Champagne Lifestyle on a Lemonade Budget.

savingmore

phoebe, that’s lasting photo is so beautiful.  i am currently creating mood type boards for garden creations for retirement, and that hit some every spot!!!!  agree, wouldn’t make a beautiful card!

mrs_slapshot

Morning all. Well this weekend isn’t as expected - I thought we wouldn’t have any rain and so my garden sofa cushions are very soggy. I’d just bought a cover for it too but it wasn’t on.....

I’ve bought so much garden stuff lately - all moveable so it can come with me if I move house. Shrubs and pots, vegetables (tomatoes, cucumber, courgette and strawberries). Not a champagne moment but most definitely a feel good investment. 

Actual champagne moments were a garden catchup with two friends (even though we got wet!) , a decision to colour my own hair from now on which should save a fair bit, and a couple of Bookbub bargains (The organised mum a couple of weeks ago and Derren Brown Happy this morning). Bookbub was recommended by someone on here last year, and I have had so much value from it! Basically it’s kindle books for .99 or 1.99. You get a weekly newsletter and there are loads of good quality books. So thank you whoever you were!! 

Can’t remember if I updated about my garage clear out last week - I had a carful of junk which was very satisfying. I’ve now got a garage which is relatively tidy! More to do but baby steps!

might try and post some photos of my gardening efforts....Phoebe I absolutely love your garden!

mrs_slapshot

Wednesday2000

mrs_slapshot said:

a couple of Bookbub bargains (The organised mum a couple of weeks ago and Derren Brown Happy this morning). Bookbub was recommended by someone on here last year, and I have had so much value from it! 

I started reading that book a few weeks ago.

helensbiggestfan

Good Morning my lovely friends. 

Great photos Mrs S. Everything looks very healthy, you should have a lovely show soon. Well done on the garage clear out...when are you aiming to move.  

I'm aiming for 2022/2023, although I might be tempted to go earlier if the stars align.....😂

  Like you I'm putting some of my more expensive specimen trees and shrubs in pots so they can move with me.  If I don't need them then my boys can have them.  I have decided that now that I know I definitely want to move relatively soon I am not going to pay to have the garden landscaped nor will I spend a fortune on planting. I am just going to do what I can myself.  I think I can make it look pretty without spending too much.  

Lots of lovely champagne moments......lunching al fresco In my garden, watchIng some nice movies, reading magazines in my kindle and a bit of naughty online retail therapy.  😂

Phoebe. That plant you liked is called Verve Geum.  Found the pot with the label still attached.  It's a perennial.  I'll post the picture again to remind you.  

helensbiggestfan

Verve geum.  

phoebe1989seb

helensbiggestfan said:

Verve geum.  

Thanks so much, LL  Ah, so it's a B&Q geum! We have geum Queen of Orange, but that's a bolder orange colour - yours is lovely and could perhaps be Totally Tangerine......

I don't blame you on the not paying out more than you need to on the garden. At our last house (in the West Midlands) we spent at least £2k on plants for what had been a beautifully mature garden but had fallen into neglect whilst the house sat empty for two years till we came along and bought it. These filled lots of gaps and gave much needed colour, but the couple we sold to would have bought it anyway as they had missed out on purchasing the place when we did.....

Before marketing we removed a few specimen shrubs to large pots and brought those to our new home, so it's definitely a good idea to consider doing that ahead of selling!

Here we've already spent considerably more than £2k but it's a much larger space and we have no immediate plans to sell. We've actually planted stuff in the ground here that we'd had in pots for ten years!

Thank you, mrs_slapshot and savingmore! It's looking different today as DH has almost finished the new gate - although I'm still hunting for a suitable grille. Will post pics tomorrow.....

Mrs_s, you've got some great looking plants there! I'm currently commiserating some lavenders that haven't settled at all in a planter.....your healthy plants put mine to shame!

mrs_slapshot

Thank you LL and Phoebe - however, I cannot claim to have a green thumb as the plants are all relatively new! Hopefully I won't kill them off....although my pots that I planted up a few weeks ago are looking stunning - and my beautiful variegated hosta is absolutely magnificent this year.  I will definitely be taking it (or part of it) with me if I move.

LL - I am hoping to put the house on the market in the next four weeks or so....as I'm downsizing the mortgage it makes sense to do it sooner rather than later.  The market is looking quite busy at the moment so I want to capitalise on people who've been cooped up wanting to change their four walls.  Plus, there will be some kind of restructure at work so I am trying to protect myself and reduce my outgoings.  I've seen some pretty nice houses on Rightmove - they never look quite the same when you view them do they...and not all estate agents are doing actual viewings, so I'm not quite sure how it will all pan out, but I'm going to try!  I will be sad to leave this house - it was the house I bought after separating with my husband, and I've been very happy here.  However, a home is where you make it, and I'm sure I will be happy in another (cheaper!) house too.

Wednesday - what did you think of the book? 

Wednesday2000

mrs_slapshot said:

Wednesday - what did you think of the book? 

I haven't finished it yet. You jogged my memory and I was only 20% into it. I have an annoying habit of starting a few books and then not finishing them!

I did read Dr Rangan Chatterjee's newest book about 5 minute health habits and I did finish that!

Onebrokelady

Hi everyone,I've just caught up on the thread but haven't posted for a while, I had a lovely champagne moment on Friday because I was able to meet up with my DD and eldest DGS ( 3 in July) we went for a walk and to feed the ducks 😀.......my social life is rockin 😂