A while back both Marjolein and I bought the same brown jumper while bumping into Marlies, a reader of my blog who recognised us. I styled it straight away and saw that this outfit made me look quite slender.
So (drumroll), I present you my black flared trousers with a brown jumper.

In the old days the combination of brown with black was a no-go. Just like green with blue. These days those rules have gone out of the window.

Marjolein came to Haarlem as I didn’t have enough free hours in the day to travel with all the dog walking. She wore the same jumper, allowing you to see two ways of styling. I added my oversized pink brooch and wore my leopard skin boots.

Below: Marjolein wearing the same jumper with jeans (that fly is designed to be diagonal). She added a blue and white striped shirt and bronze boots. I immediately fell in love with this combination and especially with the innovative way she pinned her brooch.

Below: What a lovely idea to pin the brooch like that. I am so going to copy that.

Below: I wore my grey kimono-type coat and added a colourful scarf from my late mother’s stash.

Below: The black leather gloves with the golden embellishment. Bought in the same Paris shop as the famous “Paris necklace“.

Below: As Marjolein was taking photos, the camera’s focus point refused to direct to my face. So, I suggested I would bend and put my face in the frame haha.

Below: Simple long golden earrings by Lara Design as the brooch draws enough attention.

Below: From the back I am really skinny and it appears I have a tiny waist. All optical illusions dears.

Below: We passed some magnificent buildings. Hard to photograph as the streets are narrow and you cannot get enough distance.

Below: This is part of a restaurant window, which used to be a department store. They kept the letters and the stained glass.

Below: Across from the restaurant we saw this door with all the ornaments.

Below: On the corner of the restaurant, we took some photos and Marjolein said that the camera’s focus point kept aiming for my bosom instead of my head. I cannot remember what I said as I laid my hand there but it must have been something like “I can imagine, as it is the closest point to the camera” haha.

Below: I wasn’t the only one goofing. I asked Marjolein to do something which she pretended not to hear as she said “Can’t hear you, my ears are broken”.

Below: Sitting pose.

Below: Close-up of my leopard boots by EIJK shoes.

Below: Another cute door. It is the back entrance of an almshouse courtyard called “In den Groenen Tuyn“. If you scroll down a bit in this post, you will see the courtyard in summer. The admission rules weren’t very charitable.

Below: We continued through the shopping streets.

Below: We rather liked the front of this shop.

Below: Marjolein tried this hat but she didn’t buy it.

Below: That flower matched my brooch (almost). The bag is my trusted Wandler bag. It was rather an investment but it is paying off nicely. I can use it often and it takes an outfit up a notch.

Below: This is a wonky, lopsided house in Haarlem. It is leaning to the left with a dent in the middle.

Below: A few doors down there is another building with a stepped gable, looking a lot better.

It was a fun day with lots of chatting, very little shopping and enjoying a day with sunshine and no rain.

What happened in my life this week

A few revelations, that’s what happened this week.

The dog walking is still going strong and has even been increased as our neighbours who often (nearly every day) took dog Watson to the park together with their own dogs, are on holiday for a week. So, two shifts of an hour for me instead of one.

On Sunday I had a bad day. It started to snow at the end of the afternoon as I took Watson for his second big walk. At first it wasn’t too bad but when the snow got really heavy, I decided to call it a day and head back to the car. AND I COULDN’T FIND THE CAR. This park was new to me, all trees looked alike and with the snow they looked even more alike. I walked around for half an hour, frantically trying to get my bearings with Google Maps on my phone. No gloves on (they were wet anyway), freezing. I felt a little panic which is silly really, as I am not living in a jungle, now am I? Finally, I found the car.
Revelation 1. It was sooo nice to be able to step into a warm house, roof over your head and comfort at your feet. I thought about people without a home, people in war situations and felt so deeply for them.

Below: This is a photo in full colour…It doesn’t look like heavy snow, but there was a lot of wind, making it icy cold.

Then again there have been many days without rain and sometimes even with a bit of sunshine which makes dog walking quite agreeable. And while Watson is digging for mice, I can practise my pelvic floor exercises. I had stopped doing them three years ago and that was a bad idea. Really bad.
I have only started doing them again for a couple of weeks and already there is a result. Which means I have to do them for the rest of my life. Well, if that is what it takes, then that is what it takes.

Below: Snowdrops in the park. Spring is on its way. I cannot wait.

Below: But it is wet enough for the fungus to grow as well.

Below: And this is what I looked like on Monday when dog walking. The gardeners had come early in the morning so I was rushed and forgot to put make-up on. Talking about reality haha.
As the garden is only small, it only took them a morning to prune and clip everything.

Walking around all day in old clothes to take the dog out, hair looking like rope, makes me feel ugly. I now realise what grooming does to one’s mind. At least, to my mind. It makes me feel so much happier.

Revelation 2: We are very lucky with our neighbours in the street. Since Ron broke his wrist, we got a bunch of flowers, a full meal, served on plates, including wine and dessert, once a dish with vegan lasagna, then another dish with lasagna, a ‘survival box’ with goodies and a lot of help offered anyway. And of course, the dog walking neighbours. We are not ever going to move I think.
Having a street party every year is a great way for people to know one another. And apparently also to care.

I had one terrific day last week and that was the Saturday. I went to the town of Alkmaar with Sabine and Anke; together we are the Shopping Saturday group. It was wonderful weather and we were IN THE MOOD. Which means I have quite a credit card bill. We all did very well. You will see the day next week and the outfits some other day.

And another fun day was Sunday when daughter Nicky and granddaughter Zoë came to visit poor granddad. Son in law Randolf and granddaughter Evy had to stay at home as Evy had a bad case of chicken-pox. She is doing much better now.

Below: Zoë brought her doctor bag and is making grandpa better again.

Another funny granddaughter thing is that Zoë tells her parents with everything that gets broken “Grandma can fix this” haha.

Below: Two examples of things grandma had to fix. Miffy’s foot wasn’t a problem but the other thing…

So all in all, a tiring week but a good one. Ron is giving me compliments every day, even about my cooking. He said “I take back everything I have said in the past about your cooking”. He was always teasing me that I cannot cook. Victory. He is healing well, so just a few more weeks and we can go back to normal.

Greetje