Champagne Lifestyle on a Lemonade Budget.

sugarbaby125

LL and Wednesday you are both going great guns with decluttering. Wednesday you made me laugh about your new dress and jumper being blue. 

mrs_slapshot

Evening everyone.  Just popping on quickly to read your updates - I'm in the middle of housework (what's that you say?  Yes, yes I do have a glamourous life, doing the housework on a Friday night  ).

Well one week tomorrow I fly off on the adventure of a lifetime (so far  ). I have been busy getting ready - writing lists, shopping, packing, writing more lists, panicking a bit and shopping even more!  I have had a reverse champagne moment where I have bought three new bags - I 'need' one for my hand luggage, couldn't decide which so bought all three!  I did use my TK Maxx voucher towards them and I will be taking one of them back, so that's not too bad.  And one of the ones I am keeping was only £10, and is a very funky reversible silver metallic/pale pink.

Right, I am off to sort out my freezer and put all of the batch cooked meals in one place so my son can find them when he is fending for himself.  Ooh just remembered an actual champagne moment (well, a feel good one) - he and his on/off girlfriend cooked dinner one night this week.  So lovely to get in from work and not have to immediately start cooking.  I've told him it's a new routine... 

helensbiggestfan

Hello my lovelies....

I love blue now too. I hardly ever used to wear it, but now a lot of my clothes seem to be blue, it seems to compliment my now silver hair and changed skin tones.
 
Well what  a truly horrid day, so coooooold, wet and miserable, and tonight it's blowing a gale again.  Will it ever end.  

On days and nights like this I count my lucky stars for my warm and cosy home. A good dinner, candles lit, and a nice film then later a warm comfy bed. .  True abundance. There are so many homeless in my city these days.........it must be absolutely miserable to eke out an existence on the streets. And on a night like this it must be hell.  There is a feeding station I sometimes drive past and I've noticed the queues seem to be getting longer and longer.  And, not forgetting, all those people whose homes and businesses are  flooded and in ruins. Poor devils. And it looks like the weather gods haven't finished with us yet. 

The date has been set for FILs  funeral for early in March so today I booked my train tickets. I originally thought I would literally make it a flying visit, fly up and just stay one night but my SIL has invited me to stay a little longer, so I will stay for a week.  It will be nice to spend time with her, we get on well and perhaps I can be of use and give her a bit of a hand with some of the practicalities.

It will be nice not to have to fly too. I much prefer trains. I love to sit and watch the countryside roll by and that east coast route up to Edinburgh is so pretty, especially if, as I suspect, we might be in for some snow. 

Still struggling with the ill effects of that strong paint.....feeling quite grim.  Perhaps it would have been wiser to wait for warmer weather so I could fling the doors and windows open.  

You live and learn.  😂

joggingalong

The weather has been dreadful over half term so rather than going out with my grandchildren the two boys came here we played dinosaur monopoly - whatever happened to old style with Park Lane and Mayfair, then had hot dogs and jelly their favourite meal. A lovely afternoon with no spend and lots of laughter especially when we pretended the ketchup was blood!

Wednesday2000

Hello Ladies.

I have been pottering around this morning having a rejig of my house moving some pictures and ornaments around into different rooms. I have ordered a new red flower art print for my living room as well as a new floor lamp and a new hot water bottle. You can wrap the hot water bottle around your neck or waist as it is one of the ones with a wearable strap. I only saw that advertised the other day in a magazine I bought. Brilliant idea. I could have done with that when I had fibromyalgia!

I used some Lush dream cream today on my face as I got it as part of a gift for Christmas. I have been listening to Classic FM today instead of my usual rock/indie music as I find it more relaxing. I'm about to sit down with my Top Sante magazine and glass of sparkling water and some mint chocolate.

House_Elf_2

Good morning Peeps,

Wednesday: Sounds a lovely day. We are redecorating rooms and rearranging furniture for a change of career for DH. It feels less relaxing, but will be a Champagne Moment when it is done 🥳

Yesterday's Champagne moments were .........a trip out to the Seasalt outlet to spend my birthday gift voucher. There was 20% off 🥳. I may have spent more than the gift voucher. 😔

Champagne moment number two was a Chinese takeaway with friends to thank them for their help with the decorating project.

Back to school tomorrow......feeling anxious already. 😔

Have a lovely day 🙂

sugarbaby125

My Champagne moments this weekend were all to do to my family. Yesterday my younger son and I went to visit my older daughter and my son-in-law. We had such a great time. My daughter cooked a huge beef lasagne and she did a salad and garlic bread to accompany the lasagne. I did not bother to have any garlic bread. We watched a fascinating documentary together and we laughed ourselves silly. The time flew past as we were all having so much fun together. I came home feeling so satisfied and content. 

Today, I played host to my grandson and his lovely girlfriend. I cooked skinless jerk chicken legs with pilau rice and gravy for their dinner and they both found it delicious. Again we had so many laughs together.  I made sure both of them put the date for my birthday party in their smartphones as his girlfriend has to book that Saturday off with her employers. 

helensbiggestfan

Hello my lovely friends.  

How are we all.  You all sound very busy and those champagne moments are great.  

Mrs S...not sure when you go.....but have a fab-u-lous time, Stateside.  It sounds amazing.  And if it's not too cheeky of me to ask.........perhaps you can share some of the tips you learn. 😂

Speaking of travel. I have finally made up my mind about my proposed cruise to Iceland.  The balance was due this week so I have decided to cancel. My decision was informed by the spread of the corona virus.  The last thing I fancy is being quarantined on a ship for weeks on end so I decided not to go ahead.  I can use the money saved towards having my garden professionally landscaped.  

I really don't mind not going this year, there will be other opportunities.  

Anyhoo.....like SUgarbaby my champagne moments so far this week have all been centred around family. I just love to draw them close about me, feed them, sit and chat and have some laughs with them.  

And this week.......the icing on the cake ......I am going to have another grandchild. Wahoo.

I'm a bit concerned about DIL, she had a rough pregnancy last time and already she's looking a bit peaky and has had some issues with low blood pressure. Thankfully, she had the good sense to tell her boss straight away so her proposed work trip - a multi national conference - to the States in early April has been postponed. I'm so relieved because I was so worried about her travelling and being exposed to either  the corona virus or anything else nasty whilst she was in the early stages of pregnancy. Better safe than sorry.  

It doesn't matter how old our "babies" are, how grown up, we never stop being mothers.....😉. 

savingmore

just wanted just wanted to pop in and say Hi and to say how much I really do enjoy these threads, (and fab to frump).  i enjoy the company, chit chat, thoughts, feelings and ups and downs of real life.  You motivate me to keep going.  I have been a naughty bunny with food so need to start tomorrow to lose weight and feel better.  have let myself slide a bit in last few months.  Not at home at moment but I have a horrible feeling I need to lose a stone so am setting aside 10 weeks where life should be a bit slower and I can be in charge of my eating...hoping to lose 14lbs, which should be doable.  I am only 5’2”, so a few extra pounds always shows... shortly going to get out of bed and get into the mode.....will try to do this frugally too, so may set myself a reward system for summer clothes or something, or at least a mooch around charity shops.   trying to save pennies for retirement.  38 months to go and want to be in best position, financially, health wise, attitude wise.   have a great weekend everyone.

helensbiggestfan

Good morning my lovely friends.  

How are we all. Are any of you developing webbed feet yet.  😂.  Yes it's another grey, murky soggy morning, no wind so far,  storm Jorge hasn't arrived yet. Don't wish to be a moaning Minnie but it's getting a bit much now isn't it.  Getting a bit fed up with this game, time for another one,  hey ho.  Just keep reminding myself spring isn't far away now.  And I thank my lucky stars that my home isn't flooded. 

Savingmore.....don't panic about your weight. Just formulate a plan and  stick to it.  Bit by bit, day by day. Take the steps necessary - let's face it we all know what to do 😂. It's just sometimes we fall short on motivation and we need a kick up the derrière.  Consider yourself gently kicked.😂

One thing Ive learned about weight management and tbh just about anything else in life really, is not to put your life on hold. Whether it's losing weight, Paying off debts, building up savings, building up a good social life, whatever ....we really shouldn't wait until the day when......we are slim, we are rich etc.  I think the art of success is learning to be happy "just as you are". Celebrate life in the now.....yes by all means enjoy planning our glittering futures but not at the expense of enjoying what we have right now. 

I truly believe that if we adopt an abundant mindset then abundance, happiness and joy will be ours. I believe that we should celebrate our lives, love and cherish our bodies and thank them for the service they give us, that we should accept each day as a gift and that we should squeeze the absolute maximum amount of joy out of each and every day. Yes, even when we are feeling below par or suffering from the "slings and arrows" that sometimes  get thrown at us.  

I think we should look for and grasp the champagne moments that come our way. I think we should always remember that it's not enough to simply focus on the end goal but that we should enjoy the process of achieving our goals, that the journey is just as important as the destination.  

Well, despite the weather and all the doom and gloom around at the moment I have had some wonderful champagne moments this week, spending time with friends and loved ones.  I have been a  "lady wot lunches" and have entertained here. I have been cooking, sorting out photos and planning the next stage of house refurbishments, mooching round furniture shops, looking online for ideas.  I have curled up and watched some fabulous films and tv shows, read a couple of good books, done a bit of yoga every day and given myself facials and beauty treatments.  I have dressed up and showed up, wearing some of my favourite outfits. It's been fun.

I will be off to Dunhelm later today, to buy some foam padding to reupholster my dining chairs. I also need to buy a new suitcase for my trip to Scotland, a four wheel jobbie, so much easier than the two wheeled ones. I find dragging a two wheeled case really hurts my neck and shoulder so a new case is a good investment,  

I have bought my rail tickets for Scotland and, as is my custom, I have splurged and treated myself to first class.  Yes, a naughty and unnecessary additional expense but I hate travelling like a sardine in a tin.  I like to travel in comfort and style, it's one of my little indulgences.  🤣

Right time to get cracking. 

Have a fabulous weekend, weather permitting, keep those champagne moments flowing,