SKI-er or Sk-ater. We know how to enjoy ourselves

[Deleted User] · 1 April 2008 at 8:14PM

3 years after my last edit in 2012 and circumstances changed drastically in february 2015 when my husband of 45 years died. Sorting and clearing is now pretty well done and I am well into the acceptance stage, part of which means that I have been able to move on and am now creating a life for myself.

I have had a thrifty life and much of it was frugal, this enabled both of us to build up good savings and to have a decent income. When someone you love dies then it suddenly brings it home that life really is for living and if that involves spending money then so be it. Our children will still inherit if I stay well, so I have re-joined the skiers group with a vengeance. Posts will know continue as from today 16th october 2015

seven-day-weekend · 1 April 2008 at 8:48PM

Thanks for starting the new thread, kittie.

Just noticed you don't have a SKI-ers number and you're the one who has started both the threads! Why don't you call yourself Honourary Member of the SKI-ers club?

Most of our SKI-ing is/will be done in the UK and Europe. I don't think there will be any long-haul trips.

EdInvestor · 1 April 2008 at 11:30PM

I am more of a Skater than a Skier, not having any kids, with a team of similarly situated friends. So far this year we have had a month in Tenerife in Jan-Feb (to be repeated, what wonderful sunshine, not to mention fresh fish

) and an Easter excursion to Chichester in West Sussex.

The South of France out of season also looks interesting for later in the year.

Where are all your favourite spots?

donny-gal · 2 April 2008 at 7:30AM

We too prefer Europe, not into long haul flights, and prefer to drive now as we have the time. It's not the flying it's the hanging around.

We did France for 20+ years until we bought the house in Spain via ready erected camping and then our own touring caravan. We love France, and I have more French than Spanish. Still have the 'van and are off in that shortly to Belgium/Holland. we like Paris, Monaco is worth seeing, as is St Tropez, for people watching. Aigues Mortes is a nice old town on the Camargue, we ended up staying there for 4 holidays as the camp site outside was just what our teenage son wanted, and as we said, we can sit and drink red wine under any tree in France if he was happy. Now we can please ourselves. This trip we will be looking around the battlefields of Ypres, the diamond centre of Antwerp, and the Flower Festival in Holland. We fancy a "Grand Tour" of Italy which could take 5-6 weeks, under consideration for next year. We will also be out and about in the UK with the 'van too. Our problem is we just run out of time!:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

DG

Errata · 2 April 2008 at 10:30AM

I thought this year I'd go self catering in the UK. Fancy Devon but after looking at zillions of websites it would appear it will cost me £1k in accom/food/petrol/treats/booze for two weeks :eek:

I could have a month in Malta in the winter for that kind of money. Don't mind Skating, but that kind of layout for that kind of holiday feels like spending money like a drunken sailor.

[Deleted User] · 2 April 2008 at 11:52AM

sensible thinking errata. We got 2 weeks in Madeira last january at a good price and I feel that its more beneficial in the winter and during school term time. The best thing was flying from our local airport. Just a quick taxi ride and we were there. Lovely atmosphere in a clean quiet airport. I cannot face heathrow or gatwick these days. Winter has certainly felt a lot shorter this year

[Deleted User] · 3 April 2008 at 8:03AM

I have decided that what I am doing to my wardrobe can be classed as ski-ing. I bought myself a very good overlocker (could have done with it 30 tears ago when I made everything) and have set up my study for sewing. I bought a dressform, which I have padded to my body double (and keep covered of course). I bought a stash of fabric, starting with lovely baby material but graduating to grown up material, a set of patterns for ME and all the accessories I need.

I have started to sew for ME (making baby clothes in between of course). I needed to re-vamp my skills so have made bits and pieces in cheaper fabric and if the pattern is good and fits beautifully then it goes into a special ME box to be utilised on lovely fabrics like silks and cotton jersey

The ski-ing part comes in now because I have decided to get rid of anything I don`t like in my wardrobe and that is most of it. A bit at a time of course eg 1 item in and 3 out. No more make do and mend for me

Francophile · 3 April 2008 at 10:36AM

I was out yesterday looking at new kitchens. I have had the existing one since the house was built 19 years ago so I think I deserve a new one. We are getting the house ready to sell and downsize in a couple of years but I might as well get some pleasure out of a new kitchen. My DH has finally come to the realisation that to get a decent price for the property we need to modernise it a bit. I don't intend to spend a fortune, just enough to make it look good. We are flying to Valencia next week (got cheap flights) so will be in your part of the world Donny-gal. We're renting a car and travelling to Javea and that area as a number of people on here have said it a lovely area. We had originally planned to look at property there but have decided against it due to all the bad press so will just treat it as a holiday. I am 52 and my DH is 56. Our youngest will be 18 in 3 years so that is when DH plans to retire. In the meantime we keep changing our minds as to what we want to do, where we want to live etc. Is this an age thing do you think? We can't seem to make a decision to save our lives and keep jumping from one thing to another. We were not generally like this before although we were never great risk takers.

Errata · 3 April 2008 at 1:13PM

I think that in general, in my opinion, broadly speaking (that should satisfy everyone

) we become more risk averse as we age. Youngsters hardly ever consider the worst case scenario, which is why they join the services and fight in the front line but the 'old hands' are way at the back directing operations.

Maybe the trick to coming to a decision about a new kitchen or a new life is to list the criteria the new has to meet. I dunno, looking back most of my big decisions have been made on the spur of the moment, and some of them were the right ones.

[Deleted User] · 3 April 2008 at 1:40PM

Francophile I felt like you 4 years ago. Our children had left the nest and the two dd`s were recently married and the son has a lifelong relationship, so they are all taken care of. It was my dh having his first hip re-surfacing that made me decide (and lets face it, it is we women who make the major decisions, only the men don`t always realise). Looking after him, the large house, the large garden and a menagerie of pets including a horse. I was exhausted and had a flash of what the future might hold if one of us became ill.

I was 56 at the time and we started by getting rid of STUFF. The stored things in the loft and the un-used stables. The more space there was, the more we accumulated. We gave most away to very grateful people and that was a delight in itself. Then we decided to downsize to release cash because my dh had two more years on half salary before retiring at 60 (company policy and he was a director but stepped down to half salary)

We sold the house and moved to rented for a while. We dithered between Penrith or anywhere else really. The Penrith eco house fell through and we took that as a sign, then we walked into this place in Wales, which offered a whole lifestyle to us. A new town house with neighbours and lots of acres. It is fab and we have never looked back. Our energy bills are a fraction of what they were and cleaning is a doddle but storage is limited. So out with the old brown ercol and in with the modular light oiled oak. It was like staring again after being married

My suggestion is to take baby steps, one thing at a time and do it while you are young enough because the downsizing was exhausting and backbreaking.

Ps: we didn`t do anything new to the house, just made sure it was spotless and freshly painted before selling

Francophile · 3 April 2008 at 1:50PM

I'm afraid having 4 sons, a daughter ( and all their friends) 2 cats and a dog, a lick of paint just won't cut the mustard. I only wish it would. After we get back from Spain we have decided (aha we've actually made a decision) that every weekend my Dh will climb into the roofspace (I've no head for heights or I would do it myself), throw down say half a dozen bags which I will then sort through and decide if they can go to charity or the dump or be given to someone. Like you Kittie we have accumulated so much junk over the years. it's hard to know where to start but if we start now we should be about ready to put the house on the market in about 2-3 years.

SKI-er or Sk-ater. We know how to enjoy ourselves

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