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

lessonlearned

Good morning all

Just a quickie I have a poorly arm and am not supposed to be typing:eek:. Some kind of RSI thing going on. Very painful.

Anyway it was to just to make a suggestion to WW re the pine furniture.

Have you thought of painting it. Take a look at the Shabby Chic thread or try this blog https://www.betterafter.blogspot.com for ideas.

Farrow and Ball paints or Annie Sloan are perfect for that New England look. A bit time consuming but very therapeutic and you will save yourself a small fortune. Just an idea.

Apart from the arm it has not been the best of weeks, a couple of major stress attacks - chest pains the lot. Lots of problems with mum & dad. I think a crisis is just round the corner.

Anyway on a more cheerful note, I have been helping the boys house-hunt. Another viewing today and then off to see OH.

Have a fab Easter.

PS EH - sorry to hear you are still feeling under the weather, get well soon.

[Deleted User]

Afternoon All. I am having a wee holiday just now in beautiful North Yorkshire. I am enjoying letting myself unwind after a busy term at school.

I love the link you posted LL. I am booked on to do an Annie Sloan Chalk Paint course with my friend in a couple of weeks and I am really looking forward to it. I have a few bits of furniture already that I will try it out with. I bought a vintage writing bureau a few months ago but have not painted it as I do like the wood. Once I have done the course I may feel like painting it though.

Hewie29

Afternoon all, belated welcome to all the newbies.

Lizzie - Lily is a lab x collie, but each day we see more of the collie in her than the lab, she is very intelligent.

Well I know I said I wouldn't set myself any targets this time round as I am due for an opp in May time, but have looked at myself in the mirror today and I look a wreck.

My hair needs a good cut and something done to hide the grey, but am reluctant to spend too much money getting it coloured as have to have some shaved off for the opp.

My skin looks so lack lustre and dull, I am so overweight and just don't feel good in any of my clothes, feel like I need a week at a spa in a country somewhere hot (dreaming now).

I feel constantly tired and run down and although I have the week off, with a mad new puppy I don't think I'm going to have much chance of having much rest. I think the last 6 months have finally caught up with me, and also knowing that I can't plan much for the future is bugging me too. I do like to plan. And I'm also not allowed to do much exercise, other than walking.

So, I can plan for now and give myself a kick up the bum, take a little time for myself each day and try very hard to eat healthy, take a little walk every day and try and smile.

Sorry once again for the moan, but it does make me feel a little better and I think hubby is prob fed up with hearing me go on about it all the time.

Catch you all later x

fedupandskint

Good afternoon everyone. I'm having a lovely relaxing time at mum's who has bought me a gorgeous summer handbag for Easter in a rather summer orangey red tomato colour. Gorgeous!

Fabness today is family time, home made food of pie and cake!

WelshWoofer

Hewie - moan away! You've had a rough past few months and it sounds like the next few aren't any easier for you.
That's our job - to listen, try to help and pick you up again. xxxx

Do you have a spare little bit of cash?
Maybe a quick manicure, eyebrow shape and a new top may make you feel a bit better? Follow it with a cheap pub lunch with the OH or your friends and "run away" from real life for a couple of hours.
Don't think about what you should be doing or what the money could be spent on - you are more important!
Sometimes we need to be a bit more "me" centred and look after ourselves instead, even if its just for the afternoon.

I'm off out for a curry in an Asian banqueting place tonight - its a proper no alcohol authentic type of place so the food should be quite good. Just taken the dog for another 3km walk to try to minimise the calorie damage.

Thanks for the link LL - unfortunately I am the least creative person in the world and it would end up looking like a toddler had done it:o
Have bought a duvet set, matching curtains, sheets and extra pillowcases and some paint and brushes and rollers today, Just need to get on with it now. I'm going for a pale green/blue and teal type colour scheme with white - nice and fresh looking and a total change to the beige and browns there now.

Hope everyone is having a good long weekend.

lessonlearned

Good morning all

Hewie - agree moan away - after all you've been through its hardly surprising that you feel drained and lacklustre.

TBH - you couldn't have summed it up better. That is exactly how I feel too. I don't wish to bang on about stuff but this last week or so has been the pits........I feel and look pretty terrible. Never mind the sun is shining and it actually seems a bit warmer today.

The best thing is the house-hunting. At least that is something positive to help combat all the doom and gloom.

We've found a beauty. Hopefully the boys are going to buy it between them - if the lenders agree. I'll help out with a deposit and a bit of money towards the renovations.

Please keep your fingers crossed we get it.

Once we've got this one wrapped up, then I can start looking for my dream home.

Allie - your paint course sounds fab. And ........you've given me the jolt I need. I'm going to apply for that women's diy course I have been threatening to do. It's high time I did something for me.

WW - It's a pity you are not near me I would love to come and paint your furniture for you. In fact my fingers are itching for a project.

My friend is currently sorting out her mum's bungalow and she has asked me to go over and take first pick. I know there is a lovely writing beareau with my name on it........

The house we are interested in is a (once lovely) Victorian terrace - which for the past few years has been the residence of students:eek::eek:

However, underneath the years of grime the bones are there for a beautiful house - lots of period features, even down to some gorgeous tiled floors underneath the filthy carpets. We are discussing paint finishes already.......

My friend has said that her mum has some nice pieces of traditional furniture which should fit in very well.

The situation with my parents and my OH is as dire as ever but I am helpless to effect any real changes so......at the risk of sounding horribly selfish ........it's time to let things be and concentrate on getting my life organised.

I visited my parents yesterday and my father didn't even try to discuss anything with me, so I now officially give up.:rotfl: He has had another fall and his face is battered and bruised, his leg has developed a skin ulcer, he looks like a walking skeleton, he has started drinking (a lifelong teetotaller). He is (was) the fit healthy one, so you can imagine the state my mum is in.

He refuses help and won't see reason. So we've no alternative but to wait for the crisis and then Social Services step in. Madness. Other than having them both forcibly taken into care I can see no way out.

Regarding OH - the nursing home have finally agreed to amend his files with the appropriate mandates and his instructions for further care - all properly signed and witnessed. As a precautionary measure I have also instructed my solicitor to draw up a healthcare power of attorney, with certified copies for all the medicos.

I've done all I can to protect him and ensure his wishes are adhered to.

So as I say - now it's my turn. Time to get fit and healthy again, to reclaim my own life and start planning my own future. It's time to focus on me for a change.

Time to start my Third Act.

I had a long heart to heart with my friend S who lost her husband to cancer about 15 months ago. She is now rebuilding her life. She still loves and misses and grieves her husband but as she so rightly puts it - life has to go on.

So ladies I wish you all a

"Very Happy and Joyful Easter"

Get Fabbed Up and Enjoy.

XX

WelshWoofer

LL - I think you're right. You need to worry about yourself for a change. Hope you have a lovely time planning the new house and get stuck in to things that you enjoy.
Thanks for the offer of the furniture painting - if you ever fancy a holiday up north let me know!

Just back from a nice brisk hour long walk with the dog around the water park and along the river - quite cold still but dry and sunny. I needed to get some exercise done this morning after the million calories I ate last night at the curry evening
Feel better for it too.

I'm going to continue the spring clean today - I need to finish off the bathrooms and start a wardrobe declutter today. I'm going to start on the spare room wardrobe first where I keep all my work suits. I still have a few from the "fatter" days, I think I only kept them because they were quite expensive. They are no good to me now though and need to go so I can make a bit of room and get ready for the bedroom makeover.
I'm also going to have a go at batch cooking some soups for the freezer, I bought a load of veg yesterday so am trying spicy parsnip and leek and potato soups. The plan is to get some ready for when I'm back at work for quick easy meals.

There's nothing on the telly today so will probably watch a movie from BoxOffice later after doing a bit of schoolwork.

Right better get cracking then.....

Bitsy_Beans

Good afternoon one and all
Happy Easter :EasterBun hope you are enjoying a little bit of the sweet stuff.

Hewie hugs for you, you've been through the mill over last 6 months and a puppy on top which is the equivalent of having an 18 month old toddler with teeth on the loose and it's easy to see why you feel like you do. Just take bad steps where you can, perhaps once your OP is out of the way you can get back to making plans. It's hard living in limbo x

LL hugs for you too xx sorry to hear things are going pear shaped with your mum and dad but you're right to accept the things you can't change and get on with your life xx

Allie paint course sounds great

Hugs and high fives all round xx

Not much going on here. H has some time off over Easter which is lovely. Not loads of fabbing, felt really bloated and off last few days thanks to the joys of being a woman fasting hasn't gone so well last couple of weeks so next week need to get back into it. Have let loads of things slide lately, just lacking impetus I think I am going to have to start tackling the loft and sorting that out. I have avoided it so far because sorting it out means it will create loads of mess but I think I shall have to suck it up. Sort out a space in the garage and get started.

Anyway hope you're all enjoying the Easter weekend

WelshWoofer

Hi Bitsy! Nice to see you! My loft is a disgrace and needs sorting out, but its a case of out of sight out of mind for me.:p

Just updating my walk/run challenge total and have officially got to a third of the way through it. Just 66km to go!:rotfl:3 weeks to do it in, so 22km a week.....

Done a load of schoolwork this afternoon to get some of it out of the way, feel quite pleased with myself.

Going to settle down with a movie later and a bag of revels - my only easter treat (bought by myself ). Will sort out my nails too - they've decided to break - think its the cold weather.

Hewie29

WW, LL and BB thanks for your words of advice, yes Bitsy, those teeth are very sharp and have the marks on my hands to show for it.

WW, I have a massage booked for Fri evening and am so looking forward to it, out shopping for a few bits and bobs tomorrow so I will treat myself to something little.

Not had a bad day today, the sun has been shining and I think that lifts everyone a tad. Had my dad round for roast lunch and sent him off with another one for tomorrow, least I know he's had 2 healthy meals today.

I've just had a lovely relaxing bath and had a little pamper and feel much better.

Tomorrow I will start a healthy eating plan and try to shift a few pounds, and I'm sure if I'm not eating so much junk then I will feel better too.

Hope everyone has had a good easter and not eaten too much chocolate, mind you, you can never have too much choc.

Thanks all xxx