I finally found what looks like the most amazingly perfect hobby for me. Those who know me will be aware I have an archaeology A-level, and have always loved all things ancient, especially artefacts. Well as mentioned previously, last week I went on an expedition for my very first session mudlarking!
You have to get a special license (which I did), invest in a few bits of equipment (trowel, kneepads, bucket, warm gloves et cetera, which I did), and away you go, seeing what the river has washed up at low tide on the Thames foreshore. I follow a very knowledgeable chap called Alan Murphy on social media, (Mudlark_Thames_Mudlark), who posted about our trip and put a video up of his best ever find of the day with me, when he unearthed a genuine 1500s leather shoe, complete with the top part attached to the insole! Oh my goodness, what an amazing day. The thing I love most is the connection with the past, which I’ve always loved – people may know I collect fossils. Well now I collect things like clay pipes, Victorian pins, tiny Thames garnets (dropped during importing and unloading), remnants of maritime war including musket balls, bits of ships, coins, bits of pottery, fossils, animal bones and teeth, (second thoughts, no animal bones or teeth, yuck!) and if I’m lucky, something Roman…
See below on the blog for an update on what was inside the clay pipe that we found. I will definitely go again soon, and absolutely loved my day by the river and for the rest of the day I felt super relaxed and refreshed. Alan knows what he’s talking about and it was a real experience being out for the late morning/early afternoon with him, and we had a nice catch up in the pub afterwards. A special hello to his family, including his mum who watches QVC! He is one of only 50 full mudlarks – he’s been doing it for over 30 years and his dad was one. We went down to Rotherhithe by the Mayflower pub. There is so much permanently there to see, but other things that get washed up differently every time there is a new low tide. In the photo of him above, for instance, the bit of wood embedded into the riverbed below the Mayflower pub, he had never seen it before in all his years of doing it, it had just washed up! It’s scary as well that they are gradually eroding the foreshore, about 6 feet since the early 90s due to the clipper boats creating big waves as they was along the Thames.
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You have to get a special license from the port of London authority, and there’s tons of information online about how to do it. Also do follow the mudlark personalities like I do and you will see some of their wonderful finds. My equipment is arriving soon so standby for this very green new mudlark to go off soon on another expedition!
Snippets
Busy week of errands
My goodness, I had a busy week getting things done, including appointment after appointment. I stopped off in a new café in Dorking high street, when I went to see my lovely hygienist Fran. I posted about it and asked if anyone else having moved out of an area still returned for their favourite appointments and the response was unanimous! Lots of people do it so I’m not alone. I do like spending time looking at new coffee shops tea shops and cafés though. I must get back into writing my book and I can take my computer or tablet with me! By the way, look out for a new Chromebook offer coming soon.
Lemons
What a lovely bunch of lemons! And I grew them on my lemon bush/plant. This was the one that my friend gave me when she moved away, years ago in Devon. This year it had quite a bumper crop, as it loves sitting in the sunny window in my new flat in Surrey. And the lemons tasted absolutely amazing in hot water, fresh, clean and with a little hint of lime, very proud!
Leg Master
I was on this week with Fiona doing the Leg Master and it reminded me how amazing this device is. Yes, we had a Pilates Today’s Special Value, and there is a really great piece of equipment coming up soon (see below). But if you’ve got less than £80 and very little time, you will be amazed at what this machine can help you achieve. Highly recommended, go here to see more about the hip, thigh, saddlebag and bottom busting leg master!
Watch – A Place in the Sun
How could I not mention this since it stars our wonderful colleague and good friend, the lovely Craig. See it on catch up as he helps a couple find a place in Spain. He loves doing property and adores the sun so it’s a perfect program for him! On lots of weekdays. (And don’t forget Amy Anzel as The Apprentice continues!) I’m going to see ‘You’re Fired’ being recorded on Monday 24th, so that should be fun!
I’ve also obviously been watching lots of YouTube videos by mudlarkers, the ones by ‘Si-Finds’ are very good indeed!
Podcast
Did you hear our very own Miceal chat with Will this week? Next week, he catches up with Davina McCall! You can listen to all the podcasts here.
Vlog
I did several this week over on my Facebook page and on social media. (Follow me to see more!) And of course, had to mention the update on the find from when I was out on the Thames foreshore! Go here to discover more.
Book of the week
There are endless mudlarking ones online so I treated myself. There’s even a child’s book where Miranda goes mudlarking, which I will definitely be buying for my grandchildren. 🙂 Not long now ’til Lauren has her second baby! Exciting!
QVC top deals for the next seven days
Friday (today) – go here to see and buy what’s left of the Color Wow four-piece Healthy, Glossy hair heroes. Alison Young tells me that she is glad they have, for the first time, put their synergistic products in a pack together. I love their SLS-free shampoo. Good way to stock up.
Saturday – Homedics Stretch Plus Back Stretching Mat – inspired by yoga, this time with TruHeat technology! Already on sale, this will be a knockout because the existing one is popular enough, let alone with heat added! Can’t wait to try it. Go here to see it and check out the launch tonight with Jilly at 9pm (14th).
Sunday – another big Ninja deal, this time the 10-in-1 oven (model DT 200 UK). This is a very affordable way of getting extra oven space, a replacement oven if yours is broken, an oven to take with you as although it’s heavy, theoretically it’s portable, for holiday homes et cetera, or if you just never have enough oven space.
Ninja have been a runaway success over the last couple of years with their all in ones, and this is a 10-in-1! Can’t wait to launch it Saturday 9pm and midnight with Joe Rembrandts standing in for Gail, who has hurt her foot – get well soon!
It’s a large capacity countertop oven this time, that looks more like a regular oven because it evenly cooks on two levels. Plus 10 cooking functions – Air Fry, Roast, Whole Roast, Grill, Bake, Pizza, Dehydrate, Reheat, Toast and Bagel.
It can be up to 40% faster than a fan oven too, and has a with super-quick 90 second preheat, so it is time and energy saving as well. What a deal! Wait to see the price. 🙂
Big Deals are available on air for usually a week, they may be longer online if stocks last. New ones every Sunday night! Subject to change!
Easiyo ten-piece Yoghurt selection
Periea set of five large sizes printed compression storage bags
YourZooki Vitamin C 1 month supply
Tidy & Co 20-piece large sizes water-activated cleaning blocks
My Hair Doctor Volumise Supplement collection
Liz Earle Pro-Biotic Skincare Regime
Kim & Co Wellness Brazil knit harem trouser
Go here to see and shop them all
And here are the new Big Deals launching on Sunday 16th at midnight:
WynneLayers luxe crepe unstructured colour-block top
SBC five-piece Hydra-Collagen Replenishing Skin collection
Yankee Sleep Diffuser with three refills
Doctor Seaweed Weed & Wonderful Organic Scottish Seaweed 120 capsules
Now back to the Today’s Special Values for the rest of the week:
Monday – revitalising our bodies most of the day, this time our nails, with the Perfect Formula six-piece Gel Coat collection new TSV at another really good price to help get you stronger nails.
Tuesday – Vax is back with a One Power Blade 4 Pet Dual Battery Vacuum Cleaner with Cordless Pro Kit.
Wednesday – Nina Leonard return for the first time in ages with a drop shoulder long sleeve jumper with special buttons at the back in lots of lovely colours. Also watch out for Charlie Bears at 10pm!
Thursday – Gatineau are here with a Melatogenine four-piece collection, especially good for anti-wrinkle. Their eye treatment from this range is one of the best I have ever used. I’m not in so I haven’t seen it, but I sincerely hope that it is in this pack!
And watch our star of A Place in the Sun, my lovely friend Craig Rowe, doing Liz Earle at midday as well.
Friday – it’s a Kim & Co wellness jogger in contrast piped finish. So comfy.
Friday 9pm – at exactly the right time Davina returns with her fitness Folding Magnetic Exercise Bike, I love the ones with the big seats that you can lean back on, very glad about this. And a big tech weekend as well.
Next week – it’s Blake’s fourth birthday, my lovely granddaughter turns four! And maybe I will get out on the riverside as well…
Have a great week. 🙂
Best wishes,
Debs
One Response
You are such a busy lady, think you need to slow down a bit and finish that book! Lovely blog as always.