What a result in the cricket I was absorbed all week in the ups and downs of England in The Ashes. Keeping cool under the pressure of watching required more than one glass of wine but I managed to enjoy it, possibly!?!
Later in the week I went to Petersham Nurseries in Richmond on a mission to see if it was as good as everyone says, see our previous review. I have to say the food and service were excellent but although it’s flat access be warned it is rough ground as you’re basically sitting in the middle of a plant nursery, in a field. We had 2 starters each for lunch and this was more than enough food. The pea risotto was delicious and the almond tart was home made and a great combination with cherries. There is disabled parking and a ‘quasi’ disabled toilet i.e. there’s plenty of room but only one grab rail and a low level WC, (Quasi khasi .. Ha!). Why not just add some simple grab rails and at least give us a chance at being able to use it? However the location is really lovely as you sit amongst some beautiful plants and a water feature. If you like gardening and good food it’s a delight. They get an audited 2.5 BBS Ticks.
If you’re like me I love the sun but have a problem regulating my body heat and can feel quite uncomfortable. The common solution is to wear a cool vest but they look like combat uniforms. We did a review 18 months ago about a designer vest by Coolture, seems a reasonable alternative but still not sure if you can buy in the UK. So I’m sticking with a fan and a wet towel on my neck and only going to air conditioned places.
Another problem in extreme heat is swollen feet and ankles , again in a previous review I recommended acupuncture and MLD (Manual Lymphatic Drainage). Both work for a while and I generally go shoe-less in the summer. However, sometimes you have to wear them but I still can’t find any fashionable wide fitting shoes. I always go for leather or suede and ballet flats, anything else is difficult to wear and impossible to find. Here’s a selection of what I found on-line:
New Look for cheaper high street wide fittings. Emotion, ‘fashion made wider’ but not that up to date. Duo are more fashionable and their boots look great for winter. The Natural Shoe Store (soz now ceased trading 2019) have a comfortable look but a bit too natural/’right on’ for me.
I think I’ll stick to painting my toes with my latest favourite colour Nice is Nice from Essie. After all manicured nails are the ultimate fashion accessory, that’s my belief and I only have to fool myself – swollen feet, what swollen feet!!
