Dreaming Vintage

One of my repeating dreams is where I open a cupboard or chest and discover a wealth of vintage costume. All of which is gorgeous, seen in great detail, but sadly unsuitable for an event I have to attend because it is too distinctive. Maybe this is a comment on my life. One day I will wear it anyway and stop trying to fit in. Today I pulled out an aqua 50s dress with a satin bodice and net skirt, a 70s maxi dress in multi print and this 50s dress with a black velvet bodice and black satin maxi spot skirt. One day I might make one of these subconscious garments. Or can I buy this somewhere?

Street Style

I don't often see people whose fashion really catches my eye, but the Central Library is always full of interesting people. This incredibly stylish woman was using the photocopiers. She was wearing a sequin beret, sleeveless coat over a leather sleeved sweater and had a sequin, fringed leather bag.

Pilates Success

I am now going to pilates once a week and I really love it. Where yoga is about flexibility, pilates concentrates on flexibility and strength. As I am rehabilitating my foot it is also good in being low impact, you exercise either from standing or lying. After only about six sessions I am already feeling stronger and looking trimmer and today I managed to do this! 

Hobby Update

So, what have I been doing lately?

My Read America Project progresses with Manhattan 45 by Jan Morris. This is about New York after WW2 when it was the preeminent city of the world. It's a fun read full of great anecdotes and characters and really brings the city alive. It also the era of my current favourite TV show, Agent Carter, where a female secret agent is always attempting to save the world from weird threats and baddies.

Also enjoyed Captain America War and Remembrance, again in a Marvel Superhero vein.

Romans are progressing in a lighter way with the excellent Falco novels by Lindsey Davis; the adventures of an Ancient Roman private eye. A great read and lots of fascinating historical nuggets.

Cookingwise, I am interested in Eastern European cookery and have augmented my book on recipes from the Ukraine; Mamushka by the brilliantly named Olia Hercules, with one on Poland; From a Polish Country Kitchen by Anne Applebaum and Danielle Crittenden. It's not all cabbage and potato. Tasty, hearty food with interesting herbs and different flavours.

Walking Cure

In my 2016 efforts to get fit, I am trying to walk more. It is a mixed experience. 

Good things about walking: fitness, relaxation, cheapness.

Bad things: weather, shopping bags, safety.

I walked into the town to see my friend Steff. On the way in I enjoyed horizontal rain and sleet, being sprayed with water by passing motorists and nearly being run over by a white van man. On the way back I enjoyed a lovely sunset and being able to look at buildings, such as the City Of God Church on Holborn Street with its elegant classical dome.

Driving is highly addictive in our instantaneous culture, but the slow pace is the thing when you have time.

Shifty Eye

Just got back from the eye clinic, as my optician spotted that I have a shifty right eye. This is a harmless but annoying condition called nystagmus. 

I had never heard of this but it affects about 0.2% of people. Mine is mild and in one eye only. It means that the eye flickers. Mine flickers horizontally, which is common in congenital nystagmus, which you are born with. There is a slight glitch in the communication of the eye and the brain. It is often associated with being bad at sport, a bad driver, clumsyness, vertigo, travel sickness and many other things I have experienced. 

Some people have very bad nystagmus, where it seriously affects their vision and other people can see their eyes constantly moving. Nystagmus is also affected by tiredness and stress and I have noticed that I see worse if I don't feel good. 

Quite interesting to have this unusual but unthreatening condition!