Frump to Fab - A Whole New World.

chanie

ancientmum said:

Ladies, I'm sure I read somewhere a long time ago that smiling exercises more muscles than frowning.  So beneficial all round.  LL I like the title of your book.  I remember being inspired by one called "Feel the fear and do it anyway"

 My 10 year old tells me it takes 17 muscles to smile and 43 to frown, so when he’s having a strop, I remind him that he’s making more work for himself.

tier 4, London here.   Luckily, we are pretty much done for Xmas, other than the food shop.

maman

chanie said:

tier 4, London here.   Luckily, we are pretty much done for Xmas, other than the food shop.

You and sugarbaby did well to get yourselves all organised for Christmas in advance chanie. It's paying off now.

Fortunately, we're still in Tier 2 but no plans to take advantage of the Christmas bubble. Tier 4 is about 14 miles from us so creeping westwards from London. DD1 would normally come for Christmas Day and Boxing Day but  she's staying away so I'm doing 'meals on wheels'. I took her a goodie bag round with lots of Christmas bits like cheeses, crackers, drinks, chocolates and biscuits on Thursday so it's just the hot food  on the day. . They could have done their own but I wanted to help. 

I got all the decorations up yesterday and the house looks lovely and festive. All the shopping is done except for some fresh stuff which I'll  get done  on Tuesday or Wednesday. 

I'm planning an outfit for Christmas Day. I'm not into Christmas jumpers but I want something comfortable that isn't leggings! 🤣 I'm thinking perhaps one of my pretty 'evening' skirts with a fine knit. I like that look. 😊

At least the sun's shining today so it helps to lift the mood. 😉

chanie

maman great idea to dress up for Christmas.  I may do the same.
Whilst on the subject of fabbing, I have the most amazing hairdresser.  She texted me last night and asked if I wanted to bring forward my appointment and did my hair last night before we went into tier 4 at midnight 🤣.  I think she wanted the money for Xmas, but she knows I’m not a difficult client so didn’t mind doing it.

Wednesday2000

The Pete Tong concert was so fantastic last night. It's definitely the best out of the 5 online ones I have watched recently. It was so strange seeing the O2 empty of any people in the audience as that was the first concert they had there since March. I think when I saw Stereophonics in March it must have been one of the last ones before lockdown.

It feels very anticlimactic now as we don't have anything else now for the rest of the year. We weren't planning on seeing family over xmas anyway so going into tier 4 doesn't make much difference to us. My husband is working nights this week and only gets xmas day off so that will be not great again to be alone xmas eve. I will have to think of something nice to do over Christmas. Maybe start watching a new boxset or something. I haven't even really planned what we are having for xmas day dinner!

I know there is a iive event on YouTube today but I'm not really in the mood. I might join in as it is something to do. 

I'm probably going to wait until next year to get my hair as it's not as if I'm going anywhere.

candygirl

LL I totally agree, that humour n resilience are essential traits to have 😘I spend a lot of time laughing, both at myself, n with my Mum, Bro n friends.We all have the same dry humour.
I feel sorry for anyone who takes themselves seriously, especially in times like these  
Tier 4 is a bit of a sudden shocker ! I feel sorry for everyone affected, especially the small businesses

maman

I thought I'd post pictures of my fireplace dressed for Christmas. It looks so cheery with the candles lit. 

Floss

Maman, that's lovely, thank you for sharing.

I've had to rethink my plans - although I'm in tier 2, I was driving to my son & daughter-in-law in East London on Wednesday night until Boxing Day (with elder brother who bubbles with them visiting for Christmas dinner) , when I was going to see my chap in Evesham until Monday night. Now I need to cater for that period of time, including Christmas dinner on my own. I can't go to my other brother as they're in a bubble with his in-laws and will have them and his stepdaughter & her family for Christmas day.

Oh well, at least I can watch and eat what I want, when I want 😊

savingfortomorrow

I made plans to stay away and isolate this year. My job puts me at a higher risk of exposure and my family is at heightened risk.  It is easier as I was prepared for a quiet Christmas. It must be so trying to have all the food bought and hopes of gathering slashed. 
It has been a hard, trying year that honestly will be remembered with little fondness. It has been a year of frustration and limited spontaneity. However, as bad as it has been; it has been truly horrendous for others. I feel sadness for the families who lost family members to a virus that was unheard of only a year ago. All the dreams and hard work of businessowners' who lost everything and people losing employment and their fears for the future. This year has been cruel and shown the deep chasm of society. 

Strangely, I feel positive. I know we are going into the territory Churchill referred to as darkest before the dawn, It will be a bleak few months but the light will emerge. 2020 has shown a light on the inequalities of society; most notably in America and hopefully will truly bend towards justice, as envisioned by MLK. I feel positive because for the first time in generations we have seen the power of focused science and human cooperation to achieve a medical intervention in a timely manner. I feel positive other diseases and problems will be solved. 

I feel positive that we have seen the potential ugly and divisive politicking- to set one against another. People have spoken for democratic processes. 
 I feel positive that 2020 will be a year that provokes a change of personal priorities and international ones.  I feel people are more willing to engage in the future and not let life be coasting by-  I feel that life drifting by was my pre-2020 and now I have made decisions and made choices that I will own and follow. I feel more empowered to take a chance on ventures and adventures for honestly if we can weather 2020- nothing will be as mentally or emotionally challenging.

“If we winter this one out, we can summer anywhere.” Seamus Heaney wrote-- We have nearly wintered this year- we will bloom and be stronger like steel that has been strengthened after being heated to super-high temperatures- basically we are seeing the strength of our character getting stronger and more resilient. I hope for the future. 

helensbiggestfan

Hello lovely ladies.....

.SFT. Wow.  Fantastic post.  So full of hope, optimism and joire de vie.  

Actually I don't think it's strange at all that you feel so positive.  So do I.  I think you're right. "The darkest hour is before dawn". I think January and February may well be rough, further lockdowns and restrictions and then there's bound to be some upheaval due to Brexit but I firmly believe better times are on the way.  I firmly believe the worst will soon be over and that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Life will be there, waiting for us and I for one intend to be ready.  I'm going to grab it with both hands,  just need to be patient for a little while longer.  

I've had a great day....went on a "stock buying expedition" 😂. Picked up some amazing preloved and genuine vintage pieces.  Its funny sometimes I can go weeks without finding anything worth buying and then another time I seem to just strike gold.   Today was a lucky day.  

Love the fireplace Maman.  Very festive.  I must confess I went all out this year.......3 Christmas trees 😂, twinkling lights everywhere, candles, greenery, flowers, wreaths. Just felt it was necessary this year.  My grandson was so excited when he saw it all, his eyes were on stalks.  It's so nice to see the magic of Christmas through a child's eyes.  I am so blessed to be able to see my sons and my grandchildren this Christmas.....so many people can't see their families. I really am so grateful.  

sheilavw

morning all, just having a catch up on here. I too believe that better times are on the way. I think that they will 'pull on the stops out' for vaccinations. We are in tier 3 but cases do seem a bit lower now. We have to make the best. It's people like nurses/doctors/paramedics etc who are working Christmas day that I feel sorry for, they won't get that special day with extended family.