Saved by a Post

We had a short trip to Middlewich last week.  We had dinner with and spent the night at Simon and Rhiannon's place.  Simon was waiting to hear about the employment check being run on him so he would know if he definitely got his new job (he did!).  The next day, while Bill was at his meeting in Stoke-on-Trent, I caught the train to Manchester, about 30 minutes away.  I'd intended to visit the John Rylands Library because I thought I might see an exhibition of bookbinding.  However, I failed to note the address and, strangely, never found a leaflet that mentioned the place.  


As it was, I was rather captive on Oldham Street, again.  I re-visited Affleck's.  It's changed a lot, but a few of the same shops remained.  Unlike my first visit, I found nothing that tempted, though there was plenty still to look at and admire.  I think it all takes me back to my teen years, those wacky clothes.  It's a real shame I can't find any pictures on the internet, I think their designs are quite innovative.  In fact, I'm amazed that shops like "No Angel" and "Strawberri Peach" don't have a bigger presence on the web.


Then I went down and browsed the fabric shop, Abakhans for hours, particularly the pattern books.  I keep calling this place Azkaban (as in Harry Potter, but it's not just me!  If I Google 'Azkaban' I come up with the Abakhan's shop in Liverpool.)  I managed to get out of there with only one pattern.  I have a hand full of patterns somewhere, but I haven't run across them in ages.  They probably are not the right size now, anyhow, but it would be nice to know where they are.  That's part of the reason for un-cluttering, right?

Oldham Street is also home to several of the biggest second-hand stores I've ever seen.  'Vintage' they call them; nothing charity about those stores, but when most items are £3 or so, they are tempting places.  There were at least 3 tops I was so close to buying.  Fortunately, I had just read this post by Fabulously Broke in the City. I'm sure it saved me from accruing more stuff in the midst of my un-cluttering efforts!

Speaking of un-cluttering, a bag went yesterday to the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution).  Another is ready for Mind, a charity for mental health.  'Mental health' is a phrase I try to keep at the forefront of my mind...