Saturday 26 November 2011

Boots? Christmas Shopping? Love a Duck!

Last Saturday I was up early and off into Oxford for some Christmas shopping with Soo. When we worked together we used walk into town pretty much every day in our lunch hour, so we are both missing each other's company, and the shops now we work in different places. A friend fix was in order! and so a Christmas shopping trip was duly arranged.
First stop was the wonderous 'Nosebag' for scones and tea and then we hit the shops. Strictly no buying for myself it was 'gifts only' all the way. We both did pretty good and got quite a few bits off our lists until town got so damn busy we couldn't bear it any more and decamped to the pub for a tuna melt and a large restoring glass of wine.
We did have one alarming experience in Past Times with a very fierce shop assistant....

To set the scene Soo and I were at the table of jewellery in the middle of the store and had just picked up a boxed necklace when the ‘Sales Manager’ pounced:
Sales Manager loudly ‘Did you know there are matching bracelets?’
We both jump
Me ‘sorry?’ Soo ‘yes I did thank you’
Sales Manager ‘Look here’s one isn’t it lovely’ she reaches between us and picks up the bracelet
Soo ‘yes it is, but I’m not interested thank you’
Sales Lady puts on the bracelet and puts her arm out between us ‘Look how sparkly it is, you should try it on’
Soo getting a bit emabarrassed ‘Yes it is pretty, but I don’t want the bracelet, only the necklace thank you’
Me ‘You aren’t really a bracelet person are you?’
Soo ‘Not really’
Me laughing ‘I can’t afford it anyway’ (I was buying the necklace for Soo for Christmas)
Sales Lady forcefully ‘But it’s so pretty, you should try it on, no really, TRY IT ON’ reaches forward and forces the bracelet onto Soo. ‘See, it’s lovely isn’t it? 
A startled Soo ‘ It is yes, but I really don’t want it’ pulls off bracelet and we both back away scared.


Sunday Himself and I went to see 'The Help'. It was really good and actually a lot funnier than I expected. I would recommend it. On Tuesday we were back at the cinema for 'Ghostbusters' in all it's cleaned up 80's glory. For all the times I have seen the film over the years this was the first time I have seen it on a big screen and it was ace! There were a lot of little things you just don't pick up on a smaller tv screen.
Talking of films they were filming 'Anna Karenina' at the railway centre for a few days last week. I took this picture from the bedroom window to try and show just how damn bright the lights were.
                                         Thankfully they switched off at about 9.30pm
I'm sorry to say I HAVE been naughty and spent money on myself. Bad, bad, bad.
The had 30% off all the boots and some of the shoes in Marks and Spencer and as I needed some more shoes for work I popped in for a look see. What I really wanted was some brown brogues as I love my purple ones from there so much, but sadly they didn't have any :-( 
Now in theory I should have come out empty handed but instead I heard the siren call of these little beauties.
                                   Well they are brown and they are very comfortable.

Of course me being me it didn't stop there. I then spotted these on Ebay and they had to be mine, and so they were for £18 including postage, oh yes. 
                                   Just as comfortable but definitely NOT workwear!

Thursday It was the annual street fair for the switching on of the christmas lights. It runs from 4.30pm to 9pm and usually we go much later, about 8pm, as I always used to work late on a Thursday. This time we were there about 6ish. It was ridiculously busy, to the point where you couldn't get near a lot of the stalls and if you tried to look anywhere except where you were going you kept walking into people! Not fun at all. However I did manage to get near enough to the local donkey sanctuary stall to win a tiny wee knitted duck with my amazing & marvelous skill *cough*  
                                                                 How cute?

Lastly Frock Friday! I finally got myself together enough to wear a frock on Friday, and not just any frock but my little birdy print tea dress.
It is a headless shot because it was 6.30am when I took the picture and quite frankly I scare myself at that hour of the day and I have no intention of scaring you poor people too!

10 comments:

  1. Sounds like the shop assistant was practising her audition for QVC!

    Great boots, I need some new ones.

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  2. That shop assistant sounds like she has issues. I like the first boots they are very different from most I have seen. Christmas shopping has started in earnest here too but when I went to the local craft fair I ended up spending on me!

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  3. She sounds like a very aggressive shop assistant, she would have freaked me out, too. Love both pairs of boots, I find it hard to resist the lure of a good pair of boots.

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  4. Sounds like a super pushy assistant - a lesser person would have just bought it to shut her up!!

    Love those first boots - I am sure I've a pair similar to those squirreled away somewhere - mine date from the late 80's!!

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  5. Hi my dear!! Oh poor you, I hate pushy shop assistants, surely they should know when to take no for an answer!! Love those brogue boots and your dress is really cute too! Have a great week ahead x

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  6. LOVE those boots you got on Ebay!
    I keep gigling over the title,the "love a duck" bit does it for me for some reason!
    Bloody pushy sales assistants!Sounds like she needed a push in the face!X

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  7. How awful - there's no way I could have been cheery and diplomatic with that shop assistant, people like that receive short, frosty shrift from me.

    I love the first pair of boots, they look nice and vintagey but could go with outfits inspired by anything from Victoriana to Land Girl! I've done no gift shopping at all, I'm absolutely skint :(

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  8. I've more or less stopped going to Oxford as the Park & Ride is always full, but I used to love it - I know there are some really good shops so I envy you. I really like this Friday's frock - such a pretty shape and print. I'm sure you don't look frightening at all! xxx

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  9. Ooh I saw those boots in M&S, totally love them! I try to stay out of there when they have offers on otherwise I'd come home with a way lighter purse! :)

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  10. i love your dress! i looked at that myself recently, but sternly told myself to put it back as haver shopped too much lol. Love the little birdie print on it, and it really suits you!!
    Rachel
    http://yummymummysgalore.blogspot.com

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