On my recycled soap box

I have recently tasked myself with researching sustainable fashion and it turns out it’s the tip of the rapidly melting iceberg.

Working in consumer products it’s all about profit margin. Low cost production means low cost product, it’s all about volume so sell lots of cheap stuff and that’s your business model. Except, things are changing.

We have a generation who aren’t consumers like their parents. They’re more interested in experiences than buying stuff let alone cheap stuff. In order to adapt we have to change our way of thinking.

I’ve been a bit overwhelmed by statistics. Plastics, fish, food, cotton. It’s all a bit buggered and it seems we have to do something.

I was wearing hemp and recycled plastic bottle clothing in the ’99s but it doesn’t seem like we’ve progressed, or perhaps the rest of the world is finally catching on.

And so I stand on my soap box making presentations to the corporate world of how we should be doing more.

Let’s see how that goes.

Neighbourly Drinks

Sunday evening and we’ve been invited next door to meet the other occupants of our section of the Mansions.

We live in a ten flat section of this block of 105 flats. There are eight long term residents who we’ll be meeting in person and who have left welcome cards on our doorstep. So civilised.

It seems most of our neighbours are on the board of directors so it will be best behaviour for us as we try to casually get our kitchen wall demolition approved.

Did I mention our kitchen renovation? More wine anyone?

The 16th most popular dog

Apparently Welsh Terriers are the sixteenth most popular dog in the UK.

Considering that Staffordshire Bull Terriers came in at number one, I really have to wonder who actually voted for this.

One thing I do know is that people who own “Welshies” absolutely adore them but these dogs are complete nutters and are definitely not for everyone!

Two surveyors and more

We are following the rules, going by the book and biting the bullet. We are behaving ourselves and no one has bashed down any walls… well, not really.

This week the second surveyor came to look at our wall.

Surveyor Number Two was appointed by the managing agent and cost us £780. Ouch.

Apparently he was there for about fifteen minutes (I was on my way to the airport) and didn’t see a problem with knocking the wall down. In his opinion, worst case scenario is that we put in a steel and we should have a kitchen.

Let’s hope that was money well spent.

We have several stages still to go through before we get the green light.

There may be another surveyor and there may be solicitors. Whatever happens there’ll be money involved and let’s just say no one will be paying us!

Did I mention how much I like the mini fridge?!

30 hours in Copenhagen

I’ve just spent thirty hours in Copenhagen.

A whirlwind trip full of Scandinavian clothing, homewares and smørebtød, open sandwiches on dark rye bread. The most delicious smoked salmon!

There’s a distinctive aesthetic to the Nordic countries, colour palettes are more muted, more natural, fabrics are more organic and there’s a softness and sweetness to children’s fashion.

As I’m currently researching sustainable fashion, it seemed like a good place to come to attend a children’s tradeshow.

Perhaps thirty hours wasn’t quite long enough as I’ve seen lots of lovely homewares and if I could carry more, I would. Probably a good thing I’m heading home now.

It was also very nice to stay in a hotel and have a non-handicapped bathroom where the lights didn’t go out after five minutes.

How easily pleased I am!

Heading home.

Slaughtered

We spent a lovely day walking in the mist and drizzle of the Cotswolds. From Bourton-on-the-Water to Lower and Upper Slaughter, Lower Swell and on to Stow-on-the Wold.

It was a gorgeous walk with stunning unspoilt villages almost empty of tourists. Lower Slaughter was my favourite with a country inn and a mill.

We ended up in Stow where the weather really set in and we returned by taxi to the sanctuary of our hotel and the lovely hydrotherapy pool.

Bliss.

A weekend in the Cotswolds

We have decamped for the weekend to have a couple of days with a nice bathroom and clean sheets. Lovely!

The Barnsley House Hotel and Spa are providing a very enjoyable respite from our current living conditions which are less than relaxing.

Arriving around lunchtime on Friday we enjoyed a sandwich, a walk around the nearby country house estate and a couple of hours in the spa including a lovely heated outdoor thermal pool, one of my favourite things to do.

Feel the stress decrease!

F***ing Foxes

It turns out it’s literally f***ing foxes as mating season starts in January.

That would explain the screams resounding through the neighbourhood every night unless there are other people trying to get their kitchen plans approved!

 

Flushed

Last night our tiler and bathroom installer came round for a quick chat. Four hours later he left. We have some interesting plumbing including a stopcock in the bathroom ceiling. It’s all feeling a little bit challenging.

In addition to the kitchen plans, I’m cheering myself up by looking at pictures of the bathroom designs we like…

Dream.

Reality.

Design by Committee

It seems our kitchen plan will have to be reviewed by the Board of Directors as it’s deemed structural. Apparently they will have to appoint their own structural engineer to review our plans before any decisions can be made.

This is not the best news and is sounding more and more expensive. Perhaps a bedroom in the kitchen isn’t such a bad idea after all! It would be handy for making coffee.

To try and remain optimistic I’ll be looking at the kitchen plans which just came in…

We can dream!

Reality.