This is the living room end of my newly painted room with the new flooring and the new rug. The rug changes colour all the time with the light and which way it's looked at but has the gold/greens of the sofa and chair and curtains merging into blue at one end like the chest the TV sits on and the bookshelves.
We had a lot of rain here on Monday and then again on Tuesday, and yet again on Wednesday. I took DiLs birthday present over early Monday and the water was already across the road in one place that flooded to a serious depth last year. Was it always like this? every day of rain producing flooding on country roads? I don't remember it from the past and we certainly never had problems getting to school in the 60's.
For the first time since our Keep Moving group started 2 years ago, this week we didn't have enough people turn up to run it, numbers have gone down since the summer. One or two ill, others away, two with ill husbands - it's not looking good for the future - sadly. Other groups for over 60's exercise are further away and more expensive. We'll try again next week.
I took a boot-load of bags of 'stuff' to town on Thursday to pop into a charity shop, but had to go to 4 different charity shops before I could find anyone to take it. One shop was only accepting one bag per person, another two taking nothing but thankfully the new Mind shop welcomed my bags of unwanted crockery, toys and odds and ends. Those taking nothing said they were chock-a-block full in the back rooms. Are fewer people buying from charity shops? Maybe - I've only bought a couple of things from a CS this year..
There's been no phone signal in the village and some surrounding areas for O2 for the last few days. I thought it was me and my phone and something I'd done wrong but thanks to the local Facebook and Next Door website I read lots of other people are having problems too. Something to do with the mast that can't be sorted quickly apparently. Hope it doesn't take too long.
This week I am grateful for
- Lots of delicious eating apples from my little trees
- Help in the garden from someone looking to fill some time
- Getting to the pool for a swim
If your Keep Moving class doesn't survive, can I suggest you have a look at 2 YouTube channels- yes2next and Will Harlow HT? The first is a channel started during Covid. It's aimed at older people - a Japanese American mother and daughter do the whole session. You follow along. The sessions are based on walking with some work with weights. The approach is friendly and relaxed.
ReplyDeleteThe second is produced by a UK based physiotherapist, Will Harlow. He focuses on the over 50s and demonstrates,very clearly, how to deal with problems but also exercises to improve health and fitness.
It's the motivation to do exercise alone that is a problem!
DeleteThose are the exact two channels I use and follow. They're great if you like to exercise alone, which I do.
DeleteI am definitely donating more and buying less in the Charity Shops these days! Perhaps they will get more custom as Christmas approaches, with people buying party outfits, and looking for gifts.
ReplyDeleteI was very glad the Mind shop took the bags, I couldn't have carried them much further!
DeleteWe get more rain in the east than we used to but we also suffer from more blocked culverts, more filled in ditches, more concrete, more houses, and the result is less drainage. Your room looks fresh and bright now.
ReplyDeleteOne of Col's jobs as a Bridge Inspector was organising the clearing of large culverts under roads and bridges - no one does the job at all now.
DeleteThank you, I like how the room is looking too.
Op shops here are rejecting books (and are picky about clothing as well as anything else)……’only old people buy books’ one told me…..and they’re short of cash so don’t come here anymore.
ReplyDeleteThose with vouchers from the charity involved get clothes not books.
Oh dear, sad indeed if they are right about book buying
DeleteYour living room is looking so bright and llight and comfortable - you must be very happy with how it has turned out (love those carpets that change colour like that). Some of our charity shops are getting quite picky as to what they take - and then lay out the store like a fancy shop and charge too much for their goods. It sort of destroys the original intent of these places.
ReplyDeleteThe charity shops here are also laid out now rather than piled up with treasure. Colour coded clothes on the rails and shelves with all the ornaments etc also arranged in colours. And more and more expensive too
DeleteIt is very wet in the west also.
ReplyDeleteWe are not used to flooding in the East of England - it seems so odd to have to think if the roads will be passable every time it rains
DeleteKnowing that I am facing a rather dramatic downsizing, I've avoided a lot of thrift stores. Marketplace unfortunately sometimes reaches out and grabs me at home. Just yesterday, I bought a heavy leaded glass star for $15, a bit more than I usually would spend on a gee-gaw, but it was such a nice companion to my leaded glass suncatcher with the etched chickadee in the middle...and don't you know? Our new bedroom has two east facing windows. Destiny, don't you think? Your living room looks very fresh and nice. Our library offers a yoga program. I've been thinking of joining that...and I really would like to join our local Y.
ReplyDeleteBuying something you love is always perfect
DeleteLove the colours in your sitting room, all my favourite.I volunteer in an op shop here in southern Australia and yes the organisers want them to appear more glamorous but we have way too many donations.We do sell a lot of fiction books but not recipe or any type of non fiction any more.
ReplyDeleteI was surprised that they weren't taking donations as sometimes they have a "wanted " sign out side
DeleteFlooding seems more common than ever, but when planning authorities allow building on known flood plains, it's hardly surprising.
ReplyDeleteYour room looks so fresh and welcoming.
It's not encouraging news about charity shops. Our local shops are very keen on 'arranging' their goods to encourage custom. I don't know if they're successful.
Two charity closed in town in the last two years but two others opened.
DeleteThe flooding last October and January was just so unusual, now everyone worries that it will happen again
What a lovely room you have made-it’s so light and calm. I really like your curtains too. Charity shops seem to be overflowing up our way as well despite three having closed down in the last year or two. My daughter decided to do Vinted to get rid of some hardly/unworn clothes, shoes and handbags but says it was more bother than it was worth. Catriona
ReplyDeleteI've never had the patience to organise selling on line - especially now when you read/hear about so many people not collecting or not paying or changing their minds.
DeleteLovely colours in your living room, it's looking very bright and fresh now.
ReplyDeleteI think some charity shops are virtually pricing themselves out of the market. A good 'everything £1 or under sale' every once in a while would work magic and bring in much needed revenue. But sadly the 'big' few would not allow their managers to do that. I turned my two hospice shops around when I took over by doing just that. Selling lots of things very cheap can raise a lot more funds than selling a few things for a lot. It's just knowing the value of what you have and keeping back 'the good stuff' for after the sale.
There's just so few things I want in charity shops now but it sounds like the town shops really need to do something to boost sales
DeleteHave a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteThank you
DeleteYour living room looks so tasteful.
ReplyDeleteCharity shops definitely charge too much for some stuff these days as others above have mentioned. I notice some label everything 'vintage' in the hope of justifying the higher prices!
Sorry to hear about the exercise group, hope attendance picks up soon.
Alison in Wales x
One of the ladies emailed round and we hope to have enough people to run the Keep Moving group next week - thank fully. Several of us don't want it to stop as it's a good morning out
DeleteYour living room looks lovely and is so neat and tidy.
ReplyDeleteI try to keep things tidy - saves a lot of time. I'm very pleased with how it looks.
DeleteYour living room looks so light and welcoming, you must be happy with all your hard work. Well done. Jean in winnipeg.
ReplyDeleteThe grey walls were very dull and the old carpet sucked the light out of the room. I'm so pleased with how it is now.
DeleteThe colourway in your living room is so restful and peaceful looking, and I love the rug. There are a lot of charity shops in Minehead and at any one time there are usually a couple refusing donations, it does seem to be a case of more people having a clear out and less people buying. I've noticed the CS prices have really gone up this year, perhaps that's something to do with it.
ReplyDeleteYour living room looks cozy and pretty. You did a really good job with that! I love to shop at Charity shops and buy most of my clothes there.
ReplyDeleteAnother reason for the glut in charity shop donations could be the amount of 'stuff' coming out of our homes as we grow old and our houses need emptying!
ReplyDeleteI''m told those of us born in the 40s, 50s and 60s are the last generation to have a lot of room for storing stuff!
I think there's an element of truth here; younger friends of mine born in the 70s and 80s seem to have far less room for long term storage.
The living room looks lovely and cosy.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if the charity shops aren't selling as much as sometimes the prices are a bit steep? Seems sometimes they overprice things. People will only buy if it's a bargain especially if they are watching their pennies!
I'm sure that it's right that some of the charity shops are now charging too much. We have one, which is very much a local charity, that is always reasonable. Some of the others now charge a lot more if a donated clothing item is from a recognisable label. That seems wrong to me, it is still a second hand item of clothing which was given to them. When you add in how much some of them are paying for rents to be in prominent high street positions you start to wonder how much actually gets to the cause. That said, all my clothing except underwear, still comes from the charity shops.
ReplyDelete