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Friday 9 July 2010

Doing the right thing

So this week I went to London. Because John Lewis asked me to. And I owe them a debt of gratitude because, several years ago when I was considering ordering ostrich feather dusters with alarming purple bits from the Flylady, I found demure, reasonably priced feather dusters in John Lewis. And they have turned my life around.

So, you know, I owed them one. And for that I suffered the terrible inconvenience of going to London, being plied with food, given gifts, and showed around beautiful room sets, before having time to wander idly round the National Gallery and have dinner with a friend. I went through all that, for them, because they helped me with my dusting.

Oh, the things I saw. Fashion. How I wished that the other members of The Changing Room had been there (we're up and running again for summer, if you're up for it). Wouldn't they just have loved the themed areas: Grace Kelly, English Eccentrics, Celia Birtwell, Military Look, Equestrian? Would they, like me, have spent several minutes staring adoringly at brown leather buckle boots?


Oh, the loveliness. 

And see, see, the beautiful colours.


(Ha! Fooled you! That last picture is of children's clothes! And if you've ever spent time ploughing sadly through High School Musical themed racks of clothes and things with horrifying slogans on them, they're a welcome relief.)

I saw cushions.


I saw sewing things. There were things there that were in danger of sparking a recurrence of my obsessive behaviour towards felt.


According to John Lewis, it was Christmas. They even blew snow at us. It was a little bit much to take in for me, a woman who hasn't even sorted out a summer holiday yet.

So how about I come back, a bit nearer the time, with some pictures of gifts and Christmas decorations? Besides, I'm waiting on a special picture that John Lewis have promised to send me - a picture that could end Mr Coffee's year-long search for the perfect slippers.

It'll be worth the wait.


19 comments:

  1. WHAT is that mustardy fabric with the leaves on it? I need to know, I really do. Really.

    Right, so

    a) You are on the road to happiness and are skipping/cycling into the day at 6am

    b)Department stores PAY for you to go to glamorous venues and looks at shiny things

    c) You are in Christmas land on the hottest day of the year.

    What is happening? Everything is askew.

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  2. It was a joy to meet you yesterday and I was really blown away by the whole event

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  3. I WANT those mad bra straps - even though I hardly ever wear a bra. But still. So lovely/crazy.

    Oh, and the foxy boots too please.

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  4. Bra straps and boots. We don't have John Lewis. But I think there is a little one in Guildford where we shall be overnighting on the way from holiday. Bra straps and boots.... (Christmas?)

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  5. I am overcome with jealousy ....

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  6. Great to meet you on Thursday - I had a brilliant day x

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  7. You make me larf ;0) You got me on the photograph, thing is some of my clothes are actually childrens, being a petite thing, the DD and I have the same summery dress, we look like mini me's when we both wear them :0)

    Lovely to chat with you, hope you feel we connected :0)

    Keep up the humour, love it

    XX

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  8. Those boots, and the enormous bag to the right of it, are making me green with envy. Want want wanty want want.

    You can keep the headscarf though. A bit too Princess Anne for my taste.

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  9. Also, am somewhat alarmed at your mentioning The Fly Lady.

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  10. Well, if going to London in this heat makes you happy, that's lovely. Personally I think I might not. Actually I'm in Edinburgh and it's dull and drizzly, but I've heard about heat on the news.

    I do like the way you write.

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  11. What silverpebble said.

    (Did you bring us back any souvenirs?)

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  12. I go away for one week and there is snow and boots. Que?

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  13. My gasts are flabbered by the bra straps

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  14. I just wanted to jump on that bed! Oh, and I don't sew but they made me want to really get crafty! Really great to have met you!
    Maria (Little M's mami) x
    @verybusymama

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  15. Ooerrr. I appear to have wandered into a parallel universe. I am very confused indeed! (But secretly relieved you don't have purlple feather dusters. That would be just plain scary)

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  16. Hello Coffee Lady. Popped over to see you as I see your comments over at "Not Waving" so assume you might be my kinda girl!? It would seem you are, excellent.

    I used to work for John Lewis, started there as a Graduate trainee and stayed for 11 years. For three of them I managed the Chistmas stationery department. I remember one year putting out the stock at the beginning of September, when a woman walked passed me, sniffed, raised her sunglasses and spat the words, "Christmas?! And I've still got a tan!"

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  17. How sad am I? I bought the Flylady duster!

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  18. Hmm. Pretty much what silver pebble said. And Mr Coffee bought a letterpress? ???

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