New year's swing fling!

 I thought I'd better share the New Year photos before the sight of snowflakes and Christmas tree became too unseasonal - we didn't get many good photos of our new year's Lindy ball.

Here we are at the Radisson Blu Edwardian Hotel near Heathrow.

 I wore my 2nd wedding dress- the one from Vivienne of Holloway- it was surreal that the last time I wore it was my wedding day.  I teamed it with some old white brogues from Primark, my Punkypins snowflake necklace and my Crown and glory white net wired headband!

CBC wore his tweed wedding waistcoat (he bought the waistcoat before any other part of his wedding suit because it has a lovely turquoise back to match the Bridesmaids) and tweed trousers plus his wedding shirt I think!

We enjoyed the dancing, we were a bit nervous at first because we didn't really know anyone (eventually I saw 3 guys I knew vaguely from my time at the Holborn hop class).  CBC is very good at dancing with new people and helping them learn some new steps. There were taster classes at the beginning but I think the more experienced people could do more to encourage and dance with the less-experienced. There's always a slightly clichey feel to  social dance floors.

The hotel was very nice, the dance floor was a good size and surface although  there was no bar in our function room.  When we headed down to the bar, the drinks were EXTORTIONATELY expensive.  The bar service was also appallingly slow- we were 3rd in the queue at the bar and STILL waited over 15 minutes to be served.  In that time about 20 people had queued up behind us.  When we came to pay for our 'Hendrix single gin and tonic' and apple juice with soda it cost £16.80!?!?!?!   I didn't buy another drink- just drank water from the free jugs outside. To be honest, that's what I prefer when swing dancing anyway!

The hotel room was comfy, I slept very well and breakfast was excellent, although I confess to wanting to murder the previous occupant of the room who had set 3 alarms on the radio for 6am, 6.10am and 6.15am which, after going to bed at 2.15ish, I was not ready for!  I had to hunt down the radio on the dressing table in the dark and try and turn it off whilst plotting the demise of this unknown person!!!!!


It was an enjoyable new year, we were glad, especially considering it was such a last-minute decision!

xxx


Linking to I will wear what I like with Catherine at Not dressed as lamb

Retro 80's birthday cakes

 I alluded to my Mum's amazing cake baking during my childhood in my Carebears post (thanks to Steph/ven who helped locate the Carebears episode I longed to see!!) .  I asked her to send me some photos of some of the cakes and I thought it was amusing how these cakes represented a lot of toy and TV cartoon interests from the 80's. 

Which of these do you remember?

For my sixth birthday, my Mum made me this Carebear cake. Cheer bear was my favourite bear (apart from Hugs and Tugs) and perhaps my love of rainbows comes from here?

One particular toy type I loved was my Cheeky Mice.  I owned the toy version of this cake- it was a picnic basket which had plates and knives and forks in and it doubled up as the mouse cottage. Each one of my friends took home an iced-mouse in their party bag as well as cake and the usual suspects.  I remember chewing the tails of my cheeky mice and I did love them so this makes me happy!

This particular cake was the My Little Pony Stable.  It was my sister's favourite toy (I had Carebears, she had My Little Pony) and I thought the craftsmanship of this was brilliant!!

Remember Pinkie from my childhood memory post? Here he is immortalized in icing and sponge!  The Pink Panther was a hugely popular cartoon when I was very young.  Apparently, my sister and her friend Mary were bouncing on sis's bed when my Mum put this on the table and the vibrations knocked his head off!!! 

Finally, who can forget Snoopy and Woodstock?  This was another of my sister's cakes and again,very iconic for that time!

Did you have any specially made cakes like this?

And, do you remember these toys!?

xxx

TARDIS Tuesday: On wondering how to suck one's tummy in!

I am afraid that for this final July TARDIS Tuesday, this will be the one and only time you see this TARDIS blue polka dot wiggle dress.

I do not wear wiggle dresses.  Or pencil skirts. Or anything with this shape.  They do not suit me.

I have a tummy but one I manage to disguise in floaty skirts or skaterdress shapes. Recently, my tummy is a little bit larger than it usually is. Eating too much no doubt.

I do not know how people wear this type of shape. I found it on the famous, much-mentioned charity-shop trip with Hazel and Sophie (yes, I bought lots that day. Yes, I am ashamed).  I was SO happy to find this dress for £1.  It was TARDIS blue, polka dots, retro look, my size. But for some reason, I didn't notice its was a fitted skirt rather than my beloved circle.

Thus trying it on last week,  as I was having a clear out and try of items, I was MOST disappointed.  

 I am reaaaaaaaaaaaaally sucking my tummy in on these photos and do you know, I can't be bothered! If I can't wear it looking like me and feeling comfortable about it, then I shall avoid it. I know people will say, you look fine but seriously, I have a tiny waist and the contrast is huge and the fundamental point is: I do not feel comfortable in it. And that's fine so please, no grief about, "Goodness gracious there's nothing of you, child" which is what I usually get when I make a statement like this!  Also the wretched thing was riding up if I even took one step into an unattractive sausage around my waist and there is one almighty split at the back (deliberate so you can walk)  so I do not want to reveal my knickers. For the sake of TARDIS blue, I am sharing it with you lot. It is a nice dress and I really like it. But not on me.

Sideways shot with very sucked in tummy- I cannot do that!

So, goodbye pretty dress, it was nice to meet you.

xxx

Over to you, TARDIS blue or Doctor Who? The choice is yours!

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