A Very Old Door

Today I walked through an old door.
Exciting stuff!

I realise it looks totally ordinary, but this is a door in my Grandparents house, it has been totally boarded up until today. There was a door on the outside but nothing on the inside. Builders are redoing their windows so they've taken it away and are bricking it up.

The house was built in 1928, occupied in 1930 and the door was boarded in 1936 and hasn't been touched since. There was still chunks of newspaper in the door frame from where they'd stopped the draft. We salvaged what we could.

I know this is probably a weird post, but I may have mentioned that I love history an awful lot, so it's something that I've really enjoyed.

(Also, it's far too hot to even think about hair and make up!)

After we did our door wandering my Gran took me up the garden to pick some raspberries. She has pretty bad Alzheimer's now, so it's always lovely to spend time with her when she's in a happy mood. It gets pretty hard when she's upset or frustrated.

Hope you're all making the most of your Saturday's too!

New Look Wish List!

I (accidentally) got a job! Which is mostly why I haven't been about. 

It compromises doing a lot of digging in a sand pit for treasure, telling stories and teaching kids about history. It's taking up a tonne of my time (I'm travelling about 3.5 hours a day) but it's so much fun. I'm actually sad that I can't take more shifts (stupid dissertation).

Sorry for my total lack of being here, but here's some of the lovely lovely New Look things I may now be able to afford (at some point... maybe).

First off, jeans. It has been yonks since I've had a good pair and I love me a high waist so these two look perfect.

High Waisted Jeans £19.99
http://www.newlook.com/shop/inspire-plus-sizes/shop-department/inspire-blue-high-waisted-bootcut-jeans-_271164241

Black Bootcut Jeans £19.99
http://www.newlook.com/shop/inspire-plus-sizes/shop-department/inspire-32in-black-bootcut-trousers-_267019101

I know it's Summer, and I know this is really expensive, but I had to include it because it's so adorable!

Black Heart Print Jumper £28
http://www.newlook.com/shop/inspire-plus-sizes/shop-department/rubys-closet-black-heart-print-jumper_280636301

I've been in love with this dress since I tried it on a few months ago. So comfy and swishy. Perfect for this weather. 

Black and Red Floral Maxi Skirt £19.99
http://www.newlook.com/shop/inspire-plus-sizes/shop-department/inspire-black-and-red-ditsy-floral-belted-gypsy-maxi-skirt_280019709

Finally there's this dress. I'm currently on the look out for new dresses as lots of mine are a bit worn, this looks lovely and I think the lack back is a lovely touch, I hope the material's not too heavy and stretchy as it doesn't always hang well. 

Red Lace Back Dress £42
http://www.newlook.com/shop/inspire-plus-sizes/shop-department/lovedrobe-red-lace-back-dress_286644983

I may be a dreamer, but maybe one day.

An Open Letter to Peacocks

Dear Peacocks (the clothes store, birds and I, we're cool),

I am not angry, I'm just disappointed.

Leggings are the bane of my existence, I need them because tights are trickier than a box of frogs. You were my saviour, Peacocks. You scooped me up and showed me leggings which not only fit my legs, oh no, they were stretchy, and comfortable and had a high waist. They came in two packs, and I got student discount. I loved you, and I loved them.

Then, it happened.

NEW.
IMPROVED.
FIT.

The words we all now know means "LOTS. LESS. MATERIAL."

I bought them anyway, I believed in you.
"They won't do this to me" I thought.
"They can't."

You could. You did.

So now Peacocks, because of your improvements, my magic leggings are about 2 sizes smaller than before, don't get higher than my hips, can't be rolled up to the knee because the ankles are so tight and constantly roll down from the waist. Thanks.

You raised me up, and then you dropped me you bastards.

Yours odd shapedly (apparently)
Stacey.

Fringe.. Oh fringe.

I am an idiot.

I learn nothing from experience and have once again cut my fringe far too short.

A trashy chick lit novel I re-read on occasion bears the immortal line "Never mess with your hair when you're emotional". It's right.

In a fit of idiocity I decided it'd be a really good idea to try and cut in a widow's peak fringe. It's something I've been mulling over for yonks and yonks, today was the day. I snipped for a while, it looked pretty good, I just needed to make a better point. That, was my undoing.

I gave up and attempted to fix it by cutting it straight across.
Oops.

So, I'm celebrating my new 'look' by trying out some make up with attitude.

Now to stay inside until it grows back...

P.S.

What was your biggest hair disaster? I'm sure someone out there can beat this.

From the High to the Low to the End of the Show

News news news.

I got my PHD offer. Unconditional acceptance.

A few days later I was informed that I'm going to be billed as an overseas student.

The funding I secured only covers me up to £9,000 per year. My fees will be £13,000.

Having made/sent a tonne of calls/emails about the whole thing I have decided to just ignore it for a little while and hope it goes away.

On a slightly cheerier note, the ex catalogue shop in our local shopping centre has reopened!!!!
I celebrated with a new 'dress' from Simply Be. £5.49 instead of £35. (You can see why I was sad that it closed.)

Supposedly a skater dress, but the bottom bit is far too fitted for that! It could also have used a belt. The pockets are a bonus though.

The material's really soft (but seems to crease super easily). The pattern's not too heavy and the colour appealed and I really like the rolled up sleeves. Good and comfy!

Any excuse to show this off. 99p in Oxfam!!

I wore this today and transitioned between researching in the local library this morning, food shopping and  conducting a Skype interview with an ex sex worker from the US. Sod dressing up or down, if it can do all that then it passes muster.

A Non-Review: The Ocean at the End of the Lane

I have been waiting for The Ocean at the End of the Lane for a very long time. 

Last Summer I went to An Evening With Amanda Palmer and Neil Gaiman in Edinburgh, there Neil read us a bit of his new book. I listened, I thought about it, I enjoyed it and more than anything, I wanted to know what happened. 

I waited. 

and waited. 

and waited some more. 

Then stupidly booked a research trip to Edinburgh the day of release. (It's okay, my pre-order arrived late anyway.)

But the following day it was mine!

I was hoping to write a review for you.

I can't. 

I know that sounds ridiculous, but I really can't. I don't have the words for it. The book is beautiful, as always. It draws you in and you read and you read. You experience the conflict of wanting to skip greedily ahead, scanning the end of paragraphs (to make sure things go the way you expect), while also wanting to prolong the experience as much as possible. Once you reach the three quarters mark you start to panic. You know that it'll be ending soon, you want to know how, but you want the words to keep coming. 

I've started it again already, going back through more slowly, picking up on the things I missed. Enjoying the words and the images more. 

I wholly recommend you buy it. I'd recommend all of Neil's work, especially the short story compilations. Sometimes I like to sit and savour the poems, reading the words over and over again. I would hope you'd like that too.

P.S.

Here's  picture of Neil with Dribbles (taken the night of the first reading). 

Summer Time Blues

Lately I've been on the go constantly, backwards and forwards between England and the Island, with added trips to Scotland and London for research. I've hardly stopped and am feeling mildly disconnected. The joys!

The main problem with writing my dissertation is my absolutely faith in Future Me. I am absolutely certain that she will have it done. Sadly Past Me doesn't always consider her roll in all of this, and can drop the ball a bit. It's always hard taking research and making it into something original, well worded and, of course - properly punctuated.

Anyway, it's a bit past it, but here's my first flirtation with victory rolls. (I went with a 50s theme for my Birthday party.)

Not the best, but alright for a first go!

Now I just have to perfect them for my friend's wedding!

P.S.
The Lady V dress arrived, it's lovely and soft and wonderful and I love it. It's going to need a bit of adjustment as I was an idiot and sized up (big mistake, it drowns me!) and because I have a ridiculously short and disproportionate upper body, so the waist is falling quite a bit too low.

Now... to find shoes!