Lulabelle's MFW Diary

lulabelle1

Hi ATT, thanks for popping by.....

Thanks for the tip re the lollipops - they sound fantastic and I might indulge for a Halloween tea for the children. At the moment I have some Halloween cupcakes planned but that is as far as I had got, so the lollipops would be great.

I totally understand what you mean in regards to the "amateur" travellers.... When you travel all of the time for business, you just want to be able to have a sit down somewhere quiet and have a drink and something to eat without having all of hustle and bustle and having to sit in the overcrowded airport seats.

For years, my business partner has had the American Express Platinum Card - I'm the second cardholder so we get to enjoy exactly the same benefits. It used to be "reasonably" priced but has recently increased to around £400 per year which is starting to get silly. However, it does include a Priority Pass membership for the two of us, so we just use this when we are at the airports. It works fine for most of the airports we go to but every now and then its no good. However, we've flown quite a bit and we always use the Amex to pay for the flights (this way you get travel insurance included and some rather amazing compensation should your case go missing for a few hours)... anyway, Amex sent us a Cathay Pacific card which means we can go in to all of the BA lounges (amongst other airlines) - so if we are flying long haul, we get to go in the really fancy lounges for no cost.

We always used to use the No1 lounge at LGW but just recently they have been doing loads of promos and its starting to get quiet busy and full of people wearing football tops and drinking pints of lager at 10 in the morning, so I'm starting to fall out of love with that one even though its a lovely lounge.

I know that I sound awful, but ATT, I'm sure you know where I'm coming from if you spend a lot of time at the airport!

No travelling for me until the end of November now, yay!!!!

lulabelle1

In other news......

When returning the unwanted Christmas items yesterday, I was drawn in to their Christmas Wonderland of decorations, trees, lights etc. It looked fantastic and my youngest was squealing with excitement. We managed to resist and I headed off to the Barbour department, which just so happened to catch my eye.

Anyway, long story short.... after trying them on and thinking about the perfect waterproof jacket ever since, I came very close this morning to buying several of them (so that i could choose the "best" one.

Thankfully my sensible side has kicked in just in time..... I've got a jacket somewhere that appears to be waterproof, so it will serve the purpose perfectly well for the rare occasion that I need to be out in the rain. I have non rain jackets/coats that will do for the rest of the time.

It's so tempting just to buy lovely things, pop it on the credit card and then just pay it off the following month - but it will impact my OP's and I need to stay focused.

ESPECIALLY, if we decide to go ahead with a loft conversion that we've been considering for a couple of years. We still can't decide. On one hand, what we spend will add to the value of the house - so it's just like a savings account I guess? It would be great to have the extra space - the boys would have the top floor to themselves and we'd have a guest bedroom again. Plus, my office would be bigger with room for a futon or something.

Decisions decisions..... if we keep up with the OP's at the same rate, then it would only add an extra year to the mortgage. We just don't know what to do.

We wont do it until Spring/Summer anyway, so plenty of time to decide, in the meantime, I need to stay focused and save/OP as much as possible.

lulabelle1

Existing waterproof coat/jacket found and now hanging up in the coat cupboard, result!

Potato baking away nicely in the oven for lunch - the joys of working from home.

Dinner tonight is steak and veg pie (using some of the stew that I cooked up on Saturday).... will have it with chips and mushy peas - very yummy indeed, can't wait....

lulabelle1

Dinner was lovely, the meat was super tender.... Plenty more portions in the freezer too for future meals.

DS2's nursery are having a Halloween party on Friday night which we will all be going to. I popped myself down to take the gingerbread men, but have decided to put some effort in and make Halloween cupcakes instead. So, I've just ordered the various bits needed from amazon to make them really special for the children, I just hope that everything arrives in time. Fingers crossed.

nattypants

I love reading your posts lula - I always think of the book/film 'I don't know how she does it'

I am very excited to also read that you are looking into an attic conversion as I have been thinking similar, which might sound strange when I bemoan about buying magazines etc. I know that the quality of life that extra (and well-used) space would provide to the family, would be wonderful and I always am of the opinion that I would far rather spend the money early on if possible to enjoy the house, before I become old and the kids plonk me in residential care;)

As you say, this is an investment in which one day you will (or in my case, my kids will!) benefit from an increase in value.

PS. Even as a vegetarian your dinner sounded lovely - mine was fish-cakes and peas (fine dining indeed!)

PPS. I bought a Barbour jacket a few years ago and wear this over autumn/winter - sometimes it's good to invest in quality clothes also, as you do get a higher return in terms of years worth of wear;) Mind you saying that, I still wear a pr*mark jacket I bought yonkles ago for £15 and always receive compliments - people think it's a Barbour!

NP:D

lulabelle1

Hey Natty, perhaps we could be LCW's together.... (Loft Conversion Wannabe's)

Some extra space old be lovely, but although I know we'd eventually get the money back, I just hate the thought of the cost. We're definitely considering it though for next spring/summer. Our neighbours had some local builders do an extension for them recently so we'll prob get them in to have a look and give us a ball park figure. Then, I guess we need to get an architect - and that's when the spending will start!

A new Barbour winter jacket seems so much easier/cheaper! I bought a lightweight summer Barbour this year and I wore it non stop, really love it. I'm still wearing it now with a jumper and a scarf but I must admit to really longing for a winter version. I decided on the Navy Union waxed jacket, priced at £280 (gulp). So, if I do suddenly feel flush and go wild that will be the one for me. It is lined with the union jack flag. I know no one will actually see the lining, but i like the little touches like that.

It's so annoying that they are the same price everywhere. Can't even find a store through quidco, unless I didn't look hard enough.

Anyway, natty, don't get me on the Barbour thing again otherwise I fear that I will give in and order one. My willpower is very up and down at the moment.

Off for a quick diary catchup and then sleep.

Nannight, L xx

lulabelle1

Btw Natty, your dinner tonight is similar to mine tomorrow.... Fish fingers, new pots and sweet corn.

nattypants

NOT that I want to encourage you, but at the time (when I bought mine), I think I visited every site available, then settled on Town and Country. I felt that JL had limited stock and I really hated buying on-line (as you already know I like to touch things:rotfl:), however when it arrived (delivered to my work), I think EVERYONE tried it on and I also like to think I helped put Barbour on the map that year:p So, in a nutshell, Union Jack Barbour is just lovely - perhaps you could compromise by sticking a few items on eb*y as a direct offset to the cost? HDK used the term 'skip fodder' re her eb*y items the other day, and she's bang on so perhaps you could find some otherwise, skip fodder to sell and that way you will have 'earned' the jacket:whistle:
Did all that make sense? I am tying like mad because of the time and I am still un-showered, and have a meeting first thing....ooops!

For our sub-diary LCW, you shouldn't need the expense of an architect if you know of any architectural technicians? That's the way I'm going as I know of a really good one, and as practically all of my neighbours have had LCs I am confident that planning will go through smoothly. PS. I do have half a plan on how I intend to fund this:D

Righteo - best scoot as I still have pooch to walk also X

gallygirl

nattypants wrote: »

PS. I do have half a plan on how I intend to fund this:D

Is that because you only have half a mind to do it .

lulabelle1

Natty, I'm intrigued as to how its going to be funded......? Does this mean that you have some additional money making plans up your sleeve? I'm guessing that the eBay sales wont cover the cost?!

You've "enabled" me btw - It's only fair to keep Barbour firmly on the map and afterall they are a British brand and from the North East too, just like me!