Frugal Frump to Fab-u-lous Dharrrrrrrling Winter Solstice to Spring Equinox

WelshWoofer

Morning Sparkles! I'm another one up early on a Sunday.
Planning some exercise probably a nice long walk/jog with the dog along the river and around the waterpark. Then its a load of very boring marking to get out of the way. Lovely.:(

On the theme of being thankful for things that we have and not dwelling on the negative - I have my health, a job I enjoy, family that love me and enough money to get by.
I may not have the perfect figure, be as young and pretty as I was, or have the salary that I used to have but I'm happily divorced, content and can please myself.:)

fedupandskint

Same here! I'm tackling the cc debt issues and am in a better place now than 6mths ago and aiming to have moved forward again in another 6mths time. I too have a great family who love me and I am happy as can be. Last night I balance transferred to a 0% rate for 12mths which was a great result after being turned down last year for one. Onwards and upwards for me then.

Just back from the dog walk and also swept and mopped the floors - just waiting for them to dry then its a quick run round with the hoover before a walk up to town.

Have a good day everyone!

lessonlearned

Good morning all

Evil - congrats on the house move - by a canal - sounds ab fab I love living by water.

Re my conversation yesterday about house hunting - we have some fab-u-lous apartments in the city with views overlooking the river. The only problem is they have no outside space, otherwise I would buy one like a shot. They have Juliet balconies but they are no good - you can't sit out on them with a glass of vino.:( If only developers would build apartments with proper balconies like they do abroad. I'm sure I will find my perfect pad all in good time.

Loved reading the affirmations. I think this really is the key to happiness, contentment and leading a life of fabulousness.

Some people may think that "Being grateful for what you have"
is a bit negative, or perhaps they view it as a compromise too far - just settling for second best.

I disagree I think that gratitude is a firm foundation on which to build happiness and joy.

Yes bad things happen, people get sick, we lose loved ones, we struggle with money but they are all part of life's rich tapestry. It can't all be sunshine and roses.

There is joy to be had in remembering those we have loved and lost, and there is a great sense of achievement when we overcome obstacles. Sadness and grief can walk hand in hand with happiness and contentment.

Oo-er get me being all philosophical on a Sunday morning.:rotfl:

Well ladies - you would be proud.

Yesterday morning I went for a walk, did 2 kms on the bike, and then a good yoga session.. Blow me in the afternoon, we took OH for a walk (DS1 pushed the wheelchair for me). 2 longish walks (long for me) in one day.:D

Today the plan is another walk, the bike, some yoga, a bit of shopping, visit mum & dad, a healthy dinner and then a nice evening with my boys. DS1 is sleeping over tonight. I do love it when I have "my babies" back home together every now and then.

Lizzie - Bitsy - make the most of the years with your children, they will be all grown up before you know it. I look back and it seems like the years just flew by in the wink of an eye.

If I get chance today I might try and snatch half an hour and make a start on some of the easy weeds.

Have a great day, hope you are getting lots of sunshine.

lessonlearned

Bitsy - just wanted to say hang in there girl - things will come right in the end. I know from experience just how difficult it can be when your husband is working away, commuting at weekends, trying to sell a house and manage everything by yourself.

Hopefully the house will sell soon and then life will start to look a lot rosier once you are all together again.

We are in the run up to Easter now and this is traditionally the time when the housing market starts to perk up. The next couple of months should see activity levels rise. Keep your chin up and your fingers crossed.

I'm not very good at meditation - my mind wanders too much. I find it easier to do something with my hands and then my mind stops whirring, so for me things like gardening, diy etc are my form of meditation and relaxation. .

I can potter around the garden here, make jewellery, maybe do a bit of sewing etc and then once I've found the right property I'm sure I will have all the DIY I can hope for to help me relax and take my mind off things. rotfl:

verynewmoneysaver

Thanks to everyone for the condolences. Dad had a good long life so we were lucky there. The funeral went well. My sister and her family came down from Essex and my husband's sister came from Cardiff. Mum was very upset of course but she looks a lot better now. I've got a couple of weeks off work as I have been feeling unwell on and off since Christmas when Dad went into hospital. It's true that stress takes a toll. Glad you're feeling better LL. The house sounds lovely ES.

WelshWoofer

VNMS - glad the funeral went as well as it could have. Its a very difficult time. Take care xx

Just back from a jog/walk with the dog for an hour. I can't go too fast with him as he's only little and getting on a bit and I felt fine when we got back to the house so I went off for another 3km run at a faster pace. I was surprised at how relaxed I felt - I haven't really done much running lately and I really enjoyed it so its motivation to get back into it again.
I saw my b*tchy neighbour as I was just coming back and even she begrudgingly said that I'd lost weight and looked toned. All that happened last year so it shows how much notice she takes of me!:rotfl:
The good weather makes such a difference to how you feel doesn't it? Spring has sprung!

Off for a shower and then its the dreaded marking......

Carmen

Good afternoon everyone,
It's been a couple of manic weeks for me, with more to come!
I will not be around for a while.
Keep up the good work ladies.

Carmen xx

podperson

Morning all,

LL - sounds like you've feeling very motivated, am sure with the exercise you'll be feeling better in no time x

Bitsy - I have been looking at the 5.2 and sounds like it's working well for you Had to laugh at the headstand, I don't think I could even do when I was at school so wouldn't dare attempt one now - go you though! :T

Evilsquid - new house sounds lovely, we live on a canal and I love it, we have swans that nest just up from us and a really cute moorhen that toddles by. It's nice just to sit out there and take a few mins to let the world go by
LL - had to smile at your mention of ones by the river with no balcony, there are some flats just up from ours and they are just awful - new 'modern' build that look like metal and glass boxes stuck one on top of the other, the only positive thing I can possibly say about them is that they have lovely balconies over the water!

Sparkles - sounds like you had a lovely day must think what to get my mum for Mother's Day!

Carmen - hope you're ok hun, don't overdo it x

Lizzie - sorry about the job, hun, I guess it just wasn't the right one for you but am sure something else will turn up x

Speaking of jobs, have started applying for new ones properly. Finally reached the end of my tether here. Was off one day last week as I wasn't very well, came back to a b1tchy email from my boss complaining about how since I was off sick 'yet again' he couldn't find something in my office and then just a random list of complaints, most of which aren't even true. Combined with the fact that the other girl in the office has left because they wouldn't give her the payrise they promised her a year ago as apparently they have 'no money', same as why they haven't given me one in 3 years, but they're now taking on a new girl at a drastically higher salary so she'll be on almost the same as me for doing a much lower job :mad: I've been telling friends lately in similar positions that they need to look out for themselves as no one else is going to - and I should take my own advice!

Choir-wise, think we're just going to cut all ties. She's being very petty and tbh is just making herself look bad. For example, she put a vid on the Youtube channel the day OH sent her the passwords to try and prove a point I guess, she uploaded it wrong so it looks poor quality, and then put credits for the whole choir/band/production etc on the end of it but not me and OH. Then one of the first comments someone put mentioned us both and the filming :rotfl:I'm just finding it quite amusing how ridiculous she's being but I know OH is still quite upset on it.

Had quite a busy weekend, some studio shoots on Saturday and then went to a wedding fayre Sunday morning to have a look round the stalls. Bit intimidating tbh, lots and lots of photo ones there Met a friend for coffee after so was nice to have a chat and a catch up at least. Healthy eating has been going very badly this week but am determined am going to be back on the wagon today! :rotfl:Been getting stomach aches the last few days and think is probably related to the amount of cack I've been eating

lessonlearned

Hi Everyone

PP - I'm glad you have decided to start thinking about yourself as bit more. The change of job sounds like a really good idea, they clearly don't appreciate you. As for the choir well it's a shame because you enjoyed it so, however, I'm sure something else will fill it's place in good time.

Twinnie - hope you are ok - see you when you come back;)

Bitsy - I'm seriously impressed with the headstand:T I was always hopeless at that kind of thing even as a girl.

Well things are jogging along, trying to exercise a bit, walk a little and eat healthily. Can't say I've experienced any spectacular results so far. I'm afraid I'm a tad impatient I want results and I want them now:rotfl: I just need to keep going. Surely if I work it at long enough I will get my reward - to feel a bit better, be stronger and fitter. I seem to be sleeping a bit better so I guess that's a good start.

I'm feeling a bit miffed with my parents though.

I went to a lot of trouble last week getting valuations for them, starting to source info on retirement complexes etc, endlessly explaining the buying and selling process, confirming that I would be there every step of the way.

My dad is now being really awkward, backtracking again.

"I don't want to move, I don't like apartments, I only want a bungalow, I don't want to live on a complex, I don't want to pay maintenance charges, I want this, I don't want that".

I WANT THE MOON ON A STICK. :rotfl::rotfl:

Sweet reason just doesn't enter into it. Worse than a toddler;).

Without being nasty I feel that I've got more than enough to contend with without him playing up. I am more than happy to help them move and get themselves sorted out but I really don't have the time, the energy, the patience or the inclination to be playing silly games with him.

So like you PP - I'm drawing a line in the sand. I'll move heaven and earth to help them but I will not be messed around. Not again.

I gave up great chunks of my time last week trying to help them, to the point where I neglected to take care of my own stuff. Now he's just throwing it all back in my face again. Well he can think on.

I honestly don't know why I bother. I'm now seriously behind with my own bits and pieces as a result of giving them all my time last week and I now have a to do list as long as my arm. And of course two more hospital days for OH to contend with in the next week or so.

No wonder I look so shattered all the time and no wonder I feel so ancient and decrepit. I will be 62 this year and yet my poor body feels like it belongs to an 82 year old.

I'm not putting up with his nonsense this time. I know this sounds selfish but this time I shall be thinking about my own needs and looking after my own interests too because if I don't I'll be ending up in a nursing home myself.

Just like you PP - I'm going to start taking my own advice.

WelshWoofer

Well, after reading all about the headstands I've had a go! The dog thought I'd completely gone bonkers but I managed 3 or 4 seconds straight up before coming down again. Its much harder than it looks!
I did gymnastics as a young child (gave up by the time I was a teenager) so thought I may still "have it". I'm 41 - what was I thinking:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Bitsy - you're much better than I am!!:D