Monday 8 May 2017

Spring Hobbles In ....

I'm not convinced myself , but , in theory , it's Spring .

Most of the time there's a wind that would have the nose from your face , as my mother would have said , and last week the temperature mid-afternoon mostly hovered round 9 degrees Centigrade but at last the trees are getting leafier and greenery is appearing again .  This shop window confirms it


 It's time to buy shorts , hunt out this year's teeshirt ( paler than pale pink or a whitish sort of blue , I think  . Those of us who've gone grey will barely be visible this summer ) and some snazzy sunglasses , just in case the sun ever shines brightly enough to warrant it .

While this lady and I


 weren't quite foolhardy enough to abandon our winter coats this weekend in Alkmaar , lunch was eaten outside in a sheltered courtyard cafe and a very pleasant day out was had . Vintage clothing was purchased , vintage china wasn't . Scented candles were sneezed at and cushions admired . Dove grey kitchen accessories were looked at and left where they sat . Shoe shops resisted , prettily wrapped chocolate not . A proper Day Out with the comforting reassurance that we know what's what even if we don't need it all today .

Churches and mediƫval buildings admired . Cyclists avoided , even the very small boy hurtling down a side street , obviously late for hockey practice , who nearly took me with him on his handlebars


 


Street stalls with everything from tulips to clogs , herring to mangoes lined the center of town ; shoppers snuffling around as though they hadn't eaten since this was the entrance to a butcher's shop .


 Coffee and cakes were demolished and Primark raided .  Cafe terraces filled with the very young and the very old and those in between wandered home to feed the cat and put the children to bed .

We drove back north past five windmills in a row , sheep , cows , tulip harvesters and a briefly glimpsed , rip-roaring Irish Pub With Barbecue . Drop In !!
 Another time , perhaps  .... The winds are icy again today

7 comments:

molly said...


Wonderful post! Those of us who have made it to the grey zone have the compensation of knowing, at last, what is what. They can promote paler than pale as much as they like - we know we need color to define us so that, at the very least, small boys on bikes will beware! Sounds like a lovely, if slightly chilly, day out.

Debra She Who Seeks said...

That sounds exactly like my favourite type of Day Out! And yes, Molly Bon is right -- screw fashion! Dress BOLDLY, in NEON if you have to, MAKE them see you, lol!

colleen said...

You are clearly a flaneuse of the utmost.

And what's with tis bloomin' North Wind? I thought it was time to send my winter coat to the dry cleaner before the moths ate it, but I'm still wearing it. Come to think of it, every cloud has a silver lining. At least the moths are being held at bay.

Colette said...

Perhaps brightly colored jewelry is in order for us gray ladies? We must find a way to stand out in the crowd.

lovethosecupcakes said...

Sounds like a brilliant outing. And enough left behind to warrant going and doing it all again.

Liz Hinds said...

Nope, winter's back today. I have a very pale t-shirt and I do feel I fade in it. I think maybe I need to return to my good old hippie days and stop dressing like an old woman!

Liz Hinds said...

I left without finishing my comment! Very old-ladyish.

I'm glad you didn't resist the chocolate. I was swooning over old china the other day. I had to tell myself I'm supposed to be de-cluttering not re-cluttering.