Almost there…

Proper spring weather, that is. It’s been blowy and rainy – and we’re looking at on/off rain for the next few weeks. So far, the road into the village hasn’t flooded (so far) but the creek is at its banks, so not a done deal for this year yet.

And we moved into British Summer Time last night. I am soooo discombobulated.

I couldn’t settle on topic this week, so it’s a mishmash.

First dental appointment last week to address the cracked molar. Over an hour in the chair. Have a new filling and a temporary ‘cover’ until crown/onlay – she wasn’t yet sure which it would be – appointment in mid-April. I was so overjoyed I could eat more normally that I stopped at the farm shop on the way home. Got a chicken and potatoes for roasting for that night plus focaccia and humus for lunch. One happy bunny. Here’s hoping all goes reasonably smoothly and I have a ‘new’ tooth in April. No perfume on dental day but put on Shalimar perfume the following day. Oh, my, that spicy vanilla lemon floor wax is just perfection. And since then, that’s what I’ve been wearing. It’s just … right for now.

I wrote half a post on the language we use to discuss perfume and then ditched that. Just wasn’t feeling it etc, etc.

I pitched around about skincare.

I made a big thing in the past of how much I loved an oil cleanser I’d found. Used it for several years. It smelled beautiful, it took off everything I put on my face without tugging etc. But then one day recently for some reason I looked closely at my face and feh, lots of clogged pores in the area under my eyes and around my nose. Not a good look.

So, off I went and did some research. I found a brand I was interested in and actually wrote to their customer assistance people not expecting much. Got an email back acknowledging my questions and making some suggestions about what I might have a look at. That’s it. No pressure – just have a look at these things, they might address your issues.

So, I did. Have a look, that is, at their website. And in the midst of all that I noticed a Travel tab.

I know I go on about smaller sizes in perfume. It’s also a thing with skincare. I don’t live near any shop that offers many brands I’m curious about which means I can’t really try before buying. Thus, being able to spend under £30 for bits and bobs to try is a Very.Good.Thing.

Anyway, the brand, Medik8, has a big thing with vitamin C and SPF for day and vitamin A (ie, retinol) for tonight. I am smack in later middle age and I felt I needed to bite the proverbial bullet and get me some stuff that would address those pesky pores, more than fine lines, and age spots. My skin was crying out for it. Much as I adored the oil cleanser and unctuous day and night creams they didn’t do that – and, in fact, seemed to cause other problems.

I have been told I’m in that weird category of ‘dehydrated’ even though I believe I drink enough water and I live in a place that gets 40% more rain than London (ie, serious humidity). The t-zone can be oily, the cheeks and forehead can be a bit dry, and I was a very poorly behaved girl in my teens and 20s with regard to sun protection (give me that coconut smelling low number sun cream).

In any case, I ordered a couple of the things that were suggested in travel size and a thing or two they didn’t suggest. That first order was, oh, about £35. I found I didn’t like the cleanser they suggested that much (but I’ve since found another in the brand I do like), but I did like the retinol – and the fact the strengths increase and you can start with a lower one if you’re a wimp like me. I also got some glycolic toner – I’m not convinced by toner overall but this has been ok. However, don’t see ordering that again. Since that first order I’ve made a couple of other small ones for travel sizes plus a regular size in the retinol.

Anyway, looong story short, skin is happier, texture is improving, brown spots have really improved. Like really.

And son is away for a few days. House is delightfully quiet and calm. Laundry sorted, upstairs vacuumed and cleaned (he is good on stuff like this but when it’s just me in the house I tend to spend the first day getting things sorted so it all just feels tranquil and there isn’t the impulse to move this, dump that – instead, I can just follow my desires unless work comes in).

And kitchen area cleaned, including a full clearout of the cake stand that sits in the counter corner and collects all kinds of this and that (it’s never seen cupcakes or scones – just ‘stuff’). A friend brought me this as a house warming gift when I still lived in London. It’s one of those unexpected gifts that continues to warm the heart year after year.

Finally, a couple of weeks ago I stumbled on a YouTuber I’m oddly finding addictive. She’s an ‘influencer’ (one of the silliest labels to pop up on the next in the last decade), clearly very well off financially, and she shops a lot and gets a lot (I do mean a lot) of high-end PR stuff. But she’s lovely to watch mostly and strangely guileless, which makes all the showing and unboxing of expensive schmatta and makeup, and PR faff sort of endearing. She ‘gets’ how lucky she is and sort of revels in things without coming across badly. And she’s not perfect and doesn’t try to be – and never, ever talks about fillers or Botox, etc.

So, it’s been fun to see her discuss what she’s wearing that day before she shops or has meetings or during the Xmas period in 2022 see her unbox the three fancy Advent Calendars she got (Jo Malone, SpaceNK and Diptyque – I really want the Diptyque one for next Xmas but it’s over £400, so really cleary not happening). Oh, how the 10% (I don’t think she falls in the 1%) lives.

So, that’s it. What’s your week been like? Any perfume or other surprises to delight us? Do anything or eat anything that made you go wow?

Pics: Pexels and mine