Afflecks is a great place to shop!

Two things I have bought recently have been of a practical nature....

Some secondhand Reebok classic trainers which I bought off a fellow stallholder at Afflecks for a bargain £6. I've been looking for a standard trainer so I can start walking again. My recent spell of bad health has really knocked me for six so I'm definitely going to start my regular walks around Blackpool on my day off. All my other trainers are "too fashion" and aren't great for my poorly ankle - or would cause me to be laughed at. These are comfy and suitably chavvy enough to go un-noticed in my strange home town!

This perfect canvas rucksack was also bought in Afflecks - at Mashed Army Store on the second floor for £18. Gordon bought one in blue beacuse he's started cycling again and needed one big enough to fit his laptop in and I couldn't resist getting a matching one in black. 

I've had bag issues for a while which has led to being called a bag lady as I always carry 3!

On a daily basis I have to carry around:

Computer and lead

Lunch Bag (with cool pack)

Flask

2L Bottle of Water

Make-up bag

ipod / phone

camera

sketchbook

pencil tin

book / newspaper

sunglasses in case (get scratched otherwise)

purse and credit cards

coffee cup (on train days)

My bag to this point has been either a vintage brown leather satchel or a huge black leather one from Franceso Biasia that Gordon bought me a few years ago. Although both are big enough to fit everything in that I need to carry on a daily basis, if I actually put everything in the one bag I wouldn't be able to lift it as they are so heavy to begin with. So I've had to split into 3 separate bags of equal weight to save my poor back from breaking.

Now with this great lightweight canvas bag on my back (weight being distributed evenly) I only need to carry one other bag with my flask, water and lunch in - so much easier!