blue monday

Today I read the saddest blog entry ever. Alicia from posie gets cozy has found the most beautiful and poignant words to tell us her story. I had been waiting, like hundreds of her regular readers, to hear about her big baby news. She had us hanging on the edge of our seats, when today the much awaited post came. Beware ladies, this is one very sad story, but so beautifully told, it makes you wonder how some people manage to find so much love in their hearts.

Today for the first time, I dedicate my post to someone, and hope (as I have always believed), that things really DO happen for a reason.

simple breakfast

Blueberries to make you happy, Blue of London tea from Le Palais des Thés, pumpernickel, peppered ham and Innocent smoothies

Innocent are running a campaign to get more money for Age UK. Their bottles have adorned a mini wooly hat at the moment, and even though I think they're really quite dear, I could not resist getting a couple for last weekend's breakfast.

Years ago I was teaching French for Age Concern in Ashton, near Manchester. I used to take me forever to get there for a two-hour lesson, and I remember having to wait for trains for ages at the sad Ashton-under-Lyne station.

Saying that, I have very very fond memories of that gig. The people at Age Concern were lovely, probably some of my best behaved students, and they would often stop the lesson to teach ME something about French history, or to tell me an anecdote of the time in France in the 1940s and 50s.

So it makes me quite happy to somehow contribute a little to Age UK...and the smoothies are really nice too! 

Vintage sewing fair

It really feels like ages since I was here...time flies so quickly! After four weeks of not being able to phone or use the Internet at home, Mr Yummy and I left for a well-deserved break for a few days in the country. Slowly but surely, routine starts all over again, and it feels sooooo good to be home, I can't even tell you.
I got to meet a vintage sewing fan, and took pictures of her stall : it was so impressive! Here are my favourite bits of her collection. She says she goes to every car boot sale in the area...I can believe her!

The same curious object I was showing you a little while ago. It turns out to be called a "festonneur". Does anyone know what it might be in English?

The tiniest sewing machine

Quite  a collection, isn't it? I loved seeing all those lovelies in one place, and had a great time meeting that lady. She also showed me the two books below - the encyclopedia of vintage habberdashery...I feel this is going straight on my Christmas wish list!