Welcome To The Family

First off, thank you. Your comments reguarding my "run in" with the eBayer has given me some confidence, just because I'm a girl, I will not be bullied by a man. I clearly have more knowledge in this area than he does, therefore, I am Queen!

Thanks to your wonderful hug, I'm feeling much more in the mood for some proper old fashioned blogging.

Last week I became the proud new owner of a bicycle! This time, she is a perfect fit for me, so many happy adventures are sure to follow. I'll now give you a little run down of my new baby:

She is a BSA, I think the model may be a Club Roadster, some investigation is needed.

Bought in 1930, the previous owner has the original receipt, but has mis-laid it, fingers crossed it will turn up

She has a single speed, which ideal for someone like me who is useless with gears!

A whopper of a bell, which sound like a telephone, or shop bell, it has a rather loud ding

A chain cover (only a half, not fully enclosed)

Dunlop sprung saddle, with matching saddlebag (Ideal for my make-up, as my Dad said!)

BSA rubber pedals

She had an ivory coloured Apex pump, but the washer had split, so I went o get a new one, and came away with a new pump instead! I'd be gutted if the Apex was stolen, so it will go on display and the Zefal will be the pump attached to the back.

I picked her up on the Thursday before last, following a rather exciting jaunt into the hills, and a few wrong turns - I blame AA Route Finder entirely, fine for straight forward journeys, but it doesn't understand country lanes too well!

So that's my girl, safely tucked away in the workshop until we get the nice weather back. I spent last week re-learning to ride. I'm rather wobbly and seem to emulate a 4 year old's first ride without stabilisers!

By the weekend I had discovered the joy of indicating, even though it was only on the yard. I'd never been able to remove my hands from the bars before... Well, I did, but ended up skirt over head in the hedge.
After this little achievement, I started riding without hands at all! I've yet to go out on the road, so not half as careless as it sounds.

Due to her impressive 81 year old status, I've started looking a bit into early 1930's get-up, but come across one problem. I now really want a cloche, I have one but it's in dire need of some TLC. I wants to knit one and thought I'd found the perfect pattern, but after finishing it, discovered I'd knitted a beanie! I'm too old to be a skateboarder, so it was soo unraveled and is now being knitted into a cardigan. Know of a suitable pattern?

Anyways, I'd best be off, work to do and all that.

Thank you once again, you really have helped

Queen Jennie of Carmarthen

(How fantastic does that sound?!)

Ding Ding!

What's your dream for this year? Not marrying Brad Pitt or winning the lottery, but a real achievable dream.
One of my big dreams for this year can be summed up with the following words:

Bicycle

Los Angeles

New York

Whoo Hoo

I'm a big dreamer, I love maps, I love planning and packing and journeys - I love journeys! My favourite thing to do is to get out the maps, guide books and a basic kit list and make a huge plan in a note pad, then spend days refining it. Some trips haven't come off, but it doesn't matter, the fun was in the planning.

I know I certainly wouldn't be the first, or last, but this is a really big thing for me - personally. I was told I wouldn't make anything of my life, and I fell into the trap of believing this, so I didn't put much effort in. But I realised that when I read about people who untake these trips, I have a warm fuzzy feeling - So why don't I do something and permanently have a warm fuzzy feeling?

We should do something, I say we... I'm dragging you all into this! I'm quite good and dragging unsuspecting people into these things, like a female Derren Brown - You want to come on this trip, don't you?
Imagine the scene: a group of vintage-y people, all on vintage-y bikes, screaming with delight at being on Route 66 - Like a hardcore Tweed Run, but maybe without the tweed? Plus, I hear there are some fabulous vintage shops in the States...

Route 66 is awfully quiet!

I'm sure you're doing one of two things right now: Squeeling with delight at the thought of doing this, or shaking your head thinking it's too crazy to comtemplate. But just remember, it has been done, it is possible, so why not?

Although, I've just done a search - 2462 miles? Seriously?

I may have already put too much into this, I've already got a bike sorted, I just have to raise and extra £30 and it's mine... Please come with me, my Mami won't let me go alone!

See you at the airport!

Jenny xx

New Beginnings

And maybe an introduction would be nice? Well of course..

I'm Jenny, I live in Wales (land of the sheep and cheap dragon toys!) and I am a collector (some may say hoarder) of vintage clothing and accessories. I spend too much money on clothes, I spend too much time watching films and spend too little time paying attention to the real world. I knit obsessively and sew for my supper.
I have a cat who is embarassed to be seen with me and a family who don't understand me.

I'm desperately hoping that blogging can save me enough money to buy me a bicycle.. pink with a wicker basket and handlebar tassles, please. I figure that the more time I spend here, the less time I spend on eBay, etsy, folksy and all those deliously gorgeous reproduction vintage websites.

Oh, and I ramble on.. A lot!