I know what you mean about thr Jean's Prue, Marks and sparks have stopped doing the ones I like, fortunately I'd bought a couple of new pairs before they stopped doing them. At least they still do the bras.... on my tombstone...I'm not good at keeping still maybe 😉
Marks and Sparks were a favourite store in the UK. Did they do the beautiful St. James brand? I seem to remember a wonderful French style-bateau top from M&S...
A lovely post, Prue! What a stunning cake - happy birthday to your grandson! One of my favourite birthday cakes as a child was an edible version of our sheep paddock - the bright-green grass was desiccated coconut shaken in a bag with a load of food colouring, and it ended up EVERYWHERE - we found bright-green shreds of coconut on the kitchen floor for days afterwards - and there was a small heap of grated chocolate on the cake with a little sign reading 'Tiny was here'. Tiny was my favourite lamb at the time - the smallest of a set of triplets. Her appearance had been a heck of a surprise in the middle of the night, just as we'd been taking care of what we'd thought were twins!
Ugh re jeans shopping and bra shopping. Sorry to overshare, but I have NEVER had a bra which properly fits me. I am very broad in the the beam, with a shallow ribcage and depressed sternum. At my most recent attempt to kit myself out in the lingerie department of a major chain both the bra fitter and I were in tears! 🤣
You are among friends - I've been in lingerie alcoves when the hooks on the walls have been overflowing as the assistant and I try to find 'the one'. No success yet!
Rebecca, though I lack the same specific traits, I feel the same about bras, especially NOW. Years ago, I "treated" myself and my daughters to a fitting at a dedicated lingerie shop. We spent a fortune, and I wore those things for years. But I can't say that any of them were ever what I'd call comfortable. I keep hoping to find the secret sauce!
I want my bras to be 'pretty' but pretty and function (let alone size and shape) seem to have no relation. I have a pretty one stashed away and I LOVE it but it's so worn, I've started embroidering the wear points as my local lingerie shop no longer stocks that brand. And they wonder why we shop online!
My least ill-fitting one had a structural failure not long ago, which first became evident when an underwire suddenly stabbed me in the chest. Not helpful! 🤣
Exactly. Although I do feel sorry for Terry Freedman, he's had to cope with all this bra talk. Wonder what he thinks about the perils of being female? https://terryfreedman.substack.com/
Mantras, yes!!! Cowboy up, Holy Shit! I've taken use of those, used Suck it up Buttercup recently! Trying to embrace Dream Big but don't Fear to Fail. Love your use of posting in your closet!
If you can get close to JJill clothing, their flare and boot cut are my favorite ever now, granddaughter even said those look great on you grandma! I have a heavy bum and these cover with comfort, tiny stretch, fun shades, bring me back to my Levi days.
Noting yours down in my journal - they must be recorded.
We don't have J.Jill here, or J. Crew etc. but I went back to town this morning and purchased an ice blue pair of the old trusted style and will get the white as well for summer when it arrives. I'm short so invariably have to have metres cut off the legs, but lately they have been just right.
BEST pair of jeans I ever had were the ones mentioned a few posts ago, that I found when digging round in a clothes' basket in the Via Veneto in Italy. Nothing has ever been as good, although Target were good once. But even they've gone downhill.
Prue, what an honour to be shared, in such good company! You have me thinking about mantras, lately ... stay tuned for what shows up for me. I sense it will be something around weeding my garden :)
This was so fun to read, thank you! The birthday cake is beautiful! I hope your grandson will remember it as fondly as I remember ALL my birthday cakes. They always surprised and delighted me: Winnie the Pooh, Snoopy, watermelon themed, to name a few. My mom made amazingly decorated cakes and I felt very special as a result.
And I love your tombstone saying. It reminded me of the saying which has been one of my mantras: "You will do foolish things, but do them with enthusiasm". I feel like your desire to rock climb and scull will benefit from a little reckless enthusiasm as you go!
I wish I had the skill to make cakes by cutting them into pieces and building something and then icing and decorating the whole. But mine are usually round or square and as is always the case, when I make them for someone else, the icing is never as good as when I do it just for us.
Everyone's coming up with such good sayings that I think they deserve a place in my journal - that's today's job.
Hi Prue, I like "patience little cricket" better than young grasshopper as well. There will be no tombstone for me either, but if there were I'd love to adopt yours!
I have a grandiose dream along the lines of the movie with Burt Lancaster called Rocket Gibraltar (highly recommended viewing). But my husband or another family member must learn archery first. Watch movie and see why...
Prue, you make me smile! I'm always thrilled to see photos of your ballet troupe. Such grace! I've never latched onto a specific mantra, but I particularly enjoy the lighthearted ones. Like this one from Lily Tomlin: "I always wanted to be somebody, but now I realize I should have been more specific.”
Speaking of lighthearted, thank you for sharing my recent comedic fluff.
Fun fact: I'm not sure I've ever baked a *real* birthday cake for my kids. Cake, yes, but not with icing and characters. Yours is wonderful. :)
Thank you. I just took the smallest curves of his Brio railway and made a circle and then had to make the cake fit the circle. The green icing was a nightmare! I really enjoy cooking cakes, slices and biscuits and I usually make everyone's birthday cakes in the family. They all have favourites. My husband makes my birthday cake himself - he's very pedantic in his cooking which means the recipe is cooked to perfection. It's a yummy biscuit cake and is the recipe for Prince William's favourite celebration cake. I'm much more haphazard in the kitchen and stand back and throw!
A charming post, start to finish!! Your mantras made me think, then I laughed when I read your imaginary headstone about skidding into the grave sideways—now, that’s the way to live a full life! You and your husband certainly share a great sense of humor—and you’re inspiring me to skid around in my own life a little more. Though not sure about rock climbing…
I’ll bet your grandson LOVED his cake! The green turned out beautifully—not one of the unfortunate shades that come out of mixing food colors, lol!
My favourite tomb stone is still Spike Milligan's "I told you I was ill"
but your hubby's is a close second
Definitely!
I love Spike's. It's him to a 'T'.
LOL - I was just about to comment with the same epitaph, Kate - wasn't Spike brilliant?!
The "mantra" that got me through a really terrible two years from 2020 to 2022 was the Sufi saying, "This, too, will pass."
It's a trusted saying, Terry, and I used it before the others fell into my lap during recovery. There's so much to like in Sufi philosophy.
I know what you mean about thr Jean's Prue, Marks and sparks have stopped doing the ones I like, fortunately I'd bought a couple of new pairs before they stopped doing them. At least they still do the bras.... on my tombstone...I'm not good at keeping still maybe 😉
Marks and Sparks were a favourite store in the UK. Did they do the beautiful St. James brand? I seem to remember a wonderful French style-bateau top from M&S...
Prue, no they don't :/ I do like their PJ's and nighties too :)
A lovely post, Prue! What a stunning cake - happy birthday to your grandson! One of my favourite birthday cakes as a child was an edible version of our sheep paddock - the bright-green grass was desiccated coconut shaken in a bag with a load of food colouring, and it ended up EVERYWHERE - we found bright-green shreds of coconut on the kitchen floor for days afterwards - and there was a small heap of grated chocolate on the cake with a little sign reading 'Tiny was here'. Tiny was my favourite lamb at the time - the smallest of a set of triplets. Her appearance had been a heck of a surprise in the middle of the night, just as we'd been taking care of what we'd thought were twins!
Ugh re jeans shopping and bra shopping. Sorry to overshare, but I have NEVER had a bra which properly fits me. I am very broad in the the beam, with a shallow ribcage and depressed sternum. At my most recent attempt to kit myself out in the lingerie department of a major chain both the bra fitter and I were in tears! 🤣
You are among friends - I've been in lingerie alcoves when the hooks on the walls have been overflowing as the assistant and I try to find 'the one'. No success yet!
🤣 So glad it’s not just me!
Rebecca, though I lack the same specific traits, I feel the same about bras, especially NOW. Years ago, I "treated" myself and my daughters to a fitting at a dedicated lingerie shop. We spent a fortune, and I wore those things for years. But I can't say that any of them were ever what I'd call comfortable. I keep hoping to find the secret sauce!
I want my bras to be 'pretty' but pretty and function (let alone size and shape) seem to have no relation. I have a pretty one stashed away and I LOVE it but it's so worn, I've started embroidering the wear points as my local lingerie shop no longer stocks that brand. And they wonder why we shop online!
My least ill-fitting one had a structural failure not long ago, which first became evident when an underwire suddenly stabbed me in the chest. Not helpful! 🤣
I think we've all been stabbed at some time !!!
🤣
I think we all like our bras to be pretty aand functional Prue. M and S ones fir just as good as the high end ones
Love this bra discussion!!! Whenever I need one, I invariably discover they no longer make the style I want, and have to start from scratch, grrr!
Exactly. Although I do feel sorry for Terry Freedman, he's had to cope with all this bra talk. Wonder what he thinks about the perils of being female? https://terryfreedman.substack.com/
I wouldn't be surprised if I discovered a law that prevented bras BEING comfortable! 🤣
🤣
Mantras, yes!!! Cowboy up, Holy Shit! I've taken use of those, used Suck it up Buttercup recently! Trying to embrace Dream Big but don't Fear to Fail. Love your use of posting in your closet!
If you can get close to JJill clothing, their flare and boot cut are my favorite ever now, granddaughter even said those look great on you grandma! I have a heavy bum and these cover with comfort, tiny stretch, fun shades, bring me back to my Levi days.
Felt and hearts, sweetest!
Noting yours down in my journal - they must be recorded.
We don't have J.Jill here, or J. Crew etc. but I went back to town this morning and purchased an ice blue pair of the old trusted style and will get the white as well for summer when it arrives. I'm short so invariably have to have metres cut off the legs, but lately they have been just right.
BEST pair of jeans I ever had were the ones mentioned a few posts ago, that I found when digging round in a clothes' basket in the Via Veneto in Italy. Nothing has ever been as good, although Target were good once. But even they've gone downhill.
Prue, what an honour to be shared, in such good company! You have me thinking about mantras, lately ... stay tuned for what shows up for me. I sense it will be something around weeding my garden :)
Oh good - looking forward to it!
Love this post today Prue! Thank you for the laugh!
This was so fun to read, thank you! The birthday cake is beautiful! I hope your grandson will remember it as fondly as I remember ALL my birthday cakes. They always surprised and delighted me: Winnie the Pooh, Snoopy, watermelon themed, to name a few. My mom made amazingly decorated cakes and I felt very special as a result.
And I love your tombstone saying. It reminded me of the saying which has been one of my mantras: "You will do foolish things, but do them with enthusiasm". I feel like your desire to rock climb and scull will benefit from a little reckless enthusiasm as you go!
Thanks for a treat-filled Friday!
I wish I had the skill to make cakes by cutting them into pieces and building something and then icing and decorating the whole. But mine are usually round or square and as is always the case, when I make them for someone else, the icing is never as good as when I do it just for us.
Everyone's coming up with such good sayings that I think they deserve a place in my journal - that's today's job.
Hi Prue, I like "patience little cricket" better than young grasshopper as well. There will be no tombstone for me either, but if there were I'd love to adopt yours!
I have a grandiose dream along the lines of the movie with Burt Lancaster called Rocket Gibraltar (highly recommended viewing). But my husband or another family member must learn archery first. Watch movie and see why...
Prue, you make me smile! I'm always thrilled to see photos of your ballet troupe. Such grace! I've never latched onto a specific mantra, but I particularly enjoy the lighthearted ones. Like this one from Lily Tomlin: "I always wanted to be somebody, but now I realize I should have been more specific.”
Speaking of lighthearted, thank you for sharing my recent comedic fluff.
Fun fact: I'm not sure I've ever baked a *real* birthday cake for my kids. Cake, yes, but not with icing and characters. Yours is wonderful. :)
Thank you. I just took the smallest curves of his Brio railway and made a circle and then had to make the cake fit the circle. The green icing was a nightmare! I really enjoy cooking cakes, slices and biscuits and I usually make everyone's birthday cakes in the family. They all have favourites. My husband makes my birthday cake himself - he's very pedantic in his cooking which means the recipe is cooked to perfection. It's a yummy biscuit cake and is the recipe for Prince William's favourite celebration cake. I'm much more haphazard in the kitchen and stand back and throw!
My mantra is always, seriously, how hard can it be?
Another one for my journal!
A charming post, start to finish!! Your mantras made me think, then I laughed when I read your imaginary headstone about skidding into the grave sideways—now, that’s the way to live a full life! You and your husband certainly share a great sense of humor—and you’re inspiring me to skid around in my own life a little more. Though not sure about rock climbing…
I’ll bet your grandson LOVED his cake! The green turned out beautifully—not one of the unfortunate shades that come out of mixing food colors, lol!
And thank you so very much for sharing my “Wild Babies” post ❤️ I felt so honored—and to be among your reads about “beautiful things” feels doubly so!
I feel the same about concentrating on uplifting and life-affirming topics, and thoroughly enjoyed the “Chicken Scratch” and “Food Stories” posts!