The Irish contingent

Our cousins from Northern Ireland are visiting for a couple of weeks, and we're having great fun showing them around!





We even took them to an Irish bar - you know, so they would feel at home. (Just kidding. The last thing they want to do is go to an Irish bar. But we could see one from where we were sitting outside Halcyon on 4th Street.)

I received my copy-editing queries at the end of last week and they are due on Wednesday, so it's head-down, bum-up for me again over the next couple of days. Wish me luck!

Weekend Sale!

I'm trying to clear some space at home, so to get rid of the vintage sitting in my Etsy store I have created a coupon code to give blog readers 15% off! I only have shipping prices for the US listed, because I'd prefer to ship just within the country (our local post office is dire), but if you really want something and live overseas, just message me on Etsy and I'll see what I can do.

Coupon code: enter IMPOSSIBLECAT on check-out!

So helpful!

Thanks, Mo.

Texas treasures in Two Squirrels, New Zealand!

Two Squirrels is already stuffed full of treasure - but now there are a few beautiful things from Austin, too!




I've sent the first package of vintage Texas goodies to Vanessa, and they're in-store now. You can find Two Squirrels on 63 Ashley Street in Rangiora. They are open from Friday to Sunday, 10am to 5pm. Tell Vanessa I sent you! (Sort of).

Read the whole Two Squirrels story here: Parts One, Two and Three.

Whew ...

... what a day. We had a medical scare this morning that landed LOML in the emergency room. We're home now and a bit shaken up, but all is well and he is recovering just fine. Thank you so much to all our Austin friends who supported us today - particularly Sandhya and Gaurav, who were stars, as always. Get well soon, LOML!

For sale in my Etsy shop!

I just wanted to let you know that I am gradually adding more vintage pieces to my Etsy store - click here to see them. There are quite a few larger sizes this time, and there are also lots of items priced under $20!

I'm afraid I'm only shipping within the US at the moment, because international shipping here is such a hassle. Sorry!

Thanks for looking, and I hope you're having a lovely week.

Other people's words

"And I recall an account of Trollope going up to London to pick up a rejected manuscript from a publisher, getting on the train to return home, laying the bulky bundle on his lap face down, and beginning a new book on the back pages of the rejected one." - Anonymous

Some days I need to remember that the work is what matters - that you can't control other people's responses or reactions, circumstance, the weather, your mood ... that, in fact, all you can control is the work, and your own decision to keep going.

Mo again!

I have a bad cold and am feeling pretty miserable, but I have a willing nap-buddy who makes it all better.





"A kitten on its own is like a tune played with one hand - you need two to make full music." - Jill Wylie

hunt.gather.style pop-up shop event tomorrow!

Three gorgeous Austin style bloggers (and friends), Sydney, Grechen and Sharon, have come together to create hunt.gather.style - a vintage boutique selling treasures they have collected on their travels and lovingly curated.

Sharon, Grechen and Sydney with Anne Hudson of YNN.

“Our name pretty much says it all,” says Sharon. “We are ‘hunting’ items we love, ‘gathering’ them for the shop and adding in ‘styling’ suggestions for how it will work in our customers’ closets.”

Sydney, Sharon and Grechen present an on-trend collection of vintage pieces, as well as recycling some contemporary pieces from their own wardrobes. All three women are experts at combining vintage with modern items to create unique, fresh looks, and each item in the hunt.gather.style inventory comes with a styling suggestion. The ladies themselves will be on-hand as well to answer your questions!

After a hugely successful pop-up shop event earlier this year, the team has been assembling an even larger and more varied inventory of vintage garments. Once again, exclusive boutique Touch of Sass is providing the space, and, for this 22 October shop date, hunt.gather.style will be partnering with Dress for Success Austin - a charity that provides interview suits and career advice to disadvantaged women – by selling off a rack of clothing to raise money for the organization.

The fall fashion pop-up shop will be an exclusive, one-day-only event, taking place on Saturday, October 22 (tomorrow!) from 1pm to 4pm at Touch of Sass (500 North Lamar, Suite 170, Austin, TX 78703). Get there early to find the best bargains. It’s every Austin woman’s opportunity to invest in stylish, unique and eco-friendly pieces while supporting a charity … and learning some valuable styling tips in the process!

An exotic experience!

It has been a really hard couple of days. It's lovely to look back at the photos, though, and see how much fun we all (w'all?) had.

Happy cowboy!

Stern cowboy.



For their last lunch in Austin, I took my grandparents to my favourite sushi restaurant. It was only the second time they had ever eaten sushi, but they took to it with their usual aplomb. Perhaps they'll introduce it to their quiet Dorset village?

Exploring Austin

It's my grandparents' last morning with us, and I am very sad. But instead of dwelling on it, I'm going to post some pictures of our downtown explorations the other day - taking the train down to investigate the Capitol building and walk around central Austin. It has been so lovely having them here.