Frugal Frump to Fabulous Winter Solstice to Spring Equinox

ScarlettMcCain · 23 January 2014 at 11:58PM

Lizzie, what an inspiring and indeed optimistic post! Are you enjoying your OU course? I did a couple a few years back and thought they were great - the courses were interesting and the OU were very supportive.

I'm not feeling too teenager-ish thank you Bitsy! TBH I think if my eye infection would finally clear up and take my tonsillitis with it, I wouldn't mind wearing my specs - at the moment they keep getting gunked up from all the ointment, and I'm feeling quite rubbish in general so it's hard to make the most of myself. Have you tried almond oil and/ or aqueous cream for your skin? That's what the doctor told me to use when I suffered from rosacea, and both were very helpful. I also used this product, which was great but not 'natural' as such, it only has natural ingredients:

http://www.skinshop.co.uk/item.asp?i=8150&name=KALME+Day+Defence+Cream+SPF+25

Really hoping I feel better soon - I was doing so well with the New Year's resolutions of getting fit, losing weight etc until this week - started feeling flu-ey on Monday and still today am feeling awful. All I want to eat is chocolate as it's the only thing that tastes nice to my horrible sore throat! Just hope I haven't undone all my hard work

lessonlearned · 24 January 2014 at 12:37AM

Lizzie - fantastic upbeat post. So lovely to see you coming through that tunnel at last. Keep going sweetie, it all comes right in the end and if is not right, then it's not the end.

Pinched that from Bitsy and the Best Marigold Hotel.

Well it's been a funny old couple of days. My face is still black and blue and my jaw is still very tender. I had to stop taking painkillers because they were starting to make me feel queasy. However, I think the worst is finally over.

I had a lovely time with my friend at McArthur Glen. I was very restrained buying just a handbag and one pair of shoes. And just the one chocolate eclair for afternoon tea…...:D

Bitsy - re the decorating = you are so right just pace yourself - it will get done eventually. Don't do yourself in rushing to get it all done.

Well wait till you hear this one.

As you know my poor darling man is now more or less paralysed, doubly incontinent etc. Well without being too graphic one of his carers emptied the contents of his pad down the en-suite loo and blocked it. (Apparently said contents should have disposed of in a sluice and the carer would have known that).

Instead said carer couldn't be bothered to walk that far and took the easy option of trying to dispose of the waste down the loo.

Yesterday (2 days after the event) I tackled one of the senior nurses about the still blocked loo. She pretended to know nothing about it and said she would have to get the drain people out.

Today I went into OH's room and discovered the loo was still blocked. I donned my trusty marigolds, grabbed a coat-hanger and cleared said blockage - took less than 2 mins……

I probably saved the nursing home at least a £100 call out charge.

What is it with these people……….

They won't cut his nails (health and safety), they won't clean his nasal passages, they won't bathe his eyes which get sticky so he ends up with eye infections, they won't clean his ears, they rarely brush his teeth, they never dry in between his toes properly so he has ended up with toe infections.

Today one of them broke one the pictures on his wall through being careless.

It is the same with my poor mother. Her possessions get lost, including her ruby necklace. Luckily she has forgotten about that but she is still really upset about her cat cushion. She loves cats and I bought her the cushion many years ago as a Christmas present.

It is left to my sister and I to do all those little personal grooming bits and pieces for her. They can't even be bothered to brush her hair half the time.

Now I am happy enough to do all of these things to ensure that both OH and my mum are kept clean and comfortable. My point is what happens to all those poor devils who have no-one to watch out for them.

It beggars belief.

On a lighter note one of my mum's fellow patients in her nursing home found out that I make jewellery. She has sent me a big box of beads, broken bits of jewellery etc so I can get creative. I will have to make her something special.

It's been a busy week and I've made good progress "project managing" DS2's house. The wall paper stripping is going well and the trades are lined up to start in three weeks, which should give us time to get ready.

This week we will start some of the fun stuff, shopping for materials, choosing a new bath, hunting for fireplaces etc.

Fab Friday tomorrow and my third pilates session. I'm feeling much better, less stiff and a bit more flexible. I will definitely keep this one going.

Rummer - hope you feel better soon. Don't overdo things - it's still early days for you yet.

pirateyqueen · 24 January 2014 at 11:34AM

Right ladies, this weekend I am commencing Operation Wardrobe. I'm so sick of having a wardrobe crammed full of items that I never wear/don't feel good in/have had for years and years and I am making a change!

I've been doing lots of "research" on the internet and I have put together a pinterest board of all the clothes and outfits I like and I have come up with a plan of attack. I am going to sort through my wardrobe this weekend and I am going to be ruthless. I am going shopping and I am buying a few key, quality pieces that I know will work together. I will be a stylish grown up dammit!

One of my problems is I like so many different styles that I'll buy an item that fits into a particular style that I like, but actually doesn't work with anything else I own and I don't actually feel comfortable in. By putting together the pinterest board I think I've figured out what clothes I like that I will actually wear.

Let the shopping commence!

maman · 24 January 2014 at 11:45AM

pirateyqueen wrote: »

Right ladies, this weekend I am commencing Operation Wardrobe. I'm so sick of having a wardrobe crammed full of items that I never wear/don't feel good in/have had for years and years and I am making a change!

I've been doing lots of "research" on the internet and I have put together a pinterest board of all the clothes and outfits I like and I have come up with a plan of attack. I am going to sort through my wardrobe this weekend and I am going to be ruthless. I am going shopping and I am buying a few key, quality pieces that I know will work together. I will be a stylish grown up dammit!

One of my problems is I like so many different styles that I'll buy an item that fits into a particular style that I like, but actually doesn't work with anything else I own and I don't actually feel comfortable in. By putting together the pinterest board I think I've figured out what clothes I like that I will actually wear.

Let the shopping commence!

Ooh, that's sounds good. Do tell us what sort of styles and pieces you plan to buy. As well as being nosey, I've just had a bit of a wardrobe declutter and more to go. So now I need replacements.

Just about to blow dry hair and then fab up for Friday. I'm off out to lunch, pleasant day ahead.

Back soon.:)

pirateyqueen · 24 January 2014 at 12:14PM

Well the main things are some good quality skinny black jeans, I really want some leather look trousers (I'm a 80's rock star at heart!), and some nice quality loose t-shirts and vest tops in black, grey and white. I also want a long jumper dress type thing and then some jewellery to jazz things up a bit. I basically want to have some nice quality, basic casuals that I can dress up and down depending on the shoes and jewellery I wear.

Have a nice day, sounds lovely!

lessonlearned · 24 January 2014 at 6:35PM

Ooh Piratey - that sounds like fun…..

Interior designers often do mood boards so I guess it's the same idea. Sounds fab.

I remember the leather look trousers well. I had a black pair. I used to team them up with silk shirts. I would walk into a pub or bar and cause a mini riot sometimes!!!! Well I was good bit younger and quite "fit" in those days;) My outfits were real ice-breakers and I never lacked for attention.

I once wore my leather trousers and a cream silk shirt for work for sheer devilment. I worked in a very boring accounts dept at the time and everyone was so conservative. The manager was a real stuffed shirt and most of us younger ones felt brain dead half the time.

Another time I wore a denim shirt dress which revealed quite a lot of leg. I have long legs. I teamed it up with 3 inch stilettos for good measure. Another very successful outfit……caused quite a stir that day. Well it woke the old buffers up:rotfl:

Like you I used to experiment a lot - still do when I'm in the mood but I think I have now found my "signature style". I think my style is "Euro-chic" rather than "Rock-chick" but I guess at 62 it is more appropriate. :rotfl:

This year I bought some of those long jumper dresses. I wear them with jeggings or skinnies because my legs aren't what they were.:D

Hope you had a nice lunch Maman.

I've had a great day. I went to Pilates. I'm loving it. I went in feeling stiff and knackered and I practically skipped out afterwards.

I have dug out an old Pilates DVD which has been lying around and I'm planning to get some extra practice in. I've also been bopping around to Fleetwood Mac today. My BIL always says that I remind him of Stevie Nicks - so maybe there's still a bit of the old 80"s rock star left in me yet. :rotfl:

WelshWoofer · 25 January 2014 at 10:54AM

Morning all!
Thank goodness that week is over with - another really busy one. Time for a bit of relaxation and "me time". Had a nice quiet evening with Fling - curry, bottle of wine and an "early night

". He's just gone to work for a while (a vice principal's work is never done apparently) so I have the morning to myself before we meet up for lunch and the afternoon before he picks up his 17 year old son for the evening.
Going to go for a nice long dog walk in a minute and then sort the house out, then have a nice long soak in the bath and make myself presentable. I have some new lotions and potions to try out - I expect to look 10 years younger by this afternoon:rotfl:

Lizzie - go you girl:beer:
LL - sorry to hear about the care home issues - makes you wonder how these people treat their own relatives.

Was just wondering with all of the talk of rock chicks etc who we'd all like to look like?
I think mine would be Catharine Zeta Jones - we're about the same age, both dark hair and skinned Welshies and I think she often looks very stylish but not mutton dressed as lamb.
What about everyone else?

Right the dog is demanding a walk so I'm off before he kicks the door down. Have a good day xx

WelshWoofer · 26 January 2014 at 11:33AM

:mad::mad::mad::mad:
Another long post just disappeared! Getting fed up of it now.....

Anyway, the main thrust of it was about the 3 mile walking workout someone posted on another thread
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/64497335#Comment_64497335
Just had a go at it and its really quite good, I got nice and sweaty and felt like I'd done something for 45 mins.

I did go to the pool for a swim this morning at 8.30 only to find it shut so instead of coming home and eating biscuits I decided to have a go at a new workout. Glad I did now - can you see my halo?:rotfl:

I dug out a No7 gift set mum bought me for Xmas yesterday and did a face scrub, used the eye, day and night creams and will do a mask later today. I need to make more effort, especially as I'm now 42

I need to lose half a stone and get back into a 'more than the basics' skin care routine. Surely I can find 5 mins to do something more than slap on a bit of moisturiser in the morning and rub a baby wipe over my face in the night

I've started using myfitnesspal again as I seem unable to curb my scoffing without some sort of record of what I eat and do. Hopefully by next weekend I'll feel less bloated if I'm careful and move more. Just feel flabby and the scales say I have acquired an extra 3 lbs so I need to nip it in the bud - pronto!

On the agenda for today ...... loads of school work, more soggy freezing cold dog walking and a bit of cooking of something fresh and healthy (and hopefully lower calorie).

Right better get on with it - hope everyone is ok and having a good weekend

pirateyqueen · 26 January 2014 at 12:05PM

He he lessonlearned, you sound like a right rebel, I love it!

Shopping went really well yesterday. I think I got everything I wanted minus some statement jewellery. The jeans were the trickiest part. I went into House of Fraser first and was trying on really expensive jeans and couldn't find any that fit properly. I'm quite skinny but am cursed (blessed?) with a big behind and thighs so I either couldn't get the jeans over my thighs or if I could they were too loose at the waste. I was getting quite fed up but then I went in Uniqlo and found some perfect black skinny jeans for just £30! They were ulta stretch, so whereas in HOF I was trying on 27 inch waste ones and couldn't even get them past my thighs, I ended up getting 25 inch ones from Uniqlo! Nice boost to my confidence (and my butt!)

The task for today is to sort out my wardrobe, take load of stuff to the charity shop and list some items on ebay, have a good spring clean, go to the gym and have my usual Sunday night pamper!

maddiemay · 26 January 2014 at 12:05PM

Cold, windy and pouring down with rain here, no prospect of anything better until later in the day. A duvet day seems the best option (still in pj's) but miss MM needs to go a walk:( so that is not on the cards). Fabbing this morning will consist of slapping on half a pound of moisturiser and donning yeti like layers of warm and waterproof clothing. Been trying to think if anywhere we could go a walk that would have a cafe at the end of it, but not sure we can be bovvered to drive the necessary 6 or 10 miles to a NT property, better find OH and have a planning meeting:D