a birthday outing

For my birthday the other week, we decided to head off to the quirky part of town, where the artists and galleries, vintage stores and independent coffee shops are, for a little bit of buying and a lot of browsing. The day started on a bit of a high, when I rediscovered a forgotten bedspread (it looks vintage but is actually TK Maxx’s finest – I love that it’s double sided and is covered in my favourite colour of the moment, mustard yellow).

After much careful outfit planning (best floral tea dress, big vintage cardigan, battered flat lace-up boots), we were off. The sky was bright blue, and the sun was shining, and it felt like it could almost, almost, be Spring.

We started off with the vintage shops and my favourite gallery, and I came away with quite the haul – a red cardigan with the BEST buttons, a few scarves that will (eventually) end up as cushion covers, some china, a print for the wall and a little toy horse for the Boy.

We wandered up through to the harbour, and enjoyed a long walk by the beach, and explored the towers and hidey-holes. I love old buildings, and always wonder who walked there before – Southsea Castle was famously built by Henry VIII, so I had images of sailors running up and down the steps, desperate to restock the cannons, and looking nervously out to sea.