I'm the new model homemaker.
Cleaning out my wardrobe yesterday I found 2 merino wool sweaters that had holes in them and had been languishing for a couple of years on the way to the charity shop. A quick calculation confirmed that I had about £100 quid worth of V necks - way beyond my budget now, and I suddenly remember the only two useful things my mother taught me.
1. How to Iron a shirt properly ( actually, really handy )
2. Invisible mending.
My mother smoked like a chimney, but had a penchant for expensive clothes when she could afford them - and was forever sending stuff off to have burns repaired. In later years when the money dried up she taught herself to do it, and one time let me watch - it was apparently like darning a sock - but on a very small scale. Amazing how some things stick in your mind after 30 years - I knew exactly what to do and now have two perfectly wearable jumpers again. Despite the fact that they were very fine merino wool - the only real problem was the colour - I could see the grey but the navy blue was very difficult to manage. I was also lucky that I had a box of antique sewing materials and cottons on wooden reels hanging about that I picked up a few years ago.
In other news - I cleared most of the loft, did a few other urgent jobs to pass the time, finished eating everything in the Xmas hamper I received on Friday and walked the dogs in the snow a couple of times.
Whilst clearing stuff up I found some of the 'good' bits and pieces I bought before I went into education and became poor. I forgot I had Bill Amberg luggage - my black leather holdall is beautiful, I gave it a polish and remembered the first time I saw it ( in the Conran Shop ) - I loved it so much I used to go and visit it - I think girls do the same thing with shoes. Eventually I gave up and bought it - ( actually - that's a lie, I managed to get someone I was going out with to buy it for me - by playing on the guilt thing as they actually owed me about 10 times as much, and still have not paid me back ) I think it was about £280. I used to fly a lot in 'them days' and it was perfect for hand luggage - you could get masses into it - and pre-security-overdrive the flight crew would let you take anything onto a plane. It also made me look FUCKING GOOD!
Apparently tonight will be the coldest day in the history of the solar system. It snowed nearly all day - it's clear now but will snow again tomorrow from about 2pm - for about 12 hours. I'm a bit sick of the whole ting now. I have no TV reception - it died about half an hour ago - either atmospherics or I've finally lost the aerial. Can't afford a new one. The TV licence is due in January. If the aerial has gone I'm not going to bother getting another one.
Once again I watched open mouthed as someone piled luggage and xmas gifts ( and small children ) into a car and skidded off into a blizzard and zero visibility. I stood in the window and watched some loon in a shitty little car try go go DOWN my hill in a bizzare sideways movement - he looked shit scared.
I want to go to bed, but I absent mindedly opened a bottle of beer and I have to finish that first. I'm going to watch 'Scot of the Antarctic - a film I love.... very appropriate it is, too.
3 comments:
I have two points to make,
I am VERY impressed with your alleged needle work skills (and am very jealous of your antique workbox) and yes, I do visit shoes. All the time. Normally boots I can't afford.
Last night I was reading about some words of wisdom someone was given that has become a code by which they live their life - 'If you're contemplating buying something, don't!' Inspired simplicity.
Wish I'd thought of that before I bought this flat with its mortgage and maintenance charge. It'll now be years before I can ever afford travel, buy decent clothes, eat out with any degree of luxury. I'd love a new car, but maybe that's something else I should never have bought.
The writer says he sometimes drives along high streets or walks through shopping centres and sees the feverish materialism at play and he wants to scream, "Stoooooppppppppp! Go out and have a nice dinner or save up for a lovely holiday instead."
The amount of times I've thought I wanted/needed something, particularly when I lived in Milano, done the business of checking every available version/option/price of said thing in an array of shops, returned to revisit and hold/look at said item and then a week goes by and I've completely forgotten I needed that thing.
Mind you, I wouldn't mind just a bit of money to spend on some nice things. Just for a little while. Although, if the money came along to buy a whole new wardrobe or fly to New York, I'd probably spend it on a bathroom or kitchen.
Helen... alleged!!! how very dare you!!!
Martyn - I think I was very lucky that my parents thought it important to display a decent standard of living, despite having no money whatsoever. I'm really good at the whole 'make do and mend' ethic and seldom buy anything new. When I lived in London and only paid rent - and worked in a rather superficial industry - there was always the temptation / need to keep up with the Jones's / Conran's / Amberg's / McQueen's, however - my working class roots meant I never paid full price for anything, and never bought anything that wasn't going to last - and everything is an investment.
I still have every suit and good coat I've ever bought, all fit well and all still look good - except the Comme de Garcon suit I bought about 15 years ago when I was about 2 stone heavier and makes me look like David Byrne ( it was the fashion at the time... )
I totally understand your flat dilemma - if I just rented my quality of life would be so much higher - far less stressful and I'd be more mobile, but I have that odd phsychological make up that means I HAVE to own the house because it's the only real security I have and nobody can take it away from me ( ...not strictly true - but you know what I mean ).
The only reason I don't use my divine Bill Amberg holdall is because I can't actually afford to go anywhere... but one day I will, and I'll look wonderful!!!
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