Frugal Frump to Fab/Winter Solstice

Callisto

Podperson and Skymist - I have completed 16 items on the Day Zero list so far. Click here if you would like to have a look at my list. I must admit I do sometimes remove a goal and add another one in if I realise that I don't have the time, money or inclination to complete that particular goal. I did have a lot of travel based ones on the list when I first started, but I moved all of these over to the 'Someday' list after realising I just wouldn't have the money available to travel so extensively before the list finished!

You can put whatever you like on the list, I have seen someone just put down 101 books they wanted to read and that was it, so it is whatever feels like an achievement to you. I have tried to put a mix of different things on my list and a couple that will push me far outside my usual comfort zone! You can browse through the directory of other lists and find inspiration from the website. You can also make goals private if you don't want others to see. Hope to see you all on Day Zero soon!

Maman - Happy belated birthday to your daughter. The country house hotel sounds lovely, have a great time.

!!!!!! - I second looking after your hands! Will you try wearing gloves for cleaning?

Bratz - I hardly ever wear jewellery these days, I will make the effort to wear a necklace and earrings with my 'solstice outfit' tomorrow and be mindful about wearing nice things every day.

Molly - We heart you, no need to apologise!

LL - That's great that your son would like to do the Day Zero Project, but don't forget about the list for yourself either! Oooh, exciting to have two business propositions, and how lovely that your OH has had so many visitors.

Ida Notion - Beautiful post, please join in again soon!

Mooloo - Did you manage to see your sister?

This is my second day of tidying and the house actually looks worse! I have flattened lots of cardboard boxes to be recycled. There are two bags of rubbish to go out and a bag full to be donated to charity, all from the spare room, but still a lot more to do before OH's Mum arrives. I finished the present buying yesterday, so I only need to go and get some fruit and veg later in the week and then I am staying away from shops for as long as possible (although I have been threatened by Mum with going clothes shopping to get something to wear for sister's wedding, on Boxing Day!)

I've put the Christmas tree up and decorated it today. It's only a small tree, so it sits on top of the shelf unit in the living room. I have had to drape the lights all over the shelving as well as around the tree, as I only have that one set and they are far too long for the ickle tree!

I am so so hoping that Dad will finally sell his business on Friday. The previous buyer wouldn't complete the sale due to a completely stupid reason. Another buyer came forward last week, but have offered less. Dad has decided to take the lesser amount, otherwise he would just have had to close the shop on Friday, and would not have been able to afford to buy the stock to reopen in the new year.

Edited to add - Hello to Mookiepook and I quite like the idea of running the thread from solstice to solstice as well.

fedupandskint

Good evening again my fabulous ladies and lurkers out there

Well its the Solstice in the morning and as I wake up 20mins later I think I might set my alarm a little earlier and wake up just before the Solstice - nutty I know, but why not?

I thank you greatly for this thread. I have come so far in the last 12mths.
Established a regular exercise plan
More walking is now normal too
I have dropped one dress size and almost 2!
I have lost 1st 10lbs since May (I have 3lbs left to go to a lower new target, probably not until end of Jan now and aiming to STS and not regain)
I put my make up on daily for work
I wear my jewellry now daily instead of leaving it in the box
I wear what clothes I have in the wardrobe instead of the same pair of work trousers all week

What a inspirational help the thread has been to me to keep me motivated and keep going and not lose the faith in what I am doing

So, to celebrate the end of this thread and the Winter Solstice, I am going to wear the dress I found in the wardrobe, put a top underneath if I can find one and wear it with my usual boots and tights and a cardie to tone it all down for a day look. Then go for my new sparkly earrings, bracelet and a necklace.

I might not be too colourful but a little sparkle all the same and this will be the first time I have worn this dress since I bought it 2yrs ago when it was a much tighter fit than it is happily now! That's the plan anyway, lets see if it works!

Carmen

Hello ladies,
At last I am back:j:j
Hello and welcome to all I have not 'met'
I'm sorry to say my road to fabdom has been rather bumpy over the last few weeks:o Never mind, upwards and onwards.
I will look forward to the new Summer Solstice following straight on.
LL, I had my op three weeks ago! Apart from a small mishap all went well Another few weeks of wearing the 'sexy stockings' then I shall feel much better
Not much exercise, consuming more calories than I'm burning. will need to address that!
I am determined to get back into the frame of mind when I started this, a year ago (give or take) with LL, Maman, Mrs W, Pod, Tru, Sorry if I left anyone out

Need to get some sleep, tomorrow/today my regime is getting another kick start.

Hugs to all that need one and a high five to all that have done well.

2012 is going to be our year :A:A
Carmen xxx

tru

Morning :santa2:

My hands are recovering. The skin has split on the top of my thumb, near the edge of the top of my nail - does that make sense? I used to use a Snowfire tablet to sort this out but they seem to have stopped making it.

The soles of my feet have always been dry and quite hard. I think it's from years of dance lessons. I've finally accepted that they're never going to be baby-soft

I've made myself a diary - week to a page (A5), the right hand side has the dates, the left has been left blank so I can write lists of 'fab' jobs. Just need to make a nice design for the cover then I can bind it. I'll post a pic when I've finished it.

I've been stretching my leg a lot. It has quite a big range of movement now It still goes really stiff when it's cold though. I've been taking a blanket to work to keep it warm, lol.

Bitsy_Beans

Tru my thumbs have done similar in the past. I never found much to cure it than trying to keep it as dry as possible and using a plaster as a bit of a butterfly stitch. Blooming painful and I've had it on both thumbs at the same time before now.
As for baby soft feet......never going to happen to me either but then again not sure I want totally baby soft feet, I'd rather not end up with blisters from wearing my shoes

lessonlearned

The Ape Woman is back.

The sun is streaming through my window and I'm just about to have my salt bath, and then anoint myself with various gels and potions so that I can actually move.;) Went to physio yesterday and am soooooo sore and stiff this morning.

Then it will be time to dress myself in red - grey trousers, red top, red stripy cardigan a Chanel style looki-likie. Red/black/gold beads.

I definitely need red today. I need energy and confidence. have a meeting with the Welfare Rights Officer later this morning to discuss finances/nursing home fees etc.

Wish me luck - I have a nasty feeling that I am shortly to become even more of a pauper.

Will be back later to start the new thread.

Have a fab day.

PS Just wanted to add - I love the look of the Damp Squid book. Am going to revamp my bookcase next year, might add that one - I love origins of sayings/quotes/language type things.

Laters ....

Carmen

Good afternoon ladies,
I had a long lie in this morning, just needed to catch up on a few sleepless nights *yawn*
I have salt scrubbed,showered,slathered and spritzed and feeling gooood! I have neglected my legs and feet of late, so difficult to put on compression stockings when legs are anything but bone dry! I just left them off until all trace of lotion was dry..shuuush don't tell the nurse

LL, I hope your meeting with WO went well?

Tru, so pleased to hear your hip has improved. The cold does affect our bodies, roll on the spring. I hope your thumb improves soon I know that can be so painful!

Bitsy, so true about the feet, we need the soles to be a little firm!
Just a quick repeat... a beach pedicure in Thailand left me with baby soft soles, great I thought after I had walked for a while they became very tender! Moral of the story...never have the soles of your feet peeled with a veg gadget :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Back later...

lessonlearned

Bitsy_Beans wrote: »

BTW I just wanted to share this website with you. It is American BUT wouldn't it be totally fabulous if it took off over here

http://operationbeautiful.com/

They have a FB page which you can like an have updates in your newsfeed if you're that way inclined

Apologies if a) I've already posted a link in the past or b) someone else has posted it here and that's where I stumbled across it LOL

Great website - will add this to my list.

Meeting with Welfare Rights Officer went well.

Prior to the meeting I played my usual game of "Worst Case Scenario". More about this in a moment.

Situation is both good and bad, my financial situation whilst "difficult" will not be impossible. However, it is going to extra-ordinarlily complicated. The whole benefits/fees scenario is an absolute minefield - as you might expect.

The WRO was lovely and he explained that our particular circumstances were quite complex and therefore would need to be monitored and tweaked quite regularly so that we don't slip through the cracks.

He has promised to be on hand to guide us through the maze. I foresee a lot of paperwork.:rotfl:

Half way through the discussion when I mentioned that I would be in a position to draw my pension next November he did a bit of a double take. Oh he said "I didn't realise you were coming up to pension age, I thought you were younger".

So there you go ladies, Frump to Fab must be working.:rotfl:

Anyway it's goodbye now to Fab 2 and over to Fab 3.

See you on the other side.

Bitsy_Beans

Just thought anyone who subscribes to this thread might like the link to the next installment

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3688841

Skymist

Posted in wrong place!!!