Frump to Fab 2018 - Fabulous Dahhhhlings

moneyistooshorttomention

Congratulations LL - all systems go soon.:D

sugarbaby125

Hello Ladies,

Congratulations LL. Soon you will be putting your own personality into your new home. 2018 is turning out to be a good year for you. :j:D:beer:

moneyistooshorttomention

Time to buy some new clothes and a major shopping trip lined-up soon.

I'm encountering problems because of it being 2018 - ie the vanity-sizing of clothes.

My default shoe shop was always Clarks and no problem - as their footwear was standard width (ie C) - which matches my standard width feet.

For some time Clarks has re-named wide width as "standard" - so they've been calling D width standard (when it isnt).

So I can see a couple of pairs of knee boots I'm interested in on the Clarks website - but they arent in the standard width I need them to be. They are in the D width that Clarks is now calling "standard".

Can anyone recommend a suitable chain footwear shop of mid-price range quality where they still sell standard width footwear and it's in very similar styles to Clarks please? Well - it's either that or a time machine to go back to last century (ie before Clarks re-named "wide width" as "standard width" and was still selling standard width footwear).:cool:

EDIT; The pair I've chosen (but can't have) from their website is £115. What I'm expecting to pay for knee boots (leather obv.) is £100-£200. So that's my price range. For shoes I'd expect to pay £50-£100.

Toni'sfriend

For some time Clarks has re-named wide width as "standard" - so they've been calling D width standard (when it isnt).

So that's what they've done. I wondered why the last pair I bought seemed awfully big.

moneyistooshorttomention

Toni'sfriend wrote: »

So that's what they've done. I wondered why the last pair I bought seemed awfully big.

You can see on their website - as it gives the widths of footwear they sell.

You will find (if my experience was anything to go by) that the shop assistants will "confidently assure you" that you are the one that is wrong and that "standard width" really IS D width. Yeh right...:cool:

I give them the benefit of the doubt that they really believe that is the case - even though it isnt...

savingfortomorrow

ll congrats on the new house. don't feel bad about waiting with packing as i've moved so often i firmly believe packing will take as long as you give it but you have all the inconvenience of boxes for longer. Boxes which contain the thing you need urgently, it can be chaos and boxes everywhere.

9 days is more than enough and major tip use small boxes so not to put too much weight in any individual box.

lessonlearned

Gorgeous day.....just enjoying a well earned rest sitting in the sunshine.

Loft emptied, just about everything is now packed. Just this weeks clothes and final sweep of the kitchen cupboards and I can do that next weekend in readiness for the Monday.

I was surprised to see how much stuff I am still storing for DS2. We definitely need to do some serious kondoing..... does he really need 3 fish tanks. :rotfl: at least his fish stuff can go in the shed. The guitars, music equipment and photography stuff can't though, just in case it's damp and of course sheds can be easy to break into.

Hopefully he will be moving into a larger house himself at some point so he can then store his own stuff.

Had some terrible dreams last night, so obviously the stress levels are high.....:rotfl:

Hey ho, just going to take it easy now and then go and cuddle my grandson later.....

Have a lovely weekend. Keeeeeep fabbing.

lessonlearned

Good morning lovely ladies......

What a glorious sunny weekend....just gorgeous and the sun is already shining. I love these still September days, warm and sunny but without that awful humidity. Autumn is my favourite time of year, the light has a lovely soft golden quality........makes me feel like sloshing some paint around. Brings out The inner artist in me. :rotfl:

I have to stay in today because I have some parcels arriving. I have ordered one of those rechargeable electric scrubber thingies. The new house is likely to be a bit grimy so hopefully it will make life a bit easier. I did think of getting a cleaning company in but as there will be boxes everywhere I don't think it's worth it, they won't be able to get round it all.

So I will just blitz one room at a time before I unpack, starting with the bathroom and kitchen. I will probably get an oven cleaning company in though. And I think the existing cooker hood is beyond the pale, I'll probably need to get a new one.

So while I wait in today I will take down all the paintings so I can fill in the holes and touch up the walls. . I'll have to leave the mirrors for the removal men because they are too heavy. I have decanted some paint Into jars for the new people so they can do any further touch ups if they wish.

I'm feeling both hopeful and apprehensive. Hopeful for a new beginning to a new life as a singleton, hoping to leave the mantle of "widowhood" behind and finally embrace a new life. At the same time I do feel a bit overwhelmed, it's a bit daunting.

I don't know why but widowhood does seem to strip ones confidence. I have moved by myself in the past and was just fine.....so I am not sure why I feel apprehensive. It all just seems "huge". :rotfl:

I am sure I'll be fine once I'm in.

Once again there's a curious symmetry at work. It will be exactly 4 years, 1 month to the day since my husband died. He would have appreciated that. I am taking it as a sign that it's time to move forwards with my life.

.......Well I said I was giving myself a 12 month challenge to change my life,........and a house move seems as good a place as any to start. :rotfl.

The complimentary therapy course was a pleasant diversion which I thoroughly enjoyed but which I won't expand on or take it further. it won't be the basis for a new business so I won't sign up for level 3.

I think it will be the house move which will be the catalyst for change. I have a few ideas......;)

maman

I'm sure you'll be absolutely fine LL. Having your DS with you in the current house to start with and then him moving out means you've got used to living alone gently. And knowing how much you love the challenge of doing a place up will spur you on in your new home. But you can take your time, it doesn't all have to be achieved at once. I always think it's good to live in a place for a while so you can decide what to do.


What about socialising? I know you have the family and your new grandson but are you still in touch with the women's group? Will you plan a holiday?


Probably because I've spent so much of my working life in or around the Education sector, September has always been a fresh start for me. It's like I have two New Years! I'm not short of social occasions but I really feel I want to do something constructive with my time as it's too easy to just drift along pottering through the days. What I can't decide is whether to join something or to put something together myself.:think:


It's been a glorious weekend here too. We got out for a walk on Saturday and Sunday. Both were sort of sightseeing rather than brisk but it's a start. That's definitely something I need to do regularly.


I had my hair done on Saturday morning. I'm really pleased with it. I'd left it far too long (literally:D) since my last appointment. So that's another note to self to make sure I don't leave it beyond a couple of months.


Have a good day all.:)

lessonlearned

Just having a quick coffee break. ive worked like a demon this morning so just having a rest. Going to more or less empty the kitchen cupboards this afternoon. I have worked out my menu for the rest of the week, and did a mini shop at Aldi's yesterday. So apart from milk and maybe a few vegetables that's it now, I'm running down the freezer and fridge.

Maman.....re my social life. Yes it's Improving nicely. I still haven't "joined" anything but I have made some very nice new single friends and I have re-engaged with some friends I had t seen for a while (dont like to use the term old friends:rotfl:). I still see some of my married friends but generally more for lunch dates or shopping trips than evenings out.

Holidays.....funny you should ask. :rotfl: I am half looking for something after Christmas...maybe a bit of sunshine. Not quite sure where yet.

I did think about some German/Belgian Christmas markets this year but have decided not to bother. I nearly booked a trip to New York for next May but it would have only given me 2 weeks before my Iceland trip in June so I decided it was too much of a rush. Maybe later in 2019 or spring 2020. I'm keeping an open mind. If I see any bargains I'll just grab em. :rotfl:

I have not joined any groups or classes yet. I think I'm going to be too busy for proper studying - which is why I decided against level 3 complimentary therapies. It was a very intensive 40 week course, lots of homework. Interesting but I don't want that kind of commitment at the moment.

I do have a couple of ideas floating in the back of my head. One is a short dressmaking course. A six week refresher - I used to sew a lot but I could do with updating my skills. The other one is piano or keyboard lessons. My sons have bought me a keyboard - could be fun. Although I can start those any time, not just September.

My DIL has also asked me if I can commit to a 8 week mother/baby exercise class - as an extra pair of hands. It starts in two weeks. I think that will be enough for now, although I was thinking I might try either U3A or a general meet up group. Maybe after Christmas for those.

I know what you mean about September seeming like a second New Year. I often feel that too. 5ats when a lot of classes and groups seem to get going again. There's so much I do want to do and try but I need to pace myself......so the plan is get moved first and then take it from there.

I still need to get my teeth sorted.:eek::rotfl: so definitely no world cruise for the foreseeable future.