During the Mart Visser sample sale, I not only scored a blazer but also a long black and white jacket. I never know when to call it a jacket and when a blazer. Because of its length I would call this a jacket. Do you agree?
In the photo above I have cuffed the sleeves just above my elbow revealing the reverse fabric: white dots on a black background.
Kitty (Kitty Hieltjes Photography) met me at my seamstress’ as I suddenly thought of my seamstress’ large walled garden as a background for our shoot. I adore walled gardens; they are mysterious to me.
Below: Even behind some walls there is a great view, like a church. (Trying a pose here.)
There are a lot of wind chimes (mobiles?) in the garden, making a lovely sound. I am wearing the jacket with only the middle clip fastened in this photo.
Below: I decided to do up one more fastening. As you can see in the photos above and below, I am wearing a black top with long sleeves underneath to match the trousers. The sleeves of the jacket are turned down here, not revealing the white dotted facing as in the first photo (unless you look up my sleeve LOL).
Below: I was trying to get the rabbit to come out, but he or she didn’t show itself.
Outfit details: I was wearing my leather jogging trousers from LAB Women’s Clothing. I bought them years ago, but like most things I buy there, they last a long time. My combat boots (also from LAB Women’s Clothing) are proving to be real staples.
Below: I find this photo a bit strange; Kitty took it with the flash. Anyway, it does show you my new red earrings very well. They are a gift from Marcella of Lara Design and almost identical to my green ones. They are statement yet classic earrings. I love them. The brooch is an old one from Essentiel Antwerp.
Below: Walking in my long black coat with the lovely wall behind me. That coat is about the best purchase this winter. The red tote is from Midlifechic.
Below: Kitty. No idea what she was looking at, but there was enough to see.
The shoot was done in 15 minutes or so but we stayed a couple of hours, having coffee and tea and chatting with my lovely seamstress.
What happened in my life this week
Remember, it is lockdown in the Netherlands, so not a lot is happening in my life. The thing is, I cannot remember anything. Saturday for instance…what did I do on Saturday??? Oh…that was New Year’s day. I did nothing.
No, no, no, not true. Saturday, my darling husband and I went out on a photo shoot, because it was dry and the temperature was high. Ideal weather to test my new camera. It performed magically. The only thing we have to improve on, is taking a close-up of my face with earrings. Because of the settings, it takes my face sharp and my earrings blurry, like when you use the Portrait mode on an iPhone. But that can be helped. Just a matter of settings and learning. The photos were really sharp. No frustrated husband anymore YAY.
Sunday I visited mum of course. I thought I’d show you another photo of her. She is complaining now that the setting is always on the sofa. Which isn’t true. She is wearing jeans in the photo below. And a blue top again haha, but a different one this time.
Monday was tedious, but I did do my exercises and my knee was improving. Little things to be grateful for. In the afternoon neighbour Monique came for a cup of coffee and to ask Ron to hang up her ball of lights as it had been blown off.
Tuesday. Bad, bad day. I woke up feeling really miserable, having an upset stomach (or belly) and a severe headache. I held onto my promise to the doctor not to take any painkillers but caved after 4 hours in agony. Half an hour later I was so much better. Only that Tuesday my knee decided to go wonky again. In pain again. Darn it.
Wednesday. Not ill anymore, not at all even; fit as a fiddle. My knee was pretty cooperative too.
I had the intake appointment with the eye doctor for the cataract operation. She explained the possibilities and the risks. Next move is getting new multi-focal contact lenses, so I can try and see whether my brain can handle that. It would be the best solution to avoid using reading glasses all the time, but as my brain isn’t that smart, I’d better try it before the operation. Nothing further exciting to report. What was nice, was the Facetime conversation I had in the evening with Susan of Une femme d’un certain âge. We always have a good laugh too.
I am practicing French with the DuoLingo app as we want to live in Paris for a month, either this April or next year, depending on knee and Covid. A friend of ours wants to look after Watson for that period and she is very good with dogs. Just need someone to house-sit and feed the cat. Already have somebody in mind, but as things are still very uncertain, we are not making any real arrangements yet. Exciting prospect though. I learned French for 5 years at secondary school and I still cannot strike up a conversation. I started DuoLingo at the lowest level, so I can now say: “There is a cow in the garden”…”Il y a une vache dans le jardin”. Very helpful, I’m sure.
Thursday my physiotherapist tried to ease the pain in my knee, which didn’t work. After that I went to visit Marianne, all dressed up for a change. (Notice the cute pink and red bag; link to original post where I am wearing higher heeled white boots.)
Below: And here is Marianne herself. Always dressed to the nines, always cheerful. A joy to visit. We tried two other jumpers on this skirt, a bright blue one and a red one; both looked good too. The cat behind her blends in nicely.
Friday Ron and I were helping Nicky (bonus daughter) and her husband in their new house (to be) with suppliers who had to measure things in the house and give a quote. Some work needed to be done to the stairs before the measuring could take place. The steps needed to be squeaky clean to be able to do the measuring. So the boys started right away (see below). The supplier came exactly the second the stairs were clean. I couldn’t do very much but the fact I was there to help if suppliers all came at the same time (and they did), was enough to bring calmness.
So, it wasn’t a busy week; if anything, a painful week. On Friday my knee was a lot better but I don’t dare getting excited yet. When the knee is continuously better for a week I will start hoping.
Greetje
In addition to my email: Have to admit that I do my shopping without glasses, only use my reading glasses reading papers and magazines.!
Well, the prescription/the strength of your reading glasses can of course change after the implant.
5 years ago I had doublefocus lenses implanted , but I still need reading glasses +1. Only when there is enough light or heavy sunshine I don’t need them. But I know that nowadays there are multifocus lenses. They should be better. Love your blog!
Thanks for your compliment! Always nice to welcome a Dutch reader. Just so everybody can read it, I am replying in English but looking at your name I guess you are Dutch.
My multi-focus contact lenses should arrive this week. I wonder what my brain is going to do.
Even though I’m not a fan of black, black and white, black, white and red, after looking at it twice it grew on me.
The items and the items combined are special enough to make it fun and very you. Well done!
Wow, where does your seamstress live, to have such a garden and walls?! Looks very cool!
Marianne’s house looks colorful and fun too. And indeed, she herself always looks pretty and cheerful.
My seamstress lives right in the centre of town. She is very lucky with her garden.
And I agree about Marianne’s house (and her).
I absolutely love the addition of your black coat to that outfit, Greetje! You look fabulous in it. So cool that you added the chunky white boots too!
Lovely setting for the photos—i’ve always loved walled gardens, I wish I could have one lol!
Big hugs
Suzy xx
That coat turned out to be such a good purchase. Isn’t it a shame you never know this when you buy a piece of clothing? It is like a song; you never know whether it will become a hit.
I agree with your love for walled gardens.
I hope you make it to Paris. When we were in our 60s, my husband and I rented an apartment in Avignon for 6 weeks one spring. Three years later we did the same thing for 3 weeks in autumn in Aix en Provence. It’s a great way to get to know a place and practise your French (no cows in the garden in either place, though).
It is a luxury to be able to stay in a place for such a long time. In the beginning we wanted to rent out our own house to pay for the costs but we don’t like the idea. We do want a house sitter though.
I was thinking to myself “Do I still know the French word for ‘knees’ and by jolly, I did: genoux. Turned out I could name a lot of body parts. It is still lingering in my brain. But whether I will ever be able to start a conversation….
I like this jacket, it is original and elegant. I love your pants and the red touches of the look, red always looks good with black. Brooch and earrings are very nice. I also hesitate to name the jackets according to their length. I love these landscaped patios, it is a beautiful way to live. I love your pleated skirt, as you already know, it is the feminine garment that I like the most. I hope your knee is fine already.
It is my standard trick to add the colour red to a black and white outfit. Such an easy trick. Yellow works as well.
My fellow bloggers taught me that the jacket should be called a topper. You live and learn.
I love that the garden isn’t an organised, straight garden but a personal and wild garden. It adds personality.
My pleated skirts are staples in my wardrobe. Such easy pieces. My knee is improving but no, it isn’t fine yet.
I do love a splash of red on black and white. Love your jacket, especially with the MLC bag (plus the red pot in the background in the 2nd photo that complements your accessories). Your mum looks super cool in jeans and the stripe top and Marianne always looks amazing, esp. with her cheeky smile! Have a great week.
Kitty spotted the red pot in the background and directed me in front of it. She has a good eye for these things.
I will tell Marianne she has a cheeky smile; she’ll like that.
chic ensemble, looks like it just happened, it flows. I like the accoutrement, looks rather Germanic, but it works. Mom glows in her blue top.
Sorry about the knee, if it’s an arthritis bout, anti inflammatories like ibuprofen work. Also ice followed by heat.
I’m fluent in French and it started with “sur le pont d’Avignon, on y dance, on y dance……!!
You keep surprising me…fluent in French! Not many people outside France are. I know the song “sur le pont d’Avignon, on y danse” haha. “Tous en rond”.
Mum is getting better at posing.
The knee isn’t arthritis but arthrosis. Still, when the pain flares up, I get a similar medicine as ibuprofen to prevent inflammatories. I just finished the ten days.
At first I was afraid that a brooch and the earrings would be too much, but looking in the mirror I thought it was fine.
I agree with others who have already said that a blazer is more like a man’s dress jacket with a collar and lapels. I love the black and white look with little splashes of red. It looks great on you.
I have been using Duolingo to learn Spanish in hopes that next time we visit our friends who live in Mexico (whenever that might be) I’ll be able to use the language. Being originally from the US, they are fluent in English, but not many in their town are.
I do hope that your knee is feeling better soon!
Adding red to black and white is my usual trick and it never fails. Bright yellow is another good colour to add.
How are you doing with your Spanish? And for how long are you practising? I try doing it an hour a day.
I am glad I had French for 5 years as a major discipline at high school. And still I cannot strike up a conversation. I never used it in conversation.
My knee is improving but certainly not there yet where it is supposed to be.
I’ve been working on Spanish for a couple of years now. I try to do a bit each day, but not a whole hour. My vocabulary is growing, but I don’t think I’m ready for a conversation yet. I studied 5 years of French and a bit of German in high school, but that was many, many years ago and we have little opportunity to practice foreign languages in western Canada, so those languages are very rusty.
My French lessons are from 50 years ago, I just realized. Pfff.
Bonjour Greetje !
J’étudie le français aussi. J’ai étudié depuis trois ans. J’assiste une école de langues pour des adultes dans ma ville (Kansas City, Missouri, les États Unis). À cause de Covid, maintenant, le cours de français est sur Zoom. C’est difficile de pratiquer le français quand vous n’avez pas d’ami à qui parler. Je peux parler français avec vous via Zoom, si vous voulez. Je parle français aux autres étudiants via Zoom. C’est amusant !
Bonne journée !
Laurie
Kansas City Missouri, United States
PS J’adore votre tenue avec le “topper.”
Oh flip…now I have to reply in French.
Merci beaucoup pour votre compliment au sujet de mon “topper”. Maintenant c’est trop difficile pour moi de parler francais avec vous, mais je suis heureux avec ton offre.
Had to look up three words…And I know there should be an accent on ‘tres’ but my keyboard doesn’t let me do that. Pffff..
That is a lovely jacket – to me, blazers are more like menswear, with lapels. I do agree with Susan that I’d also call this a topper. I love the reverse pattern on the inside.
Sorry to hear you’re on lockdown again, but I’m glad you were able to make it out to see your mum, Greetje. She looks lovely in her blouse.
I hope your headache stays away! Have a good week.
On the good side of things: the knee is improving (although not really there yet) and the headache and cold are gone. Yay.
Lockdown is a bore. And thanks to you and Susan, I now know it is a topper.
How exciting to hear of your France plans! You’ll have to come down south for a visit and let s show you around!
Hahaha, you make it sound like your place is just around the corner of Paris. Remember, we are Dutch and we can drive from north to south in our country in 4 to 5 hours. Besides, we are planning on not bringing the car. Cars are never handy in a big city. We still have two big hurdles to overcome: knee and Covid.
I was thinking train – a mere 3 hours on the TGV!
Ahh.. I see what you mean. I am not sure whether I can convince Ron to do that, but I think it is a nice idea. If we do come, I will let you know well in advance.
Love your black and white outfits with the red accents – chic and lively! Also your mom is looking very Mona Lisa-ish in her photo.
Have a good week and hope you continue feeling better.
Mona Lisa-ish…you are so right. Very sereen with a bit of mystery.
Glad you like my outfit. My knee is still pretty all right but it’s early days yet.
Love the jacket and the dot pattern! To me the difference between a blazer and a jacket is the shape…a blazer being more like a suit jacket with lapels. I’d almost call this one a “topper” because of the length.
It was great chatting with you, let’s do again soon!
Thanks for the explanation on blazer and jacket. Never heard of a ‘topper’ before.
Yes, let’s chat again next week.
You always have such interesting accessories. I love the red brooch and earring with your gorgeous jacket. Please tell Marianne how much I admire her style. She always looks so chic. And, of course, I enjoy seeing all the photos of your mother. Hope your knee soon gives you a pain-free week.
Your comment on your French program reminds me of the first sentence I learned in my high school French: “La plume de ma tante est sur la table.” Such a useful sentence to remember!!!
Accessories are to me like anything shiny is to a magpie. When I bought something in the shop of Essentiel Antwerp, I said to the sales lady that I liked the brooches on their sweaters so much and wished they would sell them separately. She reached down and came up with this brooch saying: “It is your lucky day. Yesterday a lady bought one of those sweaters but hated the brooch. Here you are, you can have it for free”. (YAY)
Since two days my knee is better, but it is still early days.
My first English sentences were: “Splash, goes the water. A fish, cries the boy, as he sits on the stump of a beach tree.” Also very useful haha.