Frugal Frump to Fab/Winter Solstice

maman

:wave: hope you've had a good week LL but I bet you'll be glad when DH gets back tomorrow. I know you've been busy (rather than resting) but it sounds very productive and DH has a lovely, fresh room to come back to.

While I've not been hugely busy myself, life's been a bit unpredictable this week. DD1 moves in (to sleep) in her new house on Monday but meantime she's been there doing bits in readiness. I don't know if I've explained before but she's been a single mum for best part of 14 years. She and SIL were together for years but as soon as they married and had DGD it stopped working for various reasons and they split up. So DH has been helping her with odd bits that she wants doing before she moves in, yesterday was plumbing, today it's been carpentry and I think tomorrow it's putting boards down in her loft. Lovely thing today was that she went with DGD and got a bargain trampoline (being sold off at end of season in B&Q). It's great because after years of living in a flat they've now got a garden and DGD can (despite having a GCSE in maths;)) be a child! I think it's great that these streetwise young ladies ('cos all her mates will be round) still want to bounce about and the exercise will be good for them!

Thanks for listening to that, now onto fab (sort of) bits:

I haven't done a great deal today but tomorrow will definitely be glamming up with hair, make up etc

I mentioned before that we're going to a wedding in November and I'm excited about shopping for an outfit for once that won't be what can I wear that covers up fat!!! The wedding's at a minor stately home/country house and DH (and I) have been asked to be ushers. DH will be hiring fancy suit but the world's my oyster!!! Any advice will be gratefully received. I'm thinking that very soon, smart , figure-hugging dresses with sleeves (a la Kate, Duchess of Cambridge) will be in the shops but I'm not sure what's really suitable for indoor, winter wedding these days.

Tomorrow we're off to hear about suits (may be able to glean a little more about what women are wearing) and to meet bridegroom's parents. There's method in this as (I understand) that they're a cantankerous old couple and we (as ushers) need to get to know them so we can keep them sweet on the day of the wedding. So I need to look good, feel good and confident and summon up all my people skills!

Must go to bed now. I've been enjoying writing (er...rambling) to the background of youtube. I love it! This was one of tonight's favourites:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iZP_aNUOL8

'night all.

tru

Morning :hello:

I've been on edge all week because I hate clutter Sorry if I've mentioned it before, I have talked about it on MSE but can't remember if it was on this thread. Son was putting down wood flooring in the hall, he was doing it after work so should have taken 2 evenings. On the second evening, he noticed the radiator was leaking so he had to stop while we fixed it, then the following evening the other end sprang a leak. Altogether it's taken well over a week. I have big piles of scrap paper, a big bin of pet food and other bit and pieces (that live in the hall cupboard) piled up in the lounge. The washing machine needs putting back in (utility room is just off the hall), I can't lift it on my own - too scared to push it in case it scratches the floor - so that's still out, along with the hoover, brushes, etc. Although none of this should affect my fabulosity routine, it has. And I'm angry about it And I can't yell at anyone, because it's nobody's fault

I've booked a holiday :j We're staying in Mevagissey (my favourite place in the world!), right near the harbour :j Can't wait. I couldn't get the week I wanted, so rang the boss and asked him to switch our dates. Until mr tru came home from work that day, he didn't know where we were going, or when :rotfl:

I bought a new foundation a couple of weeks ago, opened it and realised I'd bought the wrong colour :doh: £8 down the drain. I went shopping yesterday and bought the right one, I'll give the other to miss tru.

debbieblueeyes

Can i join to please,ive been trying to loose weight without joy.I was going to join a gym but at £39 a month just cant afford it ive just sold my xtrainer last week as it was taking up too much space,i have a barbell and dumbbells which of course i never use.so i had a look online at various ways of getting fit and come across Kettlenetics its a 4lb kettlebell weight with 5 dvds and wall chart and weight loss guide and they throw in some wrist bands all for £15 on amazon.I looked on tesco and sainburys n they sell them for £30.Received it today so when kids go back to shool am going to give it a go n see.Going to start HEALTHY EATING PLAN(diets dont work) Tuesday so fingers x:j:Dx

maman

Welcome Debbie, lots of chat and advice on here. Good luck with your exercise programme!

tru, it's so hard to settle when the house is upside down. I can cope if things are hidden away (spare bedroom or wherever) but I hate it when things are 'in your face'. To have mess in your sitting room must be awful, hope it gets fixed soon. Thank you so much for giving the link to the cottage. It sounds really great. I have been to Mevagissey but spent more time around St Austell over the years. I really like Charlestown. Oh, I do envy you. How long before you go?

I've been doing a bit of pampering this morning. Did OCM again, shower, hairwash, creamed my feet, body lotion with a bit of self tan. DH busy at DD1's new house so I've had time for me. I feel I should be doing something a bit more constructive

lessonlearned

Hello everyone

Welcome Debbie. You'll be fine here lots of advice and support. Totally agree - healthy eating, some exercise, plenty of TLC. Take it slow but sure and you'll get there.

Tru - great news about the holiday - I love Cornwall too and I'm feeling very envious:rotfl:. Did think of going for a few days when OH was in respite but decided to leave it for a while. Another time.

I know how you feel about mess and clutter etc. I can't bear it either - it makes me edgy and I cant relax - especially when it's your sitting room.

Although my house always looked ok (prior to the decluttering I'm currently undergoing). I had so much stuff in cupboards, wardrobes etc that I could never find anything.

I'm also hoping that as things get cleared out everywhere will look and feel more spacious and it will be easier to clean and keep on top of things.

That's the theory anyway.

Anyway picked up OH and he's happily esconced in his favourite armchair watching the motor racing. He's rather tired but I can see he's glad to be home.

I'm afraid he seemed a tad confused in the home sometimes, hopefully he'll be a bit more like his old self now he's back home. His speech is rather poor and it makes communication difficult and frustrating at times.

Whilst I am glad he's home I'm a little concerned about how well I'll cope - my body aches from head to toe, don't know whether it's down to the colder damper weather again or if I've overdone things - i.e. the decorating and the garage. Probably a bit of both.

How I took my body for granted when I was younger. The physio told me that my workload is probably several times greater than the "average" woman of my age (i.e. looking after OH) and that I really need to build in sufficient rest periods because "at your age your body takes longer to replenish itself". Charming - I'm 60 not 80. I've no intention of spending my days "resting" - too much rest and I seize up.:rotfl::rotfl:

How exciting about the wedding Maman - your ideas about smart and figure hugging sound good - after all you've now got the figure to show off. If you've got it - flaunt it.:rotfl::rotfl:Sleeves would be good I think. Is the actual ceremony in the stately home or just the reception. Do you know the venue. Sounds very glamourous.:D

Perhaps you could look at some "bride" magazines and get some ideas. Do you have any nice "one off" boutiques in your neck of the woods. I try to get something from a boutique if I want something a bit special rather than the chains.

Must dash OH calling me ..............

Maisie_M

hi all hope everyone is enjoying their Saturday.

Have managed to incorporate one new routine today. Have put a hand lotion beside the kitchen sink and bathroom one and now plan to use it everytime I wash my hands, which I seem to be doing endlessly at the moment thanks to DS2 being so little. Hopefully this will stop my hands drying out so much.

Finished off my old bottle of beautiful which I had had on the go for over a year and have taken out my new bottle of beautiful and a bottle of Tommy girl both of which have been languishing unopened in my stash for over a year. I plan to alternate them and also try and sample some new perfumes each time I am in town to see which ones I may like for my birthday/xmas for a change (DH normally buys me one for each as a surprise lol).

Tomorrow I am hoping to get a handle on my stash of toiletries to see which ones I have and then will join the challenge of buying no more toiletries in September thread. I used to do this last year before I was pregnant and it was great for getting me to a) use up the toiletries I had and thus taking care of myself and b) restricting my toiletries purchases as I love buying new ones. It kind of goes hand in hand with this thread so the two should help me along in using up my stash and looking after myself.

Savvy_sewing

Sorry not been around. Not been well. Had to stop the exercises. Not been able to do my sewing etc. But never mind.
Tomorrow I am off to the BF's and on to our holiday. We are off to Portugal. Taking DGD.
But I have high hopes that I will be as glamorous as I can while away. Taken great care to pack dresses that will take me from day to night if necessary. Just got to think about the makeup stuff etc? But I will be back after the break to carry on making sure I actually reach the Glam at Christmas.
Thanks for the help so far.

lessonlearned

Sorry to hear you've been unwell Mooloo - hopefully your holiday in Portugal will set you up again. Plenty of r & r in the sun will probably do you the power of good. I'm sure you'll look nice and glam:D.

Well done Maisie with the hand cream - just a few easy changes to your daily routine is the right way, nice and easy. They all add up and remember we're doing this long term.

When I picked up OH this morning one of the ladies there said hello to me without prompting - I've been saying hello to her each day. At first she didn't respond but by the end of the week we were saying hello and chatting about the weather etc, . I don't know whether she has dementia (many of them do) or whether she is just frail. She has shoulder length hair and it doesn't ever seem to be brushed properly - it's quite tangled at the back. I just find that so sad.

It was the same with OH - yes they washed and shaved him but it's all the little personal details that add up - his eyes get sticky and I still had to bathe them properly and put his eye drops in - that kind of thing.

I just find it so sad that nurses and carers don't go that extra mile - I know they aren't allowed to cut nails etc (health and safety) but surely that lady and many others like her deserve to have their hair combed etc. I would be quite upset if it was my mother. As I mentioned it is a very expensive nursing home and the staff to resident ratio is very good . They did not seem to be rushed off their feet in the way that nurses and carers in NHS hospitals are.

I really do think personal care is very important - it's not just about vanity but also dignity.

So ladies - the moral of my little "lecture" tonight is - whatever you do - don't feel guilty about spending just a few minutes each day taking care of yourself, your diet, your hair, your clothes etc.

Yes you are worth it.;)

maman

Quick hello to all.

Have a great time on your holiday mooloo and come back relaxed and refreshed.

This is where the wedding is

http://www.avingtonpark.co.uk/

It's late now but back to chat more tomorrow.

kittydfw2012

Hi everyone - what a great thread. I see quite a few of you are struggling with the ole chocolate addiction - me too! Recently I've discovered I can manage without eating chocolate if I replace it with a few dried dates. Now they do have natural sugar and calories but tonnes better for you and the digestive system so long as you don't eat too many. I find that if I don't have chocolate for a while that I can find it too sickly so I guess it's about adjusting your tastes and habits. I think this also works with a low fat hot chocolate drink, if I'm determined, I can manage on this without hitting the hard stuff! I think it will be a lifelong challenge though