Mountain Warehouse for the cold days

Yesterday, as I had to go downtown to get my glasses fixed because of a loose screw, I decided that I would stop at the Mountain Warehouse. First, to see if there was anything interesting in the January sale, second, because we had a few very cold days and nights recently and I thought we needed a few warm socks. I almost always buy socks when I stop at the local Mountain Warehouse. Mostly because I lvoe warm socks, also because they get used very quickly (or they simply disappear). So I bought thermals and socks for Wolfie and an extra pair of socks for me. I keep finding it ironic: I don't really do outdoor, camping and hiking, the sort of activities Mountain Warehouse is there for, yet I am a very loyal customers. And I even enjoy going there! It was the highlight of my day yesterday. But in any case, I feel better knowing my son will be able to keep his feet warm.

Camping and Mountain Warehouse

Yesterday, we went to a camping activity organised by Wolfie's school. We only did the day/evening one, we did not spend the night there. I might blog in more details about the camping activity itself in another post. But I digress. We learned that the local Mountain Warehouse was offering a 10% discount for the families doing the school camping, we just had to go there and say a word and that's it, we would get a discount. As we did not have outdoors chairs anymore (the old ones, bought at Mountain Warehouse too, incidentally, having brolen down), we stopped briefly to the local shop for a quick purchase, before going to "Camp Night". Wolfie already had a chair for outdoors, so I bought two, one for my wife, one for me. They were dark green, the kind of colour my wife loathes, but at least they were quite cheap. And beside, the green chairs were the only ones left. So we are now the happy new owners of green outdoor chairs, perfect for camping and for spending relaxing time outside. If we ever need a tent, we will go there again. I am amazed of how much I now rely on Mountain Warehouse for, well, everything. I am a sedentary man, so it always comes off as a bit of a surprise.

Camo Green Water Bottle

 As I mentioned last Thursday, I had to go to the local Mountain Warehouse to buy a new water bottle to Wolfie. He had forgotten his "old" army green one at his grandparents' place and the spare one he has isn't great. I decided not to take any chance: there was a 3 for 2 sale, I bought three. Including this cool looking camo coloued one. Like his original one, only more military looking. But Wolfie told me one of his friends has one just like that, so he will have another one. He generously told me I should have it instead. So I am the happy new owner of this camo green water bottle. Good, I needed one. And say what you will, but this bottle has style.

New Water Bottles?

 Remember Wolfie's army green water bottle? I bought it for him last March at the Mountain Warehouse. Well, he forgot it at his grandparents' place during his last stay there a week ago. We found out on Sunday. Thankfully, we have spare bottles, but they are not as practical. So a new visit to the local Mountain Warehouse is in order to buy a new water bottle. It might be army green coloured, it might not. As silly as it sounds, I really love the design of the water bottles at the Mountain Warehouse. And they are always discounted. I think I will also buy an extra one for me: we never have enough. I also love to spend a few minutes at the Mountain Warehouse, they always have something useful for us on sale.

Things I buy at Mountain Warehouse

My readers know that I love Mountain Warehouse, even though I'm not exactly into outdoor sports. But it's always useful. For clothes, for one, especially warm clothes, especially socks. I have been buying lots of clothes for Wolfie there: a coat, socks (well of course), a water bottle, and some odd things. More recently, just before our last holiday, it was... travel toothbrushes. I love buying travel toothbrushes before holidays, it feels like a inconspicuous little ritual before the big day.

Army Green Water Bottle

As you know, I love buying things at the Mountain Warehouse. Don't ask how it happened, but it's now my favourite shop in town, after the local bookshop. Anyway, a few days ago, I discovered that Wolfie's water bottle, one with Minecraft motifs on, which I bought on Amazon, had started leaking big time. It had lasted a few months. So we went to the local Mountain Warehouse to buy a new one. They don't last that long either, but they are generally cheaper, because discounted (half price this weekend). So behold Wolfie's new water bottle. It is army green asi if I had bought it at an army surplus shop. Wolfie, for some reason, is starting to be fascinated by all things army and in any case he loves the colour green. So yes, Mountain Warehouse has been a life saver once again.

The local Mountain Warehouse

It is a strange quirk of mine, but I love Mountain Warehouse, as you may already know. I say strange, because I am not into outdoors activities, or hiking, or sport. Yet now almost every weekend when I go downtown to run errands I end up stopping there and buying something. It's mostly clothes. Warm clothes, to be more specific. Socks, mainly, often gloves too, sometimes thermals. I did this yesterday too. It has become one of my go-to shops in town and a sort of ritual every weekend. In fact, after the bookshop, it might be my favourite shop here. I still don't completely understand why. The staff is nice and friendly, and more to the point always efficient, but I think there is something deeper than that. It seems that I always find what I am looking for there and I often find what I did not know I needed. I guess I find the whole place kind of comforting. And you, do you have shops like this you just love to go to?

The Snail Torch

 My readers may know that I am a surprisingly loyal customer of Mountain Warehouse.I generally buy warm clothes there. But I also buy other things. Last time, I bought this cheap snail torch, because for some reason Wolfie seemed to like it. He gave me his usual Wolfism when he wants to buy something I don't think he needs (although it's usually a plush toy): "Oh but daddy, but daddy, I already gave him a name!" I gave it to him for three reasons: 1)because it was cheap, 2)because his pleading was cute and 3)because we can never have enough torches. At least when he needs one for his blanket fort, he will not use any of mine and waste their battery. And what is the name of the snail torch, you may ask? Honestly, I cannot remember.

The Mountain Warehouse voucher

For someonewho does not do hiking or much outdoors activities, I turned out to be a fairly faithful customer of Mountain Warehouse. I often end up in the local shop when I go shopping for anything else. And, more importantly, I often end up buying something. I am not sure why, but it seems that there is always something I need there. A water bottle, a mug, some socks, travel toothbrushes, whatever. Last time I bought something there, I ended up with a 20% discount voucher. I am not sure if it is because I bought a lot of things or if it was simply because there was a sale going on. Then again there is always a sale going on at Mountain Warehouse. So anyway, I went there last weekend with my wife, who needs a new raincoat. Of course I forgot the voucher. I felt so stupid. So we bought nothing. The voucher is redemmable until the end of this month, so I better hurry up. As we are planning our next holiday, we should stop there anyway. I will make sure of it.

Mountain Warehouse's Flapjacks

As you may know, I love Mountain Warehouse. I am not certain why, it sells camping and hiking stuff and I am not really into either. But I love their clothes, their equipment, their everything. And I love, love, love their flapjacks. At £1.69, it might sound pricey, but you can often buy items half price if you buy another full price and their flapjacks are always full price. I first bought one for that exact purpose, so I can save on some other purchases. Turned out, they are really good. They make for perfect breakfast when you are on the go or just when you are hungry and in a hurry. So long story short: every time I go to the local Mountain Warehouse, I buy at least one.

"Back to School"

As we were walking on the high street last weekend, I saw this at the entrance of the local Mountain Warehouse. I knew it already, but I don't like being reminded. I never liked seeing such sign, not when I was a kid, not now that I am a father. I always looked at the ending holidays with some dread, except when I started college, when I really looked forward to it. But as a child, I guess I was like just any other child. As a father, it might be even worse: what this sign is telling me is that Wolfie is growing up way too fast. On the plus side, children clothes at Mountain Warehouse are discounted.

Preparing clothes for winter

Winter is coming: it is much cold outside, especially in the morning and at night.In fact, as far as England is concerned, since temperatures in this country don't change as much compared to mine, we can say that winter is practically here. It will probably get colder, but not by much. So I have now prepared my clothes for winter. Not autumn, but winter. English winter, that is. I got my winter boots out. I also bought new Thinsulate gloves at Mountain Warehouse and one new Thinsulate wolly hat (forest green, my wife hates it, but Wolfie wants to wear it too as he loves green), as well as more thick socks. Because I always end up short of thick socks as I use them a lot in winter. I think I'm now fully prepared. There is not many things I like more about winter than winter clothes.I love how heavy and comfy they feel.

Wolfie's water bottle

There was a little bit of drama yesterday during the school run that got Wolfie quite upset. His mummy was carrying his water bottle and we were rushing as it was getting late. She dropped the bottle and the lid broke on the ground. Now this water bottle was kind of special to Wolfie. First, it was meant to be my one: it's an adult size one and adult looking (kind of black or charcoal grey) I bought at Mountain Warehouse. But as Wolfie's bottles were all leaking, we started using my one for him, as like all Mountain Warehouse products it's quality stuff and very reliable. Well, it turned out not quite as solid as we hoped. But Wolfie got really fond of it, maybe because he felt like he was using a grownup bottle. So for the next few days, to his dismay, we will have to use his least leaking one, until I buy a new water bottle in Mountain Warehouse, hoping to find the same model and the same colour.

The Dinosaur Chair

Our old Mountain Warehouse garden chairs are all falling apart, so we have been looking for new ones, both for my wife and I and Wolfie. I went last weekend to Mountain Warehouse and found this one, which I thought looked very cool. I took a picture and showed it to Wolfie, just to make sure he'd like it and would not be scared.Like his dad, he thinks that a dinosaur on a chair is very cool. So I just might purchase it next weekend for him, although my wife is far less ethusiastic about it.

Return to Mountain Warehouse

This weekend I did something I had not done since the beginning of the pandemic: I went to our local Mountain Warehouse. It was a very brief visit, ten minutes at the most, to see if they had discounted garden chairs (they did not) and to buy new water bottles, one for me, one for my wife. It might sound silly, but it felt great to be back. I am not really an outdoorsey person, but I love Mountain Warehouse for some reason. If we had to go and live in the wild, this would be the first and maybe the only shop I would go to.

Mes "vieux" vêtements

Il fut un temps où cette veste de Moutain Warehouse était neuf (genre aux alentours de fin de l'été 2014). Maintenant, il a l'air passé date. Pourtant, il n'a pas cinq ans. Et je me rends compte que c'est le cas pour à peu près tout ce que je porte. J'ai du très vieux linge dans mes tiroirs, je peux porter des chandails qui datent de vingt ans (!), voire plus, et je ne m'en départis que lorsqu'ils sont rapiécés par le temps et l'usure et donc irrécupérables. Mais bien des choses semblent prendre de l'âge prématurément, dont cette veste. Peut-être que j'aime ce qui a l'air vieux dès le moment de l'achat? Ou alors je les use inconsciemment?

Thinsulate

I don't know if my readership is aware of this, but while I am the last person on earth who can be labeled a slave of fashion, I can be a sucker for certain types of clothes: warm and comfy ones. I love thick, woolly stuff. Since I there is a branch of Mountain Warehouse in town, I discovered the Thinsulate brand, which seems to be always on discount there. And I completely fell in love with it. I bought a number of pairs of socks, some gloves and no hat as of yet, but it will happen eventually. Too many places get easily wet and cold in this country, so I wear the socks as often as I can. Not only the clothes are warm, but they are all completely and utterly inelegant.

Time to buy new clothes

Well, what the post's title says. I need to buy new clothes, and fairly soon. I don't like to do it, but sometimes it is a necessity. In this particular occasion, it is work related. My working place has a dress code and I cannot be casual. Unfortunately, I have about three wearable shirts and one of them is more than ten years old and thus not that wearable. So I must find new ones. Fortunately I am up to date with trousers. I am not certain where to go. The only shop I tolerate to do clothes shopping is the Mountain Warehouse, and only because they sell warm and comfy stuff that are hopelessly casual. Moral of the story: life is sometimes so unfair.

A visit to the local Mountain Warehouse?

I mentioned yesterday that we are turning into winter. And my wardrobe needs in some aspects at least some serious renewal. In other words, my gloves and thick socks have holes in them. And the only clothes shop that I genuinely like is Mountain Warehouse. Luckily, we have a local one. So, although I hate shopping, especially clothes shopping, a short trip there should be tolerable. And I will have some warm and comfy socks. I am not joking, the ones of Mountain Warehouse are my favourite socks, bare none.

"Dark. With stripes."

Sometimes I need to shop for clothes. Like these days: my oldest t-shirts are from 2007 and the most recent from 2014 or thereabout. I hate shopping in general and for clothes in particular, but I do enjoy for some mysterious reasons products from Mountain Warehouse. More about this unusual disposition here. Luckily enough there is one that opened in town last year, so yesterday we went there. Another good thing about Mountain Warehouse is that I find what I really want within seconds or almost. And my wife can spot them too. She pointed me to the polos and t-shirts I would have. When I asked how did she know it is what I was looking for, she simply said: "Because it's dark. With stripes". This is not the first time she tells me this, but this deserves to be a new great unknown line. She really knows what I like. So we ended up spending ten minutes there. I prefer shopping when it is quick and fruitful.