📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

Frugal Frump To Fabulous Summer Solstice to Autumn Equinox

Options
1131416181925

Comments

  • Bitsy_Beans
    Bitsy_Beans Posts: 9,640 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Cold has turned into a chest infection - boo and another round of antibiotics.

    Hey ho, feeling prety rubbish and lots of rest in order

    That's pants :( sending you lots of get well vibes xxx
    I have a gift for enraging people, but if I ever bore you it'll be with a knife :D Louise Brooks
    All will be well in the end. If it's not well, it's not the end.
    Be humble for you are made of earth. Be noble for you are made of stars
  • evilsquid1603
    evilsquid1603 Posts: 1,399 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Cold has turned into a chest infection - boo and another round of antibiotics.

    Hey ho, feeling prety rubbish and lots of rest in order

    hope you get better soon! xx

    well, ive joined the racquets club near me. just got in from a yoga class so feeling nice and calm lol. got my gym induction tomorrow then a 5 week tennis introduction course to come. will fit swimming around it all too somewhere!
  • Bitsy_Beans
    Bitsy_Beans Posts: 9,640 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Off on hols for a week, leaving early tomorrow morning. Will try and check in on my phone assuming we're not in the dead zone ;)

    Have a fabulous week ladies :):)

    Squid I'm packing my yoga book with a view to doing some whilst I am away!
    I have a gift for enraging people, but if I ever bore you it'll be with a knife :D Louise Brooks
    All will be well in the end. If it's not well, it's not the end.
    Be humble for you are made of earth. Be noble for you are made of stars
  • lizzie157
    lizzie157 Posts: 542 Forumite
    Where is everyone? It's really quiet on here at the moment.
    Hope you are all ok and enjoying the warm weather.

    I'm enjoying it but must admit there's a nagging voice telling me I need to get back to trying to kick start these business ideas as I still am yet to get a customer. The problem as I see it is although I've advertised everywhere I can think of that's free, had a few free business cards printed and delivered a few leaflets ( aquired free on the net) because my daily life is a bit limited and I don't see many people I don't have many opportunities for the networkng needed to push myself. I know if I could get 1 customer it would at least be one reccommenation but as yet it hasn't been forthcoming. I just haven't the cash to advertise in the local paper so I just have to keep doing what I can and hope it pays off in the end.

    We are hoping to get a few days out wiht the free train passes so am scouring the net for cheap or free things to do. Am aiming for one trip a week as this will most probably be the last time DS3 wants to come along.
    DS2's wedding is only a few weeks away now and apart from a few bits and bobs am all set. I've practised my make up, though am still experimenting with the hair. The hen night is this weekend, a meal to which the family is invited along with the bride's friends and then they are off clubing so looking forward to that. :)

    On a not so good note yet another ESA50 has fallen on the mat - need to check but it seems less than a yr since the last one- they seem to be getting ever more frequent.

    On the fabbing front have lost another 3 pounds (though I was trying to maintain really), had my eyebrows threaded but wasn't too pleased as she took more than she was asked to, have haircut booked ready for the hen night and am thinking of treating myself to a manicure if I can find one cheap enough. I am looking forward to the wedding and have managed to make a small contribution to the day itself, but it really was an expense I could have done without we are now having to cut back seriously and my fabbing will have to be home based and cheap after the wedding is over.

    Anyway I'm determined to put that to the back ofmy mind and enjoy the day. I'll address all the other stuff afterwards. :)
    Frump to Fab - Solstice Sizzler :)
    OU creative writing student :)
    Striving for a better life! :)
  • maman
    maman Posts: 29,775 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Sorry I haven't been posting either but will be back with a proper catch-up later.

    I was wondering when wedding is lizzie.

    Just came on to say that I have a cheap manicure at one of those places that do acrylic nails. Around here they tend to be run by Chinese people. For some reason they're really cheap for 'real' nails.They charge £5 if I just want a quick shape and polish or about £10-12 for a proper manicure. It's not quite the relaxing experience of a proper beauty salon but it does the job. Somehow their polish always stays put far longer than doing it myself. I have American. That's like a French manicure but more natural looking as the tips aren't so white.

    Back soon. x
  • lessonlearned
    lessonlearned Posts: 13,337 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker I've been Money Tipped!
    Still here - just. Sooooo busy. Shattered, exhausted and fed up.

    Having a little break today - catching up with essential admin, phone calls etc. Hoping to have a few quiet minutes later for a defuzz and a face mask........

    Hands and nails are in tatters, skin looks tired and washed out. Time for some serious remedial fabbing. :rotfl:
  • WelshWoofer
    WelshWoofer Posts: 5,076 Forumite
    I'm back from hols (fab time) and just popping in to see what you're all up to.....where are you all?:)

    Just a flying visit but will come back this evening and fill you all in on the latest news.....
  • fedupandskint
    fedupandskint Posts: 10,358 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    I am working away on my dissertation - making quite a bit of progress before the deadline in 1 week and 4 days from now. Upto 10000 words and 2000min to go for first word count limit.

    Still a lot to redraft and so on but getting there.

    Chest infection finally clearing up a bit today at long last after feeling dreadful for 2 whole weeks. As I felt better I popped on a facemask and hair mask this morning to get some fabness going
    final unsecured debt to repay currently £8333
    Proud to be Dealing With my Debt
    DFW Nerd 1154 Long Haul 155
  • Bitsy_Beans
    Bitsy_Beans Posts: 9,640 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Wow I go on holiday for a week and expect to have a few pages to read :eek: where have you all gone to?!

    Anyway after two days of torrential rain (so much so it washed away the sand on a local beach :eek:) the rest of the weather has been glorious. I've been struggling with a bad back which caravan bed has not been helping but still managed to go bodyboarding in the sea for two days (than you cheap wetsuits from Tesc* ;)) caught some lovely waves. Felt 18 again (it's been 15 years since I last went on a bodyboard :eek:). I have lots of tanned bits which require a fair bit of moisturising, some slightly sunburnt bits which need some TLC. All in all I look like a beach bum :rotfl:
    Have also decided to start eating clean. I do cook from scratch 90% of the time but I am going to stop buying crisps and biscuits (kids will have to suck it up). After a week of eating less healthy I am craving some proper veggies (trying to cater needs of child with ASD in a teeny tiny caravan kitchen it was more about convenience aka junk).
    In other news house sale is still moving towards end of August :eek: feels like time is running away fast, haven't packed a thing and we haven't even exchanged contracts. I suspect I am going to feel slightly panicked over next week or so :o

    Anyway I had better go make a start on mount washmore :eek:

    Check back later :)
    I have a gift for enraging people, but if I ever bore you it'll be with a knife :D Louise Brooks
    All will be well in the end. If it's not well, it's not the end.
    Be humble for you are made of earth. Be noble for you are made of stars
  • lessonlearned
    lessonlearned Posts: 13,337 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker I've been Money Tipped!
    Good morning all

    Sorry have been awol for a while - just so busy with the house move. Today DS2 and I need to go back to the rental house for one last clearout - Christmas decorations in the loft, the garage and shed etc. Then we are done. Phew.

    I have to say I can't remember when I last felt so tired and drained. Never mind it will be all worth it in the end.

    Change of Plan!!!!!

    I have decided that I probably will not live here as intended. I have been offered the chance of renting a small bungalow in the grounds of OH's nursing home. They were originally staff quarters for the staff from overseas but the home is now employing more local people so there is no need for staff accommodation so they are letting them out.

    (A much better business decision - I'm surprised it took them so long to figure that one out:rotfl:)

    As you know I would love to have OH home but this is not possible so living more or less "on site" will be a very good compromise. I will be able to pop in and out seeing OH whenever I want. I will be able to spend most evenings with him and can wheel him over to my little bungalow whenever we wish.

    It should work out very well. He still gets the care he needs and yet we can still live a more normal life spending more time together. OH is absolutely thrilled.

    The downside is that bungalow is single glazed, with electric storage radiators so I will need to look at old style methods of keeping myself warm and cosy, although because I will be spending most winter evenings in OH's room in the home I'm not too worried about fuel bills. I should be able to afford the electricity:eek:

    I know it's a complete turnaround but I think it will be better all round. It turns out that this house needs more work than I anticipated. It's going to be messy, chaotic and disruptive. It will take some time to get things right.

    TBH I don't fancy living on a building site over the winter. The boys are quite happy with my decision - they won't mind the mess and disruption.

    I can still be available to supervise and let in the trades etc - then I can go home to a hot bath and my creature comforts. The boys can also pop over and escape when it gets a bit much for them, ie whilst the new bathroom is installed and they need showers and baths etc.

    It takes the pressure of DS1 to ensure that his poor old mum is kept warm and comfortable whilst renovation works are being carried out. He is a hardy soul - I'm too old for "roughing it" whilst working on a project.

    Also, and I do need to face this one, OH's condition shows no sign of improvement and he is unlikely to get well again. We do not know how much longer he has. By living closer to him I can devote more time to him in what may well turn out to be his last months/years. Who knows how long we have left. We need to make the most of what we have.

    I do feel very much that I am currently living in Limbo. I can't move on and build a new life and yet I can't have the one I had before. At least this way I can do my own thing during the day and still spend plenty of time with OH. At the moment I just feel very guilty because I don't see enough of him and frustrated that I cannot get on with doing stuff for me. Hopefully moving into the bungalow will take a lot of the strain off my shoulders.

    Still undecided about DS2's proposed purchase. The survey was dire and the vendors seem unwilling to reconsider their price. My sister wants to sell her rental property which is on the same street so we are going to have a look on Monday. It will cost a bit more but should need far less work so might be a better bet.

    Her house also benefits from residents parking permits so although it is a little smaller, it may well turn out to be a better bet.

    So - as you can see - it's all change from everything we had decided and planned. Hey ho - that's life.

    One thing I have learned is that, as you go through life, you have to be flexible and adapt to your changed circumstances.

    What is it John Lennon said - something about life is what happens when you are busy making other plans. Something like that.

    Anyway sometimes you just need to bend with the wind. I'm obviously not going to able to put down firm roots and rebuild my life properly yet. So in the meantime I will take the easier route, living somewhere small and manageable nearer to my OH.

    What I save on diesel can pay for the electricity to heat the place:rotfl: I shall make it a warm cosy nest the old style way with thick heavy curtains and plenty of rugs and throws.
    I can get one of those toasty stoves which run on calor gas for the lounge.

    Another new start, another adventure.

    Time to bathe away my aches and pains and start the day. ;)
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 351.2K Banking & Borrowing
  • 253.2K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 453.7K Spending & Discounts
  • 244.2K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 599.3K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 177K Life & Family
  • 257.6K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.2K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.6K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.