So Christmas has come and gone and the New Year is here. NYE was spent indoors I don't see why I should pay extra for something I can do any other time just because of a date. So the intervening time between the last update and this? Of course being out and about. The only sales we participated in were madame getting herself a new belt strap and buckle at Elliot Rhodes as she always does and visits to John Lewis and Liberties haberdashery departments. Madame managed to get loads of material at knockdown prices at John Lewis in particular their 150 year celebration fabric at a £1 a metre. Talking of which Liberties managed to do this......

I wonder which sort they were, Electric or Gas?

We took ourselves off to the London Alternative Market last Sunday, all prepared for our usual breakfast in Pret in St Mary Axe we found it shut! Off we trolled and found a new place on the corner of some alleyway and Bishopsgate called The Drift and very nice it was with prices comparable to Pret etc but a much, much wider choice. All sparkly and new it was with painters still painting. The staff were... a little taken aback with the pair of us, even more so when the remaining four of our party turned up.

A little trip out yesterday, a quick flit into Superdrug and Selfridges thence off to the V&A. No matter how many times I go there I always find something I haven't seen before...

Plus of course the odd self-portrait....

 

Trip to the country

So last Thursday I am off again to Oxford Street trawling the usual shops when I get a text from Madame, will I go to John Lewis to enquire about our flooring. Just as well as the previous day she had phoned them and after waiting 25 minutes they hadn't answered her call. Aaaanyway the upshot is our order had disappeared and they have had to order it all again and we will not be getting it until nearly xmas.

Friday see Madame and I off to Oxford Street to see if we can get my Christmas present in the M&S black friday sale and we do, a thumping 30% off which makes the difference between getting it and... not. We pop over to Primark which surprisingly is not busy and I get a new bra. I fancied being a bit bigger so go for a 36D :-) We pop to John Lewis and take lunch in Bond's in Dering Street and them home.

Saturday see us off to see friends in Kent. A nice drive down, 2 hours including a half hour stop at the dire service station just before the Dartford Crossing. A lovely time was had and we all got to bed around 12.30. Up with the lark Sunday although by the time everyone is ready its nearly eleven and we all go off to Faversham. A rather quaint place but as born and bred Londoners it is rather quiet. We take coffee in a rather nice cafe/gallery with the most lovely cheese scones. We wander the little market and its back to the car. We take our leave after a light lunch about three and are home in an hour and a half which was a miracle considering that forecast 50 mph draft and no rain thank god.

Thursday

 Eeeek where does the time go. The Kings Cross fire was 28 years ago today. The day I walked from Swinton Street in Kings Cross to Gloucester Place to get home. Yep I used to catch the underground at Kings Cross to get to and from work. If I hadn't been on a late night could have been in the middle of that.

 Off out today, usual breakfast in Pret with a smile and a wave from the girlies. Post food and drink into M&S where I find a rather nice coat which Santa may bring me....

Off to Selfridges for a troll round...

 

 

 So whinge of the day. John Lewis Place to Eat Oxford St at 12.15. Your hot meal choice today was sh*t. 1/4 roast chicken or quiche, no fish, no sausages, you are crap. ‪#‎johnlewisplacetoeatcrap‬ ‪#‎johnlewisgetyourfingerout‬
 
 So wandering Radio and TV in John Lewis I find direct evidence that shopping is a taxing and tiring business...

I'm wandering through John Lewis' on my way to their christmas shop and espy desks etc. Just how can people justify paying £2,200.00 + for a computer chair. Or even the average price of £900, leather or not you are a mug.

I carry on past these highly expensive chairs and into Christmas Decorations and get myself into a conversation with a middle-aged woman on the cost and effectiveness of Christmas Trees. How I love these random conversations with strangers.

So there I am sat sitting there, on the bus, as you do when someone rings the bell for the next stop and the little light in the bus says... bus stopping. All is well so far.... Then someone else rings the bell, and another. Look you lot are you both visually and aurally impaired? Good grief it only needs one of you to do it !!!!

Well done

So we have cleared out my sons old room that we were using for all our rubbish to make it into a sewing room for madame.  Of course the room now needs decorating etc. Off we went yesterday for what was ostensibly a mooch around the shops. As per breakfast in Pret, a visit to Primark for stuff for my daughter and thence to John Lewis. Lets look at the flooring says madame, OK. Of course within minutes of getting there she has selected what she likes and she is advancing on a salesperson. I did notice that this particular department is, as far as staff is concerned, quite a male preserve.

I must say they coped particularly well with me as trans, I cannot think that they get many 'ladies' in that department as customers. The guy dealing with us on a couple of occasions must have been mentally trying to recall his training as he desperately tried to find appropriate words but he did did magnificently and 'word' did not get around that there was a tranny on the loose so no visits from non-departmental staff and believe you me I can spot those in a flash.

After returning home I am struck by a thought, redecorating. Mmm better get on with it before the flooring arrives. So there I am, full makeup, dressed fem but appropriately for the task tearing out the old carpet, stripping the wallpaper and flinging it all in the skip before that disappears this week and washing the paint at about six o'clock last night.

I am constantly amazed at madame and the things we get up to, talk about where angels fear to tread, she is wonderful.

So anyway

So there I am, I've just picked up a pair of boots from Schu in Brent Cross and am stood standing in a corner farting around with my phone. The next thing I know I have young guy in his thirties standing next to me saying... "You know you have cracking legs if my wife wasn't with me I'd snap you up" ! All I am able to do is giggle and he is gone ! I then move onto John Lewis feeling I deserve a coffee and a danish. I find myself a table and become the centre of interest to a gaggle of five, soon to become eight advanced middle aged Italian women. Fortuitously when I decide to leave so do they, so I bide my time and manage to exit just in front of them so they can get a good look.

It appears I'm on a roll when today a young woman comes up to me in Marks and Spencer and says to me, I represent Tony and Guy would you like a free haircut? I decline but was tempted to say no but the wig wouldn't mind a shampoo and set :-)

Goodness me

Goodness gracious it been ages since I posted anything, how time flies. Well I 'spose the best way is to work backwards to a point where I can't remember.

Yesterday (Tuesday) wa a trip out. Madame was busy so I took advantage and went out myself in red and black jumper and my new black and white hairy coat, nice thick black tights for warmth with the new mini kilt which madame had made for me and the Dune suede boots. Off on the bus and off at Pret in Baker Street where I'm now well known :-) Post Pret breakfast and thanks to the traffic I managed to keep up with the 74 bus and catch it outside Selfridges and it was off to the V&A. A lovely stroll around the V&A although slight disappointment finding that while they said the cast courts had reopened there still was one part closed for refurbishment. In fact there is quite a lot in the V&A closed off because of the reconstruction work. They seem to be spending massive amounts of money on new additions while many galleries are in dire need of updating especially in the display of items. Most disappointing is the silver gallery, it is so depressing. Aaaanyway stroll finished it is off for a quick tour of Harrods. Again a part of woman's fashions under reconstruction, not my day was it. I don't know but I am quite put off by Harrods, it just seem to exist for tourists these days. Quick tour finished its on the 74 bus back to Oxford St. As we round Marble Arch we are right behind my bus and of course I miss it at the next stop so I decide a look in Selfridges only find my bus about to do its turn round so its back to the stop and five minutes later I'm homeward bound. A quick lunch and I'm off again to Brent Cross in the afternoon and coffee and a bun in John Lewis where I am getting quite well known.



The week before sees me out again, Oxford Street of course. Breakfast in Pret and then a walk round M&S then opposite into Selfridges which is quite my favourite store, its light and airy. Having window shopped thousands of pounds then its out and onward. I call into Elliot Rhodes our favourite belt shop in St Chrisopher's Place to see our friend Vlatko who has neve seen me 'dressed' and he just doesn't twig until I come up to the counter and have to out myself. His face is a picture and he holds my hands and just says fabulous, fabulous !!. Then its off to Boots by Bond Street where I get clocked by an assistant, "well hello" they say with a lovely smile, so I return the greeting and smile which seems to make his day then its off to John Lewis for a stroll round.

The week before I am out a couple of days with madame on the Paddington Bear hunt around Paddington itself and then over to the city. The other days she is gadding about I am of course out and about, including Liberty's ;-)



We are now into jumbled memories so forgive me if things get out of sequence. The week previous, around the middle of November Stephanie and I are having a professional photoshoot. I meet Stephanie in Pret feeling a little naked with little makeup on.
We arrive at the photo studio and while the girls are doing our nails and makeup I get complimented on my nails and eyelashes and then she says and we have all seen your legs !! We have a fab time only marred when they tell us how much it would be if we had all the prints, £5,120 !! Needless to say we didn't take them up on that but did spend just about all the money we had. Nicest compliment came when I got home. Madame looked at the pictures appreciatively and said she preferred the way I did my owm makeup :-)



Monday saw madame and I off to Westfield at Stratford, she is after a pair of Timberland boots that are an Office special. We have tried various Office branches without success so she settles for a different colour. Apart from some makeup that is all we manage to buy thank goodness.
Saturday it is off to The Old Crown pub in New Oxford Street for the London Fetish Scene reunion. Unusually madame doesn't seem to mind being out with me 'dressed'. We travel down to Tottenham Court Road about 2.00pm and walk down to the pub returning about 9.00 including a meal. She is pleasantly surprised that I draw no attention. My goodness prices in tourist areas are a little steep, a large Rose wine and a coke is just short of £10 !!. A fab time catching up with old friends. Quite a few turned up, well over 30 of us.
Friday was a mega window shopping day, we had gone out to get the above boots but were unsucessful. Arriving at Pret in Baker St about 9.30 am we got home around 6.30 pm totally shattered! I did however stock up on makeup.
Thursday I'm off out with Stephanie. No Sarah so take ourselves off to the British Museum for a wander then off to lunch at Pizza Express in Marylebone High St as I have a 25% off voucher then a wander around Selfridges.
Wednesday sees the return of madame who has been off to see a friend for 11 days. This of course meant I had spend the whole time dressed, a real treat. It was really nice to be out almost every day.

A lush day out

So Tuesday I decide I need more photographs for backgrounds so off I troll to Covent Garden, nice summery frock and away I go. My goodness it is deserted, admittedly it is only 10 'ish but where is everybody? I troll round for about an hour and a half and wander over to Leicester Square for a sit down and watch the kids playing in the fountains. Its wonderful to watch their delight trying to escape getting wet until of course they get a little damp then it is a case of 'oh well in for a penny in for a pound' and they get themselves soaked on purpose. By now those fabulously comfortable Gabor sandals have raised a blister on my left big toe so its down to The Strand and into Superdrug for a plaster. I must have either got something trapped in there or as I found later a tiny bit of extra thread. Aaaanway as we all know once it gets bad enough to feel its too late. Freshly plastered I wander back to Charing Cross Road and think I'll be a bit naughty and dive into Byron's for lunch, a blue cheeseburger, fries and one of their vanilla shakes. Hardly any customers results in me getting far more attention than I deserve ;-).
Repast finished I'm off. Down to Charing Cross and catch a bus up to Oxford Street and a wander round Selfridges. As I'm examining a rather nice frock in Karen Millen I am accosted by a rather pretty young assistant and we get chatting about tattoo's and of course once she see the leg she just has to call over a rather nice young man. Go on show him she says to me. I don't flash my legs to any man you know I say. Well he says I noticed your legs just now, ooo sooo cheeky. So of course up comes the hem, well it would be rude not to. I take my leave and have a wander. A tour of the shoe department then up on the third floor where I see the most fabulous frock in Reiss, one that gets filed away for future reference. A tour of the designer fashion dept on the second floor results in me being accosted again. Goodness knows what label they were selling, very wierd and wonderful and black, we have a little chat and she says to me how she loves my necklace and asks where I got it. Zara I reply. No she says, well it must be the way your wear it. Now that is what I call a compliment !

Of course most of us have 'something' that calls attention to us, we may be tall, short, fat or thin but these things are with us all the time and we tend to forget them. So when I analyse what it is that causes people to stop and look I cannot say what it is. Of course I am a bloke in a frock but is that always why? I'm not exaclty in the first flush of youth but refuse be dowdy. I have tattoo's and in this weather they are plain for all to see. I have a tan that cannot be called anything else than dark so little wonder I get looked at and lets face it that is the name of my game. I don't want to hide in corners.

So there madame and I are wandering the west end the other day, a visit to Selfridges to show her the frocks in Karen Millen and Reiss and then down to dear old John Lewis for some haberdashery when she wants to pop over to Collectif in Spitalfields. So off we go. As we turn from Bishopsgate into Brushfield Street a slender young tall girl comes out of a building. It is obvious to me she is female even though she wearing a white shirt, tight black jeans and a rather nice pair of cream brogue shoes. I point out the shoes to madame as she has a panchant for them. When we have passed madame says to me, she was very male looking. Really I say. Very androgynyous she says, just like people think you look female.

Too good to be true?

Photo day yesterday with Stephanie then a trip to Brent Cross. I managed not to spend thank goodness. Madame had gone out in the morning to return the hairy shrugigan and her trousers to M&S. Well I had received a 20% off voucher so the items were returned and bought again. Aaaanyway off we troop to Brent Cross, a wander not finding anything in particular that caught our collective eye. A fabulously cute short item in Lipsy did however until I saw that it was a playsuit which wouldn't have, suited me that is. The manageress of the shop however spotted that I was wearing one their frocks. A wander round John Lewis and there behind the Estee Lauder counter is Sarah. Many is the time I have been there and she hasn't so it seemed an ideal time to introduce her to Ann. It took her a while and she was delighted to meet Ann, "what a surprise" she said and "a lovely surprise" and we had a lovely long conversation and I got two kisses too, something I never get in male mode.
We return home and madame is about to go out again. When you take Stephanie home she says will you collect my prescription, take it round to Mr Patel (our local chemist). I look at Steph, she looks at me. I am shocked. She is sending me, dressed, to the local shops ! Madame leaves, I say to Steph she did say get my prescription didn't she? She did say Mr Patel didn't she? Yes says Steph. Oh well. Sooo I take Steph home and call in and Brent Cross to see Sarah again just to say that it is ok to mention she had seen me dressed when I see her again in the company of madame but she had gone home :-(. So then its the chemists. Well what a surprise there! Everyone soo nice and soo many compliments too !

Hectic life

Goodness nothing since the 4th Jan, two weeks. So busy, things to do, places to go, people to see etc, etc, quite how I used to fit work into my schedule I'll never know. Soooo my dears whats-a-bin-happening? One of my grandsons tells Madame that he wants to buy me some nice makeup for Xmas, how cool was that? So I settle for a new Mac Lady Danger lipstick :-)

So there I am chatting to my son, who while not opposed to having a t-girl for a father is not that impressed, until that is he prefers me to wear a frock than wear a bum bag! What on earth is wrong with a bum bag, it contains you money, tickets and a phone, in fact the male equivalent of a handbag.

A lovely post NYE evening with Clare and Conrad with much naughty off diet food. The first Sunday of the year we take ourselves off to the LAM and meet up with Penny and Natacha. No Sarah and Russell who are unfortunately suffering with colds. Madame buys herself a nice leather skirt from Vicky and very nice it is too. Luckily I don't buy anything as I manage to find some bargains the following week ;-)

The following Sunday we are to the LFF and meet up with Russell, Sarah is off somewhere else as are Penny and Natacha which is a shame. I find the reason for the closure of Club Colleseum, they are knocking it down to build the new American embassy ! So many clubs disappearing :-(

We take a trip to Oxford Street in the week and take in the delights of the fashion department in Selfridges and find some amazing shoes in the shoe department by zaha-hadid and have a lovely chat with the assistant.

A trip to M&S at Brent Cross today brings a couple of bargains, a black Autograph frock I had been eyeing for some time, £65 down to £29.99 and a Reiss frock in John Lewis I have been desperate for at over £100 off !! Odd though they both fit perfectly, one in a size 12 and one in a 14 !

Misrepresentation

It keeps happening, surely it comes under the trades descriptions act. Obviously not seeing as who is at it. What I hear you ask. Well now I take far more interest in my appearance it is apparent there is a marked difference between an item of clothing hanging on a rail in the shop and when it is put on a mannequin in said shop. The other day I espied a dream of a frock in John Lewis on a mannequin so went in search of it. Once found I noticed it was rather straight, no shaping at all quite unlike the version on the mannequin where it fitted rather snugly at the waist. Further investigation resulted in finding at least four inches of spare fabric taken in with pins at the back ! John Lewis is not the only culprit. Once warned twice shy I find M&S at the same malarky of alteration. Now to me and anyone else I hope, this changes the item, it makes it an entirely different thing altogether. Surely this is wrong?

The times they are a changing

Well there we were madame and I in M&S Brent Cross when we espy a rather lovely suit, ladies of course. I get the jacket and try it on, perfect and walk off to find a mirror. Nothing unusual in that. No? Ah well read on.
We wander the shop and find on a mannequin a rather nice parka jacket, waisted and with furry collar. Off we trot to find it. Once found I try one on then again hunt down a mirror. Nothing unusual in that. No? Then read on.
While madame goes off to pay for her purchase I attempt to leave but am waylaid by the Limited Collection and find rather nice jumper, a lovely little black sleeveless dress and some fab trousers all of which just begged to be held up in front of me and this had to be repeated when madame showed up. Nothing unusual in that. No?
We wander off and wind up in John Lewis. Madame goes off to be measured for a bra and I go a wandering and eventually arrive at the sunglasses. I peruse and find nothing takes my fancy until I see them. Two pairs actually, I try them on, fabulous even in male mode. Once madame has paid for her purchase I drag her to see them both a Breakfast at Tiffany's Audrey Hepburn look alike, one Chanel at £386 and one Dior at £376. I put them on a madame nods her approval to both while we chat to an assistant. Nothing unusual in that. No?
Well dear reader there is not so much something unusual as something remarkable. Time was when we had to find a corner for a furtive assessment and trying on was almost verboten especially if we were not buying but now its done in the middle of the shop in full view. The times they are a changing indeed. Of course some of it is down to my dressing more appropriately and modestly but to a far greater degree madame's acceptance.
So with so much time on my hands today what with her getting measured in M&S and John Lewis who manage to come up with different measurements and her queuing to pay, especially in John Lewis who were experiencing a system failure I was able to observe my fellow shoppers and yes they do stop and look. Ooo I'd love to know what it is about me that is so fascinating. No I still haven't summoned up the courage to ask someone.

A trip out

Up with the lark, feed cats, other household duties, have breakfast, exercise then I have to get ready. A trip out today. Shower and a full shave, pluck eyebrows well its another femme day out tomorrow as well :-) So I get the slap on and I'm off out by 9.00. Get the bus and off at Selfridges. I just have to go through the food hall every time I go there, its not just the sights but the smells, quite, quite mouthwatering. Aaaaanyway its downstairs for madame's Nespresso capsules then off for a wander. Perfumery then ladies fashions and of course the shoe department then downstairs and out through Miss Selfridge into Duke Street
As I approach St Christopher's Place a Big Issue vendor enquired 'if the beautiful woman' would like a copy, I decline gracefully and have a little giggle to myself. Its then into the heat of Oxford Street. Phew it really is hot as I dive into the relative cool of John Lewis. I need a hook, a little hook to hang a calendar on in the kitchen. Seeing how it appears the clientele of John Lewis no longer indulge in DIY the department has shrunk to miniscule proportions. Where else I ask myself? Ah curtains and trimmings, net curtain hooks of course. The last of the big spenders gets a pack for a whole 75p.
Right I am dying of thirst and time for a fresh experience. Of course I have eaten out before but always in company. Now trays and I have a hate, hate relationship I hate carrying them and they take exception to me using them. Things slide all over the place and I always over compensate when objects start to slide but on this occasion everything is fine. I take my lemonade and my extremely naughty fruit scone with clotted cream and strawberry jam to a table where I can be queen of all I survey.
As an aside I notice that that the Bistro is offering a Coronation Tea in July in collaboration with Gizzi Erkine. Ah how times change. I remember the Honourable Grizelda, for that is what she is, when she was a piercer of flesh at Cold Steel in Camden while studying at Pru Leith's cookery school. Aaaanyway I digress, in all the time I am there I don't even get a raised eyebrow, nothing. Two young ladies sit next to me and have the barefaced cheek to be slender and devour a wholemeal bun with bacon, sausage and a fried egg! Its more than I can stand so its time to go. A quick look around the photo department and its down the escalator and back into the heat.
I stroll along Oxford Street without a care in world which passes me by totally oblivious to this aging tranny. Back into the cool that is Selfridges and out the other side that is Baker Street, a quick scan around M&S and the bus home for lunch. I would have stayed out for lunch but that would have left madame without a lunchtime companion, yes I'm good like that. So its home and swiftly into a bikini and into the garden.

Finished

At last the kitchen is finished ! Thank god for that. Trip to Brent Cross today with madame and got a nice Kalico frock in the John Lewis clearance which we are going to share :-)
Off to Selfridges tomorrow to get madame her Nespresso decaffinated coffee while she slobs in front of the TV watching Saturday Kitchen while I'm out in the new frock.

A trip

A trip to Brent Cross today, no reason in particular which of course means unexpected spending. A visit to the Kurt Geiger shop and their sale results in Madame exiting with a pair of loafers, very tasteful. A little treat, a coffee in Starbucks, ooo that was nice. We take a stroll around Fenwicks, a few nice frocks, very nice but as we are on a diet it would be waste of money. I need some eyeshadow so we pop into Boots and I exit with a couple of Revlon palettes, a selection of browns and a selection of greens.

It is so nice to be able to discuss these things with someone, even better when it is your significant other. What with my appauling colour eyesight it does make my life rather difficult. I can see colour but someone with good or perfect colour vision could convince me virtually anything is not the colour I am seeing. Many colours I just do not know what they are, I know there is a colour but what it actually is, is a different matter entirely. Of course I am certain that many of the assistants know that it is for me and not my partner but as I say I am proud of what I am, I see no shame in it whatsoever.

We stroll into John Lewis, again lovely frocks but of course a waste of money if I manage to slim down a size or two.

Walkabout

Well eventually I girded up my lallies and got myself out and about in the Ted Baker frock. There I am sat sitting there watching the world go by as you do when the little old lady next to me asks me about my bracelets. I've been sitting here she says looking at them and realised they are made of safety pins with beads threaded on them. Yes I say. I think about the next bit before I say oh my partner made them. Well I didn't want her thinking strange thoughts if I said my wife had made them.
Off the bus at Selfridges and a nice wander. Searched the food hall for some hibiscus tea to no avail, I wonder where, apart from Fortnums or Harrods I can get some. I do a tour of perfumery. I'm looking for a palette of eyeshadows. I don't want separate pots but apart from Revlon no one except Chanel seems to do them. Well I know MAC does but they have far too many colours and are aimed at makeup artists. It doesn't help that I'm appaulingly colour blind so I need help with colour co-odination. Then its up the escalator to Womens fashions and the shoe department. Oh those Gina shoes. So shparklay and dainty and oh so expensive. Far to much for an OAP like me and the same goes for these delish offerings....



Selfridges done I venture into Oxford Street. Its getting crowded as midday aproaches. I pop into John Lewis. Up to Womens fashions. They have the Ted Baker frock I love but not the matching handbag which is disappointing for me but not my bank balance. I go up to the fourth floor and into haberdashery to see if they have any nice summer material and they have, one, that is all that takes my fancy, that is until I see this bolt of white lace with hand embroidered daisies and beads. Still at £300 a metre I can't see a frock being made from it. I go up to the fifth floor, a quick look at the Nikon lenses, mmm the 18-105 looks rather tasty. I leave before I spend. Off to luggage. With the reduction in size of hand luggage by airlines it would seem a good idea to get two medium sized cases and pay for them to go in the hold and to be hands free.
So I exit John Lewis and into a hot and sunny Oxford Street, stroll along with the lunchtime crowds and dive up St Christophers Place and into Selfridges via Miss Selfridge. I get waylaid by the Ted Baker concession, again not only no handbag but no frock either! I cut through the food hall and into Marks and Spencer. A troll through womens fashions and I see a larger than lifesize picture. An absolutely gorgeous jacket, white with small flowers. Off I go on a hunt, twice round the Per Una department and........ nothing. Why oh why do shops do this, its isn't the first time and I bet it won't be the last, it is sooo infuriating! Aaaanyway I make my way up to fashions on the next floor and nothing takes my fancy so its down to the basement to get something for lunch. Mmmmm a NY deli pastrami sandwich and a little drinkie and its off to the bus stop and home. So I'm sat sitting there, as you do, on the bus, munching, and I think do I carry on to Brent Cross or not? No, go home and go by car, that will make it easier to get back. I'm about to leave when I hear the front door open. Madame has returned. After telling her of my adventures of course I've gone off the idea of Brent Cross and retreat to the garden.

and again

So yesterday off we set for another visit to Oxford St. Off the bus at Selfridges and on another down to South Moulton Street. Madame wants a pair of shoes in the Kurt Geiger sale. I must admit t-girl or no t-girl I have always loved shopping. While madame tries on the shoes I wander the shop and see these wonderful platform high heels... Luckily I'm not 'dressed' and I also have more expensive fish to fry ;-)

Shoes bought we retrace out steps and off to John Lewis. Up to the fifth floor for breakfast and then into radio and TV. Now fortunately or unfortunately, as I stop to look at the cameras. Oh did I mention I was in the market for a replacement of my Nikon D90? No? Well I am. Aaaanyway as I say, fortunately or unfortunately as I am looking for a new one a nice assistant asks if I need help, not only that but he actually works for.... Nikon. By-the-by we find out that it is really pronounced Nick-on and not Nye-kon. Apparently nye-kon is the American pronounciation which as usual, is wrong. Anyway I digress. So I get him to get out a D5200 and very nice it is. I tell him I need a replacement for the D90 as its done 120,000 exposures and he appears to be taken a little aback but agrees it time for it to go. Needless to say it is the last day of the cashback offer so I get one. He also tells us that John Lewis have bought all the remaining stock of the D90 so it indeed has reached the end of its life. I was sorely tempted by the D7100 but apart from the expense why buy something that is bigger than the one you have and heavier?

More shopping

Off to the West End again today. Breakfast in M&S. Cross the road into Selfridges and a nice stroll through the shoe department and ladies fashions. So much begging to be bought, so much totally unaffordable. Do I care? No, of course not, I love to window shop, its things that are just out of reach that get to me not things that dreams are made of.

A visit to W.H. Smith in Selfridges for a Radio Times resulted in buying Tatler as they were giving away a rather nice pair of sunglasses.

We are off up there again tomorrow, John Lewis and the Kurt Geiger shop in South Moulton Street. Talking of Kurt Geiger shoes I located the flats I was looking for in Selfridges shoe department. Very nice and yes I would have bought them and been nearly £100 poorer.

Bargain !

Sooo lovelies I was after a nice pair of flats, shoes that is. A totally delish pair on the Kurt Geiger site a mere £120. Well a trip to Brent Cross drew a blank. Not in the Kurt Geiger shop, not in Fenwicks, not in John Lewis. So do I order them online. I don't really like buying online unless I have to. So I have another look and I see a similar pair, on sale, £120 down to...... £29!!! Ordered them, tooo right my dears.

Sometimes

Sometimes I wonder how I do it. All this gadding about here there and everywhere at my age. Brent Cross today, all the best shops. L.K. Bennett, Karen Millen, Hobbs, Reiss, Fenwicks, John Lewis. Everyone is so nice to us, conversations, hello's goodbyes, its wonderful. I even get asked if I want to help Stephanie when she tries on a frock in Monsoon, most unexpected. Oh we could have spent an absolute fortune. Beautiful frocks begging us to buy them, shoes to die for. The total delight of course had to be THE most beautiful assistant in MAC. There are pretty girls, lovely girls and there are the rare ones that the only response can be a sharp intake of breath.

Monday - Tuesday

Another two days of here there an everywhere. Monday sees us bussing it up to the West-End and onto the British Museum. I know two culture vultures out and about, again! We wander in wonderment. We really should plan our visits to these places. We purchase maps and floor plans but do we follow a plan? Of course not. Its feet ache that drives us out. We really need to do this properly, wear silly shoes going there, change to flats whilst we are there and then back into silly shoes when we leave! Ah well lesson learnt. Suitably shod we wander along New oxford St and take a late lunch in Pret. Re-energised we pop into Primark and get ourselves bargain cardigans and wander off up Oxford Street. As we get to Great Portland Street we make a diversion up to Mortimer Street to a shop filled with sparkles and glitter. Frocks and outfits covered in sequins and glitter, we ring the bell and venture in. An Aladins cave, so much to tempt us and I'm driven to enquire of prices. Not bad actually considering. we take our leave with intentions of returning with the necessary money :-) Not satisfied with all this walking we continue on foot to John Lewis to gather provisions for dinner and then walk all the way to Cumberland Place to get the bus home and by the time we get back its gone 5.000 pm ! Where does the time go? Tuesday is a photo morning and a Brent Cross afternoon. A stroll around the shops, oh for the money to buy everything that takes our eye, so many frocks, so many shoes. It never crosses our minds of what we do and where we go, not until it all sadly comes to an end. We are so lucky we can do what we do.