Champagne Lifestyle on a Lemonade Budget.

helensbiggestfan

Well hello my lovely friends......isn't this weather just glorious, how lucky are we.  Who needs To travel to foreign climes when we have this.........I am having so many wonderful champagne moments.

  I know this might sound strange but now I am used to our "new normal" I find increasingly that I am thoroughly enjoying the slower pace of life, the peace and quiet and having time to just "be" instead of having to "do". I am really appreciating everything I have, my family, my home, all the little things that make up my daily life.  I have absolutely no FOMO (fear of missing out). I don't miss going out or mingling. 

I know I set myself a challenge this year to "change my life" and that included more socialising, maybe even dating .......but you know what -  I have realised I am perfectly happy - just as I am.  I am quite content with just me and myself.  In fact, more than content, it's actually awesome.  Sure one day I will go travelling again but I reckon not for some time, certainly not this year and maybe not even next, but I'm perfectly ok with that. 

This week I have achieved so much........I have helped my son and DIL out with childcare, giving each of them the opportunity to both catch up with their work and their sleep.  And of course it's been wonderful getting to spend time with my grandson so that he can get to know me again.  I was really worried that being apart from him so long would mean that he forgot me but thankfully that doesn't seem to have happened, although for a while I was just someone on a screen......😂

As well as spending lots of time with my family, (well half of it, I'm still having to distance from DS2 because his partner is a nurse and we have to be so careful to ensure the pregnant DIL is safe) I have been busy in and around the house and garden.  I blitzed the loft bedroom, had a big sort out and a major declutter of my wardrobes.  Everything is neat and tidy and super organised now.  

I agree Carolbee, Phoebes garden expertise is amazing.  

Phoebe if I may pick your brains.  I need to start thinking about buying more plants, trees and shrubs for my garden......and due to DIL being pregnant I'm a bit worried about spending too much time in shops, garden centres and the like.  I notice you seem to mention getting plants delivered, could you please recommend some good online nurseries.  

I have today ordered some compost off eBay so I can report some baby shrubs I bought in the spring.  They have done really well and now need repotting on because my garden is not ready for them yet.  Also I did plant some shrubs directly in the border last year, half of them got drowned and some of the survivors are looking very poorly, so I thought I would put those in pots too, hence the need for more compost.  

Yesterday and this morning I spent several backbreaking hours hand weeding my blocked paved drive......hard work but worth it. I have bought some patio cleaner stuff to try and give it a clean and then I might treat myself to a pressure washer to finish it off and for other general work. The drive already looks tons better.  Worth the effort, even if it was rough on my back.  I did have someone offer to do clean it up but he wanted £100 so I've saved myself some money.  I can treat myself to quite a few shrubs and plants with that. 😁

hope you are all having a lovely weekend and enjoying lots of champagne moments.....

Onebrokelady

Hi everyone,I've just spent the last week reading the thread from the beginning and have to say it really cheered me up, I was worried about what was going to happen when I started reading about this year but you all seem to still have a positive attitude about things, is it ok if I join you please

Im a single mum of two adult DDs and have two DGSs. I'm still working part time but longing to retire, I have more of a Lemonade Lifestyle and a Cup Of Tea budget 😂😂 but I am lucky to be able to afford a nice house, indulge in some hobbies and go for the odd day out here and there 

My social life has got into a bit of a rut over the last year and I was just about to do something about that when Lockdown happened and everything closed 😀 so I'm just biding my time now until I can get going again 

sugarbaby125

Welcome One broke lady 
My Champagne moment today was realising that I had saved £645 throughout May taking my savings to £4,710  

Onebrokelady

sugarbaby125 said:

Welcome One broke lady 
My Champagne moment today was realising that I had saved £645 throughout May taking my savings to £4,710  

Wow that's amazing, definitely some silver linings to not being able to go anywhere 😀

Onebrokelady

My champagne moment today was deciding to use a bar of Wild Rose soap from Neals Yard Remedies in my bathroom instead of my usual Pears soap from Mr S, this soap was in gift bag that was donated to to staff at work so I also saved some money by not buying more soap and using up what I already have 

phoebe1989seb

carolbee said:

phoebe1989seb said:

carolbee said:

Beautiful rose Phoebe, does it have a good scent?

It does, Carol - it's David Austin Emily Brontë - according to the blurb it has a strong tea fragrance, becoming more old rose with hints of grapefruit and lemon. Not sure about all that, lol, but it's definitely a lovely scent 

We have planted 50+ David Austin roses here and that's one of my favourites....for colour at least!

That pic yesterday isn't how it's meant to look - although that was taken later in the day when you'd expect it to be open fully - here it is this morning (same flower head).......

You should do a blog, lovely to see and hear your garden plans and doings.,thanks for sharing 

Thanks Carol! I started a blog about a previous house/garden renovation when we had our house in Wiltshire but gave up part way as we got too busy with the project ......

I'm putting together a series of before/after pics of our current place for my instagram - will share a link when it's done 

phoebe1989seb

LL/Helen - no worries 

The garden here is a real labour of love! We created a garden from scratch once before (at our former family home in Hampshire) but that was only about 65' x 35'. It also had a huge lawn - something we've deliberately avoided here, wanting the planting to have centre stage. Of course that means even more expense/effort, lol.....

I haven't actually used that many different online suppliers, instead shopping from a few favourites. David Austin I've already mentioned, but I'm just putting in an order to Claire Austin (claireaustin-hardyplants.co.uk) who specialise in perennials, peonies and irises to complement the roses sold by D Austin. Her plants tend to be small (9cm pots) and come with a discount if you order three of one type.

I've also ordered from plantstoplant.com, based in Southampton, who do quite a few more unusual perennials, shrubs and trees as well as some of the more obvious stuff. We were pleased with both the quality of plants and packaging from them.

Another supplier I used is a nursery local to us (farmyardnurseries.co.uk) although they do deliver nationwide I believe. They grow most of their own plants here in SW Wales and I found they supply good, healthy plants although their protective packaging (straw) is a bit suspect as it's almost impossible to disentangle every bit from the plants, lol!

Crocus.co.uk is a larger website I've used - and was very happy with their service and again excellent packaging so the plants arrived in one piece.

I haven't ordered online from these (yet), but Kelways Plants (kelways.co.uk) have a good reputation and some lovely perennials, shrubs, fruit trees and roses etc.

Derwen/Dingle (derwengardencentre.co.uk)we have only shopped from in person so far, but they have an online shop and we found them to have a fantastic choice.

When we lived in the West Midlands we regularly used Ashwood at Kingswinford (ashwoodnurseries.com) - a fabulous selection, imho.

Should you want seeds I can highly recommend Derry Watkins Special Plants (specialplants.net) who were recommended to me by the eminently knowledgeable in all things plant here on MSE, davesnave   

A few items I've bought came from random ebay sellers too.....

Hope this is of some help! I have no affiliation with any of the above, btw!

Out of interest, we have had hornbeam hedging (currently around 60-70 as we planted some as a pleached hedge) sitting in pots since shortly after we bought them as bare roots back in Spring 2018. They do need re-potting into larger containers but otherwise are doing fine, so your shrubs should be ok till you are ready to put them in the ground!

phoebe1989seb

This weekend's champagne moments were mostly partaken of outdoors due to the fabulously warm, sunny weather!

We finally finished the digging out of the rose bed paths, laying the membrane and putting the (reclaimed from elsewhere in the garden) paving in place. Need to order loads more gravel but otherwise we're very happy with the results - and at minimum expense £££ wise 

Loads of potting and sorting of seedlings was accomplished - I counted around 450 viable plants (so far!) which amounts to a super saving! Definitely a champagne moment, although the effort involved....not so much, lol!

Rewarded ourselves with a scrummy -but decidedly naughty - baked camembert supper last night, followed by some healthy strawberries. Hopefully it won't be long before our own are ready to eat 

Favourite rose of the weekend, David Austin Nevada. Not the most scented variety, but I adore its big, cheerful open-faces.....

helensbiggestfan

Hello my lovely friends. 

Wow Phoebe, thank you so much for going to all that trouble. That is so kind of you. I shall be looking at those sites. 

Well today I'm feeling decidedly ropey......I think I have been eating too much wheat this last few days.  When will I ever learn.  So a quiet couple of days I think, just take it easy and enjoy the sun until I feel  more like my old self. 😉

Apparently the weather is set to break and cool down after Wednesday so I'm going to just kick back and enjoy the sun.  

helensbiggestfan

Hello Onebrokelady......and welcome.  Glad you enjoyed the read.  Yes you're right lockdown has had the effect of many of us having to put plans on hold but hopefully one day it will all be over and our horizons will widen again.  

Like a lot of us I have used the time to rethink my goals.  I started the year with the word "extraordinary" as my mantra.  I wanted to make this year extraordinary.  Well it certainly has been that but perhaps not quite in the way I had envisaged. 😂.  Not quite what any of us could ever have imagined.  But......we humans are an adaptable species, we can bend with the winds when we have to.  So I changed my mantra to "reset".  I have used the time to catch with up myself and to really think about what I want out of life.  And it is so different from what I had thought I wanted.  

Sounds crazy but this period of quiet and reflection has made me realise I don't want or need what I thought I wanted and needed.  I was only going along with the expectations of others.....for example that I should get out more, and rebuild my social life, that I should "move on" from grief and widowhood. There was a lot of pressure, people asking me where I had been, what I had done, had I met a new man yet, why not, and what was I going to do do with myself.    I know this sounds crazy but I now know I don't need all that stuff. And I was making myself feel guilty because I felt I wasn't "moving on" and that people might think I was boring and of no interest.  Why on earth was I letting that get to me, driving me to strive for things I knew deep down weren't really part of who I am.   I know this might sound a bit standoffish and cold but I have come to realise that I really don't need the approval of others, the only approval any of us really needs is the approval of ourselves  😉.  And I can only achieve self approval if I am true to myself.  

So reset it is ....

I have learned a lot from lockdown. The most important lesson is that I now realise that I need to go for what I want and please myself rather than go along with what some people think I should be doing, thinking and feeling.   I know these people mean well and have my welfare at heart but they cannot know what is best for me, especially those who still are lucky enough to have partners.  Only I can make myself happy and content, it is not in the gift of someone else to make me happy.  

Life in lockdown has been quite a learning curve and I intend to go forward using my new found self knowledge and (hopefully) wisdom and just live what is rest of my life to the beat of my own drum ........😂. I will continue to enjoy my champagne lifestyle in my lemonade budget in my own quiet way, at a pace which suits me. I can be perfectly happy without a hectic social life. 😂.