A seaside stroll in the sunshine


Hello from sunny Tresco!

Today is all about the beautiful island of Tresco and specifically this beach, called Appletree Bay. Steve and I took ourselves out for an early morning stroll along the shoreline to capture some pretty outdoors shots away from the village. This beach is only a five minute cycle or a 20 minute walk from home. On a very big spring tide, this beach dries out completely, joining up with a central sandbar which stretches all the way to the island of Bryher behind me. This is where the Low Tide event is staged - see my post from last year about this here.




My weekend outfit is a mix of pre-loved and newish pieces. My sister Dianne kindly sent me these cropped trousers last year and this is the first time I've worn them. I have posh shoes and a smart jacket that would also look great together, but opted for this relaxed look instead. When I get back to work I'll feature the other option.




The sheer striped top was a second hand buy (brand is M&S) and underneath is a vest top from Topshop (again pre-loved). My mind wandered off then, to consider my preference for pre-loved clothes which supports my passion for recycling and reducing waste. I wonder if UK clothes retailers will rein in their production over the forthcoming months? Or will the hunger for all things new still be present in our consumers? Will these long weeks at home have shaped the consumerism of the future? The big question of "Do I really need this?" might be easier to answer now that we've managed without so much recently. 




My wedge sandals are by Guess and came from TK Maxx last year. Both of my rings are pre-loved. 




The sunglasses of the day are my old faithfuls by Quay Australia.








The turquoise and silver anklet was from Accessorize last year.



A sense of peace is probably the most obvious thing we locals have all noticed over the past weeks of lock-down. With no vapour trails overhead and scarcely a boat to break the silence, we have all been gifted this time to bask in the idyll of island life. We've been blessed with beautiful weather too, enabling us to make the most of our surroundings without seeing a soul. We seem far removed from the reality of Covid-19 and yet we know how fragile and vulnerable our island communities are to the very real threat of the invisible warrior. Social distancing is practiced here as everywhere and our shop operates as those on the mainland do with ours only allowing 4 shoppers at a time. Once freedom of movement resumes we're all aware that our stress levels will rise as we have visitors and workers return from the mainland and we too will experience the kind of anxieties that have become the norm elsewhere. For the moment we are savouring the calm before the storm.




I'll be back on Friday with my latest feature of Dress Up Friday - do pop by if you've got a minute!

                                                                           Anna x

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Come join me by the pool!


Hi and how are you? How's your weekend going? This is my third day in off in a row which is a lovely treat. Polly has returned from Tobago and no, I'm not in the least bit jealous! The two weeks away have done her the power of good and she's still very chilled out, not to mention sporting a super golden tan. It's great to have her healthy vibe about the place.


My outfit of the day is a mix of old and new, mostly from the high street. I threw this together when my friend Rachel said she'd step in as photographer of the day. Plan A had been for Steve and I to head off-island to capture that desert island feel for a summer dress I have lined up, but he's having a boys weekend on the mainland which came about at the last minute. The weather here is suddenly looking like summer and I'm only slightly annoyed at missing the chance of the boat trip, but I know it'll come around again.


These cute little beach huts are mini changing rooms for the swimming pool that's just across the way from Rachel's house. With a swimming pool on one side and the beach on the other she's so well placed for her end of day downtime too. Much as we live on this paradise island, we still have the same work stresses as everyone else and it's good that she remembers to find some time to unwind at the end of the day. Rachel and I both attended the Mindfulness Retreat on Tresco last year and its health benefits have remained with us. My time to chill seems to be during my morning swim which has the same meditative effect as stopping and staring at the view with a lovely mug of tea, as Rachel does.


So, what about the outfit? The jacket was a TK Maxx find in Manchester last summer, the brand is Anja Rock. Trousers are River Island, sandals are by Dune, tee shirt is from Topshop, jewellery is all charity shopped and the straw handbag was a present from my friend Suzie in New Zealand. 


I have to mention that the trousers have that half elastic back which makes for a great snug fit. I'm not sure if it's because I'm shopping more on the high street that I have quite a few pairs of these now or could it be that I'm still carrying that bit of extra weight around my middle that has me drawn to this easy fit style. I'd like to blame my thickening waist (and back fat) on my age and a slowing metabolism, but I fancy that I'm probably eating too much and am just not active enough. I beetle about, dodging up and down the stairs at work all day long, but I finally admitted defeat this week and have joined the gym. I think I need some weight bearing exercise and will be reviewing my week to see if I can fit in some walking too after work or maybe I'll grab an apple and walk during my lunch hour. 


Please don't misunderstand me, I'm not begging for sympathy - it's half a stone for goodness sake! But it's all relative, don't you think? I don't compare myself to others, I just refer to clothes and old photos to see what I used to be. That seems to be the best way for me to keep in touch with what's my best or should I say happiest size. If I'm carrying too much weight it simply gets me down. My clothes don't fit nicely or some of them at all and therefore I know it's time to act. 


When I looked at some of these photos I saw lumps and bumps that I wasn't happy about and so it's my nature to be honest with you and to name and shame myself rather than have my readers see this gradual change and think I don't notice.


The pool was deliciously warm, but not tempting enough for me. Give me a chilly stretch of sea with a brisk onshore wind and the odd bit of wake from a passing boat - that's more my thing!


So this is how Saturday evening at 6pm looks on the island. It's a pretty amazing backdrop looking across the Great Pool from this swimming pool location. The sunbeds were all empty and not a soul was in the water. The island is almost full booked currently which just goes to prove that you can always find a quiet spot when you come to stay. 

Until next time, have a super week!

Anna x

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