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Frugal Frump to Fab/Winter Solstice
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Bitsy_Beans wrote: »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.
I have to admit we did manage this one and were fortunate to time our visit to view a shuttle launch - fantastic - well worth saving up for. We even got to meet a bunch of astronauts. Don't know who was more excited, the boys or OH. No contest really - OH was like a dog with two tails, getting autographs, having his photo taken - so embarrassing.
In the meantime there's the Science park at Snibston and the big telescope at Joddrell Bank - just this side of Manchester. Your boy would love those.
Instead of a big flash party we used to make trips like this a birthday treat for the whole family. Then the birthday boy could have some mates round for a sleepover, a stack of pizzas and a couple of DVD's, maybe a game of midnight lurky/lurky (with mum & dad around of course when they were really young). When they were older we went to bed whilst they stayed up all night playing poker.:rotfl:
One good thing to come out of the last Labour government was the reintroduction of free museums. I know some charge but there are loads of free ones.
I'm not sure whether there is a charge but the Science Museum in South Kensington is another really great museum. Day tickets by train to London can be booked in advance quite cheaply.
One thing we used to do was keep a look out for vouchers for entry to attractions. There was a recent one with Vanish stain remover which was doing Alton Towers/Madam Tussauds (the Planetarium is included in the ticket) Legoland etc. Apparently they are all part of the same group so a voucher can be used at any of the attractions.
Know what you mean about living by the sea, I used to live in Scotland by the sea, now back in dear old Derby - just about one of the furthest parts from the coast you can get. Skegness is our nearest seaside resort. Good old Skeggy. A day is quite enough!!! Not exactly the Riveria - but hey it's the seaside. I've still not completely ruled out "retiring" to Cornwall. Fancy myself as an impoverished artist in St Ives.
Speaking of Derby - did anyone see Panorama tonight - all about how we should be looking at manufacturing and exports to reboot the economy.
Well the programme was centred around Derby - Bombardier, (trains), Royal Crown Derby (china and porcelain) and JCB (earth moving equipment). A really good programme.
Anyway off to bed x
SS here tomorrow - starting on the paperwork for OH going into the nursing home. Should be fun.:(0 -
Bitsy_Beans wrote: »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
Never say never.;)0 -
fedupandskint wrote: »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
Anyway off now for a hot choccie to warm me up while Stardust is on
Get well soon, snuggle up and keep warm. Like the musings on the outfit.0 -
http://flic.kr/p/aUzXna
I don't know if this worked but I just wanted to show you Star, he's a skinny little thing at the moment but we're going to give him the love and attention he's needed. Oh and lots of (walkies)Savings £8,865.22 £/15,000 Aiming to save enough for a house deposit.0 -
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.
"Having it all" is what did for me in the end. I absolutely agree with PodPerson and LL it cannot be done. I juggled a full on family life and a demanding career with extra study/ practice to 1:1 degree. My health just unravelled and I lost my beloved Midwifery (although I will ALWAYS be a Midwife in my heart).
I like the list Sophistica and will work on mine. I agree Bitsy, I would live in Cornwall given half a chance x
Hugs xI must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over and through me. When it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
When the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.0 -
http://flic.kr/p/aUzXna
I don't know if this worked but I just wanted to show you Star, he's a skinny little thing at the moment but we're going to give him the love and attention he's needed. Oh and lots of (walkies)
Oh he is wonderful with beautiful soulful eyes. If only he could talk...I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over and through me. When it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
When the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.0 -
Just a quickie
Willow - He's a beauty, just gorgeous.
Lovely day here - just had a soak in the bath, back pretty sore again. Had to do a couple of transfers by myself yesterday afternoon :eek:
Got to start getting the financial stuff ready for SS.
Back later.
Have a great day, keep fabbing. x0 -
Morning all,
Sparkles - hope you're feeling a little better today, I'm currently on the vit C and iron tablets, usually mixed with First Defence (though I'm out at the moment). I've had a few times this winter where I've felt it coming on but have dosed up and seems to have slunk away so fingers crossed it will stay that way. The dress sounds really cute.
Bitsy - maybe those might not be doable straight away but could be something to start saving up for. With the sea, you never know what could happen in the future, could be something to aim for. Regarding museums there are loads of free ones around - I appreciate I'm quite lucky that way being in the city but if you're anywhere near Birmingham, Coventry etc am sure there must be plenty round there. Like LL said maybe think things you would really like to try or maybe things you used to like that have slipped by the wayside a little.
LL - loving the things you and OH have tried, gliding sounds fun, my dad used to do it when he was younger and loved it.
Willow - he is just gorgeous
Molly - how sad that you had to give up something you love, no chance of returning in the future?
I think I was slightly hoping one of you clever people would say 'well this is how you effortlessly juggle everything' but as I suspected is not that simpleIf I could just get further along to the point where I could give up the 9-5 and do my own things in my own hours it would be a lot easier, but at the moment I'm struggling to see how to get to that point without dedicating every spare hour I have to it (and still need more ideas I think). I mean I'm not bothered about hard work, I have done 3 jobs in the past, but without even having a vague timeframe for how long I would need to keep it up for it's a bit of a struggle.
Anyway, enough of the negativity, like I said will sit down when I have some time this week and try and make a plan for the next year, and I guess this will figure heavily in it. OH was meant to be out filming last night but got cancelled so we had a night in together, was nice to actually see him properly for a few hours. Meant to be at choir tonight but am feeling a little tired and is absolutely freezing out so might see how I feel later.
Hope everyone has a good day x0 -
I'm just calling in quickly to say thanks for showing us Star, willow. I'm not a dog person but he does look very loveable. And taking him for walks will be good for you too! You reminded me of something else I need to add to my list: learn to download photos!
I'm almost ashamed to admit this podperson but I think you can 'have it all' to an extent but how you acheive it will vary from person to person. I've done the bringing up children, demanding job, two degrees on top of initial qualifications, still fitted in a few hobbies and best of all my lovely DH! I think the latter is probably the answer plus needing to be superorganised. My DH and I always supported each other in our careers and understood the demands. I think I was lucky also in that my DH comes from a huge family and he's one of the oldest ones. As such his mum had trained him to do all sorts around the house so that was a shared task. It would have been difficult if either of us had needed to move geographically for promotion but that wasn't necessary.
I was going to suggest (and sorry if this sounds really clinical:o) that you write yourself a sort of timetable/plan to make sure you can fit everything in. You and OH could have 'date nights' to be certain you spend time together. Most of all you need to talk it through with OH and have his support.
You've got me yearning for the sea now bitsy. I was brought up at the seaside and I miss it. I'm still near the sea but have to travel a bit unlike my last home where I passed it every day on the way to work.
I'll share another family story which sort of fits the 'have it all'. I come from a traditional Welsh family. Cooking was always my mother's domain and this included a full roast on the table every Sunday lunchtime. I know mam expected me to do the same so although she knew we ate a bit later she still assumed that I did the full works on a Sunday as I always did whe she came to stay. When I was doing one of my dissertations DH suggested we go out to eat on a Sunday evening (just walk to local steak house) so that we had at least a couple of hours away from work before starting again. DDs were teenagers then so left to fend for themselves. One Sunday lunchtime, I was talking to my mam on the phone in the hall. She asked had we had our dinner yet and before I could answer, DD1 could clearly be heard shouting 'Mum will you turn my fish fingers over?' from upstairs. :rotfl:Oh the shame, fish fingers on a Sunday!!! What sort of wife was I supposed to be!
I felt I wanted to acknowledge M&S for their ready meals in the intro to my dissertation, we'd had so many so I could claw back time for my work. So you don't need to be superwoman, you just need a plan and you don't have to do it all on your own.
I'm feeling a bit preachy (sorry:o) but it's an interesting subject. Off to do a few bits and back later.0 -
I'm almost ashamed to admit this podperson but I think you can 'have it all' to an extent but how you acheive it will vary from person to person. I've done the bringing up children, demanding job, two degrees on top of initial qualifications, still fitted in a few hobbies and best of all my lovely DH! I think the latter is probably the answer plus needing to be superorganised. My DH and I always supported each other in our careers and understood the demands. I think I was lucky also in that my DH comes from a huge family and he's one of the oldest ones. As such his mum had trained him to do all sorts around the house so that was a shared task. It would have been difficult if either of us had needed to move geographically for promotion but that wasn't necessary.
I was going to suggest (and sorry if this sounds really clinical:o) that you write yourself a sort of timetable/plan to make sure you can fit everything in. You and OH could have 'date nights' to be certain you spend time together. Most of all you need to talk it through with OH and have his support.
You've got me yearning for the sea now bitsy. I was brought up at the seaside and I miss it. I'm still near the sea but have to travel a bit unlike my last home where I passed it every day on the way to work.
I'll share another family story which sort of fits the 'have it all'. I come from a traditional Welsh family. Cooking was always my mother's domain and this included a full roast on the table every Sunday lunchtime. I know mam expected me to do the same so although she knew we ate a bit later she still assumed that I did the full works on a Sunday as I always did whe she came to stay. When I was doing one of my dissertations DH suggested we go out to eat on a Sunday evening (just walk to local steak house) so that we had at least a couple of hours away from work before starting again. DDs were teenagers then so left to fend for themselves. One Sunday lunchtime, I was talking to my mam on the phone in the hall. She asked had we had our dinner yet and before I could answer, DD1 could clearly be heard shouting 'Mum will you turn my fish fingers over?' from upstairs. :rotfl:Oh the shame, fish fingers on a Sunday!!! What sort of wife was I supposed to be!
I felt I wanted to acknowledge M&S for their ready meals in the intro to my dissertation, we'd had so many so I could claw back time for my work. So you don't need to be superwoman, you just need a plan and you don't have to do it all on your own.
I'm feeling a bit preachy (sorry:o) but it's an interesting subject. Off to do a few bits and back later.
Fish fingers on a Sunday - tut, tut. :rotfl:
It's great to hear that someone managed to "have it all".
You're absolutely right - it's all about being able to delegate and have lots of back up.
In my case OH worked away from home a lot, my promotions would have meant too much travel and it just couldn't be done - someone had to be there for the boys.
I had to abandon my degree course due to ill health - two gynae "procedures" within three months during my second year.
Never mind, as I say, I've no regrets.
Pod - if you really want it - then go for it - like Maman said just get organised and never be afraid to ask for help and support.
I was a bit too proud for my own good and wouldn't. I felt that I had to do it all myself - which as I know now is a complete nonsense. Another Lessonlearnt
Later ..... X0
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