Frugal Frump to Fab-u-lous Spring Equinox to Summer Solstice

maman

:wave: No idea why I haven't posted before, just slipped into lurk mode but have been reading and keeping up.

I've been fabbing today. Did myself a manicure last night and today I've had my nails polished professionally (£5 at my cheapie nail bar). I tidied my eyebrows and also keeping up with creaming my feet almost daily since I unearthed the potions last week.

I like cruising through the cosmetics too kiwisaver. I often stop and have a good squirt of Eau Dynamisante and I like the Jeunesse des Mains cream. If I'm planning to buy anything from the quality counters I always ask them to let me test/show me how to use a product. It helps to pick up tricks although there are some very good video clips on you tube too.

I'm off to Wales to visit family for the weekend so that should cheer me up a bit. DH and I were talking earlier and we are desperate for some sun and a break. It is a bit warmer here than last week but I'm still hanging on to winter coat etc.

Sorry to hear your employer's not more co-operative pod. Why am I not surprised!! It could be that a part time job will be easier to come by than a full time one. Good luck anyhow.

Sorry to hear the parents are causing more heartache LL. I've been avidly following the boys' house moves. Do they plan to live in it long term or is it a project?


Back soon.:)

lessonlearned

Good morning ladies

Fab Friday - time to get those glad rags out.

Maman - have a lovely break, bring some sunshine back with you. Like you I feel desperate for some nice warm sun on my bones.

If I had known winter was going to drag on this long I would have booked a holiday somewhere warm - although I would prefer not to spend any money until the house purchases are all done and dusted.

TBH I haven't really felt like travelling and I honestly don't know where I would find the time but if the sun doesn't come soon I'm going to have to take desperate measures.:eek:

I can see me arriving at EM Airport and just getting the next flight out and ......I hate flying. :rotfl:

It's DS2's weekend off so we going to load up my car and take a load of stuff to the tip. Oh the excitement. Life in the fast lane.

Actually I've had a busy week what with mum and dad and one thing and another so I'm planning a nice quiet weekend, just pottering about.

Have a good day.

podperson

Morning all,

Kiwi - your outfit sounds fab, I was debating a dress this morning but a wee bit breezy so I chickened out :rotfl:

Maman - hope you enjoy your weekend away, am sure the break will do you good sun or no sun (and it's looking brighter here at least so you might be lucky!)

LL - Yup, I think money-making mode is the way to go! OH got his (last!) student loan in last week so he's going to transfer me a few hundred so I have a float to get back on the matched betting. Going to get back on the decluttering and see what I can ebay etc - could probably do with a car boot but little awkward because I don't drive. There's one quite near me on Sundays though, might have a mooch over there this weekend and see if it looks like it's worth doing. Will see what else I can think of as well.

CurlyTop

Still lurking, rarely post. I know I must do better.

Podperson, am sure you will find something, keep up the positivity.

Lessons Learned - love The Good Wife. Alicia Florick and her suits, bring it on. Reminds me of me 20 years ago. Nowadays, I'm mainly in trousers and a jumper. Must do better there too.

WelshWoofer and Rosewood - you put me to shame with your exercising. Go girls !

The fabbing was going okay but for about the last month, I've just felt like munching sweet stuff all the time. And I mean ALL the time. Don't know what that means. Besides the fact that I have a sweet tooth....

Anyway, went on a bike ride last week with nieces and DH. Bad move. It ended up about 11 miles which I managed to do but having m.e. I've been zonked out by it all week!! You'd think I'd know better.

Anyway, have been using that Jergens body cream, particularly on my legs as they have been very dry. Other creams I'd tried hadn't worked but this one is proving very good. Even if I miss a day (don't go there) my legs still feel smooth.It was on offer at Superdrug for £2.49 (half price) and I'd thoroughly recommend it.

Roots need doing but as I have curly hair, I get can get away with it another week or so, till I get to the shop to get the right colour. As I've gone lighter, I don't want to batter my hair with colours too frequently. Nails are looking good. Just need to remember to get some OPI Nail Envy for them. Not had any for a while and as soon as my nails grew they all snapped. Hey ho.

Anyway, great reading as to how everyone is diddling. Keep up the good work.

sweetcheeks33

Hello ladies,

I attempted to make an effort in fabbing today... Dark ble skinny jeans and my black flat boots. I wore a cream short sleeve floral top and a light blue cardigan. I didn't have any make up on but I did have my hair blow drys and it looked nice.

Thanks for encouraging my to Friday fab ness ladies

Hope you all have great weekend

lessonlearned

B]Curly Top[/B] - will try that body cream - my legs are really dry and itchy at the moment. Nothing seems to work.

What a day.......

First the bad news - the survey was dire, not so much the house - that was bad enough. I had estimated a renovation budget of about £15K - it transpires it will be nearer to £30k. Nothing wrong with the house as such, it is structurally sound and solid as a rock. It's more a case of the "bodging" and quick fixes it's been subject to.

Actually I could have coped with that. A house can always be fixed. I would have just refused to pay the agreed price and negotiated some discount.

No it's far more serious - Japanese Knotweed in the garden and neighbours gardens.:eek:

We are walking away from this one. Eternal optimist that I am even I won't attempt this one.

Now the "not quite sure what to think news".

Actually my head is in a whirl. I have just had the most extra-ordinary telephone call from OH's consultant. He rang me at 7-00pm tonight so I just knew when he said who it was that this was something momentous.

You may remember he offered OH a biopsy and I said no, largely because I felt that he is just too weak to withstand the rigours of such a rough and invasive procedure.

Anyway said consultant has been in touch with some wonder neuro surgeon who is of the opinion that what appears on the scans as lesions may in fact be a non malignant tumour, although there are areas of inflammation that cannot be accounted for. Apparently the new mri scans showed significant changes which have given rise to some doubts as to what is actually there.

He did have a biopsy four years ago but the results were largely inconclusive. The theory is if another one was done now it should give a much clearer picture of what is actually going on in my poor OH's head.

Trust him to have something so rare it defies a diagnosis......

Anyway consultant has offered OH a wonder drug for 1 months trial. If it proves beneficial then the results will be dramatic and immediate - days not weeks.

If this is the case then OH would be strong enough to withstand surgery. It would still be a risky procedure but at least he would be much stronger than he is now.

If the results show that it is indeed a tumour then some of it (not all unfortunately because of where it is) could be removed and OH's condition and overall health would improve significantly.

I really don't know what to think. We've had false dawns before so I am trying not to read too much into it all. Trying hard not to build my hopes just yet.

Whatever happens it will not be a miracle cure but there is perhaps a slim hope that we can get him back to a level when he could come home again.

I'll settle for that.;)

sweetcheeks33

LL.... I am sorry about your house although I have no idea what Japanese wotyoumccall it is but I presume it's back

As for your telephone call, I hope the medication works for your husband and I keep my fingers crossed for you both. It would be wonderful to have your husband home and I will send positive vibes your way

Much hugs x

fedupandskint

Hugs LL. You are dealing well with all of this. When I went through something similar years ago it absolutely knocked me flying as my world fell apart. You are doing so well with your stength that shines through.

As for, I attempted to fab myself up yesterday for work and placement. Might have overdone it with the make up though for once but hey, what's it matter?I'll tone it down for next time! Did get called french at work though for my outfit style of pencil skirt, black and ivory stripey top and tights and court shoes. Does that mean stripey or stylish?

Have done plenty of walking this week and I'm about to set off with the dog on his weekend long walk around the water park to take advantage of this lovely morning. Then it's some gardening tidy up and later I will have a facemask and exfoliate and maybe a nice relaxing bath later if I feel like it.

At this week's WI weight has returned to normal and 5lbs have gone so weight back in usual target zone. Nice to know I can do it and reverse the increases sensibly over 2-3 weeks

WelshWoofer

LL - fingers crossed for OH if you both decide to try the medication and treatment. At least the consultant is continuing to investigate it.
What a b*mmer about the house - I know the knotweed is bad but don't know why (I'm not a gardener as you know:o). There'll be another one along soon enough I'm sure but its disappointing for now.

Sorry I haven't been around much this week - its been exam results week so all hell breaks loose for me with compiling results, reports, organising resits, projections for final grades etc. But its all done now and the results were on the whole very good.:T

Just back from picking up the dog from his makeover - he looks lovely and actually quite trim now a lot of the winter fur has been cut. He managed to roll in something on the way back to the car though - thats what he thought of the blow dry!
Popped to Sainsburys whilst he was being done so thats another job done for today.

I'm having a day off work today (no marking - hurrah!) and will need to clean the house and have a general tidy, but most of the other jobs are done. I think I'll go to the gym later this afternoon to use the voucher and watch a movie later. Will make the most of the nice weather too and get out for a long walk when he's recovered from the trauma of the hair cut (he's sulking at the moment :rotfl:).

I did get a compliment yesterday - we had an INSET day so it was a no-suits day and I wore a new red silk patterned blouse with dark blue fitted jeans and heeled boots and was told I looked "fit" by two male teachers Shame they're either 10 years younger than me or married :rotfl:

The hormones are continuing to go a bit berserk and I'm still all irregular but the good news is I haven't put on any weight (haven't lost any more either though!).

Going to try to have a bit of me time this weekend as I've been so busy this week that I feel a bit grey and tired looking - need to juzz myself up a bit. Might be a tall order in two days! But I think a nice long bath, some more sleep, a sunbed, some exercise and a face scrub and mask might help a bit.
I have to go home to Wales next Friday for a funeral (old uncle, was 95 and very poorly so expected but sad) and I'll have a busy weekend so this weekend is time for a rest.

lessonlearned

Hi Everyone

Beautiful day here - have just got back from seeing OH, wrapped him up nice and cosy and walked him round the ground of the home and sat out in the sun with him.

We've had a long talk and have decided to go with the Consultant's suggested programme.

So first it's the drug therapy, then the brain biopsy, then if they decided they can operate then it will be radiation and surgery.

If that is successful then there will be a period of rehab again to see what functions we can bring back.

WW - as you say the Consultant is definitely fighting for my OH. I'm afraid that I had given up all hope and was resigned to OH simply fading away.

Anyway he explained that this particular drug therapy may not receive NHS funding because OH's doesn't have a definitive diagnosis which fits the drug profile. However, he said that if it proves beneficial then he will try to get the NHS to pick up the tab.

I asked how much the drug would be and it's £2000 per year. If push comes to shove and it really does work then I will dig deep to pay for it. I know our families will rally round.

As you can imagine I am absolutely drained and completely shattered now. Talk about emotional roller coaster.:)

So a nice rest for what's left of today and just a gentle potter about tomorrow. Hopefully the weather will hold.

Sparkles - your "French" outfit sounds definitely in the sytlish camp - tres chic......

I still haven't bought any new clothes