Frugal Frump to Fab/Winter Solstice

fedupandskint

Let's keep the thread going after the winter solstice. Its so friendly and helpful I'd be a little upset if it disappeared as its helped all of us in many different ways.

We could come up with another natty title and crack on with some pretty good fabby ideas too!

vasseur

fedupandskint wrote: »

Let's keep the thread going after the winter solstice. Its so friendly and helpful I'd be a little upset if it disappeared as its helped all of us in many different ways.

We could come up with another natty title and crack on with some pretty good fabby ideas too!

Oh definitely. Thanks to you lot I have just properly taken my make-up off and massaged in bio-oil, taken chipped nail varnish off, massaged in loads of lovely handcream and will paint nails later when I get into bed

I can't fall apart now!!!

Bitsy_Beans

Let me know your secret Sparkles as I just spend all my time craving chocolate and quite frankly am sick of never getting anywhere

Skin is having another breakout so it's only a matter of time before the boobs start killing me again. If it wasn't for the fact that I'd be constantly anaemic I'd have this sodding coil removed.

Apologies, feeling sorry for myself and fed up with this whole malarky. Again. :o

lessonlearned

maman wrote: »

[*]DON'T wait until the house is all sorted before you have a holiday, start new hobbies, get out and about etc. Have a plan for the house and work through it gradually but LIVE at the same time!

[/LIST]

Good plan.;)

I need to aim for balance. Not going all out to do the house first which was my first thought but as you say build that in alongside some fun and fabby stuff too.

TBH - for me decorating and house makeovers are fun, but yes I do know what you mean. I will definitely seize the opportunity to get out and about more.

My sister is determined to get me horse riding again :eek:, she rides regularly and they have just organised a "loan" pony for my niece who is also very horsey. So next year will hopefully be a summer of gymkhanas, pony shows, country fetes, and county shows. I love that stuff. I won't be show jumping myself :rotfl::rotfl: but will be there cheering my niece on and tucking into sumptuous picnics. BIL is one great cook.

We're already planning our trip to the Horse of the Year show at the NEC next November. I have another couple of friends who regularly "do" music festivals - count me in. And, like Molly I've been thinking about joining the WI, I also have a friend who is a member of U3 (I think that's what its' called). University of the Third Age. Apparently they do all sorts of courses, lectures outings etc, some academic and some practical.

I shall be joining the National Trust again, lots of great houses and gardens around here and various special days throughout the year, also getting a season ticket for Chatsworth House - they do lots of stuff.

Once you've bought your membership you can visit as often and as many properties as you like so membership is a great bargain. Especially as I now qualify for over 60's discount.:rotfl:

Our scheduled outing for tomorrow was Chatsworth to see the house decorated for Christmas, followed by a Christmas meal and then calling in at the Farm shop for some Christmas goodies. We will just have to do it in a couple of weeks when my back is better. We will be taking my sister and OH's PA, possibly also BIL and niece too.

It's quite a tradition now. It all started out as a bit of a joke when we were both self employed. I was muttering about not having a "Christmas Do" so our Christmas visit to Chatsworth became our Works Christmas Do.

Chatsworth is now fully wheelchair accessible and we always have a great time. They have a different theme each year for Christmas and it is always beautiful. Last year was Russian Christmas, the year before was Grimms Fairytales.

We've also got Sherwood Forest, Charnwood Forest, the Peak District, not forgetting some great theatres and galleries. I'm not going to be short of things to do. And that's without a "proper holiday".

OK - here's my plan for a holiday. It will either be the Italian Lakes or one of the midnight sun cruises around Norway. I'm not quite sure yet which one because it will of course be dependent on the budget, hopefully a last minute bargain.:rotfl:

I'm really hoping for the cruise because there is one with an option to stay over for a couple of days in St Petersberg. Sooo - some serious saving and thrifty living will be called for. Well worth it though.

My sister and I were talking about this today and we've made a pledge that next year we will do at least one car boot a month - she needs to fund her pony habit and I need a cracking holiday. We both also need to do some more decluttering.

(Why is it that clutter seems to breed like rabbits. One minute everything is neat and tidy, turn your back and hey presto the clutter monster has paid a visit).

Apparently my jewellery is selling well and I've today counted up my loose change jar - so the holiday fund is already starting to look quite healthy.:D

Back in a mo

lessonlearned

I feel as if I've been rather a bore today - my posts have all been about me. So sorry.

Sparkles :T:T:T What can I say except well done you. You've earned it - all that running. How are you going to top that - the London Marathon:rotfl::rotfl:

Oh Bitsy poor you. I'm not surprised you feel so fed up. It really does sound as if your coil doesn't suit you at all. What does your GP say, is there anything better for you out there.

Polesalot - Don't worry we're not going to let you "fall apart". Falling apart is not an option.;)

As Carmen would say, it has to be "Onwards and upwards".

Twinnie where are you - have you had the dreaded VV's done yet.

Mooloo - how are you doing. Sounds like you're keeping busy. Well done for staying motivated. Break ups are awful so just take of yourself, lick your wounds and indulge yourself a little - no not choccies - ok just a few.

A friend bought me a lovely box of Thornton's Continental on Sunday - I allow myself just two in the evening. DS2 "helps" me too.

Anyway that's all my news and chatter for today, a nice early night tonight.

G'night all x

sophistica

Hi All Good advice and progress from everyone. I am going to be able to see the end of the tunnel next week. My gardener is helping me with my parents garage. We filled my jag up twice and took contents to a Hospice charity shop, we have filled the dining room with stuff to sort (sitting at a table)...and tomorrow is the finale where we take all contents out of the garage and do the final cull...I tell any of you who have a clutter problem, my mother's garage would cure you (the clutter is 9 feet high, 16 feet long and 10 feet wide) , you would never buy anything again if you could see it. And no fabbing either, I left the house with no make up which is only something I do about 3 times a year and then who did I meet in Waitrose but a television producer who used to fancy me twenty years ago. We had a nice chat and he gave me a hug at the end, I suppose he is 20 years older as well! LL sort out your holidays. What I do as a single person when I am desperate for a break is to book for one night at a devere venue, where you can often get hotel rooms at approx £29 pn. I go about an hour from home, check in early, use the gym and pool, see some local sights, have dinner in the pub and go shopping the next day and I feel I have had a proper break. Royal Caribbean do some great cruises (is it Viva Voyage who keep emailing me) we went on a Baltic cruise a couple of years ago and had a great time and spent a wonderful but freezing cold day in St Petersburg. The cruise cost £385 per person...for a week...a bargain.

Bitsy_Beans

LL options were to take pills three times a day when period starts for as long as it goes on, an ablation (sp) which didn't have any guarantees of working or the coil. Not good at swallowing tablets and 3 times a day?!!! Jeez no way I'd remember with my empty bubble head.

And sorry my posts lately have been rather self centred

floss2

Bitsy_Beans wrote: »

... If it wasn't for the fact that I'd be constantly anaemic I'd have this sodding coil removed.

Bitsy_Beans wrote: »

LL options were to take pills three times a day when period starts for as long as it goes on, an ablation (sp) which didn't have any guarantees of working or the coil.

Bitsy, sorry to shout but DON'T DO IT!! I just had my Mirena changed as it was running out of fizz a bit early and it was AGONY!! Much worse than having it fitted. The nurse told me afterwards that it is much more painful removing & refitting than having the first one in :eek:

Having said that, my moods are a bit better with less of the PMT I was starting to get, so that can't be a bad thing for DH!!

Bitsy_Beans

floss2 wrote: »

Bitsy, sorry to shout but DON'T DO IT!! I just had my Mirena changed as it was running out of fizz a bit early and it was AGONY!! Much worse than having it fitted. The nurse told me afterwards that it is much more painful removing & refitting than having the first one in :eek:

Having said that, my moods are a bit better with less of the PMT I was starting to get, so that can't be a bad thing for DH!!

Sometimes I really question the benefits of being a woman :rotfl:

Tired today but feeling slightly less sorry for myself

lessonlearned

sophistica wrote: »

LL sort out your holidays. What I do as a single person when I am desperate for a break is to book for one night at a devere venue, where you can often get hotel rooms at approx £29 pn. I go about an hour from home, check in early, use the gym and pool, see some local sights, have dinner in the pub and go shopping the next day and I feel I have had a proper break. Royal Caribbean do some great cruises (is it Viva Voyage who keep emailing me) we went on a Baltic cruise a couple of years ago and had a great time and spent a wonderful but freezing cold day in St Petersburg. The cruise cost £385 per person...for a week...a bargain.

Thanks for the mini break idea. The Devere chain are pretty good. A couple of city mini breaks sound ideal, mooch around a gallery or museum, maybe the theatre and a bit of shopping - what's not to like. Shouldn't break the bank either. Stratford, Chester, York, Bristol and of course The Smoke. As Del Boy would say "The world is my lobster".

Of course I also now qualify for a Senior Citizen's Rail Card. Wahoo! I love trains.

As for your £385 cruise - WOW - fabtastic bargain. Will have to keep my eyes open for something like that.

Well done on the decluttering. You've had quite a marathon there. I'd like to think that I would never let my er-hem "stock" take over quite as much. MIL was a clutter bug and poor FIL had quite a job on his hands after she died. There's still loads left but he did make a very good start.

Bitsy Glad to hear you're feeling a little brighter. Don't worry about talking about yourself - you need to vent and let off steam. It sounds as if you've really been struggling just lately.

I agree women's health issues can be such a problem. I've had a number of gynae problems over the years - nothing major but a series of "procedures" and it's not easy. I've absolutely no experience of the mirena and know very little about them. My sister had a coil (dont know if it's the same type as yours). She had nothing but trouble and eventually had to have it removed under a general anaesthetic.

Right - well my back is a little easier again - but I'm not going to overdo it and tempt fate. Going to do some filing and paperwork sorting but first some serious fabbing.

Time for a beautify .....