Slim Pickings At The Boot Sale Lately

 Found this little wrought iron table / plant stand yesterday. I have a number of these in different sizes and shapes - they come in very handy when dressing sets like the one below. A greens-person brought all of the plants, but I had to supply pots, stands and furniture.
 

These Boots Are Made For Walkin' & Other Lessons In Love

 I'm not the record shopper in the family, but I couldn't resist this beaut. Pressed in Johannesburg, 1966. In very good nick. And only fifteen bucks! From the back of the sleeve: "How should I sing this?"

"Like a 16 year old girl who's been dating a 40 year old man, but it's all over now." A mouth made for lollipops or kisses, stingers or melting smiles. Produced by my all-time favourite cowboy - Lee Hazlewood.

Here There Be Monsters

  The boot sale was lovely this morning - sea breezy with big puddles of water reflecting scudding clouds. Had my usual long natter with Ernie on the way out. He didn't trade last week, but walked past as I was discussing The Curtain with my friend. So he says to me: "Lordy! You didn't buy that thing, did you? HIDEOUS!"
Then we had a giggle about some of the more eccentric antique dealers in town - one of them being Hans Niehaus in Claremont. I often stop by to pet his three-legged cat who acts like a lovelorn teen. The shop is full of beautiful things, nothing has a marked price, everything is very dusty.
We paid a visit to Dr Lin yesterday - this is mostly the result of my poor darling carrying a 15kg camera on his shoulders for days on end. The weight of a child, but not yielding in any way.  Neither of us have been near the needles before, so I asked if I could observe. Thinner than a human hair, twenty-two needles were inserted - some of them going in a good two inches. I found myself standing with my hand clasped over my mouth (so as not to scream?). I made copious notes - a lot more to write about sometime soon.
I received an e-mail from Europe the other day, asking why I don't have links to all of the people and places I talk about. Well, this is the simple answer: I'm not being secretive - these people just don't have websites or in some cases, computers. Some of them don't even have cellphones or know how to send a text message. Remember - we are in deepest, darkest Africa, where wild animals roam the streets by night. Please don't be discouraged from visiting, though - most of our huts are on stilts.

The First Days Of Autumn

The nights are getting crisp and cold, today we had the first showers of drenching rain. I've just finished a stressful and very tiresome job, leaving me feeling disillusioned with the industry and the people. The time has come to dig out the patchwork quilt I started sewing last winter.
 

 This is my nest. Here I do all of my sewing & writing. Looking forward to it.

Not A Skirt

 Nazeem had some fantastic fabrics yesterday at the boot sale. I was down on my knees, admiring this 70's curtain, when a friend walked by. "Horrendous!" she said. And we agreed how wonderful that was about the world. It reminds me of my parents' mod bedroom when I was a tot. It reminds her of the worst decade of her life - being a teenager. Anyway, I brought it home and not sure what I'll do with it. Maybe some cushion covers.

Tomatolings

 I planted them too late, but it was still worth it, just for the smell of those furry leaves and the first, juicy-juicy ripe cherry. The rest of my life sometimes feels like one long locations recce. I get to see interesting places, but I don't get to make the bed in the morning or cook a proper meal. We went to the indoor rock climbing place in Observatory yesterday. I never even knew it was there.
 

 Oh, they have the best rope I've ever seen. Not cheap, but beautiful colours and weaves.