2021 Fashion On The Ration Challenge

TwibbleDee

We woke up to a loud clap of thunder this morning.  We tried to beat the rain out to the truck to get the lawn chairs out of the back, but failed.  The kids will set them up to dry later on today.  It did hail briefly, but probably not enough to do any damage.  I arrived at work and 2 of my coworkers were standing inside the door to see if I was just going to wait or if I would make a dash for it - I did both.  I waited until the rain lightened a bit, THEN made a dash for it.

PollyWollyDoodle

Interesting- I’m a Southerner, well an Essex Girl in fact (and proud of it). I don’t think people are less friendly but it depends where you are. On the Tube you’d be crazy to speak to someone else or even make eye contact, but walk round a London street market and you’ll get plenty of banter and ‘Awright darling?’ - I’m not offended by being addressed in that way.  

I lived in the East Midlands for some years, where the usual address was ‘Ey up, me duck’. 

Liverpool_Anne

@PollyWollyDoodle yes markets are friendly everywhere and I don't think people in the south aren't nice just not as chatty with strangers. I have a friend who commuted daily to London from kent and literally sat in the same seat on the same train opposite and next to the same people every day for years, if you sat in the wrong seat or were doing a one off journey and sat in someone's seat you got frowned at for the whole journey. Literally no one spoke to anyone. Not even a good morning or nod of acknowledgement that you were there. I am sure they were very nice people just not friendly with strangers. My sister used to live near Hounslow and never even spoke to her neighbours. I am a talker, can't deny it, and I will chat to anyone and I have been known to forget myself when visiting London and smile and chat to people on the tube. Sometimes I realise I am freaking them out and shut up but sometimes I have had very pleasant chats. I worked for a while in Slough on one of my placements from uni and made friends with a girl who said she only got up the courage to speak to me because I was the only person who had smiled at her in 3 months, she was from Leeds also on placement and we became firm friends for the whole of our placements. I don't know why this happens, is it fear of other people I wonder?

Liverpool_Anne

The washing continues here, I have realised some of the fine layer of dust that invaded my wardrobe is plaster dust and it is proving to be quite a job to remove it from some fabrics. By trial and error I have found repeated soaking in water with daily changes and a quick pummel several times a day followed by washing in a non bio liquid seems to work but if anyone has any experience of dealing with this I would be grateful for any tips
@PipneyJane, the knee length Sunday cardigan has been shrunk to being barely able to reach my waist by 2 washes at 40 but I will give it another wash to really felt it and check if there is enough hole free fabric to actually make anything, if not I will have to hunt down a fabric recycling place. I will let you know how I get on.
During this process I have realised I do not need 4 winter weight dressing gowns and at least 2 I have no memory of buying so were probably gifts, so 2 will have to go to the cs. I also have a light weight one and a mid weight one which actually is great for most of the year.  I also realised I have enough sweatshirts of various weights to last me for at least 10 years and my go to colours are definitely green and white/cream with the odd bit of red worn for the footy   I think a serious sort out is required as I only have a built-in wardrobe less than 5 feet wide, although it is floor to ceiling and has half shelving but still too many clothes to operate efficiently.
Not much else done here as it is much too hot to even think about knitting so not looking at my list of things I want to make
Take care everyone

retiredinfrance

I recommend the friendly folk from further down the valley on the Declutter 2021  thread with the super Mrs Salad Dodger in charge of encouraging us all.

Liverpool_Anne

@retiredinfrance, thank you I will have a look when I get a minute

PipneyJane

Liverpool_Anne said:

@PollyWollyDoodle yes markets are friendly everywhere and I don't think people in the south aren't nice just not as chatty with strangers. I have a friend who commuted daily to London from kent and literally sat in the same seat on the same train opposite and next to the same people every day for years, if you sat in the wrong seat or were doing a one off journey and sat in someone's seat you got frowned at for the whole journey. Literally no one spoke to anyone. Not even a good morning or nod of acknowledgement that you were there. I am sure they were very nice people just not friendly with strangers. My sister used to live near Hounslow and never even spoke to her neighbours. I am a talker, can't deny it, and I will chat to anyone and I have been known to forget myself when visiting London and smile and chat to people on the tube. Sometimes I realise I am freaking them out and shut up but sometimes I have had very pleasant chats. I worked for a while in Slough on one of my placements from uni and made friends with a girl who said she only got up the courage to speak to me because I was the only person who had smiled at her in 3 months, she was from Leeds also on placement and we became firm friends for the whole of our placements. I don't know why this happens, is it fear of other people I wonder?

You do realise that, as the only true Southerner in the group, you're all Northerners to me.    I bet nobody else was born south of the equator.

It's true that, for many years, I knew my sister's neighbours in Australia better than I knew my own.  I don't think I ever saw the people who lived next door to me in Catford. (I know my neighbours here.)  I think it's the "personal space" thing.  With everything so crowded, if I don't acknowledge you exist, then I can keep the illusion that I have this little bit of space to myself.

- Pip (Colonial Commoner)

CAFCGirl

I think there's quite a bit of fear over being the weirdo, down South, the one who talks to everyone, makes friends on the bus etc. My general aesthetic is a bit weird so I think I give off either 'stay well clear' or 'yes she's one to talk to!' vibes - like the person version of marmite. 

We lived in our old place for 10 years, I only discovered my neighbour but one's name in the last 18 months of living there, despite having said Hello, and brief neighbourly chats and them bringing us food for Eid etc ... It was only when both of us were moving out that we even went into each others houses, being nosy about layouts etc, swapped numbers and have kept in touch. They're wonderful people but she mentioned always being worried about doing things like the food at Eid because it might be 'weird'... 
We need more weird in the world 

Yarn arrival today, just in time for the rainy weekend - HUZZAH!
Hoping my big idea comes out as intended in the flesh 

Wraithlady

PipneyJane said:

You do realise that, as the only true Southerner in the group, you're all Northerners to me.    I bet nobody else was born south of the equator.

- Pip (Colonial Commoner)

Well, I was born in England, but I did live in South Africa for a decade or two as a kid - so I'm some kind of honorary actual Southerner, I suppose

PipneyJane

Wraithlady said:

PipneyJane said:

You do realise that, as the only true Southerner in the group, you're all Northerners to me.    I bet nobody else was born south of the equator.

- Pip (Colonial Commoner)

Well, I was born in England, but I did live in South Africa for a decade or two as a kid - so I'm some kind of honorary actual Southerner, I suppose

I think that means there are two Colonial Commoners in the group.

- Pip