Frugal frump to Fab - Astonishing Autum Exquinox to Wondrous Winter Solstice

mineallmine

Morning. Reading your posts makes me smile, laugh and shed a little tear

I hate to boast but... we sound a very determined, educated, cultured, focused lot

House fabbing continues. As part of this I'm having to use up lots of half used toiletries to clear the decks but it means pampering so that's fab!

After seeing the pics of LL's lovely house, it made me realise the need to use every nook and cranny of storage space that bit more. The house is beginning to feel like a set of Russian dolls, in here you'll find x and in that you'll find xx :rotfl:

Keep fabbing x

Bitsy_Beans

WW :j:j:j well done on reaching your target :T:T:T well deserved shame your date didn't happen but I hope his dad is ok xx

LL you H is quite rightly the lion

I confess I am not much into art, have heard of the pre raphaelite painters thanks to working not far from the site where Edward Burne Jones lived his childhood in Birmingham

Not loads of fabbing here, still fighting lurgy. Need to change my nail polish today as its looking tatty.
Not much else going on apart for the usual :o

Have lovely Saturday everyone

lessonlearned

WelshWoofer wrote: »

Morning fabbers!
I feel like such a philistine reading the posts about art etc - I wouldn't know a pre-raphaelite if it slapped me in the face!:o

.

WW Yes but you know about stuff like quantum physics and maths:eek: - utterly beyond my comprehension.

Actually I'm better than I used to be. With my OH being quite "sciency" and then one son being a Maths geek and then the other being into technology I've made an effort to learn.

I watch those science made easy type programmes - I like that young Professor Brian Cox - he makes it quite accessible. Actually he's quite easy on the eye too.:rotfl: Apparently he used to be in the pop band D.Ream (if that's how you spell it).

Anyway WW - science is the new Rock&Roll don't you know, so that makes you uber cool. (And slim too):D Double whammy. Your date will be the envy of his friends.

House fabbing here today too. The would be purchaser is coming to measure up for curtains and furniture etc so I need to just whizz through and make sure every thing is ship shape.

I've just been into the garage for something :eek: I think a skip will be required. Why do we hang onto stuff for years on end. It's crazy. Garages full of crap and expensive cars parked on the drive. All my neighbours are the same.

I was discussing this with DS2 - he's a real petrol head and what he doesn't know about cars isn't worth knowing. He tells me that practically all modern cars are too big to fit in most single garages, even the newer minis are much wider than the older models. Perhaps new build houses now have bigger garages.

I was recently admiring a friend's new Fiat 500 - I love them. He said he was downsizing anyway and it was the only car he could find that fitted into his garage. He's a bit nerdy - the type who would put his new baby in the garage.....

I've been thinking a lot about downsizing and living a "simple" life. No I'm not about to go all Tom & Barbara ("The Good Life" a 70's sitcom about a couple who give up their jobs for a self-sufficient lifestyle). I'm sorry I like my creature comforts too much.

I was reading about Steve Jobs (founder of Apple) and his take on minimalism and "stuff". It prompted me to start reading a few Simple Living blogs. I'm inclined to agree with quite a lot of what I've been reading. I do think that "stuff" can make you feel trapped and bogged down. Decluttering does help clear the mind.

I have learned that decluttering has to be gradual and ongoing - at least for me. A bit like painting the Forth Bridge I suppose. Too much in one go would leave me shell shocked.

Anyway - even if the my house sale collapses it's still "Mission Declutter." I cannot believe how many toiletries, especially "failed" moisturisers I have. Still working my way through them, using them up on my legs.

Time to get cracking.

Have a Fab weekend.

lizzie157

Hi everyone,
Not much to report really. Went with DS3 to his certificate presenting evening, was ok but school were still trying to present themselves through rose tinted spectacles, really silly when we all know it's not true. DS3 enjoyed seeing some of those fellow pupils he's no longer in touch with though. He's still looking for work, whilst moaning about his college course, one has said they'll arrange an interview so fingers crossed.
A bit of an incident with H and the dog (details on pet board) so cross with him about it but short of taking over all dogwalking duties (which I am v. close to doing) don't know what else to do.
I'm so busy I could do with splitting myself in 2, I have breakfast, then it's all go, maybe a quick bite for lunch but otherwise it's non stop. Didn't sit down till half 7 last night. Still managing the basics though and the 5:1 diet (sort of), think it must be ingrained now so it's automatic. Have been feeling a bit anxious at night just with te overload of things that need doing really.
Also been thinking about the starting a business thing especially since DS3 would be able to join me, thing is with all the changes being made to benefits I feel v. unsure about taking the step as they seem to have made it more difficult, it's making me think I could finish up in a worse position than now if I can't build it up quickly. It looks like it's going to be a nightmare when universal credits come in. In the meantime I'm still perusing the net for jobs and getting what bit of income I can from selling unwanted stuff on ebay etc.
Anyway no rest for the wicked:) and I must have been v. wicked cos I've got loads to do again today.
WW well done on reaching yor goal weight

maman

WelshWoofer wrote: »

Morning fabbers!
I feel like such a philistine reading the posts about art etc - I wouldn't know a pre-raphaelite if it slapped me in the face!:o

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Some of the very best ones (Ophelia maybe the best known) are in the Manchester City Gallery! Or rather not at the moment as they're in the exhibition at Tate Britain that I went to. It's on until mid-January I think and, yes, The Scapegoat's there. I did sciences at school and at college and decided that I needed to broaden my education as all the 'arts' things had been dropped with options. I did an OU Humanities course which included art appreciation and thoroughly enjoyed it. I found (and still do) it difficult to believe that some symbolism in paintings isn't just 'Emperor's New Clothes' but it does make you think.

Sorry to hear about your 'date' ww but he sounds like a guy whose heart's in the right place.:Ton getting to target by the way.

We've done a huge amount of decluttering lately. The people in the CS must love us. I agree it's very theraputic. A bit like you, LL, the next task is to go through a lot of files. I'm sure there's a load of stuff in there that could be shredded and DH could index them while he's at it.

When we sold our last house the buyer was more obsessed with whether the garage fitted his beloved car (a Merc) than anything indoors. I think we measured it three times before he signed on the line. Our current car woudn't be able to get to the garage even if it wasn't full of junk.:o When our house was built in the '20s, family cars were tiny but modern cars wouldn't be able to get past the side of the house.

Had my hair cut and blow dried this morning. That should be fine for Christmas. Horrified in the hairdressers to hear people saying how organised they were with their Christmas plans, compared with me. It amazes me how it creeps up every year.

Off to supper with some friends this evening which is why I timed my haircut for today. I always think it's a waste having a blow dry for nothing. One fab tip I heard is to have photos done when you've been to the hairdresser for passports or whatever. Supper is to celebrate their first wedding anniversary and catch up with the other 'principals' from the wedding. I'm planning to wear my bright green jersey dress and may paint my nails if I have time this afternoon.

Sorry to hear you're so busy lizzie, perhaps you shold try regular 'me' time until that becomes a habit! Good to hear that your DS is hanging on in there.

Have a good day all. Pleasant here, bright and fairly mild but I think rain promised for later.

Everhopeful09

Hello All, been a busy few days, headed back to my home town to help look after my niece, toddlers are non-stop, and help other sis to move house.

Not so much fabbing done as lived in practical clothes. Looking forward to a quiet evening, chips and scampi for tea with wine before heading back to wales tomorrow.

Have a lovely evening all. Eh xx

WelshWoofer

Morning all.
Woken up early for a Sunday but at least it seems to be a nice but cold day so far. Will take the dog for a good long walk this morning and then go swimming, aiming for a mile in 30 mins but haven't been for a little while so we'll see how long it takes.
Must get back to healthy eating today - had a few pieces of leftover pizza and some sweeties yesterday (some mint Matchmakers yummy!). Don't want to go back down the slippery slope of eating rubbish so back on track today.

Going to try to give the front garden its final tidy for the winter too - just a bit of weeding and general sprucing up. I'm not a gardening fan so do this under duress.:(

Right better wrap up warm and get out with the woofer.....

fedupandskint

Same here - I'm off out with my woofer shortly for an hour or so, then its back to sweep lots and lots of leaves up

Not much planned for today apart from taking back some sale items that I was very ruthless about keeping or returning. Kept 1 top and 1 pair of trousers and the rest are going back. Pleased I was ruthless and did not fall for the price but more how they look and and fit and if I would wear them or not!

Listed 32 items on ebay yesterday and just did one more this morning and have 3 more to go on today if I get around to it other they can wait till next time. Hope they sell as its all going towards credit card repayments and also a job that needs doing on the car. Fingers crossed!

WelshWoofer

Dog walked and 1 mile swum in 32 mins. Quite pleased with myself. Off for a nice walk in a nature reserve later with the woofer while the weather is good - may mean a dog bath later:eek:

WelshWoofer

Right there's only 5 weeks to the solstice :eek: and I need something to aim for - you know me and my lists!

Little goals for the next 5 weeks are...

• Stay at my target weight
• Run and swim!
• Finish the 100km in November challenge (will be up to 65km today)
• Get my roots done more regularly
• Finish the Xmas shopping
• Get a few more small jobs done around the house - shower hose, final garden tidy, etc
• Make sure I pay off the bill for the sofas before Xmas as the interest free credit thing kicks in in Janaury (have all but £150 of it saved now and will get the rest from extra pay for working half term which gets paid in Dec)

Its hard to get motivated in the dark winter months so I'm hoping that writing it down will give me a kick up the bum;)