Summer Solstice Sensation

lessonlearned

Hi Everyone

Well that's the first bank holiday weekend gone. DS1 went back this morning - missing him already. He's been an absolute star - helping with lots of heavy household and gardening tasks. He's worked miracles in the garden, mainly all the heavy digging I can't manage.

We've prepped the front garden, digging up some of the lawn to widen the parking area. DS2 always used to laugh at my parking until he learned to drive and had a go at our drive. At least I have an excuse for driving onto the flower beds - I now drive a Citroen Grand C4 (for OH's wheelchair etc). DS2 only had a mini and couldn't get it right.:D
He'll bring home the gravel etc tonight so we can finish that tomorrow on his day off.

We've have also turned the dining room into a mini gym bringing in the the bike from the study and the multi-gym from the garage. Sounds a strange thing to do but it means it's easier for OH to get on the equipment. We are very keen for him to keep exercising as long as possible so that his muscles (especially the legs) don't waste away. He may not ever be able to walk unaided but at least if we can keep his muscles reasonably strong then he can stand a little and "help" with transfers - otherwise we'd need to think about hoists etc.

Going to start using the multi gym again myself - haven't done it for months - the garage is too cold in the winter. The multi-gym actually belongs to DS1 - we're "storing" it for him (together with numerous boxes in the loft).

I've also managed to sort out a corner for sewing/projects etc, freeing up the study for DS2's projects and my keyboard. Turning the room back to it's dining room function can be done in an hour so - so it's not quite as awful as it sounds.

Today I've deep cleaned my bedoom - filled another bag with tat - not even fit for the charity shop - straight for the rag pen with that lot.:rotfl: Going to take a leaf out of Maman's book and try and deep clean one room a week, decluttering as I go.

Have been very remiss on the beauty treatment front - some serious catching up to do. My hands are wrecked, my hair's a mess and I've seem to have been living in either shorts or joggies this last few days.

Oh well, can't do everthing at once - fully intended to do some pampering last night but ended up watching "Top Gun" with my boys - just two pieces of chocolate and a very small bowl of popcorn.:rotfl:

Off to see what's lurking in the fridge, "Fridge Fricasee" tonight.:o

MrsWoolfe

hello all!

Hope everyone had a good long weekend,

LL you certainly sound like you had a very productive one! re the endamame beans I managed to find some frozen ones in Mr T's- where the peas and broadbeans are- they are podded ones but still nice- I'm going to try the chinese supermarket next, I'm sure I'll have better luck there- it's just finding the time to go!

Had a lovely couple of days- Friday at Mum's- which could have been sad as it was my Dad's birthday, but turned out really nice- a few of their friends turned up and came to the cemetary complete with a little whiskey for him;) and people had already gone and put flowers there- made me realise just how many people love him still and made me happy rather than sad iykwim? Also my god-brother came with his wife and little girl- AKA mini-me I mean it's scary how much the child looks like me and acts like me (or me as a child)...i love her to bits and we always have a laugh and a giggle when she's around, she simply won't allow anyone around her not to be smiling...and she gets my "jokes/sense of humour....or does that just mean I have the sense of humour of a two-year old????:o...either way you can't help but be positive with a kid like her around- she was only one when Dad passed away but wa a big part of helping Dad cope, he adored her and she was just such a ray of sunshine and still is....it also makes me laugh at how much she( and our other niece) has DH wrapped around her little finger so cute to watch!

Nice BBQ with friends, chilled out always lots of silly jokes and stories, then sunday lunch at MIL's which was really nice as DH's Gran and uncle came too, lovely to catch up over a leisurely lunch and have a play with DH's neice....I'm seeing a theme here...maybe I do have the temperment of a two year old after all

almost done with staining the four wardrobes....but ran out of varnish yesterday ( I heroically refrained from saying "I TOLD YOU SO!") so will be getting some more tonight/tomorrow and then ordering my lovely crystal door knobs...

Not very much exercise done but pottering in garden/walking with family etc and wierdly no chocolate:huh:...although I may have had a few cocktails on Sunday night;)

trying to decide what to do on Thursday night as it's our 10yr anniversay (of when we met) but with everything else that has been going on we hadn't really planned much.

On the fab front, my skin has been a bit "off" for the last couple of weeks- think I've let the routine slip food/pampering wise and it's showing so this week is a no make-up week focusing on cleansing well, a couple of face masks and lots and lots of water to see if that helps with things. I've gone back to using angels on bare skin by lush which I love- really must get sround to figuring out how to make a home-made version and a muslin cloth for exfoliating (gently mind) leaves my skin feeling so much nicer than when I use scrubs, also in a similar vein (ish) have been using a sudafed/nappy cream cheapy version from savers on my legs to try and help with ingrown hairs- not entirely sure where I got that idea from but it seems to be really helping- I use an epliator which i love but was have so much trouble with ingrowns that it was almost not worth bothering! so that's one good thing....

right, that was a bit of a long one, see what happens when I don't post often????:D

Hope everyone is well!

MrsWoolfe

maman

:wave:

Sounds like everyone's had a good weekend, including me, but it's good to be back home too. I've had a surfeit of hotel breakfasts and meals out for a while so it'll be good to get back to some sort of normality.

Those wardrobes sound really good MrsW (especially when you ge the glass knobs) but four wardrobes:eek:;) that'll ghold an awful lot of clothes!

Your home gym sounds good LL, now you can really go to town on your health and fitness regime. Keep up the good work.

Carmen, I think just 2lbs on with all the visitors is good. I mnaged to gain 3lbs from my trip to Blackpool and will soon find out how much this weekend's set me back:o but I'm going to try to be really good this coming week. I am going to a party on Sunday but I think it's a barbecue so I should be OK with lean meat and salads.

Good to catch up with you all. It'll soon be the weekend again!

lessonlearned

Hi Everyone

Very cold here this morning and again tonight, but during the day it was lovely and sunny.

Went to physio - had a good pummelling - had three sessions now and feeling a lot better. Thought about trying the bike and multi-gym but thought better of it - thought it best to just stick to physio for today.
Did do some gardening though:o

You sound as if you are having a great time gadding around Maman, it is just the sort of retirement that OH and I had planned and hoped for. We used to go for lots of jaunts, holidays, weekends away, visits to friends etc. It has to be said I do miss those days sometimes. Never mind, can't be helped.

Have booked my "over 40's" physical with our GP surgery, need to book a dental check-up:eek:, eye test and chiropodist. Once I've got those out of the way I'm going to sort out my hair and book a couple of special beauty salon treatments. Whilst I can do most beauty treatments myself it is nice to go and be "done" by someone else occasionally. Not sure what yet.

I used to have regular CACI treatments which were very good - however since my cancer scare I'm a bit nervous of electrical treatments - just in case they trigger off excess cellular activity.

As you know I am a firm believer in natural and herbal remedies and treatments - however I am by no means anti-science. After all most scientific discoveries are based around the natural world and of course not everything that is natural is necessarily good.

I am currently looking into some of the hi-tech solutions offered by what the beauty industry calls "Cosmaceuticals". These are techniques and products manufactured in the labs, often using natural products and then reproducing them synthetically at much higher strengths and resolutions. Just as viruses can be modified and manipulated to become "weaponised" so I often think of these new wonder creams etc as "weaponised" cosmetics. If it helps us win our war on wrinkles then so much for the better.

However, most of these new wonder creams rely on nano technology to deliver the active ingredients into the deepest layers of skin. I am a little concerned about the long term effects of this because they can pass into the bloodstream and who knows what levels of toxicity they could reach and whether or not they could, in the long term be carcinogenic. I think it's wise to tread carefully.

Whilst I'm all for being as MSE as possible I do think there are some things that need care. What we put in and on our bodies is one of them. Maybe we have to dig a little deeper into our purses to make sure we are buying safe products.

I have been trying out wrinkle fillers. One is called Tri-Aktiline - from Boots - about £27. It works very well on my marionette lines (mouth to chin) and the crow's feet around the eyes, not so good for the vertical frown lines on the forehead. No adverse effects. It is an American product and will have been passed by the FDA (USA Food & Drug Association) who have very stringent rules about safety.

I've also tried a couple of Lacura (Aldi) fillers. Wrinkle Stop and Wrinkle Filler with Collagen. I found these made my skin very sore so very quickly stopped using them.

They were very cheap - couple of £s - maybe that was the problem - too cheap and therefore using inferior ingredients?? I don't know. I've tried several Lacura creams and not had much luck with them but then again I do have sensitive skin. I've read good reports and many people do seem to get on perfectly well with them.

Anyway I'm hoping to go to my hair and beauty wholesalers soon so will be looking at a whole range of products and will trial a few and report back.

Don't know if anyone else does this but if I buy a face-cream and decide it's not for me rather than waste it I just use it up on any really dry patches like elbows, knees and feet.

Anyway time for one of the best beauty treatments - a good night's sleep. And it's free:D

MrsWoolfe

Morning Ladies!

feeling a bit better today, managed to do the OCM last night and my skin is feeling lovely yay!

Started sorting out and tidying - it's been so busy recently that we'd got really behind on things, so am trying the take the fly-lady approach just one little thing each day 10-20 mins and hopefully we'll get on top of it.

re the wardrobes- yes I know it sounds excessive and yes I do have a lot of clothes:o but in my defence they are quite narrow they are these ones:

http://www.homebase.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=110&storeId=10151&partNumber=1765870&c_4=4%7Ccat_14418004%7C2+Door+Wardrobe%7C14508856&c_3=3%7Ccat_14418001%7CWardrobes%7C14418004&c_2=2%7Ccat_16849245%7CBedroom+Furniture%7C14418001&c_1=1%7Ccategory_root%7CFurniture+and+Homewares%7C16849245

and two will just fit exactly into the alcoves in the bedroom either side of the chimney breast- so it will almost be like fitted wardrobes.

feeling cheerful today- got ID'd yesterday and he did a double take when he checked by DOB tee hee I'm going to be 29 next month and it still cheers me up to get ID'd, also today is our 10 year anniversary:happyloveand we are going to try the Lebansese restaurant we keep passing on our way to town and have a proper date for once, we are going to walk so that we can walk along the riverside on the way back- can't wait!

Was chatting to a collegue the other day and mentioned it and their reaction was really funny- turns out he thought I was about 23/4 Ha!Maybe I did inherit Mum's good genes after all- she's 58 and still has no wrinkles at all can easily pass for mid forties.

Are people planning on watching the wedding tomorrow? I was thinking about it, but definately NOT going with one friend's suggestion that we all wear our wedding dresses:eek: one not all of us are married, two mine wont fit :jit's masses too big it would just fall down:D three- I hated the dress the first time I wore it (long story but dressmaker still finishing it on the day, skirt didn't fit right so had to safety-pin, top too short and wrong shape....) yuk!

I've been trying to avoid all the "wedding-related" TV shows normally like wedding shows- for a laugh anyway but this week's offerings seem pretty tacky- but I did catch the David Starkey documentary last night on channel four and it was pretty interesting, more of a looking back through history and marriage in the royal family- changes of attitudes and traditions. I wish we'd learnt more about the history of royalty in england at school, I always feel like there are great gaps in my knowledge...hmm maybe an idea for an OU course at some point?

anyway, I'll stop wittering now, hope everyone has a lovely day!

MrsWoolfe

lessonlearned

Hi Everyone

Yes Mrs W I shall be watching the wedding, going to two little parties - bunting, cup cakes you name it. And I shall wear a hat - admittedly an old straw one which doubles as a sun hat which I will decorate with flowers from the garden. I know, I know but you can't beat a good wedding.:p

You are right about good genes. I am lucky, both my mum and grandmother had lovely skin, my mum is 86 and I have friends in their 50's who look older. However, they have smoked and sun-worshipped so whilst good genes definitely help it's what we do with them that really counts.

No smoking, take care in the sun, and plenty of moisturiser.

Well good news at WW, another 1lb off (6 so far). Nothing dramatic - slow but sure wins the race. Celebrated by visiting my new favourite charity shop, Dr Barnados, and bought a long caramel coloured Per Una skirt in that lovely soft fabric that feels like chamois leather but isn't. Has some embroidery around the bottom - very boho chic, or as BIL would say - oooh very Stevie Nicks.:rotfl:

Off to have a go on the bike and the multi-gym. I'm all fired up now with my weight loss and determined to stick with it. Have stocked up on lots of fruit and veg, olives etc for healthy snacking. Bank holidays, BBQ's, buffet parties etc do bring their own special dietary challenges but I find it a bit easier if I'm stocked up with some healthy options.

Also bought some climbing plants from Aldi - £1-79 each - bargain. Nice healthy plants, honeysuckle (love the smell) and passionflower. Will plant them later.

Bye for now - Enjoy tomorrows festivities.

maman

:wave:

Gosh you've all been busy!

Had my WI today and this last weekend I only put on 1lb (compared with the 3lbs in Blackpool:eek:). Almost everyone at my group seemed to have gained, mainly due to Easter eggs! I thought I would hate joining a slimming group but I've made some nice new friends and I find the discussions and listening to everyone's stories very motivating. I still hate the clappy bit though:( So its upwards and onwards for me. I've been ever so good since we got back from Harrogate and will give the plan my best shot this week to reverse the damage. Well done on your ongoing losses LL, you'll soon be taking stuff back to to the charity shop.;)

I was interested in your talk about face creams LL. I've been using the Lacura Day Cream for a year or so now and I also find their serum quite refreshing. I used a Body Shop moisturiser for years until it was discontinued and then tried all sorts including a Clarins one at £50 a jar:eek: which didn't agree with my skin at all. Glad your skin is feeling good MrsW. Anyone tried Bio Oil? My doctor recommended it to rub into scar tissue on my ankle. It's not cheap so I wondered whether it was useful for other things too.

Those wardrobes look good, especially with drawers at the bottom. Great idea.

Happy Anniversary MrsW, hope you and DH had a lovely time at the Lebanese restaurant. I've never tried that. We have Nepalese locally (Ghurka influence) which I like, similar to Indian. Is Lebanese like North African/Moroccan? Tagines? Couscous?

I'm very undecided about the wedding. Of course, I wish them well in their married life and, like most women, I am interested in 'the dress' and other fashions. I have to admit that the British are good at pageantry but the expense to the nation really bothers me. I shall probably watch while doing all my holiday ironing!!

Enjoy the weekend whatever you do!

lessonlearned

Hi Maman

Just a quickie, yes definitely try the Bio Oil, my surgeon recommended it to me to stop my scar from puckering and help it "set" straight and flat. As the scar is on my face I was very keen to get the best possible outcome. It is very good, although as you say not cheap, however, a bottle lasts a long time because you only need to use a small amount.

When my oil did eventually run out I bought a cheapy knock off version called Re-Gen oil. I find this doesn't suit me at all. I've been too mean to throw it away which is just plain daft really. The re-gen oil just seems to lie on the surface of the skin, not doing much and leaving it feeling greasy and tacky. The Bio Oil absorbs well and leaves my skin feeling nicely "plumped" and also seems to soften wrinkles. I shall go back to Bio Oil next time - perhaps I should just abandon the Re-Gen anyway.

I used to be a big fan of the Body Shop Carrot Moisturising cream and their Vit E cream, haven't been to the Body Shop for ages - don't know why.

Well done on getting back into the groove.:D

PS just realised didn't say Bio Oil is also recommended to help reduce wrinkles and stretchmarks, dry skin. Part of it's effectiveness is due to the fact that it has to be massaged in rather than just "slapped" on - if you catch my drift. Best used at night or around the house when not wearing make-up. Not really suitable as a day moisturiser unless you can allow at least 15 minutes or so for absorption before applying makeup.

angelfacecuti75

can i please join u ladies? i am 25 and a mummy, and work full time dont have a lot of time or money for myself but often need a boost as end up coming to the end of the week feeling slummy ... thanks:D

angelfacecuti75

just doing this message so i can subsribe