First second-hand fruits of the summer

Summer arrived in London in a serious way last week, it was eye-ball wateringly hot, and as we gallivanted around Brighton (we popped down for a day trip to hear about my friend's recent home birth) I felt just that bit more happy with the world.

I was also pretty happy that, although Tim and I have been trying our hardest not to buy stuff till we get in to our house (on that note our estate agents are setting up a meeting between us and the belligerent vendor next week) we have been very un-self controlled and have therefore managed to stash up some sweet summer goods over the last couple of weeks.

These bits and bobs, collected from street corners, car boots and charity shops have already seen air time, with starring roles in our Regent Park picnics.

Here is the essential summer collection:

• Tea cups and china saucers: 10p- 70p from the Ashford carboot (we happened to be camping close by the weekend before last. It was still freezing then but made the camp fires more fun)
• Beautiful strawberry and cherry table cloth: £3:99 from the Dalston Oxfam Shop - well worth a visit if you live within 20 miles!
• Cream metal picnic hamper: Free from outside a shop having been part of their window display- with many thanks to these high street capitalists with their wasteful ways.
• Mint green rusty colander: Key item here for rinsing the caterpillars off those just - scrumped blackberries. 5op from one of the many glorious charity shops on Old Kent Road
• Tea flask: £1:99 also from Old Kent Road charity shops, London's best kept secret, it is totally second hand heaven.

So here's to a cracking summer- hope yours is filled with much tea and cake, scrumping and picnicking.