Frugal Frump to Fab/Winter Solstice

Molly41

Count me in for the winter solstice outfit. I have been wearing a cerise pink cardigan with some berry coloured skinnies (go me and unheard of in my trackie days) so will wash them in preparation for winter solstice.

Very interested in your comments about re-building finances. Although we have no debt (except mortgage) now, we are currently haemorrhaging money and it needs to be plugged. I am getting quite panicky about it now and know this is contributing to my lethargy about Christmas:eek::eek::eek:

I have also been thinking about the new year and my aim is to continue to develop my interest and skill in patch work and to join the WI :T:T:T

Keep on Fabbing xxx

Bitsy_Beans

I LOVE the concept of adding to our lives. Only I haven't got a clue how to do it, or i should say what to add

Answers on a post card please.......

sophistica

I am just wondering what i would add back in....some ideas:
1. Weekly cinema trips...havent been for ages.
2. Theatre, opera and musicals in London.
3. Museums and galleries. I used to go every week.
4. Pampering afternoons. Bath, pedicure, face pack etc.
5. Reading novels. I spend too much time on internet.
6. National Trust visits

maman

:santa2: thanks for the ideas sophistica, all of those are just the sort of things I love to do. I've just written a set of theatre dates in my diary for next year (plus a huge cheque to my friend who got the tickets for me:eek:) so it's a start. I am also determined to teach myself to use my phone properly. I have had a fancy mobile for ages now but I just text and call. If I'm not going to use it's other features then I might as well not bother with the contract. So that's another on my list for 2011.


I'll definitely be wearing colour on the solstice. It's become such a feature for me now.

It's quite a memorable time for me as my DD1 was born on 20th December on what didn't feel like even close to the shortest day at all!:D I'll bore you briefly with the story. Older posters will remember the BBC programme Come Dancing on which Strictly is loosely based. They used to televise the programmes monthly from local ballrooms. I love dancing. I went to the November one locally and had tickets for 18th December. Although it was my due date, I was very small and couldn't believe anything was going to happen before Christmas. Unfortunately, my then OH had to work unexpectedly so I offered the tickets to his cousin. On the afternoon on 18th, I took the tickets over to her and then walked the 3/4 miles back home. I just felt like some air and exercise. Amazingly, contractions started later that evening. She wasn't actually born until the early hours of 20th. So whenever I think of ballroom dancing or the solstice it brings it all back.


Love the idea of the plans callisto. I feel really energised when I'm organised.

Hope the singing went well podperson, was this at the same time as the Santa run?

Done a bit of fabbing today. All coiffed and creamed so just need to choose something to wear and do make up later, I'm off to Zizzi's with some friends for a Christmas meal.

Back later.

podperson

Hi all,

Sparkles - yay on fitting into a 10 :j Think the Solistice outfit is a good plan, will have to see what I have - have been wearing more colour in general and have a nice jumper in a bright red that have been wearing a bit.

LL - hope the back's a little better, be careful with moving OH - agree don't even try it on your own! I do agree with the living simply, I might get myself little treats but it's rare I actually want anything big. OH despairs of me I think as he's always offering to buy me things (he wants to get me a ps3 for xmas) but I just don't see that I need them. Even if I do make it on the 'millionaire challenge' I can't see myself ever being one of those people who goes out and blows loads of money on things they don't really need. I would like a nice house, maybe a few decent holidays since I haven't been abroad in about 10 years and would be nice to be able to help out my mum and dad - but apart from that very little I would be bothered about.

Callisto - glad you did well on your assignment, the positivity folder sounds like a good plan.

Sophistica - some great ideas there

Maman - the singing went quite well, we were rained off a little early but it was still fun. Was slightly surreal at times as we were in the middle of the road (on the half built tram tracks) and there was a little santa train that kept going up and down the street - so every time it came we had to tell people to move back so they didn't get run over by it! Missed the Santa run, it was on in the morning and they'd all finished by the time we were on.

Anyway, had quite a Christmassy day yesterday, the busking and then went to a friend's house to watch some xmas films. Lots of think about in recent posts. It's interesting about the 'adding things' - I had a similar idea last year, I wanted to meet new people and try new things so signed up for loads of clubs/classes/groups etc. Some were good, some were not so good but it was all interesting and something new. Out of those I still go to choir and my film group, and I keep in touch with some people from groups I don't go to anymore. I think perhaps I need to think more fabwise/finances/career this year but am going to have a good think and make a list when I get chance.
On a slightly related note, I know most people on here are busy and it can be very much a juggling act, but I'm struggling a little at the moment to 'balance' everything. I've cut my groups down to 1.5 a week and I don't really want to lose those but I feel like I'm getting drastically behind with my OU assignments, I really want to get on with the book and am struggling for time, and feel like I've hardly seen OH properly this week. It worries me that a lot of people who are very successful seem to do it by being very focused and driven, I guess single-minded - and I'm not sure how to do that without it being at the expense of the things and people I care about.

lessonlearned

podperson wrote: »

Hi all,

It worries me that a lot of people who are very successful seem to do it by being very focused and driven, I guess single-minded - and I'm not sure how to do that without it being at the expense of the things and people I care about.

This is the big one isn't it - getting the balance right.

I belong to that generation (sixties and seventies feminism) who told us we could have it all. Piffle. You can't.

You can have some of it - most of the time - but not all of it all of the time - something has to give.

My life choices always involved me putting my children and OH first, refusing promotions because it meant being away from home, and deciding not to complete my degree course. Yes I could have done much more in my career and therefore earned a shedload of money but I'm more than happy with my choices. I've still got time to make a few more shekels.:D

lessonlearned

sophistica wrote: »

I am just wondering what i would add back in....some ideas:
1. Weekly cinema trips...havent been for ages.
2. Theatre, opera and musicals in London.
3. Museums and galleries. I used to go every week.
4. Pampering afternoons. Bath, pedicure, face pack etc.
5. Reading novels. I spend too much time on internet.
6. National Trust visits

Some great ideas here, thinking along similar lines too.

I'm also going to get myself a rail card so can combine some theatre visits/galleries with city breaks, especially London.

Do I sense a meet up maybe??

lessonlearned

Maman - Loved the story about your DD's arrival into the world.

Callisto - Well done on the OU assignments. I like the "positivity" folder. I have a couple of folders, one for recipes and household tips - one for "ideas", things to do, projects.

Re the ideas Bitsy - apart from all the suggestions which have been made - is there anything that you've always wanted to do.

It could be something really big. Maybe something that although not achievable in the foreseeable future - one that you could start working towards. Saving up for a special treat or experience or doing a course in something that's always interested you.

As I mentioned I'm no longer bothered about "stuff". For me it's about "experiences".

One thing that I am glad about is that rather than wait until he retired I encouraged OH to fulfil a few of his dreams - a trip to China, a drive in a Formula 1 racing car, driving a tank, hang gliding. Yes, he was a bit of an action man.;)

For me I've flown a plane, been up in a hot air balloon. I don't fancy scuba diving but I do fancy flying a glider. Might look into that one - a lot cheaper than flying lessons I believe. My sister keeps trying to get me back into horse riding - I'm not so sure. Don't think my back is up to that.:eek:

Anyway back to earth - literally. Today I finally managed to plant my tulips. We had a little window of warm (ish) sunshine at lunchtime so I seized the moment.

Also managed a bit of Christmas shopping - so all in all quite a productive day. Treated myself to some posh dead sea mineral salts for the bath (on offer of course).

Will light the scented candles, glass of wine and pretend I'm in an exclusive Spa resort.:D

Keep Fabbing. x

fedupandskint

I'm made up with cold, sore throat and cough starting yesterday so no running this week while this is here. However will be sticking to the 1 hour walk per day to keep some fabbing going

Had a nice bath with some menthol dead sea salts to make me feel better and it worked, although the symptoms are kicking back in - will see how I am tomorrow and maybe have a couple of days off - hot chocolate time now too!

Not sure what my Winter Solstice outfit will be? Had a little think about it with all of your ideas. I do have a black and floral print Betty Jackson dress I bought from ebay 2yrs ago which I've never worn. Haven't tried it on for ages either. Just need to check its not too sheer as its sheer with an under black layer otherwise I couldn't wear it for work. If its ok I could wear this with my black boots, tights and a cardi to add some sleeves into a cold office.

In fact, just had another idea - could look for a bright cheap polo neck layer to wear underneath to bring some winter solstice cheer to pick out some of the floral ditzy prints. Funny how wearing things like this doesn't give others a second thought to do so yet for me I have to think it over whether its suitable for me and for work. Oh the doubts eh? Its only clothes after all, hardly anything serious!

As for the different things to do, I'd already given this a thought - try 1 new thing a month for me including days out, facials and so on

Anyway off now for a hot choccie to warm me up while Stardust is on

Bitsy_Beans

The only big thing I want to do is to take DS to Kennedy, I think he'd be in 7th heaven there are space and all things related is one of his special interests.

Smaller things well TBH with me cutting back on work and therefore cutting back on income I can't really afford theatre trips, museum trips etc each month I'd love to drive a Formula 1 car but its horrendously expensive so would perhaps have to settle for the high performance cars

Actually do you know what experience I really crave? The sea. I love it. I wish I lived somewhere where I could go and see it everyday. Living in land locked midlands isn't very conducive to that not sure though this is one experience thats ever going to happen