Frugal Frump to Fab/Winter Solstice

Bitsy_Beans

Hugs LL and whilst biccie tin won't solve things you are supporting yourself the best way you can, look at it this way you could have plumped for booze and drugs. Cry all you need to and don't add to your woe by feeling bad about comfort food xxxxxx

maman

Just on my way to bed and read your posts LL. Sending you the biggest :grouphug: I can find. I am confident you are definitely doing the right thing with respite for your DH. All the confusion and physical strain on you proves it for me. He needs professional help and youve found him the best available.

Thanks for your good wishes but I'm still here until Monday. We're only off for a few days during school holiday.

I think you're wise to look for some 'snow' boots. Mine are a pair I got in Scholl (now Shuropody) a while back with fur lining and rubber soles. They're not the most glamorous but have been excellent for bad weather.

vnms, your hair cut sounds great. Mine's not quite Mary Portas but it's a similar short bob. I'm so pleased I've resolved to have it cut more often. My hair grows quite slowly but suddenly between 6-8 weeks it just loses all it's shape. I've decided I'm going to get it cut in future before it's desperate.

I'm off to bed now. Sleep well all.

tru

Oh LL, big hugs to you

lessonlearned

Just to let you all know - I feel a tad better this morning and the world looks a slightly brighter and more welcoming place. Even the sun has come out.

Had a good sleep and things don't seem quite so bleak.

Deep down I know that professional care is the answer - it is just that it is so hard to accept and it is so final. I watched them doing a toilet transfer - they have special standing hoists etc and I have to admit it looked much easier for OH. Of course he'll be better off there - safer, comfortable and after all it's near enough for me to visit him any time I choose.

It's time for me to embrace life and meet the challenges head on.

I'm sure there will be more weepy times to come but I have to accept things gracefully and start to rebuild my life.

So far this morning I've tackled a pile of ironing, there's a banana cake in the oven. I peeked into DS2's room :eek::eek: - gathered up the dirty laundry, cups plates etc.

I've a pile of laundry the size of Everest, the house is a tip, so I'm off to have a bath, a bit of a beautify, get dolled up and go and see OH, via the new farm shop. The housework can wait till I'm good and ready.:rotfl:

Before the sun came out I had a good look round the house and it seems so bland, dark and depressing. It needs colour - a complete redecoration tbh.

My poor house is wrecked - what with the wheelchairs and all the disabled equipment - chunks out of the plasterwork and chipped paintwork, damaged doors etc - the wooden floors scratched and gouged.

When OH does finally go into care that will be one of my major projects - to put some TLC back into my home. To build a comfortable nest, to once again surround myself with things of beauty. It will be my launchpad to a different kind of life.

However, that's for the future. For the time being I went into the garden and raided what's left of the flowers, filled a couple of vases. The place looks better already. Amazing what a bit of colour can do.

Whilst I was ironing I played a CD and sort of danced on the spot whilst I was ironing. I know I'm nuts.:rotfl:

Music, flowers, sunshine and banana cake - life's looking better already.

Have a great day X

fedupandskint

You sound so much brighter today and well done for looking at life the way you are doing. Keep it going Mrs LL and it'll get you through those hard times I'm sure.

I think I'm coming down with one massive cold virus thing. I feel like its on its way but its not coming out yet. Maybe the multivits are trying hard to keep it at bay. Feel quite weird today and sense of taste is disappearing a little. Not sure if I feel better because I'm not doing much this weekend so not sure if I'm going to work tomorrow. Will see how I feel later on and then decide

Molly41

Good Evening x

Lesson Learned - glad you feel a little brighter today. Sometimes it is the small things in life that give meaning and pleasure to us. I hope your husband also had a good day in respite.

I know what you mean about the house taking a bash. We have four oldish kids (3 of them boys) knocking around who have no concept of House Beautiful - especially my eldest son who has trashed his room one way or another:mad::mad::mad:
Also with being poorly, we have not kept up with household decorating although the general maintenance is ok but we are looking very shabby and out of date. I have been making more of an effort as a direct result of Fabness - now I come to think of it. I have been buying flowers for the fireplace and burning my candles - I have such a stash that I was saving:o:o:o

So Fabness - Today I washed and styled my hair. I am seriously thinking of investing in a hot air hair styler as I really struggle to style my hair. I have also been managing to establish my skincare regime and skin looks much better for it.

Sending everyone good wishes xx

maman

I've not done a huge amount on the fabness front today. I should have gone out and enjoyed the lovely warm autumn day but instead I went to Wilkos and Tescos which arent shops I normally frequent.

Wilkos was to buy this


for the ongoing revamp of our guest room. It's very different from anything else in the house but I fancied something out of the ordinary. Our home is very 'English Country House' in style, all very fitting with its 20s age but sometimes I get a bit bored. The room has been a bit pink for a few years for the DGDs but we're changing it to creams, fawns and white. Restful but smart I hope.

In Tesco I got this


I'm hardly short of cardigans but I am short of long ones. It's acrylic but in a classic style which will look good with jeans.

Glad to hear you're a bit perkier LL and good that you had plenty of sleep. I'm sure the two are linked and not a coincidence.

Sorry to hear you're not feeling too good sparkles. I've met quite a few people with cold/flu symptoms in the past week although I'm sure it's no comfort to know 'there's a lot of it about'. I seem to be pretty healthy at the moment so

Must go...look at the time:eek:

lessonlearned

Maman- Oooh I love the chandelier - your room revamp sounds lovely - very smart and sophisticated - girly pinks are ok but creams can be so more elegant.

Just watched Downton - yep the Country House look is gorgeous. Whilst my house was built in 1988 and the full CH look would be a bit OTT I do think you can take elements of a style and tweak them so that they do fit in.

I love to mix and match, modern and vintage. I think an eclectic mix that grows gradually rather than a purposely "designed" look is very homely and relaxing. I think a room that is completely co-ordinated can look a bit "tries too hard" and can resemble a show house - very smart but a bit soulless.

I have bought some "pre-loved" chandeliers - two matching smallish ones that will be ideal for my lounge and dining room which have a connecting arch so I like to keep wall colours, curtains and light fittings all the same.

The chandeliers are a bit "80s" but with a bit of TLC, some cream paint and lots of new crystals I think they will do very nicely - especially as they only cost me £5 for the pair:)

I also bought one large one - far too big for my house - a big five arm number. I think I will refurbish it and either give it to my sister or maybe sell it on. It will need high ceilings to show it off in all its glory.

Sorry to rabbit on but as you can see, much as I love fashion and clothes, my real passion is interior design, in fact anything to do with houses:D

You're not going to believe this but I nearly bought a long beige cardie the other day.

I went to Sainsbury's picked up some knitwear for OH and spotted the cardie which was reduced to £8 - bargain. Put all my shopping on the conveyor belt and then realised I'd left my purse in the car. Was so embarrassed - but it just shows my mental state at the moment.

Meant to say to you Twinnie - I'm really jealous of your wood burner - I would so love one of those!! Next house:D

Sparkles - Sorry to hear that you are feeling poorly - hope you feel better soon.

I'm dithering about whether or not to have the flu jab. For a couple of years I did and the last couple of years I haven't bothered.

I have a feeling I probably will this year - I simply cannot afford to be ill whilst OH is in my care, plus there is always a danger that if I did contract something like flu I could pass it on to him and this could have disastrous effects.

I suppose this week would be a good time - then if I'm "off it" for a couple of days as a result then it won't matter too much.

OH seemed bright enough today and certainly on the ball. He's making no attempt to mix with any of the other residents which is totally out of character but I think this is out of embarrassment with his saliva problem. We are awaiting treatment for this so hopefully he will feel less self conscious and more inclined to mix with people when it's sorted.

The home has a nice conservatory which overlooks the gardens and open fields. So we sat in there and did some puzzles. The banana cake was well received. He did say that there was no place like home which gave me a bit of pang - we'll just take it slowly and see how it goes.

Having had his mum clear away the used crockery and dirty laundry must have tweaked DS2's conscience because he has blitzed his room tonight. Little tinker.:rotfl: Mind you his er-hem fitted wardrobes are a disgrace - the doors fell off the runners so we replaced them with curtains, which look awful, as a temporary measure (over a year ago). I've decided we'll get that sorted after Christmas.

Anyway off to make DS2's packed lunch and then off to bed.

G'night all x

podperson

Morning all,

Haven't been on for a few days and still catching up so just a quick post.

Maman - love the chandelier, hope you have a lovely holiday.

Carmen - have to agree that I'm not doing well with the 'switch to winter' routine. Have been digging out the jumpers this past week and have realised that while I have been working on the 'summer' wardrobe the past few months then the winter one definately needs more looking at. Added to dark mornings and evening and the cold this week and it really doesn't seem to be helping us with the positivity. Ah well, shall have to adapt I suppose!

Sparkles - sorry you're feeling a little under the weather, if I'm feeling something coming on I tend to overdose on fruit juice, vitamins and First Defence - it does tend to work about half the time!

LL - glad the physio is helping a little, totally agree that the money is worth paying for your health and wellbeing. As other's have said try to make sure you rest up while OH is away and give your body a chance to recover. The home sounds really nice, hopefully he will feel more like socialising soon.

To everyone I've missed, hope you're all fabbing away

Anyway, has been an ok weekend, other half was away again all day on Saturday for his uni work - was actually quite strange, I can't remember the last time I had the house to myself for a whole day. Managed to get some scribblings done, though nothing I can use for my assignment yet which is worrying me a little, and did a bit of cleaning and organising. My mum and dad are coming to visit next weekend so need to do a blitz on the house, it's not really that bad but I have much more relaxed standards then my mum who is very houseproud so always feel like everything has to be spotless if she's coming Will be nice to see them but have to admit the timing could be slightly better as had earmarked next weekend for my assignment and helping OH with some of his work so now will have to try and be very organised and get it all done this week.

Hope everyone has a good day x

lessonlearned

A Little Bit of Powder, A Little Bit of Paint
Makes a thing seem, just what it aint

This is one of my Aunty G's (dad sister) little ditties. She is about 88 and swans around, dressed in velvets, sparkly lurex, and furs like one of the old 30's and 40's movie stars she so loves. She always wears full slap and has always been incredibly glamourous, with a costume jewellery collection which spans at least half a century and which I would cheerfully kill for.:D

Anyway I've just finished the undercoat on my bare plastered wall in the hall (why bare plaster?? - long story involving radiators and wheelchairs:rotfl:) and it's looking better already.

Just as a couple of gallons of emulsion can cover a multitude of sins so can some judiciously applied slap:D.

Yesterday I looked - well let's be kind and just say - "pale and interesting" so I dug out the tinted moisturiser, blusher, a flick of mascara, a slick of a warm peachy/coral lipstick and my indispensable eyebrow pencil and lo and behold - a significant improvement.

So ladies as winter knocks on the door and those summer tans start to fade, just as it's time to start thinking about winter wardrobes, it's also time to dig out the slap and "warm-up" those pale pasty complexions.

Lashings of moisturiser too, and if you can't stand plain water, then try some herbal teas or low calorie squashes. The cold winds and central heating play havoc as they dry out the skin.

Anyway time for coffee and "second breakfast", followed by a couple of phone calls - one to SS re the wages and then the plumber to organise a new tap. Then a nice walk. The sun has come out again and although a bit nippy it's a perfect day for walking.

Have a fab day everyone.

Back later.

Lovely to hear from you PP - Try not to get too stressed - it sounds as if you've got a lot on your plate this week. Don't overdo it.

Re your parents visit - just do a "superficial tidy" - some flowers, some nice candles or room sprays and maybe some home baking if you've got a few minutes to spare.

They're coming to see you - not inspect the house - just enjoy it. Maybe keep Mum out of the cupboards:D