Throwback Thursday #21 & JusJoJan – Sense of Style

Welcome back to Throwback Thursday. Maggie and Lauren’s brainchild. This week Maggie has chosen the promt she wants us to explore how we developed our personal sense of style.

I was the last of a large family and so all my clothes until I was at least ten were all hand me downs! My next sister Frankie was and is an amazing needlewoman, start to make me clothes about then. School was less of a problem because there were very strict rules about uniform. Juniors wore blue summer dresses , white socks and brown sandels. Winter, white blouse, gymslip brown knee length socks and brown lace up shoes. Senior school we wore white blouse, school tie and in winter a jumper. All skirts had to be on the knee and the nuns often measured them and woe betide anyone who’s skirt came up short!

photo from Facebook page of my old school.

The above photo shows the uniforms worn in our school. I don’t have any photos of me at school so I am not in this one.

Oh! I have found one of my first communion…we all had to dress in whit wear a viel and white shoes. I am the second from the left in the front row with my hand to my mouth giggling ☺️… probably got told off for that .

First communion not really fashion but it was what we had to wear!

image from here not me but very much my style.

Back in the day, when I was a teen
Pyscodelia was the scene
Mini dresses in patterns bold
In black and white not green or gold.
It made no difference if skies were grey
Black and white coloured my day.
Not for me those paisley prints
Nor huge glasses with outrageous tints.
No I was a Twiggy girl
Black white my patterns swirl.
So before my memories fade to grey
I’ll witter on about back in the day.

********

I started work at 15yrs and trained to be a window dresser, in the boutiques I started in I had discount on anything I bought and I loved my Middie coats that were Maxi on me ( luckily both in fashion) hotpants, long and short dresses flares and straight trousers you name it I tried it! My beautiful and clever sister Frances made my wedding dress! As I stepped out of the wedding car Dad stepped on my train and the zip was pulled…. Frankie needle and cotton always to hand sewed me up before we went into the church 🙂

When I was married first with young children I wore trousers and tops and as often as possible no shoes!

1980/90 © willowdot21

1960’s © willowdot21

1970 © willowdot21

1950’s © willowdot21

bagdays 2020 © willowdot21

covid fashion 2020 © willowdot21

casual dog walking © willowdot21

1968 © willowdot21

21st August 1971 © willowdot21

2018 © willowdot21

© willowdot21

infamous train © willowdot21.

1950’s I am the baby © willowdot21.

I have had long hair, short spiky hair, medium, straight, curly, all colours even two colours! Nowadays I settle for red hair out of a bottle I have to admit! Nice nails and comfortable clothes.

© willowdot21.

Have a lovely day everyone. 💜

Throwback Thursday. Holiday Meals.

Lauren is our hostess this Thanksgiving week and she chose a great topic – whether you celebrate Thanksgiving or not. The idea of a holiday meal includes any holiday occasion your family celebrates. That covers a lot of ground.

To participate, head over to Lauren’s post, read the rules and join in. Lauren gives a little guidance to get the creative juices flowing:

This week’s prompt is: Holiday Meals.  

I really don’t know how my mum used to produce such wonderful Christmas dinners, for so many people because money was so tight but she really always came up trump’s.
It all started Christmas Eve when we all went shopping with mum…. We all regardless of age had stuff to carry home. Everything was got then it was home and busy in the kitchen…mince pies were made, veg prepped, turkey stuffed, gravey prepared. The Christmas pudding and cake were made weeks before yet always tasted as fresh as if they had been made the day before. As fast as my mum made mince pies my brothers pinched them!
We had a tiny kitchen and how we all got in there to help here was a miracle.
Mum’s old gas cooker was very temperamental and often blew up.. nothing worse than singed eyebrows thank goodness.
There were eight of us plus numerous waifs and strays! No one was ever turned away from our door.
I have always followed my mum’s tradions, her menus and her panicks.
Breakfast : scrambled eggs and salmon with buckfizz.
Dinner:
Turkey and Ham or Pork or occasionally Beef. Stuffing, sausage meat, roast parsnips, carrots, sweet potatoes, potatoes, basted with honey.
Coliflower and Broccoli cheese, Brussel sprouts, peas and gravy, Yorkshire pudding, bread sauce and Cranberry sauce, apple sauce and horseradish sauce!
Christmas Pudding, Cheesecake as mice pies.

I have had Christmases with no heating, Mother in law most years even though she was not keen on me and everyone knew it. She made it clear she would rather be at her other son’s. Christmas when Hubby was ill, some when he was away. Christmas Dinner in Pubs and with relatives!

We had one Christmas in Spain but that was very odd . The two older boys were with us but we did miss the rest of the family. It’s absolutely wonderful now we have grandchildren they make Christmas so special.

I remember one year when I was about fourteen years old. Dad was washing up at our Belfast sink ( before they were fashionable) he put the plates on the draining board, we dried them and put them on the dresser behind him. What we didn’t realize was that he was lifting the clean dishes and washing them again 🤣🤣

The Friday Reminder and Prompt for #SoCS Nov. 20, 2021

Badge by Shelley Krupa.

Our hostess LindaGHill said: Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “black, gray, and white.” Use one, use ’em all. Bonus points if you use all three. Have fun!

image from here

Back in the day, when I was a teen
Pyscodelia was the scene
Mini dresses in patterns bold
In black and white not green or gold.
It made no difference if skies were grey
Black and white coloured my day.
Not for me those paisley prints
Nor huge glasses with outrageous tints.
No I was a Twiggy girl
Black white my patterns swirl.
So before my memories fade to grey
I’ll witter on about back in the day.

THIS IS PART OF LINDAGHILL’S STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS SATURDAY.

K.L Caley’s #writephoto: Shopping.

As the sun rose Morgarna had a good idea, from what Mother Stone had told her, what was possibly happening. So as the first glorious rays of dawn spread across the open landscape, of the as now untouched by the worst ravages of man and what is laughingly called civilization.
Morgarna reached across and ran her hand across Mother Stone’s surface and whispered, “Please don’t worry my friend who ever this is, I will find them and retrieve the object, but don’t worry whatever it is it is useless with out power or Google…..Don’t worry Mother by the time you wake again all will be sorted and I will be gone. Until we next meet ” Morgarna ran her hand across the stone and felt the knowledge of millennia wash through her.

---

As the settlement came into view Morgarna removed all her modern jewelry and from her leather bag she put on her celtic pieces.
No one took much notice of her as she had decided to cast a spell over herself to make her blend in and look familiar to everyone.
Making a few enquiries she discovered that the healer in the village was a woman, her name was Morgause.

---

It took all Morgarna’s composure to hide her surprise! but hide it she did.
So it was after a day of trading herbs and trinkets that Morgarna found herself knocking on Morgause’s door.

---

The two women looked at eachother across the threshold. One as dark as night the other as pale as day.
Morgarna broke the silence…. “Well hello *sister”

http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lqslb2QE2t1qbv50v.jpg

---

“So what’s your game Sis” Morgarna snapped.
Morgause replied in Gaelic, but Morgarna was having none of that! “Cut the crap Hun it’s me not some sniveling peasant!” What have you brought here and why?”
“Me Sis, really” Morgause fained innocence. Morgarna lifted her hand and Morgause flew across the room and hit the wall.
“That’s not very sisterly Morgarna, you’ve still got a temper I see” said Morgause .
Morgarna raised her hand again and Morgause spat out, “it’s an iPhone 15.and it out of power now so there’s no harm!” Morgarna took a deep breath and and replied, ” but there is and you know it” Morgarna snapped. “So where is it now, you do realise it’s contaminating the time lines and Mother Stone is not sleeping soundly? “

---

Later, after retrieving the iPhone from an old Oak in the woods behind the hut. Morgarna and Morgause stood in a glade waiting for the Anomaly to arrive.
As it did Morgarna embraced her sister bade her fairwell and took the leap. Morgause laughed and took one too.

Merlin was in the soap and shampoo aisle minding his own business! Morgana had left him a list and suggested he made a start on the Christmas shopping. Suddenly with a woosh and a scream Morgarna and Morgause landed in the trolley with a bang! “Merl babe, how are you hanging” screeched Morgause.

Well they visited the drinks and snacks aisle next, and this is how they left it.

*Morgause was the eldest daughter of Vivienne – who was also the mother of Morgana, thus making Morgause and Morgana maternal half-sisters. She was a skilled warrior, a powerful sorceress and a High Priestess of the Old Religion.

THIS IS PART OF K.L.Caley’s #writephoto.

Lest We Forget.

Death, Desolation, Destruction!
Men taught hate men taught to wait til death comes to claim them
Stink, Stench Smell
Bodies sinking in the mud tell their own story.
Is this man’s best glory.
Drench, Damp Dripping
Their guns are filthy,bullets all spent. They all gave up hoping.
Boom,Bang Whistle,
They no longer hear they no longer fear the hair on their necks no longer bristle.
Dead all dead and left to rot .
This was the war to end all wars?
How soon we all forgot
Nothing has changed but the theater of war.
They still battle, on the fringes they know the score.
Shout , Scream Squeal they will still advance they have lost the ability to feel.
No longer human their souls are worn out and why are they out there? Can you answer beyond any doubt.
Fight for your sight fight freedom for all ..
As if that day will ever dawn wait to hear the cock call!
Death, Desolation, Destruction!
Men taught hate men taught to wait til death comes to claim them.

© willowdot21

K.L. Caley’s #WRITEPHOTO – POISONOUS PLANTS

K.L.Caley

For visually challenged writers, the image shows bright pinkish-red trumpet-shaped plants

Poisonous Plants – Image by KL Caley

“Ouch! That’s exactly what I hate about these medieval shoes!” Merlin winged as he landed.
“No sympathy hun, you insisted on being authentic” Morgana laughed making little quote marks in his face. “Personally I find my old Doc Martin’s serve me well, even in medieval times. If anyone asks why they are so strange I just say they are made in France.”
“Damn that hurts ” Merlin had stepped on another stone. Losing her temper Morgana snapped at him “Will you man up, you baby! It’s your own vanity’s fault that you are walking round in what is basically fancy leather socks! “

---

They had landed in a long and dank passage with earth floors. They checked Merlin’s notes and after checking their barings they head towards a set of steps. Morgana took two torches out of her bag and handed one to Merlin.
As they reached the top steps they checked to see if they were still alone. “Okay” said Morgana “torches out and remember who you are”
“Yes I am a Lord Failin and you my little pretty are my harlot” Merlin replied pinching Morgan’s bottom ” Smiling she looked Merlin in the eye stamped firmly on his foot. “Watch where you put your hand hun ” Merlin bitterly regretted only having soft leather shoes on.

---

Merlin and Morgana made their way through the castle it was very odd, no guards or servants anywhere . “It’s like the Marie Celeste” said Morgana ” and I would know because I was on that ship.”
Merlin cleared his throat and said “Right we need to find the Queen’s appartment she is the one seeking our help.” Morgana delved into her bag again and took out a map of the castle. “Ah!” She said here we are up a floor first on the left just as I remember”

---

As they entered the Queen’s chamber they were shocked to see a terrified Guinevere hiding behind a chair by the fire.
“Who are you sir and why do you dare to enter my chambers?” Asked the Guinevere .
“I am Lord Failin your majesty and I am here to help you. Now I have been told that all the servants and soldiers are either intoxicated or ill.” Said Merlin giving her a flourishing bow as he did.
“You both look familiar have we met before? ” Asked Guinevere.
Morgana smiled at her and replied, “Maybe my queen but in another life” “Hush harlot don’t confuse matters, hush now my queen sleep”
Guinevere fell into a gentle sleep immediately. “Not lost your touch yet” muttered Morgana.

---

As they left the Queen’s chambers the smell of vomit and diarrhea suddenly become stronger, as they advanced they found servants, guards, nobles and ladies in varying stages of sickness …some were not sick but so drunk that they were incapable of speach or standing up!
“I think I know what this is ” Morgana announced “We need to check the kitchen right now.”

---

The kitchen was the same as everwhere else, sleeping bodies, drunk and confused children and a lot of mess. Merlin looked around and saw himself asleep in the corner….what a good-looking chap I am he thought to himself!
Morgana made him jump coming in from the kitchen garden “I have found the culprit, *Rododendrom as we know the nectar is posionious!”
“Indeed” replied Merlin “But who has done this, I don’t remember any sneak attacks undertaken when the castle was …..err… under the influence do you?”… “No but I do remember you mentioning you had got annoyed with Arthur and decided to spice things up a tad…. Looking at your former self there in the corner you must of tried tad too much of the mead! “
Merlin looked on sheepishly….”Don’t just stand there Hun you’ve got a lot of cleaning up to do before day break and this lot awake to the mother of all hangovers! “
Looking horrified Merlin asked, “And what are you going to do”
Morgana sat on a near by stool and lit a cigarette. ” After this hun I am going to find some wine….. certainly not mead and have a catch up with Guinevere.” She replied throwing a handy mop in his direction!

This is part of K.L Caley’s#writephoto.

*The toxins responsible for the poisonous effects of Rhododendron are grayanotoxins. These are highly oxygentated diterpenoids that have been presumed to be produced elsewhere in the plant as a natural chemical defence against insects.

Azalea/Rhododendron: (Rhododendron spp) Highly poisonous to cats and dogs and cows even if just a few leaves are eaten. Daffodil: (Narcissus) All parts of the daffodil are harmful. Dogs sometimes eat the bulbs, but even a small bite can kill a small animal.

Effects. Rhododendron toxicity is rarely fatal to humans, and symptoms usually last no more than 24 hours. It results in short-term gastrointestinal and cardiac problems, and the severity depends on the amount of honey or nectar ingested.

Grayanotoxins are produced by Rhododendron species and other plants in the family Ericaceae. Honey made from the nectar and so containing pollen of these plants also contains grayanotoxins and is commonly referred to as mad honey.

more information at Wiki

K.L.Caley’s#writephoto : Subsea.

For visually challenged writers, the image shows a speckled fish emerging from a pot in an underwater scene.

Subsea – Image by KL Caley

This is not a good look, Morgarna thought to herself. As she left one amphorae to investigate the next! It was empty too, she was beginning to lose her patience.
Merlin had tricked her again, he’d said, “beautiful clear waters, warmth and sun, sea and plenty to drink, what’s not to like” no mention of being under water with no hope of getting out, and instead of white rum ..water, salt water.
No Merlin owed her this time he’d gone too far, why was it always her that got the dirty end of the stick?
As Morgarna flipped back and forth she was, rather reluctantly, impressed with her swimming skills, very agile she mused.
Just as she was about to give up she saw it, a perfectly round golden sphere, the golden pearl of Atlantis.
There it was floating Infront of the amphora on the right. Okay all she had to do was capture it then job done and she’d make sure Merlin paid for it!
As she was wondering just how a fish might catch and transport a golden pearl, she saw a large fish approaching fast. He didn’t look like he was going to ask her out to dinner. He was looking at her as if she was the dinner.
Without thinking Morgarna swallowed the pearl, and darted off upward! The large fish was in hot persuit and gaining.
Come on thought Morgarna where are you. As she swerved this way and that feeling the large fish snapping at her tail she thought of all the ways she was going to make Merlin pay!
Then she felt sharp teeth gripping her tail, a slight panic began to rise somewhere inside the body she was in. (hard to tell where when it’s not your body)
Just as she decided she’d better make a few “Mea Culpas” she saw the anomaly inches away. With all her might Morgarna threw herself into it.

Landing with a splosh on the Laboratory carpet, naked as the day she was born and with a medium sized fish attached to her bum. She looked up and saw a shocked Merlin looking down on her!
He reached out to help her up but she batted his hand away. Removing the fish gently from her behind she got up and relocated it in the large fish tank by the coffee machine.
“Did you get it?” asked Merlin ..
“Oh! Thanks Hun, yes I am okay, soaking bloody wet and my hair will take ages to recover from the sea water! Plus I have a bruised arse! ” Morgarna hissed.
“Yes I know” Merlin replied, “but did you get it.”
“Of course I did” she replied grimacing. “Can I see it?” Merlin was getting irritated now.
A smile crossed Morgarna’s face. “Yes in a couple of days time….it’s in my tummy, it needs to be digested and expelled, then sweetie you can have it …and clean it!” Morgarna ended on a shout.
Turning on her heal she marched off to the bathroom calling over her shoulder, “anything but fish and chips for dinner …. Hun.”
Merlin watch her gorgeous back disappear into the bathroom, he smiled to himself and grabbed the car keys.
Later on the sofa enjoying her second Bacrdi and coke Morgarna felt movement in her gut…. She decided not to tell Merlin yet…. He could stew a while! “

******

THIS IS PART OF K.L. CALEYS #WRITEPHOTO.

#WRITEPHOTO – The Secret in the Stone .

For visually challenged writers, the image shows a stone or a tomb with a key-like inscription but no words upon it.

The Secret in the stone – Image by KL Caley.

They all look at my stone from the wrong end. Hey go to the other end and you’ll clearly see the story of my fate…. Why does nobody listen, or even think. It’s so cold down here I have been trapped so long.

Well as no one will make the leap of fate and view my story from the right end I will enlighten any of you with time to listen.

Just before the days of old, when knights were bold and round tables were something of an oddity. I was a young trainee to a black witch called Morgana. That’s black witch as in black magic. I had been stolen by Morgana just after I emerged from my mother’s womb. There I lay exhausted and cold waiting for some warm milk to fill my tummy.

Suddenly i was snatched away by this swirling, heaving cloak which was the witch. Now to be fair I had not bonded with my mother as she was not altogether interested in me. I had heard her cursing my existence each day I was inside her, and she didn’t have time to repent any of that or grieve for me because she died hours after my birth.

Anyway I am not asking for any sympathy because Morgana turned out to be a brilliant mother right from the start. I was kept warm , well fed and she loved me … She wanted me.

I grew and learned everything I was taught willingly. Morgana was delighted with my progress. I became as beautiful as she and as clever and that pleased her.

Now I have all the time in world but I can tell by the way you are all hopping from one foot to the other you don’t! So I will get a move on. every five years we would meet with the old wizard Merlin and his charge Arthur. Apart from being a boy Arthur was very like me. Not in looks but in provenance, his mother had died shortly after giving birth and he had been taken and brought up by Merlin, a white wizard …. infact we were yin and yan. We always got on well and played happily, which is more than could be said of our wards!

Now Morgana and Merlin both had interpreted what was written in stone a different way. Merlin construed that young Arthur was to be king and unite the Britons where as Morgana’s vision, the true one, saw me, Arthura as Queen of all Briton.

The day of our 20th birthdays arrived and we were called to the King’s stone to see which of us could extract Excalibur from the stone. You all know the story, “who ever could pull the sword from stone would rule all Briton.” Many had tried and they had all failed.

Arthur and Merlin arrived at the same time as us and though Merlin wanted Arthur to try the sword first, Arthur insisted ladies first. I approached the stone hitched my purple cloak over my shoulder and grabbed Excalibur by the hilt the sword began to slip from the stone. Suddenly it went dark the sun had been put out! No one saw Merlin hit me on the back of my head with his crook! As I lay on the cold ground I heard Merlin whisper, “sorry lass t’was not meant to be” I felt my life slipping away, as the sun reignited.

The crowd were all terrified and screaming, they were huddled together in fear of their lives, after all the sun had just gone out. Their minds had been wiped of all memories of me! Morgana cursing Merlin swooped in and bore me up and away.

Arthur, who had had his mind wiped of all memory of me too stepped up to the stone and with ease he withdrew Excalibur. The rest is, as they say history or myth. Or as I would say bloody unfair!

At dead of night Morgana brought me here and buried me, weeping all the while , she never forgave Merlin.

Morgana told my story on my tomb stone! Sadly Merlin thrawted her again. He cast a spell on it so that all who gazed up it only saw the carving upsidedown. So good ladies and gentlemen if you can turn your screens or the image the other way up. You will see Merlin’s hand holding the staff he murdered me with, and the sword Excalibur waiting to be removed from the stone.

It should of been me!

KL Caley at Novel Ideas has offered to take on Sue Vincent’s #writephoto weekly challenge now Sue has moved on to a higher plain.

This is part of KL Caley’s #writephoto

The Eddystone Light House.

Yesterday I posted a popular Sea Shanty The Wellerman come. This in turn spurred Noelle Grainger at Sailing Away to do a post on the Shanty The Eddystone Light House, it’s a great post read it here.

Here is a great version of the Eddystone Light House from the Sea Shanty Blogger.

Thank you Noelle 💜💜💜

One-Liner Wednesday. & Just Jot it January 6th: Icy Fingers.

She could feel her icy fingers begin to thaw on the warm sand…..the transformation might be very pleasant.

Part of LindaGHill’s One-Liner Wednesday and Just Jot it January