Frump to Fab - A Whole New World.

Wednesday2000

Candygirl - I had to have an MRI before my knee op. Maybe your GP could give you diazepam or something like that.

Wednesday2000

I was reading about Zumba on Mumsnet and some of them were saying how much they hated the class they went to. One was saying three women walked out! Oh well, I will look for another class I think.

I did my trampoline today and managed 15 minutes and I was very pleased with that as I could only do 5 mins yesterday.

I did a turmeric face pack last night and I'm doing a hair treatment now. I need a hot shower after exercising!

maman

Interesting you said about hiring a skip LL. We're determined to clear out our garage. It's ancient and falling apart. The house was built in the days of the Model T Ford (seriously ) so there's no way you'd get a modern car down our driveway. The last time we did was when the girls were living at home and we had a little  Ford Fiesta that DD1 learned to drive with. Sadly, the garage has some asbestos panels so when it's demolished it'll be a specialist (and expensive) job. 

We talked about it this week and DH remembered we have one of those large  hippo bags. He's dug that out this morning and started to fill it with junk. That can be collected and replaced more cheaply than a skip.  I've been online and booked a slot at the local recycling centre so we can take a car full later in the week. We're also going to make sure we fill our bins every week with suitable junk as often they get collected half empty. So that's a start.

On Friday some guys came to cut back our neighbour's laurel hedge which had got far too high. They were working I our driveway for convenience so we've arranged for them to come and do some garden clearance for us. It won't be until the autumn because of birds but it's all progress. A large Rowan tree will go too. It's too close to the house and leaning a bit dangerously. I'll miss the shade it gives but I won't miss the pigeons that roost over my washing line!  

Have you thought about Aqua Aerobics Wednesday? It's something I used to enjoy when I had gym membership. I never really got on with Pilates as I was never sure if I was using the right muscles?? I did enjoy yoga though and tap dancing!   I'm hoping that we do carry on with some walking when we don't have to IYSWIM. DH and I have had so many interesting walks during lockdown, exploring so much of our neighbourhood as well as some a bit further afield. We don't have targets for the number of steps but my phone automatically counts them and it's a good feeling to see what we've achieved. 

It's pleasantly cooler today. My plan is to cook us a nice meal and watch our team on TV later. I have a book I'd like to start too. I read an article this morning about how so much domestic stuff had been put back onto women during lockdown. While superficially that suggests a return to the housewives of the 50s, the author had a different view which I agreed with. I take some pleasure in domestic chores because I like to be organised and in control. I think that's why decluttering is so therapeutic.   Fortunately DH feels much the same so it's not all down to me.

chanie

I’ve just got back from a cheeky shopping trip.  I saved over £75 in Gap Outlet, mainly for the children, but I also grabbed a dress and a couple of T-shirt’s for me.

Wednesday2000

Maman - my GP kept saying about aqua aerobics when I used to have fibro as it is good for people with limited mobility. I don't know why but it just doesn't appeal to me.   I know it is meant to be good exercise.

I just went to pick up my thyroid meds and it seems much busier out today. I heard three lots of police sirens this morning and I hadn't heard them for quite a while!

helensbiggestfan

Good morning lovely ladies.....

Maman you are right about modern cars, there is no way you can get them even in a 90s built garage.  When my son bought his first mini we still lived in the family home, built 1988.  At the time I was driving a wheelchair accessible vehicle which of course wouldn't fit the garage so I told my son he could use the garage for the mini. He said he'd tried, it wouldn't fit. I thought he was joking but no he was serious - it transpires the new minis bear no relation In size to my old 70s and 80s minis.  😂Only the micro or city cars like CItroen 500  or the SMart cars now fit in older garages. I often look at semis where the garages are towards the rear of the property at the end of a side driveway and think there's no way you can get a car down there.  My sister and her unattached neighbour went  to the trouble of making the two seperate accesses into a joint shared access. It looks lovely but they still don't use their garages. 😂. They have reduced their front gardens to create off road parking and then keep the shared drive free as a sort of turning circle.  They live on a busy main road so its much safer and easier than trying to back in and out in a stream of traffic.   It's a very good arrangement which works well for everyone.  

Re asbestos removal.....yes it's highly specialised, not a diy job.   What I didn't know until fairly recently (when my dads old asbestos garage/shed was partially demolished by a storm and we had to get it sorted out) was that there are different types of asbestos.....some more dangerous than others.  We got a pleasant surprise when we got the contractors in so maybe you might get lucky and the bill might not be too bad.  

Quite nippy here this morning. I think I'm going to brave ASDA. They have an Instore  pharmacy and I need a couple of bits from there.  Also I'm going to look at herbs and spices/cook in sauce type sachets for the holiday. It will be self catering and of course we won't be eating out even if restaurants and cafes are open because of shielding both DIL and DS. I'm sure some might be doing deliveries but I thought if I took some ingredients to jazz things up a bit then we can cook some nice feasts for our evening meals without necessarily having to spend hours in the kitchen.  I always used to do that when the kids were little and we stayed in self catering lodges or chalets or when we went in our caravan.  

I tried some of my summer trousers on yesterday😱😂.  Some are a bit "snug". I did think of buying a couple of extra pairs but as we are only going for 6 nights and there are good laundry facilities I have decided to save my pennies.  This is the price I have paid for living in leggings during lockdown, not realising just how much that weight gain has meant that now some of my clothes don't fit.  Poor DIL is in the same boat......she's 27 weeks or so now and getting bigger every week. She's struggling with backache too so I would imagine it will be a gentle week re sightseeing, walking etc.   Nothing too strenuous. We can both slob about in our leggings when we are "at home". 😉

Maman. Your comments about domestic life during lockdown are interesting.  I think the pandemic has made a lot of people re-examine their lives and think about their values. And one of the things I'm hearing over and over again is people are really starting to appreciate what they have, family and home have become really important to them.  Not that they were indifferent before but that they now really understand that hearth and home really are the bedrocks of a happy life....(which is probably why we might see the divorce rate spike a bit as people realise that life is too short to waste on a miserable relationship). I do think many families (and friends) are rediscovering each other and drawing closer.  And for many this includes investing in their homes, their creature comforts and just improving their domestic routines......hence the rise in baking, gardening, decluttering and diy. Our little cul de sac has been a hive of activity, with just about every house having either a skip or a hippo bag at some point.  And the gardens are looking lovely. 😁.  Except for my neighbour.....

She's nice enough but a very strange lady.  I sometimes sneak round when she's away and cut off the dandelion and thistle heads to stop them blowing into my garden.  I think she's guessed.....😂.  I She moved in just after me and is trying to renovate but I think she's way out of her depth.  She is gutting the place and trying to live on site whilst the work is being done.  I know she's doing it to save money but she is so disorganised and the place really is awful....it's barely habitable. She's been living like that for almost 2 years now......she's a nice lady but she is definitely a bit strange, or at least idiosyncratic. My plumber did her bathroom and he swore never to do any more work for her.  He said she was impossible to work for so I am wondering if she can't get contractors.  It's not just the mess and clutter inside or even just the garden choked with weeds, she has an old sofa which has been sat on her driveway for 6 months now. All the neighbours are getting a bit cheesed off now.  All it takes is the council to shift the sofa....A quick phone call and they will charge around £30 for one large item which she can afford, and then just slosh some weedkiller down.....

I thought my renovations were slow.......😂.  At least I've caught up with my schedule now.....thanks to lockdown. 😉. There's always a sIlver lining.  Right time to face ASDA. 

Still not managed to get through to the hairdresser.....hey ho.  

sugarbaby125

Hello Ladies, 

Chanie that was great savings at The Gap Outlet  

2 of the 3 charity shops in Camberwell Green reopened last Monday, so I took the 3 bags of books that  I had read to the Scope charity shop today. So that is all of my decluttering done. 

It was my son's 20th birthday yesterday, so the 3 of us just celebrated at home.. My son really liked all of the items of clothing that I had bought him for his birthday presents. I also bought him a pair of Jack & Jones sliders, which he also liked. He got gifts of money from his 2 sisters and one of his aunts. He also got some miniature Ted Baker aftershaves and a white short sleeved shirt from his older sister.   

Wednesday2000

Happy Birthday to your son Sugarbaby, ah, to be that young again.

I just ordered a couple of pairs of the fake Skechers from Shoezone that people on here mentioned. I am going to be doing a lot of walking on my seaside trip so I hope I like them. I cannot believe how excited I am about going to stay in a hotel for the night. I hope the restaurants are open by then as there are at least two very nice vegan restaurants there.

My husband has to leave for work soon and I want him to see if the chazzers are open yet. I have two bags of donations in my kitchen that are really bugging me!

chanie

wednesday I hope your new shoes carry you well on your weekend away.  When I popped to town over the weekend, I noticed that at least one charity shop was opened, albeit on reduced hours.

sugar  happy belated birthday to your son.  It sounds like he was spoiled rotten, due to your amazing bargain hunting skills. 

helensbiggestfan

Happy Belated birthday to your son SUgarbaby.  Sounds like you all had a great time.  

Well I had to pop back and tell you all.....After finally plucking up some enthusiasm to go to Asda. I went, browsed and had almost finished and was about to go through the checkouts when the alarms went off and we were all ushered out of the store.  Not sure if it was a fire or a bomb scare.  I waited for about 15 minutes outside. Nobody seemed to know what has happening and by this time I was needing the loo and I could see really long queues to get back inside so I gave it up as a bad job.  Called in at the mini Tesco for a couple of bits ...so frustrating.  Never mind.  

Nice to hear some of the chazzers are opening up.  Not seen any open round here.  

Wednesday.  When do you go to the seaside.  Is it the area you think you might like to move to.  Exciting. 😁