My Vintage Past

Place of Birth; Jeddah Saudi Arabia

 Now available on Amazon!

A wander through my life, touching on travels in the sixties, marriage and my move to Saudi Arabia. Travels in Arabia Deserta with an unscheduled stop at a Saudi border town! Musings on life in the seventies and last, but not least, the birth of my first son, in Jeddah.

Over the years I have written about events in my life, and I started assembling them into a manuscript during lockdown, after finding an old notebook that I had forgotten about, something I had written on my arrival in Saudi Arabia, a new bride, in 1973.

Our trips into the desert and holidays in the sixties, contrast starkly with going 'travelling’ today, our children are guided by sat navs and have the world at their fingertips on a mobile phone. We drove into the desert with maps, a compass and sometimes only the stars to guide us. I find it hard to believe that the places we struggled to visit are now accessible by motorways and there are helicopter trips to Madain Saleh!

I was and still am the least intrepid of travellers and like to think there is humour in my tale!

From running down a street in Beirut, after curfew; an arrest on the Saudi border, to an unscheduled picnic on a beach, as the King of Jordan sailed by.

I have read a lot during my life, something that I have reflected on here, together with films, music, television and attitudes of the time.

I have called it ‘Place of Birth, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia’ because it starts at the beginning of my pregnancy and ends with the birth of my first son, as some might say, including me, saving the worst until last!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Place-Birth-Jeddah-Saudi-Arabia-ebook/dp/B0B47LVZRB/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3ABRO6YYIBN35&keywords=place+of+birth+saudi&qid=1655635276&sprefix=place+of+birth+saudi%2Caps%2C821&sr=8-1

Selling my Past

RADLEY London - Size 3 - circa mid to late sixties

Black wool fabric mini with red top stitching and applique flower motif.

Back metal zip, hook and eye at top.

SOLD

VERA MONT

Long chiffon and taffeta Vera Mont dress, made in Germany, late seventies/ early eighties.

SOLD

1970s Long maxi dress M&S

The style is very similar to the Louis Vuitton black dress in the magazine clip, one of the images, that I saved after spotting it years ago.

SOLD

1970s Maxi dress

SOLD

1970s Empire Line Dress - Flowered (Poppies?) Peach Brown and Cream print.

Voluminous frilled sleeves and a frill around the bottom of the skirt.

10/12

The width across the empire line seam is 38cm.

Back metal zip with hook and eye fastening at the top, the loop needs restitching.

SOLD

Aristos Ariella Fashions Ltd Vintage 1970s Dress Black Gold Red Size 10

SOLD

Simple Pleasures

 

A walk along a sandy beach is what I long for most.

I haven't seen the sea for years,

Or felt soft sand between my toes.

I crave the fresh and salty air,

To escape the daily grind.

Time to reflect, time to recharge,

Regain my peace of mind.

As the sun goes down, away from the gulls!

I'll eat Rick's fish and chips,

Simple food and simple pleasures,

Washed down with an Aperol spritz!

Prime Ministers and Presidents - Boris and Donald

I-I-I-I-I-I-I m-make buses, out of wine crates!

Meet our new Prime Minister
#Boris Johnson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLcCZjDoWTQ

Chris Moyles shared his hot tub... I thought he looked lonely!

“My name is Borimandias, king of kings: Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!” #BorisJohnson

"The toad beneath the harrow knows Exactly where each tooth point goes" #Brexit #Boris

Jacob Trees Frog

Boris Johnson says the situation will get worse before it gets better!

The Prime Minister addresses the Nation

#Boris Johnson

What is or is not offensive, that is the question?

There has been much discussion recently about what is or is not offensive, and the conclusion is that it is subjective and impossible to regulate.

This card offended me…

…I think it is like putting a serial killer next to one of their victims, I’m not going to suggest names as that would be offensive to the victims and their families.

And what are Winter Wishes?

To me it just looks like this evil cat is eyeing up its prey!


I'm not much of a blogger...

...with my sporadic and sCATterlogical posts!

So how about this interesting read about the Skripal case!

I'm not one for conspiracy theories this is the most sensible version of events I have read so far!

My first concern, when it happened, was how quickly the government were to lay blame BEFORE they had conducted an investigation!

This article appears to be factual and lists all of the contradictions in the timelines in the press and police accounts.

I always thought applying poison to a door knob sounded farcical and from this account I agree it is much more likely he/they were poisoned in the pub where they had a drink AFTER eating in Zizis!

https://t.co/o95pUtHoYi

A Life in Pictures