheless must come out. And then there was the melanoma, fortunately found very early on, at Stage 0, so once removed that’s it. However, you must continue to get your skin checked by a health professional as they check the skin very thoroughly. I mean that melanoma was found on the back of my arm and first of all, I couldn’t see it and secondly, it was so very small – honestly it was minute. I would never have found it myself, so that’s why I go.
Everyone who has read this blog for some time will know what I am going to say, but if you are new to this blog, or have just considered it and then thought no, do think about going to get a full body check for moles and other skin disorders, especially if you have pale skin. The Mole Clinic has branches in several cities around England. But if these are too far, do consider finding a version of the Mole Clinic near you. The reason is that if you go to your GP, you say, ‘I’m worried about this’, and they check that particular mole and/or blemish. But these set-ups will look at every single blemish, mole, wart, and every other more mundane thing on your skin – with a monocular. So they see your skin in minute detail. It is absolutely worth the cost of the visit when you think that I, who am so careful of my skin now, had never noticed what could have been a fatal melanoma. Link to the Mole Clinic here.
A holiday!
Very soon – the end of next week – we’ll be on holiday in the wonderful Wi-wurri in Dungeness, which is an iconic yet barren spot by the coast in Kent. It is a place we both love and will continue to visit, until we can’t. I shall read many books and take many photos. I might be able to write one more blog for this site, before we go, but probably not. That’s because I am aiming to write a short follow-up to the blog I’ve just posted on My Other Blog – that will definitely happen. Perhaps you might check that one, as it will be full of tips to cool your home during a heatwave.
So adieu, and thanks so much for reading to the end, but that’s all for now.
With love, PennyX
That is such good advice! As a fair skinned Scot, who grew up there but spent months every year in the south of France, I have had several BCCs removed and more investigated. Now I have an app, provided by the local NHS which is trialling it. Anything I’m not sure about I use the app to photograph and it uses AI to analyse. It’s being developed with local dermatologists and will eventually allow you to bypass the GP and go straight to them. I do hope this is eventually adopted and rolled out nationally. In the meantime, with the active encouragement of the team developing it, friends have used it in themselves and had positive diagnoses quickly dealt with.
Love the dark denim, by the way.
Keep well, Penny.
I too am descended from a Scot, both parents actually, getting the pale skin from a Hislop father and a Campbell mother! And wow, that’s an amazing invention and I can see how easily a diagnosis might be found. AI is a force to be reckoned with, especially in the AI that is constantly improving itself and we know not where that might end up. Gawd sometimes the human race is so stupid, as at the very least there should be vigorous guard rails around this. But back to the AI that works so well, I also hope that the app gets rolled out to the entire population. I go annually to the Mole Clinic but to have something on tap all year round would be great.
And thanks re: the dark denim 🙂
I’m just back from a holiday across Europe ending up in Krakow. It was great but so good to get back to that autumn feel here and put on my jeans which I often live in. It’s the season of jackets too. As for your lovely brooch I had the pleasure of being at Gladstone’s Library Founders Day earlier in the summer and Lady Hale was the speaker. She was inspirational!
Jeans and jackets will be my go-to wear all through September, October and November, and then it’s coats. The latter I am obsessed with and have quite a collection.
That holiday sounds great.
Oh wow, fancy kind of meeting Lady Hale. Inspirational, I bet she was! What a woman and how I loved her style wearing those large unusual broaches.
Thanks Andy 🙂
Hello Penny
Your outfits are spot on, as usual, and you look so right in them. I just can’t feel the love for your spider brooch though, they are not welcome anywhere near me, sorry! Despite cooler evenings, I’m still in summer mode and haven’t yet ferretted out the winter warmers. Hence I’m still in shorts along with others I’ve noticed who are still in warm weather mood which I’m hoping it will last a while longer as we’re off to Portugal soon. That said, Autumn is definitely around. As it’s my favourite season I do look forward to sensing it in the air, and already first-thing mornings are showing signs. I’m sure it’ll be jeans and sweatshirts post-Portugal and I won’t mind one bit!
And talking of holidays, especially yours in Dungeness, I beat you to it! I think you may have missed my comment last time you posted, but if you take a peek back, you’ll see what I mean. Hopefully, the fresh air (and the iron infusion) will work its magic and you’ll be much refreshed.
Enjoy your time there, keep an eye open for that little fox – and look after yourself.
Zepherine x
Oh wow, enjoy Portugal and of course you must be in a warm clothes mood for that. But like you I’m loving the cooler evenings and mornings.
I found your lovely comment on the last blog and apologies for not answering it sooner. But yes, three cheers! We are off to Dungeness on the 19th. I shall look for the little fox.
Thanks so much Zepherine, I do enjoy your comments 🙂
Thanks for the kind mention Penny!
I’m also enjoying the novelty of wearing jeans. I love the way you individualised the jacket with some pins and badges.
Have a wonderful time at Wi-Wurri. We’re off to Provence soon, temps are still around 30 though probably much cooler in the evenings.
Wearing jeans seems such a treat and no problem mentioning you – very pleased to do so! The badge is great, don’t you think.
We will have a great time at Dungeness -doing nothing much at all. Which is bliss. Enjoy Provence – what a lovely place to go to.
Thanks Gail 🙂
Enjoy your holiday! We are still in throes of summer here but are starting to feel some cooler temperatures in the mornings which I thoroughly enjoy! So no jeans here for me yet! I am actually wearing a thrifted brown dress today which I found while visiting Jodie this summer. I need to brighten it up next time I wear it, but today I added some simple green accessories.
http://www.chezmireillefashiontravelmom.com
Enjoy the last of the summer! We are still having a lot of sunny days but in the early morning and evenings, and if the sun goes in, it is so much cooler than August was – and three cheers for that!
How great to have met up with Jodie, and I bet the dress you thrifted looks good.
Thanks Mireille 🙂
Husband and I have just returned from a much-needed break in Cornwall; the weather wasn’t as hot as it has been during most of summer but it suited us and we were still able to get in the sea. Sadly, I didn’t get to wear the sleeveless linen dress that I’d bought for our holiday, so will be packing it away for next year. Our daughter spotted wetsuits on sale for bargain prices and persuaded us to buy them – they certainly made a difference to our enjoyment of being in the sea (though I’m convinced that I could be mistaken for an overweight seal!)
I’m pleased that you’re on track for your hip replacement and that you could be sorted by Christmas; hopefully, your anaemia will be fixed with the iron infusion and you won’t have to wait too long.
Like you, I’m now back in jeans and digging out my warmer clothes for the coming months.
Have a great time in Dungeness. All the best, Penny x https://pennyhampson.co.uk/
Hi Penny
Cornwall is a lovely place – so glad you enjoyed it. You’ll wear the sleeveless summer dress next year I’m sure.
I’ve found it quite cathartic to get out the autumn and winter clothes. And jeans are such a novelty to wear!
I’ll have a great time in Dungeness – thanks Penny 🙂
You suit brown but it does me no favours near my face . I like brown trousers though . I hope your medical procedures work out OK . You must be longing to get the hip done & have it behind you . Enjoy your holiday in Dungeness , your favourite place . It’s great to explore new places but there is a different , gentle pleasure visiting a place you love . We feel like that about Ludlow in Shropshire & visit regularly.
I’d like the hip op to be well behind me! But it’ll happen. And brown is definitely one of my go-to colours but I know it doesn’t suit everyone.
I absolutely love Dungeness and yes, you are so right, it is incredibly relaxing going to somewhere you know well. We both feel so much at home there.
Thanks Wendy 🙂
Hi Penny,
I enjoy the transition from summer to fall. Brown is not a color I wear (the closest is a wine or burgundy). I wish you all the best with your pre op tests.
I loved seeing the picture of the button with the message AGEISM IS NEVER IN STYLE.
I too love that transition, especially this year when it’s been far too hot. And I am loving seeing so much brown in the shops and brands online.
You are the only one who has mentioned that badge – great motto isn’t it!
Thanks Cindy 🙂
It’s too bad you had to change clothes at the last minute as that was such a fabulous outfit! But, I’m sure you’ll have more than a few days to wear it or another iteration of it. Brown is big over here, too. I remember wanting something brown one year and couldn’t find hide nor hair of anything brown. I’m so glad you’re scheduled for your operation as well as all the preliminary care. Do those leg muscle exercises now to strengthen them for after…you can thank me later! You and Gail look like you’re having such fun together! Have a wonderful holiday!
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
Not to worry, I’m sure I’ll be wearing it many times this winter, although you know me, I cannot wait to wear my winter coats once more!
Everything seems to be on time now – iron infusion is today and then fingers crossed. Fortunately I do leg exercises all the time now. That’s partly to ease the arthritis I have – movement is the best medicine for that. And I see my Personal Trainer, often twice a week, and we are working hard on my leg and lower back muscles.
I will so enjoy my annual trip to Dungeness! Thanks Marsha 🙂
Well the op is getting nearer, that’s a good thing. Your brown outfit is wonderful, I love the colour a lot. And Dungeness, oh how I love that place and miss it. Have a fabulous time there!
I’m so glad you visited Dungeness and understand how I feel about the place – it’s like going home for us. It will be great.
I’m loving the brown clothes and accessories online and in the shops. Thanks Nancy 🙂
Hello Penny. Here in New York it still feels like Summer so I have not been wearing any of my Fall clothing. I know that brown has been very fashionable here as well for the colder months. I have always thought of myself as a “winter” color wise so have generally stayed away from it and have been more a black or navy person but I think it looks great on you. I always admire that in spite of the issues of aging you always put your best self out there, I had ben wondering of you would get to go to Dungeness this summer and glad to see you will get to your happy place. I already have plans for next summer to go back to Chincoteague . Seems so far off but it give me something to look forward to. And I do have a few events coming up this fall. A couple of local theater productions. A modern ballet/ modern dance ensemble in a production of Carmen. This is at the local university which has a performing arts center. It is quite near me and I really ought to take more advantage of it’s offerings. Often world class artists. I will be going with a friend who I have not seen for a while. And my son has asked me to go with him and his wife to a performance by the orchestra in which my grandson is playing, made of of students from his university and it’s “sister” school. This will be an overnight trip. This is his final year and so happy I will finally get to experience this. And my learning in retirement group will start up in a couple of weeks with lectures on all sorts of of topics. And my yoga class will be starting soon as well.
My one fall clothing purchase is a jacket, actually a so called barn jacket though it is far too nice to wear to the barn. It is a deep burgundy, which is one of my fall colors. I got it from a shopping channel and they had it in my size, which is is often hard to find so I kind of pounced on it. So that is me for now, trying to keep active at this point in life. By the way looking forward to you further ideas on climate.
Love from New York, Darby
Our weather feels more normal these days, with lots of sun, btw, but cooler breezes and showers of rain, with puffs of clouds in the sky. The relentless blue skies over the summer were not very British at all!!!! Anyway, I think the nation is much happier with these slightly cooler days. And the Week in Dungeness is forecast to be sunny with average temperatures for the time of year and fortunately no gales as it can really blow in Dungeness and you can barely stand up in the wind! But I love it no matter what the weather is. Glad to hear you are planning next year’s visit to your happy place.
You sound as though you have a lovely set of cultural events to go to. I haven’t booked any of our local cinema’s opera screenings yet as not sure when the operation will take place. But still hoping to catch a few theatre screening and the opera ones as well.
Thanks so much Darby – love the comments you make. 🙂
And I will be writing a short piece for My Other Blog and post it hopefully either just before I go to Dungeness or early in that week.
Hi Penny,
I’ll be delving into my wardrobe searching for all things brown and trying to reinvent ways of wearing them.
Thanks for the reminder about Lady Hale. I thought she was great at the time, both for the very stylish spider brooch, but mostly for the way she dealt with Boris Johnson! I have always had a fondness for ‘insect brooches’ and must make a point of wearing them more. Life’s too short for keeping things’for going out’.
Enjoy Dungeness and I hope the rest helps set you up for the hip op!
Liz xx
Brown is definitely the colour this season – it’s everywhere! And Lady Hale what a woman! I agree, I so liked the way she put Boris right on his proroguing of Parliament. What a useless, idle lump he was.
Our trip to Dungeness is a fixed item for us now. We absolutely love the place and the cottage we stay in, both are equally loved.
Thanks Liz 🙂
Glad your are finally getting some real Autumn weather.
I loved your spider brooch and the message one , spot on.
Brown has been big here for Winter and is also showing for Spring but not for me as I prefer black. Love your outfits.
Enjoy your time away Penny.
Yay that spider brooch has found a good home on that denim jacket. Brown is everywhere, both online and in the shops. I’m loving it.
Thanks Jill 🙂
Sweet friend, how nice to catch up with you and to see the grand photo of you and Gail together. Big smiles on both your faces!! The blogging world is all kind of interconnected, isn’t it? Seems we all ‘know’ many of the same folks.
First off, you upcoming hip surgery. My PC is on day 5 of recovery from his hip surgery on 09.16. It was an anterior hip replacement. He was in surgery about 2 hours and walking – WALKING – about 4 hours into recovery. He spent one night in the hospital but was released to come home less than 24 hours post surgery. It is just incredible to me. His pain has been well managed. He is using a walker we purchased. Has a 5″ cushion to elevate the seat in his favorite chair. And bars and an elevated seat at the toilet. Hope this gives you some idea what to expect. Glad that you are going for treatment for anemia but that they aren’t letting that interfere with your plans for surgery before Christmas.
As always, I love all of your looks. The matchy-matchy is very trendy and fun. The cuff on the jeans!! The cuffed jacket with that great bling!! What a great button to accessorize with. High five on that sentiment. For several years in high school I wore a button that read “Eat a worm today.” Not sure why I liked it. But it was a conversation starter for someone who was terribly shy and awkward.
I know you are having the best time in Dungeness as I have seen your photos on Facebook. You holiday very well!! Come see me… onceuponatimehappilyeverafteragain.blogspot.com
That’s so interesting that your lovely PC has had a hip replacement. Yes, we are got out of our beds on the same day of the op! We stay in for 2 nights and I will get a visit to look at what needs changing and what I need in the bathroom.
The iron infusion was done last week and I had just one day feeling a bit rough and then that went. Started the iron tablets again, so finger crossed my blood count is up and it’ll be all systems go!
The holiday is now! And we are having lovely weather with sun all day but not too hot. It’s just such a lively place to go to. And soooo relaxing.
Thanks so much Leslie 🙂 I shall hop over to your blog right now!