Spring Monday...

Over the weekend, we had this freak summer weather; for April this is unheard of. We went to the beach hut and marvelled that the Great British Public (GBP) had seized the day and hit the beach. People who had clearly woken up well inland had trekked to the coast with high hopes of a sunny beach day; and they got it! The GBP are...it's almost palpable in every news bulletin mention...getting ready for the flurry of bank holidays over Easter, and specifically the Royal Wedding (RW). Now, I am all for Will and Kate but there is a degree of RW fatigue growing in me. However I am shushing it away being patriotic and will concentrate on celebrating the big day with bunting and union jack flags and friends to watch it on the big TV. This is where the GBP come into their own.

via belle maison styled by Selina Lake

Something about the new season of Spring has inspired me. I want to shake things up after winter. I am feeling sluggish and have a covering of winter weight on me. I have got some of my summer clothes out from last year and they feel tight and constricting, so this means I need to loose some weight. Those who know me will despair at this prospect as I am, in the minds of most, pretty slim. I am; I agree and I am really lucky for that fact. But being slim does not mean being fit and healthy, nor does it mean that my old clothes will fit me again! I have invested too much in that wardrobe to let it go to a few pounds. So today I start a Spring detox...

I am spending a disproportionate amount of time worrying about the fact that my hair is going grey. A resounding OMG! It seems that in the last few months something has shifted a gear in the aging process and as a result I have greys coming through at an alarming rate. Something about this shocks me (I bet Kate Middleton doesn't have this problem) despite the fact that it's common to almost all my friends. So, I am gonna have to do something. I need to take charge. Hairdresser is booked; it's time to get those greys tamed.

Styled by Selina Lake

I just want to be the best version of myself. The older I get the more upkeep required; that bloom of youth isn't quite so natural anymore. But it's OK; I have decided in my infinite wisdom that I have infact grown into myself, so I embrace this...honestly, I do!

Things of beauty...

The week in which I got my groove back. This week turned out not as I expected. Sometimes when I look ahead, in the knowledge that I have a whole lot of unplanned time with the Boos, I must admit I mildly panic wondering what am I going to do to keep them entertained? I then i) feel ashamed at this reaction and ii) try to justify the fact that children should not need 24/7 'entertainment' and then iii) opt for the great outdoors as the ultimate remedy. This week it all worked out. The unexpected presence of their Daddy helped; sometimes he doesn't have to work quite so hard. The fact that we are going skiing next week also helped; that pursuit represents the great outdoors in dramatic measures. Next to beach air, mountain air has got to rate pretty highly.

We return to the same French town each year to ski en famille. There is now a tried and tested route that we take and part of the charm is that the children want to retrace their footsteps and have the chance to redo what they did last year. We always say 'shall we go somewhere different?' and they say 'No! It's tradition!'. You can't mess with tradition...

So I will be seeing you, I will drop in at some point and test out the Lou-on-the-road blogging capability! Au revoir...

via everything fabulous

I have a soft spot for Ryan Reynolds...

via older men are the sex  (well, my sentiments exactly)

via the constantly lovely Sarah Klassen's Haute Design

via fabrik of life

If only this weren't quite so close to the truth...

Love the bag, love the boots, love the coat.

via The Sartorialist

It's not often that a product changes my world; but this 'dirty secret' has...and truly enables a hair-do like this...

Victoria Beckham Autumn/Winter 2011 dress collection...who'd have thought?

 It's all about the dress for me...

via sunday in bed

by Jamie Beck

See you very soon...

Happy weekend!

Today I think...

Somehow, and it only happens every now and then, things are coming together for me from an appearance perspective! The ill-fated fringe (bangs) has finally grown out. I notice how many women dabble with this 'shall I/shan't I?' dance between fringe and no fringe. I have dabbled for years and I am here to say: I am so over it now. Don't let me do it again. Takes an age to grow out. Plus after the ravages of summer blonde, my hair has now calmed to a more pleasing brunette. I used to get described as a 'willowy brunette' by a certain someone. Let's just say he prefers me that way.

...think this is just an awesome picture...she is so beautiful...

I am running a few times a week and the benefits are just untold. I know I preach about the running - not the competing, not as an exercise fanatic, just as a nice, chilled thing to do. I run around the lanes where I grew up, at the moment stepping over conkers and fallen leaves. Just half an hour of time out...I love it.

Today sporting a new top from Jigsaw. May I just say I love Jigsaw? It never fails. My market town perked up a whole lot the day Jigsaw opened...and my bank balance declined. Hmmm. So the cardigan has an integral scarf in it. I love stuff like that. I love when you put something on and get that feeling of 'I LIKE THIS!'. God bless shopping.

Jigsaw Autumn season...

This weekend I have a day with one of my best friends - she lives abroad and I can honestly say her visits keep me kinda sane. I am storing up all my neurosis for her to calm, soothe, rationalise and remix. Counting down...

...it's all about the shoes...

Hey blondie...

My hair is steadily going blonder as the summer presses on. I used to be a brunette, but more and more blonde was required as the battle I wage against rogue grey hairs gained some ground. It started as a few highlights. Now they have blended and I am almost totally honey blonde. I did try once to revert to my original darker colour, but quickly relented; the shock was too much! I needed the streaks...

I do wonder what the magical qualities of blonde are; it's so much more forgiving on the skin dahhhling.

It must be the Scandinavian in me, but I do have this thing for blonde hair. The entirely natural kind, not strawberry blonde with a helping hand, not mousey gone lighter, but the real icy blonde.

Claudia Schiffer

Marilyn Monroe

Cameron Diaz

Kate Bosworth

Friendly visit...

As if in answer to my pleas I have now spent two weekends with old friends! This weekend my best friend E visited with her most adorable and cutie-pie two year old daughter. I am again eternally grateful for my oldest of friends and this one; well she has been there every step of the way for me.

via are so happy

We went to the beach and walked in the dunes; she is land-locked where she lives so this was a treat! We came home with sandy toes and that fresh-from-the-sea feeling of air in our lungs. Once the children settled we had our talk-time, trying to fit in every topic we could; hairstyles, politics, clothes, travel, motherhood, high finance, health and a smattering of reminiscence.

E had to leave this morning; her parting gesture: french plaits in Boo's hair (which I just can't do). Forever grateful I am, for those kindred spirit friends I have...they keep me delightfully sane :-)

Things of beauty...

Friday again; like tick follows tock! Each week still brings some self discovery. This week I have learned that I need to work out why I am running a hundred miles an hour all of the time. We have a weekend planned of not very much, which is ideal. I will force myself to sit still. I will write a long list of stuff I need to get done and stop stressing about the fact that I haven't done it yet.

In the words of E.E Cummings...'here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud and the sky of the sky of a tree called life,' and for me it is this: stop and appreciate what's going on around me.

American Vogue...wonderful plait. Isn't it great how in magazines this dishevelled look is 'fashion' whereas if I sported this look in real life people would think 'electric shock?', 'lost her hairbrush?', 'in need of some conditioner?'...

A bunch of dahlias...and a great tablecloth.

via it's mary ruffle

'Sunbeams' by Danish artist Vilhelm Hammershøi painted in 1900

This is a poppy from my garden...really, honestly it does not look real; my son had to touch the petals to convince himself it was. They come year after year no matter what and I adore them. They only last a day or two...less if it rains.

This shot is from The Sartorialist and I think she is just too cool for school. The hair, the glasses, the lace detailing, the jacket, the lips, the starbucks! Great picture. She oozes cool.

May I say...Jake Gyllenhaal...completely floored me with his loveliness when I saw him interviewed recently on Jonathan Ross. Such a nice chap. And those eyes...wow.

Utterly decadent...my new friend at Dustjacket Attic featured this wonderful ball scene...

An Agrigento platinum cuff...

My latest chair crush...the Eames rocker. So many chairs, not enough room in my house...

An Elie Saab collection on the catwalk...I love how this picture literally looks like a colour chart of paints ranging from blue to pink to green to yellow. Beaded, frothy, lovely.

Natalie Portman...up close...

Whitewashed and clean...

via are so happy

When I see prettiness like this dress it makes me think of Simone at The Bottom of the Ironing Basket, who is this week running a fantabulous 1st blog birthday giveaway extravaganza. Seriously. It's an epic daily marathon of chances to win yummy stuff...ends today!

Love this little jacket...Happy Friday!

Personally, I blame Zooey Deschanel...

It all started when watching '500 Days of Summer' a while back, when I decided that Zooey Deschanel had cool hair. She had a proper fringe (or 'bangs' if we consider she is American). That was months ago and yesterday I went to the hairdresser and had the very same proper fringe cut into my hair. I sported this look in my 20's...so I now have that rather freakish sensation of having 20something hair and a 30something face...hmmm

So the verdict on the Zooey do - female responses have been good. I personally am liking it. My husband however, as arguably the most important male contingent thinks its quite a 'severe look'. Double hmmmm.

Will now dwell on some Zooey pictures and try to decide if I did the right thing...afterall what does he know?!