Simple St Trinian's Costume

As I am back doing costumes again (due to being quarantined) I thought I would share some in case people are looking for some inspiration. Many of them I have done just with things I have around the house and my actual clothes. Yesterday I went for the St Trinian's look:

Costume:

• plain white shirt
• black pinafore dress (this one was from Sainsbury's a couple of year's ago)
• school tie (my son's spare one!)
• two pairs of Snag Tights so that I had colour under my fishnets
• plimsolls from Shoe Zone

 

Hair and make-up:

• bunches and big bow hair clip
• plenty of eye liner and mascara with smoky eye shadow
• red lipstick
• gold hoop earrings

Being healthy - #R2BC

It was lovely to have so many folks joining in last week, it's great you are finding things that make you smile at this time. Please carry on making others smile by joining in!
What do you have to do? Simple:

1. Link up a post about something that is making you happy or grateful. It can be a list, photos or any way you fancy

2. Add the #R2BC badge (at the end of this post) onto your post or blog so that people can easily find the linky and join in too if they want to

3. Share the love. This is the really important bit. Please don't just link and run, comment on at least a couple of posts and why not share with #R2BC too?

I'll stop by all linked up posts to comment and I'll share on social media too. Meanwhile here are my reasons to be cheerful for this week:

1) Daily exercise

We are very lucky to be living in Kendal with so many options for our daily allowed exercise. Walking up our nearest hill certainly lifted my mood:

2) Healthy food

We are both hitting our 5 a day targets on fruit and veg. The warmer weather is making it salad time for lunch too:

3) Return to fitness

After a couple of week's housebound I've loved being back outside running. My speed is picking up again too. Not sure when I will be doing my marathon but I am loving local runs and this week's rainbow theme with a colour a day:

4) Making people smile

I have been going out in all sorts of costumes this week. Its funny how some people react when presented with something like this:

The running fairy does seem to be the most popular one though:

Now it is over to you...

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It's Raining Men - Day 25

As I couldn't sleep in again I got up and tidied the kitchen before setting up for today's big TikTok. This partly involved lowering my life size Jason Momoa from my bedroom window using a skipping rope:

This was so I could shoot an It's raining men video:

@lakessinglemum It’s raining men! ##itsrainingmen ##fyp ##over40 ##mumsoftiktok ##jasonmomoa

♬ It's Raining Men - The Weather Girls

My mission for today was to get my daughter's shopping. I donned a simple outfit but got spotted by a friend who snapped me:

Fairy enough - Days 21 and 22

As I did my reasons to be cheerful post yesterday I decided to combine my corona diaries from 2 days into 1. 

It was my parents turn for their shopping delivery. This time I used the Sainsbury's app to reduce my stress levels and make for the least human contact possible. Delivering to the house is a case of putting everything on the doorstep, ringing the bell and then beating a hasty retreat:

My reward was a chance to give Sherlock a good tummy rub:

I also spent some time sorting out more of the kitchen, making TikToks and doing my jigsaw!

This morning I headed out for my weekly fairy run:

On a really warm morning it was lovely to make so many people smile and hear some children call out "Hello fairy" as I ran down the other bank of the river. Whilst running I managed to capture some footage:

After a couple of TikToks and some laundry I went to check on my daughter and give her a chance to have time with her dog whilst dropping off some supplies:

She and I even managed to film a socially distant TikTok together after I had taught her the moves! All this video making is giving me practice at my make up and allowing me to embrace my grey hair:

Sunshine and sharpening - Day 18

It was a day to don my Victorianesque teacher garb with long skirt and lace up boots:

After more than 2 weeks of social isolation I think it got to me a bit today as I wasn't feeling much motivation. I did rustle up crumpet pizzas with, for me, a cold chicken salad:

My only successful mission was to empty out my school bag and sharpen all the pencils!

Socially Distant Exercise - Day 17

My son wanted to exercise with me today so we needed to choose a local location that had plenty of space. We opted for the old canal trail which borders our street. At first there were quite a few family groups heading in the same direction, but luckily they deviated to a different footpath. This meant we had time to be careful about crossing stiles without using our hands:

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We alternated between walking and running along the old canal and managed to maintain a safe distance from other walkers. It was only after we got back to Hawes Bridge that the number of other people increased:

It was a beautiful spring day and it was such a pleasure to see all the lambs gambolling around the fields:

Today should have been the Manchester Marathon I've been training for since before Christmas. As that is on hold until October I'm just trying to maintain my base fitness. My son is also trying to not lose his race fitness whilst all his clubs and races are suspended:

As we came back into our street I noticed that our community flower bed is looking amazing with all its tulips in full glory:

As I was only going to be getting the laundry in I decided to have a go at emulating Lauren Bacall in a little black dress and pearls:

The Mazzle is starting to come together. I am learning more about the location of the fells in the Central Lake District:

Open All Hours - Day 16

With it being Saturday it was time for my 3rd gardenrun to make up for not being able to do a parkrun. Jason seemed happy to be marshalling again:

I can't seem to get up any pace as its lots of twists and turns! If you are unable to sleep then you can watch my full live video from this morning... A virtual prize for anyone that can tell me how many laps I managed:

Garden run #3
Posted by Lakes Single Mum on Saturday, 4 April 2020

For my outfit of the day I chose to dress like Arkwright from Open All Hours:

Fancy Dress Friday - Day 15

Joe Wicks had asked people to dress up for today's workout so I decided on my fairy outfit:

Turns out that fairy wings aren't great for crunches! However they weren't too bad for running in... I was finally out of quarantine so I decided to head for my favourite local cross country route. On the way I went passed a police van. They stopped and asked if I need sectioning! Then I was asked by an NHS worker to stop for a photo:

It was wonderful to a) be out running in the real world b) to be making people smile with my outfit. I managed to get some video clips of myself out on the old canal:

Feeding the ducks - Day 14

The daily Joe Wicks' session had an added dose of cuteness when his little girl once again joined in the cool down:

My outfit of the day made use of my ex husband's old re-enactment padded jack and helmet:

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I decided to join in with the duck feeding by taking care of our own flock of ducks:

Keep on Smiling #R2BC

 
Thank you so much to everyone who joined in with the relaunched linky last week. It was great to read posts from old friends and new. I hope folks managed to visit everyone else that linked up? Let's keep it up and help to raise some more smiles this week.
What do you have to do? Simple:

1. Link up a post about something that is making you happy or grateful. It can be a list, photos or any way you fancy

2. Add the #R2BC badge (at the end of this post) onto your post or blog so that people can easily find the linky and join in too if they want to

3. Share the love. This is the really important bit. Please don't just link and run, comment on at least a couple of posts and why not share with #R2BC too?

I'll stop by all linked up posts to comment and I'll share on social media too

1) Dressing up

I have been carrying on with the dressing up. Some outfits are definitely more practical than others! Here is a selection from the week:

Any ideas for things I can do with what I have at home are welcome!

2) Uplifting online community

We are so lucky to be on lockdown in a digital world. So many people putting things online to help others. I have been taking part in the Joe Wicks PE workout on each week day. Having a boost of endorphins to start my day really helps:

There are so many other groups and free classes that its possible to be busy all day!

3) Cooking

I am really enjoying all the home cooking and making the best of all the fresh ingredients I have been able to get delivered. 

Home cooking - Day 12

Well this morning I once again joined in with Joe Wicks and he had permission from George Ezra and Dua Lipa to use their music. It meant that not only did we have silly moves but a chance to boogie as well:

View this post on Instagram

Today’s @thebodycoach workout I’m a rabbit/kangaroo #isolation #quarantine #stayhome #pewithjoe

A post shared by Becky Willoughby (@lakessinglemum) on Mar 31, 2020 at 1:49am PDT

For my costume today I decided to try and do something a bit different. So here I am as Frida Kahlo complete with a monobrow:

It turns out that I was very lucky to get an order in with Parsons for a home delivery of essentials as today was the last time they were doing it. Lots of fresh produce for the week ahead:

We're going on a bear hunt - Day 11

After yesterday's exertions I surprised myself by mostly managing the Joe Wick's live workout:

It then took me quite a while to decide what I should dress up as today... Decided on something comfy and practical so went for a Mallory Towers inspired school girl look:

After I'd done some chores and my son had done some school work I turned our last (rather ripe) banana into pancakes for a lunchtime pudding:

Gardenrun and air frying - Day 9

It's hard to maintain normality when the world isn't normal but it's Saturday which means parkrun - though obviously we can't do one of those. So instead I did another gardenrun this time assisted by Jason Momoa:

Here is my full run report:

Today's outfit was lady in need of a hairdresser after 12 weeks of isolation:

It did turn out that I had it on back to front:

Gardening and cooking - Day 8

We are now into the second week of isolation and still surviving! I once again kick started my day with a Joe Wicks live workout (how will we survive without him over the weekend...) which gets you feeling energised. Then I had another successful video tutoring session over zoom. I really think I will be using it when life gets back to "normal".

Today I chose to dress as Professor Sprout, can't think why a neighbour asked if the stress was getting to me:

The Herbology professor seemed a good choice as I decided to tackle the front garden to give it a much needed first mow and a little weeding/trimming session:

Fairy Stuff - Day 7

It almost feels like we are living in a bubble having not been out for a week. Things in the outside world have turned upside down but we are mostly shielded as we haven't been out. I can't do much to help except by trying to keep everyones's spirits up and give ideas for how to keep sane whilst staying home to stay safe.

I kick started my day with Joe Wicks to help keep fit. It turned out to be extra mood lifting as not only did he accidentally punch himself in the jaw but his daughter toddled in and helped him with the cool down:

All of these sunny days have meant that a rare phenomenon has occurred and the bottom of my laundry basket has made an appearance:

Today's outfit turned me into a fairy:

Reasons to be Cheerful: Return of linky #R2BC

 
I don't think we have ever needed to feel more positive than we do right now. However it can be hard with all that's going on. So I have decided to dig out the Reasons to be Cheerful linky and get it back up and running, on its original Thursday. The linky was started by the lovely Michelle many years ago and many of us have found it helped us through tough times. Therefore I am hoping people will join back in.
What do you have to do? Simple:

1. Link up a post about something that is making you happy or grateful. It can be a list, photos or any way you fancy

2. Add the #R2BC badge (at the end of this post) onto your post or blog so that people can easily find the linky and join in too if they want to

3. Share the love. This is the really important bit. Please don't just link and run, comment on at least a couple of posts and why not share with #R2BC too?

I'll stop by all linked up posts to comment and I'll share on social media too

1) Feeling Loved

Being stuck at home can be lonely but so many of my friends and family are checking in on me and looking after me. It makes me realise that I am not alone even when I can't get out. It's the little extra things like chocolates included in my shopping too!

The online worldwide community is fabulous too with the rainbows spreading around the globe.

2) Making others smile

I've been dressing up in something from my dressing up box every day. It's helping to make other people smile so its a good thing all round:

3) Time

I've been short on time recently due to work commitments and all our activities. Now we don't have any where to go we have so much of it! My son has been baking:

World Book Day 2015 #WBD2015

We actually got organised for World Book Day costumes this year with more than a day to go. This meant everyone had something half decent for a change. My daughter decided to go as Katniss from Hunger Games which meant simply buying suitable normal clothing and just adding a Mockingjay pin. She also had a black backpack and made a fake knife:

My son dressed as his favourite demi-god Percy Jackson. I made a shield out of cardboard. There was a picture of Medusa's head on it. We bought an orange t-shirt and I ironed a Camp Half Blood motif on to it. He just had to dig out a sword to finish off the outfit:

Neither won the prize at the disco but they were the best outfits we have had so far!