Frump to Fab 2016 - Lets make it AWESOME!!!

maddiemay

Yes let the ironing shop take up the slack. When I worked full time long hours OH and I thought it would be a bit difficult finding a cleaner who would be happy cleaning around our 2 dogs who had the run of the house, so instead I used to take my ironing to a lovely lass who loved ironing and needed to be at home with her little one. I have always hated ironing with a passion (and rarely have to do any nowadays), so it was a great solution for both of us:D

sugarbaby125

Hello Ladies,

I had a really fantastic night out at the pub Christmas party with Wayne.

I wore the red long dress with my peep toe black Van Dal Suede slingbacks that are embellished with gold and crystal. I wore solid gold and diamonique jewellery and was carrying my black patent leather Osprey handbag. I wore my new black M & S coat, with my red leather gloves and a faux fur scarf. I wore black mascara, gold eye shadow, red lipstick and gold nail polish on my fingernails and my big toes and the toes next to the big toe. I did not bother to do the toenails that would not be on show.

I was feeling a bit nervous about how dressed up I was, but Wayne and I had agreed to make a real effort. He made me feel a million times better once we met up. :T He acted so blown away with my glam look that it was worth all the effort and it made me feel super confident. Wayne paid me lots of compliments and was really attentive to my needs throughout the night. He danced my legs off, but the aching legs today was definitely worth it. I did not get to bed until 3am so I am still feeling tired today.

Wayne insists that he is no good at buying presents, so he gave me £80 last night to buy my Christmas presents from him. He laughed when I told him that I would be wrapping them up and opening them with my other presents on Christmas Day, but I love that time with my children and the more presents to open the better. Mind you I am never extravagant with my children and grandchildren even when my finances are very, very healthy. All the lean Christmases in the past have taught me that there is never any need to overspend for Christmas and New year. Your children and grandchildren will not suddenly start loving you less because you keep to a budget for present buying.

I have spent time this morning wrapping some presents, but there is still a way to go before I will have finished. I buy for my sisters and other members of my family as well as my 4 children and 4 grandchildren. I have also bought Wayne presents despite him saying that as I do not earn much, that I should not bother with him and keep my money. I will always be a giver and it is not a part of my personality that I see any reason to change. Wayne said all he wants for Christmas is me, which was such a sweet thing for him to say.

chanie

Sugar your evening out with Wayne sounds lovely and well done for your fabbing, I bet you looked amazing.
I love reading about your Xmas with your family, its a great time to come together, isn't it? So, what are you going to buy with the money that Wayne gave you?


I'm getting my Xmas underway. Mr C and have always visited both sets of family on Xmas Day, but this means we spend most of the day in the car (even if we do get two Xmas dinners!!!). This year, we are having Xmas at home, with the children. We will be popping in to the inlaws as they are only down the road and visiting family on Boxing Day. We could go to the inlaws for dinner - whilst MIL makes a lovely dinner, I'd prefer to have dinner in the comfort of my own home.
Over the next few days, we'll start buying the Xmas dinner. We won't be going overboard as the children don't eat much. The veg will be from the grocers/Lidl and the meat and trimming will come from M & S or Waitrose (sadly, I don't get to shop there much!!!).

lessonlearned

Good morning lovely ladies.

Can I have aLittle whinge......feeling low. Absolutely shattered. Dad still in hospital. Not doing too well at all. He is being given Intravenous antibiotics, fluids, blood transfusions. Now they have found stomach cancer, although his consultant pointed out that's the least of his problems. It's so slow growing it won't affect him, the leukaemia will finish him off first.

DS2's girlfriend who is a nurse summed it up very neatly. As she said - we wouldnt put a dog through this. I just want it to be over.

I was supposed to have my hair cut and coloured today. I have cancelled, I just can't face it. I'm not sleeping very well.....big surprise .....and I just feel dreadful.

I managed to wrap the presents yesterday, and will try and decorate the tree at some point today. I really don't feel like doing anything very much at all. My energy levels are at zero. Luckily i started preparing early. I've done most of the food shopping, just need to do a top up - probably about Wednesday.

Oh well time to tidy up and sort myself out, go to the hospital later. hopefully he can come home for Christmas but I think we need to start planning for a hospice sooner rather than later.

Sorry don't mean to be all doom and gloom.....

maddiemay

Whinge away dear lady, we are here for you. Have been in similar situation with late FIL, he said to me "I just want it over" and then proceeded to hang on for 5 days longer than hospital expected, grim times.

Thinking of everyone who is poorly or concerned about those who are.

Including myself in the above getting ready for OH to take me 120 mile round trip to visit DB in the big hospital in the big city again. (the 2 youngest of my siblings are "my boys" with me being quite a bit older), no immediate danger I hope, but one of those ticking time bomb situations that has all the family in a state of elevated tension. I refuse to consider being anything but positive about him though.:D

maman

You whinge all you like LL.:A


It must be so difficult for you seeing your father going through this and trying to prepare for Christmas. I think it's called the sandwich generation, caught between caring for elderly and the youngsters. I know your boys aren't children but you do want a family Christmas with them while feeling so low yourself. If it helps to tell us all about it instead of piling it on your RL family then go ahead.:)


I, too, must get the decorations up today. I've a friend arriving soon for coffee and depending on what time he leaves I'll either get them myself (from the loft) or wait for DH at lunchtime. Hopefully by this evening, both of us will have decorated homes.;)


Decorating is my priority today chanie and then it's just food to sort. It's my DD1's birthday tomorrow but she's not coming round until the evening. We generally have a takeaway (as restaurants are so iffy at this time of the year) but after that I can focus on the Christmas menu. I've tried to get most of the non-perishables in and I'll finish that bit tomorrow then the fresh stuff will be from Aldi or Sainsbury's on Friday. I went to Waitrose for a good Rioja for Christmas Day and some Duchy chipolatas to make my pigs in blankets. The turkey and gammon are from Aldi. Beyond Boxing Day I'm not going to worry as the shops will be open if needed and I generally start craving fish and chips or something normal.


So pleased you had a good night on Saturday sugarbaby and that Wayne appreciated your glamorous outfit. I'm loving your enthusiasm for Christmas too. Thanks for sharing it with us.:)


I've showered, done my hair and a bit of light make up (bronzer, lippy and mascara) to look presentable. DH is out for a drink with friends tonight and I may go with him. If I do, I can quickly get myself sorted into something smart.


Back soon.:xmassmile

Ellsbel

Just a very quick post from me to echo what the others have said, LL - come and have a whinge here whenever you need to.
Sorry things are so stressful for you right now.

Will be back later.

sugarbaby125

LL please feel free to vent about your Father's situation and how you feel about it on here. It is good for you to be able to express your real feelings to people who care and will be non judgemental. We all want to support you as much as we can in our limited way.

Chanie, I bought myself an Osprey handbag on eBay and a 4 piece Red Door set as that is my favourite perfume from the money Wayne gave me. I can hardly wait for them to arrive.

Chanie and Maman thanks for your good wishes about my lovely date with Wayne on Saturday.

My 24 year old daughter has just announced that this is the last year that she will be buying Christmas presents!! Shock! Horror! :rotfl: Her decision has been made because she said she does not want anyone to buy her Christmas presents any more. I made a joke about her being Scrooge's wife, which went over her head, as she did not know who Scrooge was. It is good that she has made a mature decision about how commercial Christmas can be. I am inordinately proud of her because she has decided to volunteer for 'Crisis at Christmas' this year.

My oldest granddaughter who is in care has decided to come and stay over the New Year with us, which has really made my day. She can be extraordinarily selfish, self centred and a complete nightmare with others, including her Mother, step father and foster parents, but we always see the best sides to her personality when she stays with us.

I am going on a date with Wayne later this evening to my local pub which is only a 10 minute walk away from my home. I will not be making much effort to fab, as he tends to dress very casually mid week and I do not want to look too over dressed.

I am continuing to fit in as much present wrapping as I can each day and evening. Wayne's presents are wrapped, but I still want to buy a few more inexpensive gifts for him that I hope he will like and appreciate.

3forholidays

LL As others have said - whinge all you like! Hoping that your Dad does manage to improve sufficiently to get out for Christmas - I'm sure that the hospital will try their best to make that happen if possible.

Ellsbel

Sugarbaby how selfless of your daughter to volunteer at Christmas:) With all the stories of hate and anger that we wake up to each day, it's nice to hear of someone doing something good. Hope your date went well last night.
Chanie and Maman I'm loving reading about your Christmas preparations; you both seem so relaxed, yet completely organised:)
Maddie my plans to resort to the ironing shop were thwarted - they said they wouldn't be able to do it before Christmas. So that's most of my day taken up today:o:D
I also have a few presents to wrap, vacuuming, bathrooms to clean and sheets to change today so a busy one for me!
My hands are lovely and soft still after my manicure the other day so will force myself to wear rubber gloves when cleaning. Although rather annoyingly, I smudged the polish on one nail almost as soon as I left the salon!
I've been working a couple of mornings a week for the last few weeks - still training really and a lot to learn. I was thrown in the deep end a little yesterday and found it a bit stressful but the good thing is it will be something else that gets me out of the house a few hours a week and I can have lots of free time to do other things that I want to do next year, so I plan to really try and master the role and do it well.
The ladies I work with vary in age but most are around the same age as me and some are quite well turned out so it's motivating me to focus on shaping up in the New Year and changing my look. Of course, some are nicer than others too, but that's always the way in any workplace and as I'm there for such a short time each week I'll hopefully grow a thick skin when needed and go home and forget about any unfriendly behaviour.
In case I don't manage to get on here again before Christmas: hopefully it's not too early to wish you all a happy, safe and peaceful one, and LL, I hope you manage to have some nice moments in the midst of all you're going through.