Champagne Lifestyle on a Lemonade Budget.

helensbiggestfan

Bubblesmum......sorry to hear that you are too are struggling with loss today and missing your mum.  

"They" say time is a great healer and yes I suppose to a certain extent it is in that the loss becomes less painful, the grief less raw but we still miss the people we lose. They are such a part of us and of who we are. We hold them in our hearts.  

My mum died just 7 months after my husbands death and my dad 20 months later.  So in the space of just over 2 years I became a widow and an orphan. 😞. I was practically shell shocked after that but it's much easier now. And you are right, it's the past champagne moments we shared with them that gives us the fond memories which sustain us and which bring joy.  

Today one of mums favourite movie stars died, Olivia De Havilland and it has brought back fond memories of my mum.  Mum actually looked a bit like Olivia.  My mum loved the old black and white movies and we would spend many a happy Saturday afternoon drinking tea, eating cake and watching old movies on the TV.  😁. 

Right off to bed....chiro tomorrow morning.  

phoebe1989seb

Sorry to hear you are struggling with the loss of your mum, Bubblesmum  Like LL/Helen, I lost both my parents within a shortish time frame (ten months between them), my dad in 2014 when I was 47 and my mum a few months later in early 2015 and appreciate how hard it can be coming to terms with this.

In my case, as awful as it sounds, I believe I was 'fortunate' in that both of them had dementia so they were unaware of the heartache we as a family were put through, hot on the heels of my FIL who went a similar way, but in particularly horrible circs (he had to be sectioned after going on the rampage) just the year before.

To a certain extent I was not only prepared (they were both in a nursing home for the last couple of years of their lives), but had got used to not having them around in the true sense of the word......

Anyway, despite the changeable weather - and our window issues - we managed a few champagne moments over the weekend......

In our covered seating area we added a few extra lengths of decking (minor effort/expense at only £36) to accommodate our long but narrow former kitchen table. When the weather improves I'll get the edges of the decking painted - the rest is hidden by a rug - and with the addition of those gifted cabinets, the existing candles and twinkly lights (plus a few more finishing touches courtesy of DH) it'll be an even more welcoming place to eat than before.....we might even treat ourselves to a glass or two of champagne

Actually, the table has its very own champagne moment attached as it cost us nothing but some (large) stones back in 2013!

It was priced up at £695 in the same architectural salvage yard where we found Toyah Willcox's wall sculpture, now hanging on the courtyard wall, but we did a deal whereby we got the table in exchange for a load of Shaftesbury greenstone which came from an outbuilding we demolished at the house we then owned 

We really didn't have room for it in this much smaller house, so I'm delighted we've found a way to make it work!

While DH worked on the decking, I began painting the cabinets. As we have a bit of a blue theme running through the courtyard - and I had half a tin of LG Pale Lupin eggshell going spare - I took a punt that this would work. The first is almost done and looks fabulously French....a vast improvement on its previous gloomy brown finish. 

On Sunday we popped to Homesense again. They'd had a delivery (mostly garden furniture), but the shelves were still very sparsely filled. Nonetheless, another piece of 'art' found its way home with us - the cheeky monkey below. At the same time we picked up a few treats from M&S including loads of fresh fruit and meat for the coming week.....oh and a naughty but nice curry and some Whitby buns, lol!

The other pic is of a print DH found at a car boot sale three years ago.....for the princely sum of £5! I think it complements the curtains I'd forgotten about till I recently rediscovered them really well......

helensbiggestfan

Fab paintings.  Love the cheeky monkey pic.  Quite the gent about town! 😂

You new outside eating area sounds lovely. You are putting me to shame. Havent had a paint brush in my hand for weeks.😉  The garden is picking up though. That claybreaker stuff is brilliant. I worked the section again yesterday and the soil is much improved.  Going to give it another treatment. And a few dahlias have survived the slugs. 😂🤣. Might even get some flowers soon.  I was very late Planting them so it will be a short season.  

Champagne moment.......getting my chiro treatment today...it's working, feeling much better.  And......ta da......managed to book a hair appt for Thursday.  

Wednesday2000

I started using my trampoline last week as I felt so achy in my thighs, hips and back from sitting around on my butt so much during lockdown! I was finding it quite hard going as it is intense form of exercise.

I woke up today feeling fine, no aches or pains as it must be working. Definite champagne moment.

Bubblesmum

Thank you all

champagne moments was getting home yesterday from cat sitting to my lovely home and looking at all it with “fresh eyes” and knowing how fortunate I am. 

phoebe1989seb

helensbiggestfan said:

Fab paintings.  Love the cheeky monkey pic.  Quite the gent about town! 😂

You new outside eating area sounds lovely. You are putting me to shame. Havent had a paint brush in my hand for weeks.😉  The garden is picking up though. That claybreaker stuff is brilliant. I worked the section again yesterday and the soil is much improved.  Going to give it another treatment. And a few dahlias have survived the slugs. 😂🤣. Might even get some flowers soon.  I was very late Planting them so it will be a short season.  

Champagne moment.......getting my chiro treatment today...it's working, feeling much better.  And......ta da......managed to book a hair appt for Thursday.  

He is indeed.....or should that be the country as I see him as the landed get with a sprawling estate designed by Capability Brown , lol!?!

It might seem as though I've achieved lots, but while you've been busy gardening my plants have been forsaken, LL  The weeds are currently taking over in parts, but I managed to clear a small area today between painting sessions! I think you're doing fabulously with your clay breaker stuff......great news on the hair appointment too 

Wednesday, good going on the trampolining..... don't think I could summon up that kind of energy!

helensbiggestfan

Hello my lovely friends.  

Champagne moments today.......A mooch round my favourite chazzer, picked up a really nice straw picnic basket for £4.  Saw a gorgeous dress and jacket combo, decided to walk away but Now I regret it.😂. I'll pop in tomorrow and see if it's still there.  As the saying goes "If it's for me, it won't go by me".  Then some nice  gossipy phone calls with a couple of my friends. Haven't seen either during lockdown....hopefully one of these days. 

Well done on the trampoline Wednesday. Sounds like a fun way to exercise.  

bubblesmum....you're right, as the song goes "it's nice to go travelling but its oh so much nicer  to come home". I too love going on travels and adventures but I really love and appreciate coming home to my nest.  There really is no place like home.  As good as any 5 star hotel. 😂.  Well it is to me,  

The decorator is coming round one day this week to give me a price for painting the outside.  I would do it myself but even though it's a bungalow there are a couple of very high elevations and I don't do very well with heights.  😂. I might do the doors etc myself though to save some money.  I'll see what he says,  

helensbiggestfan

Well the cheeky monkey probably has both......a sprawling country estate and a smart London town house.  😂🤣

Wednesday2000

It is good exercise, it's high intensity but it is also easy on the joints. Win, win.

Wednesday2000

I sorted out my "hobby box" if we have another lockdown. I have a crossword puzzle book, a jigsaw, a colouring book and some pens. I haven't done a jigsaw since I was about 10 years old! I hope I won't need it but I am happy to have it to stave off boredom!

I will put a few easy reads in there too when I find the books in a chazzer.

I also bought a SAD lightbox. I want to be prepared this winter.