Frump to Fab - Sizzling Summer Solstice to Awesome Autumn Equinox

WelshWoofer

LL - your house project sounds very exciting. Good for you! A new start will do you the world of good. Coincidentally, I'm on holidays for your time frame so if you need a hand ......:)
Hewie - good luck with the diet - I find that you have to be in the right frame of mind to start it off and once you're into it it's not too bad, getting started is the hard part. Looking forward to your list later - may steal a few ideas;)

Just back from the park with the dogs - finally the sun is out:TDon't know how long it will last but its fine for now. The weather makes such a difference to your mood doesn't it? I was running around with them, tiring them out, rather than trudging in the rain in an anorak and wellies.

A few things on today - will go swimming this morning to get my challenge under way (aiming for at least 50 lengths), have to pop to Mr T's to get some bits and pieces for the week and a couple of things to take with me to the gathering this evening, bit of cleaning and laundry, more dogwalking and then finally the do at my friend's house later on.

As I said I'm going to read 10 new books this summer I started a new Ian Rankin last night called Resurrection Men. The next one on the list is The Help (the recent film) ready for the book club next meeting.

Right, better get to the pool if I'm going to miss the hordes of Saturday kids.

Bitsy_Beans

Good morning ladies

WW that is an excellent list and a very good idea. If I am not careful the summer holidays are likely to e as semi chaotic as my weekends, me feeling unmotivated and spending far too much time online and not actually doing much or wasting the day away :o

Hewie all the best with your diet xx

Off out with friends tonight so need to paint my toenails today

evilsquid1603

i feel fab at the moment, just come off financial assistance with my graduate loan so i can finally start rebuilding my credit rating means living on beans and eating/drinking my way through the random stuff I've amassed in the house until we fly out to new york and get the spends for that but i really don't care :j

maman

Good to hear you sounding so positive evilsquid. I'm sure it's the self esteem from your new job that's got something to to do with it.

I love the list ww. I'm really hoping that there's a change in this depressing weather. I want to get out and do things. I know I've just had a holiday but I'd like to do some days out. My voluntary work is linked to school terms so not likely to be busy in the holidays with that. I think I'm getting a bit of cabin fever.

Keep us posted on your house project LL. I've watched a few of those Phil Spencer programmes and while I think it's a waste of money spending too much, the state some people show their houses in is amazing!! (Amazingly awful I mean) Any ideas what you'll look for instead?

Madrabbitgirl asked me what's been the biggest change for me on the fabbing front. I've given it some though and prioritised.

Number one has to be losing weight. I've been slim all my life until about 10 years ago when various factors came together and my weight crept up. I hated it so much and joining SW was the best thing I've ever done. I really feel I've got me back instead of the fat, old bag I'd become.

Two is probably starting to dress smartly and in colour!! This involved lots of things. I'd taken to wearing black from head to toe to be invisible. I sorted my wardrobe and bought some coloured clothes. Many of these came from CSs, partly as I was still losing weight and also because if I made a mistake it wouldn't be an expensive one. I've now got lots of colour co-ordinated outfits that I really enjoy wearing. Now my priority is to look good and dress appropriately for the occasion. previously it was camouglage!!

Three is that I've started to make a bit more effort with make up particularly in the winter when I always look pale and washed out. Eye shadow, highlighter, eyebrow pencil, blusher and tinted moisturiser have all become part of my routine and I feel I've really taken some care when I go out.

There are other things but those are the main ones.

I need to make plans for some exercise:o and I really need to stimulate my brain more. I do read but I'm afraid it's little more than chick lit. It's almost as if I'm rebelling against all the text books and documents that I've read over the years.

We're off out later to a friendly, football tournament. Times have been altered to fit around the Olympic Torch doing a circuit round the stadium so it's messing up meals. I'm determined i'm not going to eat hot dogs or meat pies so need to take something with me.

Hope everyone's having a good day. It's not too cold here but torrential showers of rain keep happening!:(

podperson

Thanks for the support guys, is really appreciated. Am going to stop wallowing now and get back on with things

adelight - I get work clothes from the supermarkets a lot now. I get quite annoyed trekking round the high street when it's usually busy and loads of chattering, stick thin teenagers in the way etc :rotfl:but the supermarkets tend to be quieter and the stuff usually pretty cheap so can get a few bits and then replace then when you lose some weight
You still have 2 weeks to spend time with friends so enjoy x

Bitsy - hope you're feeling better, I agree that things happen for a reason so this could lead to something much better for you both.

LL - thanks for the oil advice, have you thought about selling handmade oils/serums/beauty products etc - I think people are moving a lot more towards natural products so there could be a good market for it. I'm sure you'd have a lot of customers just off this thread Maybe another line to think about for when you open up the gallery/shop. Good luck with the house fabbing - don't overdo it with the big jobs.

WW - the fabbing list for summer sounds great, the kids won't recognise you when you go back

So far today have taken the cat for her check-up (apparently is healing really well, vet was very happy with it so that's a relief), been to the library (LL, got two of the Richard Templar books, Rules of Wealth and How to Get Things Done), been to the bank to cash my cheque, popped into Farmfoods and Poundstretcher to get some bits - slightly overdid it as they had a lot of offers on canned goods so then had to get them home :rotfl:Just tidied the kitchen and had a rather late lunch so better get on with some actual work!
Hope everyone is having a good day x

lessonlearned

WelshWoofer wrote: »

LL - your house project sounds very exciting. Good for you! A new start will do you the world of good. Coincidentally, I'm on holidays for your time frame so if you need a hand ......:)

Don't tempt me :rotfl:

pp - Glad to see you're more like your old self again. Keep smiling and stay positive. Glad you got the Richard Templar books - especially the wealth one. I often re-read it when I'm feeling lazy - it gives me the kick up the derriere I need. I'm usually a pretty motivated person most of the time but I can slip easily slip into couch potato mode sometimes.

Evilsquid - looking good there gal.

Joiner just arrived - back later. It's all go here today.



Do you reckon I could give the Body Shop a run for their money, after all Anita started from her kitchen table.;) Jo Malone too.

lessonlearned

Right back again...

Re what type of house next - no idea.:rotfl:

Actually I do have a few criteria - in fact I'm usually downright fussy when buying property - I have a list of dos and don'ts as long as my arm. I am a vendors worst nightmare. I am happy to rent if need be whilst I search.

My ultimate goal is to buy a plot of land and build my own - not me personally - just design and then hand over to a main contractor. Another option would be an absolute wreck to restore. I would also like it to have either a couple of outbuildings or room to build so I can have my gallery/studio/workshop on site.

I'm hoping to downsize and buy two or three properties - the beginnings of my empire.:rotfl: The boys will come in with me, I will project manage, source materials, manage the budgets, they will do the "muscle stuff" and learn as they go along, although I have taught them DIY since they were in their early teens and they are already very competent. We will get the appropriate trades in as necessary.

As you know I've worked in and around construction for most of my life so I've learned a bit along the way and I'm fully confident I can do it. More to the point I will be self employed doing something I love.

Today we've made a cracking start. DS2 has painted the hall ceiling, I have glossed all the door frames on the landing, and primed the door frames in the downstairs hall. 11 doors is a lot of doors.:rotfl:

The roofer has been and that's done, his mate - a big strapping Irish guy has quoted me a great price to clear the jungle and put up a new fence. The joiner has just come and we've hatched a plan to sort out the fire damage to my kitchen units, so it's been a very productive day.

My original plan was to replace the kitchen, reconfigure the downstairs layout, refurbish the bathrooms, replace the single drive with a double. This would have cost around £20,000. I would not get my investment back in the current market so I would have to stay here for another 5 years or so to make it worthwhile.

I've decided against this, to see if I can sell sooner rather than later and make a fresh start. I don't want to completely retire - I'm not ready so self employment is the way for me. I can then do as much or as little as I choose. I can still design and supervise the build when I'm in my 80's - assuming I still have my marbles:rotfl:.

I now have a domain name so hopefully I can do some before and after pics and keep you up to date without clogging up this thread.

It's funny but the last two or three days I have been busier than ever, some of it really hard physical work but because I'm doing something I truly love I don't feel tired, I feel energised.

Anyway time for a bath, something to eat and then off to see OH for our Saturday Night at the Movies.

System

Hi everyone :wave:, haven't been awol, just on holiday. Much catching up to do with all the posts. Loving your last positive post LL, glad to see you are feeling better with your new project and sorry to read all you have been through. Liking your summer challenges WW - I really must do something like that too

Haven't had time to read all the posts yet, I will get around to that though

Was delighted to come home to having lost another 3lbs. Funny, it seems to be dropping off me. I've not been dieting as such, just not eating all the rubbish I used to. And lots of exercise, managed to swim more than 2 miles when I was away and lots of miles on foot looking around animal parks with the kids and long walks in general.

Madrabbitgirl

Wow, everyone sounds so organised and positive at the moment which is good to hear! Love the detailed plan WW!

It has been pouring with rain here and I have had soggy socks for most of the day. I had to buy some spare socks so I would have some dry to wear at work but then they got soggy too!

Not had a brilliant day, am a bit stressed by work at the moment. I work with children with learning difficulties (mainly autism). I am finding it particularly difficult with two of the families that I see at the moment. I'm am finding it emotionally draining and don't feel I am really coping at the moment (it's complicated...). It can be heartbreaking at times. Truth be told I sometimes wish I didn't have to go to work at all and could just stay at home all day but I don't think that would be healthy and not at all practical money-wise! (but I would if I could afford it! ).

I also have been eating badly, had a take-away last night (after another emotionally draining day ) and have been eating rubbish today.

Also, I didn't quite get round to sorting jumpers.

My friend had a party today. I was sort of invited indirectly through my friends mum, through another friend of ours but did not get invite direct from my friend herself and she didn't tell me any details. I assumed that if she wanted me to come she would have bothered to talk to me herself. So i didn't go. Got a text from her today asking me if I was 'still coming' (as if she had asked me!). So am feeling a bit pee'd off as I would have liked to have gone. She doesn't live locally so only see her a few times a year and I don't exactly have many friends. (It's not as if i have scores of parties to go to!). So instead I am sitting on the sofa eating crisps!

Oh well, it's a new day tomorrow!

WelshWoofer

Madrabbitgirl - enjoy the crisps, tomorrow is another day. Hope the job gets better for you.
LL - great plans - doing something you love too. Good to see you so positive again after such a difficult time. Good luck - and I meant it about helping if you need a hand:)
Rachel - get you, skinny minny! Well done!

Just back from the gathering at my friends house - lots of kids so it was an afternoon/early evening thing. Had a really nice time chatting with work friends and eating lots of bad for you things - some friends had made cakes so I had to try one of everything not to be rude! *Thats my excuse anyway. An afternoon off the diet for me. I did swim this morning so hopefully the damage won't be too bad, back on the wagon tomorrow. I made an effort and wore a colourful dress (red and turquoise) and red sandals with a denim jacket and got a few compliments about the ensemble.

I'm taking the dogs for a walk along a heritage trail tomorrow if its not raining - about 4 miles so not too far but nice countryside and some fresh air.



This week (Sat-Fri) my plans from my list will be...

• Meet up with friends (done)
• Find a new walk - doing tomorrow
• Swim 100 lengths (50 done)
• Finish week 2 of Couch to 5K and start week 3 (will try to do a run tomorrow)
• Finish current book and start new one
• Go to comedy and curry night with Spice on Thurs
• Have a morning with friends at friend's gym as a guest on Friday
• Do a bit of 6th form work tomorrow
• Do Shred Level 2 at least twice

Oh, and go to work on Monday- Weds, almost forgot that:rotfl: