The skirt that goes with everything!

Sometimes you find a piece that somehow works with everything in your wardrobe.

Two weeks ago I was lucky enough to find that piece. A skirt. But not just a skirt. Oh no. 

To call it just a skirt would somehow lessen its importance in providing the ultimate cohesion in my chaotic and mad wardrobe. No, not just a skirt but THE SKIRT!!!!

A skirt made of the softest wool, in a huge circle skirt style, and not just featuring one shade like any other skirt, but displaying a multitude of hues in a technicolour tartan of such beauty and usefulness that when I spotted it in my local vintage shop, it actually took my breath away.

Isn't it brilliant? Can't you see this lovely being my winter go-to skirt?

Another new to me piece of frippery is this gorgeous cobalt blue crochet hand bag. I couldn't resist it. Someone has made this one with such love and care that I wish I could give them a big hug as a thank you.

This magical skirt appears to go with everything!

The skirt hasn't met any of my cardigans that it hasn't liked. And you know how thrilling it is for me when my pieces all match.

I have been revelling in our beautiful Autumn weather here and enjoying some mild days where I can wear my beloved tights, cardigans and heavier skirts

The op shopping gods have been smiling upon me again as I have been on a mission to expand my winter wardrobe with me finding this exquisite repro red coat that makes me feel like a Russian princess.

It has a detachable cape and the most luscious faux fur you have ever seen.

I'm linking this pic to Share in Style for my dash of red

I have also snaffled a vintage cape from eBay that will feature in an upcoming post because it is so divine it can't share the spotlight with anything else. (And OK, I haven't taken a proper pic of it yet!)

Remember me dribbling on about never winning anything? Well just to prove me wrong again, I won a fantastic giveaway from the gorgeous vintage genius Trish from Trish Hunter Finds, of a blogging e-course from the amazing Brittany of Va -Voom Vintage. You should have heard me squeal when I found out! I was sooooo excited and can't wait to learn more about blogging (I am rather allergic to technology!)

A huge thank you to both of those vintage goddesses!

I received a beautiful, emotional send off from my work and am looking forward (a little nervously!) to starting my new adventure at my new job in about a week.

Thanks again to everyone who wrote such lovely, supportive comments on my last post.

 Ladies, you are all awesome!

What's been going on?

How can it be Thursday already? Where have I been? What have I been doing?

I don't have the answers to those and so many other questions, but I can assure you I have been doing things. Boring things like homework granted, but I have squeezed in a little deserved op shopping and vintage collecting with a few new lovelies finding their way home with me. I will introduce you all to some of my new treasures as there are a couple of real gems that I can't wait to show off .

I also squeezed in a delightful Mothers Day which began with not the traditional breakfast in bed, but the less relaxing waking at the crack of freezing dawn for the little fella's football game.

The little Miss and I usually explore and go on muddy adventures in between watching proudly as the boy marks, runs and kicks with all of his might. (And gets good and dirty in the process!)

I was spoilt with a rose, a divine lunch out with my Mum and family,

a beautiful silver bracelet that I can't wait to collect charms for,

and some very sparkly earrings. Bling is always the perfect Mothers Day gift!

Anything else going on? Hmmm, let me think.

Oh, there is the small matter of.........

BEING OFFERED AND ACCEPTING AN AWESOME AND FABULOUS NEW JOB!!!!

Huzzah!

I was lucky enough to be offered a position in  an amazing organisation that cares for disadvantaged elderly people, many of whom have lived hard lives on the streets and battle with mental illnesses.

I am still so sad to bid farewell to my beautiful friends at my current job, but will treasure them forever in my heart and will always have some beautiful (and sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreaking, and sometimes just totally bonkers!) memories.

But I am really, really excited about this new position and all the great challenges the future holds.

I wanted to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for all of your incredibly supportive and caring comments on my last post. During a very bleak and dark period you guys provided me with the uplifting rays of light that were your insights and comments and helped me find my way out of that black tunnel of gloom. You all rock! Big time!

Ch..ch..ch..changes (and cliches)

Often when life turns scary and strange, upside down and alien with change, we turn to cliches. We whisper those well worn words to ourselves, mantra's against the fear.

"A change is as good as a holiday"

"When one door closes, another one opens"

"The more things change, the more they stay the same"

Cliches, so oft stated, but still saturated with truth. Full of comfort.

And when the shit hits the fan, cliches can console and offer hope.

For we have all been there haven't we, hunkered down under the weight of the fear, arms wrapped around our heads as the beast of change looms and menaces over us, threatening life as we know it.

But someone wrote one of those cliches, and so they must have survived the shit storm.

I am not exactly sure of what I am trying to say. I have a cyclone of words and emotions whipping about me and yet I can't seem to pin anything down to express myself properly.

I do know that I am sorry for not keeping up with my bloggy buddies and posts but I have felt like I have been at the bottom of a deep black hole and no matter what I did, I just couldn't climb out.

I am leaving my job of over 11 years and I am in such a mess of emotions. One minute petrified, another hopeful. Angry to sadness. Apprehensive to liberated. Flip flop. Flip flop.

When I began my position as Lifestyle Coordinator (surely there never was such a silly job title!), I was a footloose and fancy free single lady, and my job was my entire life. I nurtured it and bestowed it with my attention and gave it all of my love and care. I made it grow and thrive.

I know it sounds crazy, but before my kids, my activity program was my child. The residents I cared for were my family.

My life, over the 11 years, has been intrinsically entwined with the often amazing, always inspiring, (and sometimes grouchy, crotchety, and bitter) people.

I have shared meals with them, laughed with them, grieved with them and for them.

I have helped them and been helped by them. Sat with them on their final journey and welcomed them with open arms as they arrived to join our little community.

I have learnt so much from these peoples experiences and occasionally taught them. (Wonderful professional moment of seeing an 100 year old woman get 3 strikes in a row on Wii bowling!)

These people have loved me and allowed me to love them. They have given me bridal teas and baby showers, and there is a gentleman who never ever forgets my kids birthday with a home made card full of well wishes.

I have embarrassed myself in front of them too many times to count. Dressed as a royal, a flapper, a ballerina, a parrot, Scarlet O'Hara and Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz. I've been French, Dutch, Greek, Italian and almost every nation of the world. Just so I could entertain them and hopefully get some smiles and laughs I would make myself as ridiculous as possible.

I've danced with them, stimulated and challenged them and oh-so-many times been challenged by them.

Even my dogs have been a part of their lives.

We have experienced so much together, and I have bid farewell to so many of these people over the years.

And soon I will be but another person in a picture, because for so many of the dementia riddled residents, they don't even  have the comfort of memory to fall back on.

 And the idea of not being a part of these peoples lives wounds my heart to the core!

But now as I prepare to leave them I must put my faith in another old cliche, "everything happens for a reason", and trust that the universe, in all of its crazy wacky wisdom, has a plan for me and will place me where I should be.

And so this week has seen me sallying forth in my most professional attire (thankfully not a suit! Never a suit!), plastering on my most confident, "I-am-super-and-clever-and-you-would-be-lucky-to-have-me" smiles and trying to ignore the heart palpitations, rivers of perspiration and mouth that felt full of glue and porridge.

And you know what? I didn't have a sudden embolism when the prospective employers bombarded me with tricky questions. The interviewers didn't eat me. I didn't lose the power of speech. I didn't even pee myself.

Yay! Go me!

Who knows what will happen in the future, but after a dark period of tears and sorrow, I appear to have turned the corner on my grief at leaving, and am beginning to feel strangely optimistic at my prospects.

And no matter what, there are more important things in life. Like these guys.

And when life has a hissy fit and turns upside down, these guys are what get me through.