Life, lately. Version 2.0

The weather has been far too glorious to be doing anything other than sitting in the garden, reading and drinking cranberry juice!

I found these sandals in the top of my wardrobe. I love them with red nail varnish on my toes.

Tom Collins (Gin, sparkling water, lemon and sugar) from Whisky River in Durham

Birthday pizza and beer with the baby brothers.

Champagne bar in Durham. I'd never had champagne until then. Honestly? It was exactly average.

My birthday gift for Emily.

Testing out the binoculars that I bought from Hexham car boot sale.

Quite Like Foxes.

 I made a cushion. It took a tremendous amount of time and I think I finally must accept that if I want to have bolder crafting adventures I'm going to have to purchase a sewing machine. I have my eye on a bright red one from John Lewis.

I forgot I had this little pin cushion. It's a tomato...awh.

THE sewing machine.

A Rainy Day In Bishop Auckland

 I spent the weekend at home for the first time in many, many years. Me and my Mam went on a day trip to Bishop Auckland and headed to the castle for a food festival. Sadly the weather was not on our side, but that didn't stop up sampling some lovely baked goods and beer!

As we headed towards the castle we stumbled upon the most glorious little second hand bookshop. Inside... it was like I'd stepped into the world of boy wizard, Harry Potter.

 The above  were taken in the back corner of the shop and these pictures probably represent about 10% of the  stock. I found myself on my hands and knees rummaging through battered classics and flicking through old poetry books. I've recently watched the film Sylvia and had a bee in my bonnet about finding 'Ariel'. Unfortunately time was of the essence and I didn't find it, but I'll definately be making a trip back very soon!

 I wouldn't describe myself as a lover of poetry, but I'd like to read more and learn more about it. I always feel a little silly when I read  poems and don't understand them instantly, but I was quite drawn to this book of 'Post-War Polish Poetry'...how very specific!

 My heart fluttered when I spotted this beautiful copy. I read Lolita around a year ago and absolutely adored it. 

Here is one of my favourite quotes:

"The days of my youth, as I look back on them, seem to fly away from me in a flurry of pale repetitive scraps like those morning snow storms of used tissue paper that a train passenger sees whirling in the wake of the observation car."

 I will absolutely be making a return journey to have a snoop around the castle this summer.