On The Hunt For Halloween Chapter 6 - Some horror themed nails and welcoming the Great Pumpkin 🎃

Last week I was shocked to discover that you can no longer watch It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown  on YouTube!

As one of my favourite Halloween traditions this was akin to the year that no-one showed The Snowman at Christmas! Thank god for Ebay where I managed to get a DVD of all the Peanuts seasonal specials.

I spent yesterday productively experimenting with some Beetlejuice and Freddy Kreuger themed nails. I'm still trying to perfect the striped nails.

This morning during my Asda shopping I saw that they were moving stock about to put Halloween in! There's some ok pieces so far but I'm hoping they'll do another version of last year's witchy range (I still have the skull on my Altar).

More 'Jen' make-up

I always like their mini 🎃

These are beautiful.

I got these little bits - 

I thought the white pumpkin would fit nicely with one of my favourite purchases from last year (from TK Maxx).

Speaking of TK Maxx it's just along from Asda so I tool a wander down to see if they had any new Halloween in. Unfortunately I was in for a real disappointment as their Halloween has moved onto one shelf with the space taken up by Christmas bits 🤢😜.

Bloody Gnomes

I have to say this year TK Maxx really hasn't been that great in the Eastbourne, Brighton or Homesense stores. I've seen videos on YouTube of far better stores around the country.

My pre-lunch task has been to clear some spaces on my shelves for my Halloween decorations to go in when I start digging it out over the next few days.

Naturally I'll keep you all updated 🎃 🦇 🧙🏻. 

Love Jen

XxxX

Ps even my Scroogeish heart had to admit that this Christmas Triceratops in TK Maxx was adorable 🤣❤️

BPD Warp

Sometimes I think my brain can't break any further but it never fails to surprise me.

Another lack of surprise is that the rubbish Psychiatrist who told me almost a year ago now that I would be put on DBT despite it actually not being offered in our area. He also assured me that I would "grow out" of my symptoms and when I queried it I was told "I am the expert" 💁🏻‍♀️. So after 10 months of chasing after I'd been dropped off like a stone by the local mental health services I was told that they don't offer DBT in the East Sussex area and that I wouldn't be eligible for it since I wasn't able to complete the Anxiety Management course they ran (put it this way I cut myself in the interval). 

So apparently I'm on the list to do a STEPPS course which sounds faintly horrific, telling a group of strangers about your problems for 22 weeks and doing 'homework' of detailing where I've gone wrong and then dragging family into it too. No thank you.

At the moment I'm back to hiding in my room, not wanting to see anyone, even doing the weekly online quiz that I loved is too much for me. I have to avoid going to the end of the garden when the kids are heading to and from school as its just too triggering for me. 

My brain makes me think that everyone is always cross with me whether it's walking too slowly, being disorganised, sleeping too much etc etc or that they don't give a shit and I'm cluttering up their lives and re-inforces my need to stay away from everyone. I used to enjoy taking Eos to agility but now I get so stressed as I feel like I'm being scrutinised and keep messing up. I've missed 4 gigs now not due to Covid but because my brain can't cope with leaving the house.

I just don't know how long I can keep this up. I can feel everything building up with no release. 

Love Jen

XxxX

On The Hunt For Halloween Chapter 5 - Halloween starts to emerge....

It had to happen sooner or later, Halloween has finally started appearing in Eastbourne! I was excited to finally see some bits out in Flying Tiger, Neon Sheep, Poundland and Wilko seem to have started filling their shelves too (including some Halloween 🥎 for Eos).

Marks & Spencer had some pumpkins out much to my delight. Admittedly I've only ever carved about 2 pumpkins in my life, both ending disastrously, but I can still be enthusiastic!

Yes I am wearing a Halloween top ....

Flying Tiger (best shop name ever) had loads of bits. 

  

Can't say I love the squishy brains 

 

 

Out of respect to my Arachnophobic friends I restricted myself to just these earrings rather than the matching necklace and ring that came with them (you're welcome)

These are the other bits from Flying Tiger -

Best serviettes ever!

To be fair I'll probably wear this to the pub at some point .....

Neon Sheep had started putting some bits out too - 

 

I got another of the adorable tealight holders that I mentioned in one of my earlier Halloween hunting blogs. along with some party bags for the big day, lights and shot glasses (obviously) 

Just so cute!

Poundland has started filling it's Halloween aisle and I got this cute sign 

I got two of these sets of bat ears so that on the off chance that Helen or I don't have a Halloween costume we can go as Eos with her bat ears. 

I'm not lying!

The final couple of bits I have to show you guys are a couple of internet buys from a couple of my favourite independent sites. 

First up is this ghost from Moonchild Spiritual Emporium where I buy a lot of my witch supplies. 

My lovely friend Tiffany runs a webstore Napoleon Bunnyparte selling rabbit toys and supplies and also bits for us human minions, she's just launched her Fall and Halloween range and when I saw this bag I fell in love. 

Front

Back

Close up of the pattern

I hope you guys enjoyed this latest instalment of my Halloween Hunting, hopefully I'll have another update soon.

Love Jen

XxxX

Duxford Battle Of Britain Airshow Review

 

What we all came for 💓

Last week I went to my last airshow of the season the Duxford Battle Of Britan Airshow with Lynn's Travel. All the week the weather forecast was absolutely horrific but we were so lucky and only got a couple of spots of rain on the day despite some incredibly angry looking clouds in the distance (possibly the most British start to a blog ever talking about the weather 😂).

Corney decided to wear his waterproofs just in case

We got there early enough to have a look around the museum, you can see more of the exhibits in my blog from the Celebrating 19 Squadron blog back in August. 

Lightning Tail, Vulcan and a Canberra above. 

Red Arrows facemask & a Concorde engine

After the hanger I had a walk along the flight line which was a great chance to have a closer look at the aircraft that were going to be flying. 

The NHS Spitfire 

There were a few stalls to look around selling aviation memorabilia and I was really pleased that Planes TV had a stall there. I have so many of their DVDs from airshows that I've been to over the years, one of my favourite things to do on the first day of Airbourne was to visit their stall to pre-order the DVD of the show and then watch the free 'Airshow Action' DVD that they gave me with my order. Unfortunately they're now moving online as a purely on demand service - Netflix for plane geeks if you will. They were selling off a lot of DVDs cheap so I came away with a handful. 

Not bad for £30!

I hadn't realised but as well as giving me a discount on airshows and in the gift shop my membership also meant I could sit in the member's area right next to the runway. There was seating (although I felt more comfortable on my picnic blanket on the grass so that I could spread all my crap out) and we also had our own toilets. One of the volunteers was saying that they normally have a marquee and food vendors within the area so that will be interesting to see for next year's show. 

Nice and close!

Just like being at a gig!

VIPs

The flying started at 13.00 with 3 Spitfires a MK1, MK 9 & MK 14 and you could really hear the difference between the 3 engines - the 'whistle' of the MK1, the 'classic' merlin of the MK9 and the growl of the MK 14's griffin. 

 

Next up we had a formation of 4 Hurricanes which is a very special sight as, sadly, there aren't many of them left. 

The Battle Of Britain Memorial Flight sent two of their Spitfires, this is the clipped-wing variant. 

I saw the newly restored 'Russian Spitfire'  for the first time. 

There were two Curtis aircraft at the show a Hawk and a Warhawk -

Curtis Hawk over the NHS Spitfire

Curtis Warhawk

Next up was one of my favourites, the Flying Fortress Sally B 

Sally B always ends her display streaming smoke from one of her engines to pay tribute to the American bomber crews lost during the second world war. 

We had three ME109 Buchons attacking the airfield

Luckily two Mustangs and a Thunderbolt came to the rescue

Thunderbolt

Mustangs 

This is Miss Helen, I have some far sunnier photos of her here

One of my favourite parts of the day was the Historic Helicopters with their Wessex and Sea King. I don't think I've seen a Wessex before and I always used to love seeing the occasional Sea King come along the coast. 

Wessex

Sea King

I really liked these photos I got of the two helicopters over the aircraft on the ground. 

The Air Sea Rescue theme continued with the Catalina

The weather got a little nautical so we donned our hoods and rain ponchos

Continuing the nautical theme were the US Navy Fighters the Bearcat & Corsair.

Corsair

Bearcat

After the Bearcat and Corsair the build up to the mass flypast began with Spitfires and Hurricanes taking off and the Desert Spitfire playing 'joker' to keep the crowd entertained whilst the formation lined up.

Taking off

Our Desert Spitfire 'Joker'

Listen to this sound -

Just amazing

The show was closed by the NHS Spitfire to pay tribute to the NHS Workers who have looked after the country during the pandemic and made for a truly emotional moment. 

You can see my full video highlights here -

It was an absolutely fantastic day topped off by this stunning sunset on the way home. 

 

I can't wait until next year!

Love Jen

XxxX