Meeting up in London with some fellow 7 Steppers

Sunday 1st July

I'm on the train on the way to London to meet up with some of the 7 steppers (7 Steps to Style) I have got to know online - and Imogen Lamport, the founder, who is here from Australia. Her blog is Inside Out Style. https://insideoutstyleblog.com
where you can get all the details of the different programs.

Last week, LNER took over the running of the trains on the previous Virgin East Coast line. I was a bit concerned that my booking made with Virgin might have gone wrong but I needn't have feared. I always do fear though! I booked first class advance for a bit of extra luxury - the only downside being that my train time is set rather than having an open ticket. That of course gave me another concern - getting to the train on time as David can't drive me. Again I needn't have worried - the taxi arrived in plenty of time and I was able to relax on the train for 20 minutes before it left. At weekends first class doesn't do the excellent weekday menu, sadly, but I am going for lunch so that's not an issue. Plenty of drinks available (no, I'm not referring to alcohol!). The train livery is still Virgin. Outside too though I think some have changed

I've been catching up on some posts and blogs as I haven't had time recently. That's calming my nerves. I'm both excited and nervous about the meetup! I'm looking forward to it. I think.

It's interesting that you can almost immediately tell who wants to talk and who doesn't. My first seat companions did but they got off at York - my new fellow traveller doesn't. I realise I'm glad about that. Generally, I like to find out about other people and am happy to talk - or to sit and write blog posts!

Down the carriage, I can hear some people playing bridge; I don't know how many of them there are. I’d like to join in. I won't of course.

I still haven't completed the personality style analysis as I'm humming and hawing over some of the questions. That and the fact that I have difficulty choosing from a menu (often regretting what I chose) and like to keep options open might suggest one direction but other aspects are firmly in a different direction. Now, however, I'm not sure how much of my need for decision making (yes!!) was to do with business need rather than my personal style. I find it fairly easy to be adaptable and have learned lots of ways of functioning over the years. Be interviewed on national radio? Sure! (Terrified inside and regretting acceptance). Give a talk? A lecture? Okay! (Help!!) Meet a group of people I've never met irl? No problem (only minor anxiety). Last year I accepted an invitation to a weekend sewing session in a small group and to stay overnight with the organiser - I didn't know any of them and only the organiser briefly online. That was fine, I enjoyed it and have made friends. My motto is ‘have car, will travel’ . Having said that I'm a ♋ cancerian (do any of you believe in that?) and a home lover (I'm always desperate to get home) and very soft centred, easily hurt but with a harder outer shell.

Our train is delayed as there is a broken down train ahead so that has caused delay. Fortunately I got an earlier train than necessary so this might work out well. We're near Newark.

We might be stopped for a while - they can't tell us yet how long. But I'll wait a while before putting on my makeup. Oh, we're moving!

What else will I say at the moment? I feel unprepared clothes-wise and style-wise for today's meetup. I've put on weight and have nothing that fits well. It's hot in London so I'm wearing a blue patterned summer dress. It's lined and a little less loose than I'd like! With being up at my mother's helping her move, I haven't had time to get my hair trimmed. Oh well! This is more the real me! Make up will help.

I've remembered to bring my colour swatches. We're shopping after lunch. I'm a RTW Faster so am not intending to buy anything but I would if I saw the ideal item! It would need to be at least a 9 out of 10. I'm sooo short of clothes and just haven't had time to make. I have fit issues and there is still no TNT on the horizon. Losing this extra weight is going to take a while - easy on, difficult to get off. I neeeed clothes!

We've just been told the delay cost us 30 minutes so that is pretty good timing to meet some of the others. There are still some FB messages going back and forth so I have been able to say that I will be at the meet point.

Last night we heard that one stepper coming from Austria had a problem due to her flight being cancelled. I hope she makes itIf everyone makes it, we will be 13 in number. Are you superstitious? I'm not, really.

I'll carry on with this post on the way home.

I'm on the train. On my way back home. I'm glad as I feel quite tired. I have a lovely seat. Just the right temperature and wi-fi.

There were 13 of us. Daniella made it from Austria. I met up with 4 others in King's Cross and we walked to the Granary Square Brasserie and bumped into Daniela on the way. Because it was such a hot and sunny day, they were going to seat us outside. However, we were in favour of sitting indoors with the air conditioning and plenty of cold drinks. One of our party, Alison, is in a wheelchair and needed suitable facilities

It was lovely to chat to people I ‘knew’ but had never met. I had never had my signature colours done because I felt my photos were of such poor quality. I took advantage of Imogen and had them done live; she also confirmed my colour and value contrast and body shape. I have quite a few signature colours - I'm very lucky. Not everyone has so many.

This is my swatch. They're not ask signature colours but there are quite a few!

A signature colour is one that enhances eyes, lips or skin. One of the pinks tones in with the lip gloss I wore today.

Because I have colour in my eyes and skin, I can wear two colours rather than the neutrals plus one colour I previously thought.

It was very interesting seeing the colour swatches of the others there and comparing and contrasting. Some shades overlap, of course.

There was a lot of talk of personality types. I'll work on mine next week. I have a better idea now. Imogen had previously said to contact her but I didn't have time and didn't want to take up more of her time today.

You won't be surprised to learn that by the time we had eaten and chatted and got the bill sorted (thanks Tracey) people were getting ready to return home or to their hotels. No shopping. Well it means I haven't broken my fast!!

Ruth and I had a bit of time to kill before our trains so we sat with a cold drink and poured over the latest issue of Burda and discussed sewing until it was time to leave for our trains.

It was a long and expensive day but worth it! I'm playing in a golf league match tomorrow (the last of the season) but I have time to settle, get to bed at a reasonable time and even have a long lie if the birds and sunshine allow! I will have to wear the golf trousers I showed on my last blog post but hopefully I'll manage to make a nice pair of trousers - I've set September as a target.

I've just moved coach as our air conditioning broke down. This coach is much cooler. I've decided to post this blog if I can - I've never done it entirely on my phone! I didn't ask permission of the others to post their photos.