I could pretend that I purposely delayed this post so it could go out on Halloween, but truth be told I’ve had a testing 7-10 days where work had to take a back seat. A very ill elderly father was a worry and – at the same time – a very poorly Suki (our greyhound) meant she needed round-the-clock care for a good week or two… I just couldn’t concentrate on work.
[Reading time: <3 mins – excluding time reading links]
Suki is doing better but she still needs to go back to the vet for more tests. She’s the most stubborn, willful being I’ve ever met and her determination not to let all these illnesses and injuries get her down (because she loves her life) is remarkable. You might also call it bloody-mindedness 😉
I started writing on Substack in October and I’ve almost worked out my schedule and what I’ll be writing and on what days. So what I think I’ll be doing going forward is publishing one blog post and two Substack newsletters each week (they’re called newsletters but really that’s just the word they use for posts). I’m absolutely buzzing with ideas for both and have no shortage of content to bring you over the next few weeks and months.
And if I’m feeling especially wordy I might even throw in an extra blog post in any given week. How’s that for spoiling you, huh?!
Disclosure: This blog uses affiliate links (at no cost to you) and any items listed as* were PR products received within the last 12 months. Full disclosure
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1. This bedazzled pumpkin. With 5,000 gems and a lot of patience, Marianne made a sparkling Halloween beauty.
2. The term “glimmer” and what it means (essentially the opposite of a “trigger”). It’s beautifully explained and illustrated in this lovely post by Dana.
3. My interview with Bored Panda (my favourite time-wasting site but oh! the articles are wholesome and often fun) where I was asked about my attitude towards ageing – they added it into their article Things That Inevitably Make People Look Older.
4. The best (and funniest) “tiny face” makeup by MUA Allan Avendaño. He’s laughing, I’m laughing, you’re laughing, we’re all laughing.
5. Suzy’s blog post about growing long hair at 47… I found this so interesting because I’ve just lopped mine all off, yet I still agree with her on so many points. My hair just didn’t cooperate.
6. [Of course] – my new short hair! I’ve yet to show it off properly on Instagram, though I did write my final goodbyes to long hair on my Substack platform. And talking of Substack: I’m loving writing there. My first Substack post explains why I’m so excited to be writing there as well as here now. I’m like a writer/storyteller in a proverbial candy store.
7. Autumn TV dramas, namely The Long Shadow on ITV (about the investigation into the Yorkshire Ripper murders in the late 1970s). You might need subtitles on because the accents are thick and they mumble a lot, but it was brilliant. And I’ve discovered Manifest (which is a few years old) about the passengers on a commercial airliner which suddenly reappeared after they’d been presumed dead for five years (no spoilers please, I’m only on season one)… flight MH370, anyone?
8. My almost-ready-to-plant avocado tree which I grew from seed. I used an avocado germinator (I know it sounds like some sort of vegan cyborg but I promise it’s nothing like that) and a large glass vase from a charity shop. I am so chuffed at being an actual avo’ tree mum.
9. These “Power of Styling” reels by Rita. These videos are so simple but so clever. They prove how great style is all about how you wear it (with accessories and the way you style things, e.g. tucking tops in or rolling up sleeves and cuffs), not what you wear.
10. My easy-peasy IKEA Billy cupboard upcycle. I used some retro floral sticky back plastic in the door panels and it looks amazing. (They do about 16 different patterns so there should be something for everyone).
And a few Not Dressed As Lamb (blog) AND Catherine Summers (Substack) posts you might like…
9 Topics I’m Absolutely Fascinated By [blog],
Why It’s Okay to Be Happy in Times of Crisis [blog],
My Obsession With Conker Collecting Is Out of Control [Substack]
and
A List of All My Celebrity Crushes, 1977 to Present [blog]
Thank you for reading! xoxo
Linking up to… Monday: Stylish Monday (second Monday of the month), Inspire Me Monday, My Glittery Heart, On Mondays We Link Up || Tuesday: Style With a Smile, Trend Spin/Walking in Memphis in High Heels, Turning Heads Tuesday, Confident Twosday, Happy Now Blog Link Up || Wednesday: WowOnWednesday || Thursday: Chic & Stylish, Ageless Style Linkup (third Thursday of the month), || Friday: Neverending Style, Fancy Friday, On the Edge
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Such a lovely post to read!
The Reluctant Blogger | thereluctantblogger.co.uk
Thanks so much Danielle :D x
Big love to your greyhound on a recovery and I hope your Dad is on the mend soon too.
The 'glimmer' moments: fab to have a name for them. I might need to switch the word in the house, as it's close to 'gimmer'. I think that's local language for an old sheep. Baa humbug ;-)
As to the avocado: good luck! Will it produce any fruit, BTW? Sorry, bit clueless on plants.
PS: Thinking about your love of accents, I saw a 'just passed' card with an avocado on it and the punchline "Yay, you can drive, but do you avocado?" Sounds very Scouse :-)
Thank you Lynn so much :)
I had to look up gimmer - I've not heard that expression before, but yes a one/two-year-old lamb (sheep?)! Quite apt considering my blog name...!
I've no idea about the avocado plant, I hadn't thought past it being planted - that'd be amazing if it bore fruit but I think it'd be a while yet, hehe
And 100% on the "do you avocado" being Scouse!!!! Can't say it any other way in my head! ;)
Catherine, your interview with Bored Panda is absolutely brilliant! I hope it gets shit loads of reads!
I hadn't seen Rita's power of styling reels but they're fab, aren't they? I always love to see Portuguese people being mentioned. OMG the tiny face make-up!!!! That's absolutely BRILL!
And thank you so much for featuring my post about my hair. I love how we all have such different ideas about our hair as we get older. I'm hoping I'll still feel the same in a couple of years but you never know lol!
Big hugs
Suzy xx
Aww bless you Suzy, thank you - it was nice to be asked to write something for a site I actually read regularly!
And my pleasure re. featuring your post... it's so funny considering I just chopped mine off despite me vowing a few years ago not to cut it shorter ever again. Never say never, eh ;)