time, like the ever-rolling stream

[juliet]

This is another of those bits-and-pieces updates.

I went to Glastonbury! I really am going to write a proper post about this (possibly when I have sorted the photos out & put them on Flickr) so I will restrict myself here to saying: SUNNY. ALL OF THE SUNSHINE. Awesomeness.

Sidney spent the week of Glastonbury with my parents, where she had a splendid time charging round their local park (far superior to ours, being about 4 times the size and containing a river, in which Sid accidentally went swimming), trying to drink from the sprinkler, and waking up far too early. She then came back and behaved like a total brat for about a week, culminating in dragging down and eating the head of Superted, my teddybear. (I've had him since I was 2, and doop brought him out to Australia for me last year.) I was *seriously* livid and very upset, but I've found a toy hospital who specialise in repairing damaged elderly bears, and for now he's tacked back together and bandaged up while he's on their waiting list. Sid has been behaving much better since. [sigh]

I have had a couple of stories accepted by non-paying venues, which is very pleasing. I will update you all when they come out! Possibly also other good news on this front, but I am waiting to talk about that for now (jinx issues).

I spent this last weekend at an *awesome* workshop on consensus decision-making and facilitation of same, run by Seeds for Change. Inspiring, informative, and bloody knackering. Plus I got to meet some really cool people, and hang out with some whom I'd already met. They're doing an advanced version in Oxford in October, which I'm seriously considering going to.

The Balcony Book meanders onwards (onto month 7 now already!); other sorts of work continue to occur; financial destitution continues to be staved off. I was entertained to read this blog by someone who's given up buying new clothes -- this year I have bought precisely one new clothe (a fair-trade cotton dress, at Glastonbury) and one second-hand clothe (a v nice tunic top thingy). I suppose this probably is partly due to my wish to reduce my carbon footprint ekt ekt (i.e. I continue to endeavour not to buy stuff, in general), but mostly it's just due to financial prudence. Clothes or (e)books? The reading matter has it, every time.

Comments

[nanaya]

I've bought more new clothes in the last 2 years than I have in probably the rest of my life previously, although I think it's still a small amount overall. It's mainly because I've put on so much weight that I no longer find it easy to get necessary basics second-hand :-( I hope I am still doing well on reducing my carbon footprint in other ways, though.

What are you doing about new underwear, btw?

[juliet]

Haven't had to buy any. I have plenty of pants (& pants last for ages); bras is beginning to be an issue as the last lot I bought a couple of years ago & they're really not quite fitting any more. I was vaguely contemplating making my own (more for interest than anything else), but at some point reasonably soon I imagine I'll give up, go to Debenhams, & buy the customary 3 or so that fit & that I'm prepared to wear until they fall apart :)

Working in an office, IME, tends to lead to more clothes-shopping being required.

[nanaya]

I think I must just destroy pants quicker than you!

[julietteculver]

You're making me feel guilty about the fact that I've bought five or six items of clothing in the last fortnight! One thing that has really surprised me is how hard it to get second-hand maternity clothes, which you would think would be an obvious sort of thing to get sold second-hand. Doesn't help that when you want to buy them you're really not in the sort of state where you can cope with long trips out of the way to find possible shops too.

[aendr]

JulietteCulver: Truly Bumptious (http://www.trulybumptious.com/) is good for that, but their website seems rather broken at the moment. The trouble with mat clothes is that they need even more trying on than normal, I find, and are even harder to find something that fits and one likes. (The owners are lovely and very much of the buy local, don't buy what you don't need ethos.)

[julietteculver]

Thanks - will have another look at the site when I'm back from holiday and see if they have fixed it! I had been wondering about trying to buy clothes online, but was a bit nervous about the hassle of things fitting and having to send them back, especially as I'm 4'11" (my pregnancy notes actually have 'short stature' written on them!) so I have problems with finding clothes that fit at the best of times.

Luckily, long floaty tops seem to be in fashion at the moment so have managed to pick up a couple of non-maternity tops that should last me a reasonable while I hope, but might have to find some more when my non-maternity tops that still just about fit don't any longer.

[aendr]

Ah, I'm less than an inch taller than you, and, shall we say "rather over my ideal weight" (and 33 weeks along) so I know /exactly/ what you mean. I've just had to get all my trousers shortened (or do it msy. There's one advantage - you get less of a bump exposure as the tops aren't long enough. Unfortunately, I can't actually recommend anywhere - I just trawled around shops till I found something that nearly fitted and bought that in desparation, and this time around am just glad I am no bigger as that trawl with a toddler in tow would be horrendous.

[juliet]

Guilt generation was not the intention, sorry! It was more of a rumination on the sort-of advantages of my current frugality :) The thing is, for my own circumstances, I don't find myself really *missing* buying new clothes. Once in a while I have a moment of clothes-acquisition-desire, but really I have a wardrobe full of stuff that fits fine and that I like perfectly well.

I think being pregnant is one of those situations where buying new kit is inevitable! Although it does surprise me too that second-hand is hard to find. (Hope all is going well with the human-being-growing, btw :) )

[julietteculver]

Oh, don't worry at all, didn't feel that guilty as didn't really have much choice, especially as my clothes stopped fitted quite suddenly :-)

It probably doesn't help that although I have various friends with young children, I don't know anyone locally. It's quite hard with things like baby clothes to know how much we'll be given either second-hand or as presents. I don't want to leave it too much to the last minute to make sure we have things, but also don't want to buy things unnecessarily!

[alphaviolet]

I (mostly) gave up on buying new clothes a few years ago. The results have been just fine. It's fun looking for things.

[laughingrat]

Clothe! That cracks me up, I shall use that now.

Glastonbury, I bet that's cool. Lots of things going on for you right now.

[wezpez.livejournal.com]

Poor superted :(

fingers firmly crossed for a successful operation at the toy hospital when his turn comes xxx