Frump to Fab - A Whole New World.

Wednesday2000

I am going to start counting WW points again, just to see if I still gain weight on this medication. I haven't had to bother counting WW points for ages as I was just maintaining my weight no matter what I ate so this is a bit of a pain to have to do this!

Today I have had a bunch of red grapes and a cup of tea and I'm about to roast some seasoned chickpeas to keep in the fridge. I will have a vegan BLT for lunch and I have some mini houmous pots and I will cut some veggies like celery and carrots to keep in the fridge to have with them. I will make a big batch of red lentil soup as well. I will keep portions of that in the fridge too!

I did buy lots of healthy options in my groceries this week so I just need to keep them visible to snack on.

I hope everyone has a lovely weekend.

helensbiggestfan

Good Morning Lovely Ladies. 

Isnt this weather just the pits.  I had intended to get out and about this morning but it's raining cats and dogs again so I'll just stay put.  

I have been watching a few things on the box.  I loved the Split.  I binged watched both series on Catch Up.  Also some property !!!!!!. 😂. Think it was called Extraordinary Houses with the achingly trendy architect Piers Taylor and Caroline Quentin.  They make an usual  but very engaging double act and the properties are just stunning....costing millions of course. Definitely a step up from Homes Under the Hammer. 😂🤣.

Whilst I could never aspire to the properties featured I am getting lots of ideas.......that I can emulate in my own little "Grand Design".  I recently bought a book called "Architect Your Home" and have been getting lots of ideas for the kitchen and attic room.  

I watched "10 years Younger in 8 days" last night.  Yes they use some pretty high tech non surgical procedures and stuff like cosmetic dentistry but it really goes to show what can be done even with just a wardrobe revamp and a fresh haircut.  Actually the non surgical nose job was really good, one the ladies in question had a rather unfortunate nose and she had received some very cruel comments about it which had shattered her confidence. She was thrilled with the result, no surgical procedure, just a judicious use of injectable fillers. It's truly amazing what a bit of filler can do these days.   Reminds me of my late husbands joke......when I went to " put my face on" he would say "don't forget the pollyfilla". 😂. Cheeky devil.  

Also watched a bit of Lorraine this morning whilst having my morning coffee.  The fashion section was interesting .........some lovely clothes coming into the shops now, even M@S seem to be finally getting their act together.   Some nice gentle pastels for spring.  I must admit I'm really looking forward to spring/summer.  

Slept for a full 9 hours last night.....where did that come from.  Lol.  And that was after dozing my way through a couple of programmes on the TV that I really wanted to watch. Never mind I had recorded them so I can try again.

Maman. I know you aren't a fan of Lucy Worsley but I'm enjoying her series on History's Greatest Fibs.  This week it was about Elizabeth 1 and the famous Tilbury Speech and how Margaret Thatcher copied both the idea and style of  delivery during the Falklands War, substituting a tank for a dashing white horse.  History and war propaganda definitely do repeat themselves. The thing that struck me though was that Lucy's make up is getting heavier and more extreme.  She'll be copying Elizabeth and going for the white lead paint look  at this rate.  Meow.....😂

Speaking of motivational speeches .........I have been listening to a number of podcasts and watching videos etc on line.  I love them......whenever I need a kick up the derrière I hunt them out.  Helps keep me on the straight and narrow and stops me slacking.  Otherwise this weather I'm sorely tempted to just be a sofa sloth.  

So today, instead of going out and getting soaked, I'm going to tackle some cleaning, do some healthy food prep and give myself a facial.  

Have a a great weekend. Keeeeeep fabbing. 

maman

helensbiggestfan said:

Maman. I know you aren't a fan of Lucy Worsley but I'm enjoying her series on History's Greatest Fibs.  This week it was about Elizabeth 1 and the famous Tilbury Speech and how Margaret Thatcher copied both the idea and style of  delivery during the Falklands War, substituting a tank for a dashing white horse.  History and war propaganda definitely do repeat themselves. The thing that struck me though was that Lucy's make up is getting heavier and more extreme.  She'll be copying Elizabeth and going for the white lead paint look  at this rate.  Meow.....😂

It's not the history I don't like LL. She just seems obsessed with dressing up:) . My DH has been watching the programme and we were discussing it yesterday on the way to London. We were ever so fortunate with the weather as by the time we got to Greenwich, it was a glorious afternoon with bright sunshine. We'd dressed to keep the cold out too so all was fine. I enjoyed the Queen's House and will go again to have a proper look at their collection as yesterday was mainly about the Armada portraits. Then we visited a few galleries in  the Maritime museum before coming back into the West End for a wander and a meal. It was a good day out and we'll definitely do it again.
It's back to rain today.:(
Thanks for the link to the clothes Wednesday. I've had a quick look on my phone but adverts kept popping up  so I'll have a proper look on my desktop. Your menu sounds very healthy but it's really difficult to lose weight when you're working against the medication. Hope the black dog leaves you alone pod.
That colour matching sounds very mse Maddie. I think we're generally quite frugal on here what with the CS buys and vouchers and reductions. 
I have to go out today as we need some fresh food but I won't be lingering.:)

maddiemay

Cold and wet here too,usual Friday shop from market, baker, butcher etc, dressed warmly and everything was waterproof, but no way could I pass as glam today, not bothered, although I do like to look nice and well turned out, not at the expense of comfort and warmth.   OH and I watch a lot of history programmes and we usually smile at LWs costumes, I do love to see them though and it (for me) does lighten the content a little.
Fresh bread and artisan cheeses for lunch, may make some butternut soup today, OH not a great fan, but I have a big bag of bacon bits from butcher, so hopefully that and the judicious adding of some chilli flakes will make something warming and comforting. 
Stay warm dry and safe everyone, hugs and spoons where required.

helensbiggestfan

I have to confess I often watch LW just to see what she is wearing,  she certainly loves clothes.  She has evolved a style that suits her.  I think she seems quite small and petite so her cute colourful dress and coat ensembles serve her well.  I too love it when she gets rigged up in historical costumes, especially seeing the undergarments etc and how it's all put together. I do find the history of fashion just as interesting as the more "serious" stuff.  

Another Historian I love is Michael Woods, currently doing a series of Alfred the Great and the Anglo/Saxon V Viking period. Woods started out on tv way back in the 70s.  At the time his tall blonde good looks and tight jeans earned him the soubriquet "the thinking woman's crumpet". He's now 70 but still quite stylish, with a penchant for interesting pashmina type scarves.🤣.   

I have noticed over the years that a lot of TV historians seem to be very interested in fashion and clothes.  There used to be one, can't remember her name.....she did mainly Egyptology - who had the most amazing collection of ethnic jewellery and who wore some really nice ethnic type clothing. 

I must admit I loved the fashion modules that I did as part of my degree so I always take note of clothes in the media, both film and tv.  I just love to see what they are all wearing. 😂.   One of the things I most liked about Game of Thrones was the costume design.  Some of the outfits were works of art.  So much creativity and imagination.  

Apparently for some North of the Wall costumes the designers had to really think outside the box. (to those who never watched, the North of the Wall was a land of perpetual winter. It was shot mainly in Greenland) Anyway apparently the designers had to find heavy fur cloaks but had problems finding something suitable within their budget constraints. Eventually they hit the idea of shaggy wool rugs from Ikea which they customised.  😂. They must have been so heavy for the actors, especially doing fight and action scenes,  but I love the inventiveness and creativity the designers  showed. 

helensbiggestfan

Just one more post and then I'm going to give myself a facial.

The Power of Fashion .....

I watched a film this week called "Me Before You". A sweet rom com. Maybe not the best of choices for me this week as it would have been my late husband's birthday on Monday so I have rather been in reminiscing mode and just a tad melancholy. But I'm ok really and although I did end up "with something in my eye" 🤣 I loved the film. 

The hero was a wealthy high flying city type who was a real adrenaline junky until he gets run over by a motorbike and is rendered a quadriplegic.  He becomes depressed and his parents become increasingly desperate because he has already tried one failed suicide attempt and remains resolved to end  his life at Dignitas.  He promises them he will give it another six months.

In desperation his parents essentially put him on suicide watch and hire a young female carer/companion. She is working class and quirky.....not the more usual upper class "gels" our hero would have chosen as a life partner.  You've guessed it she manages to lift him from his depression and he takes her under his wing, teaching her art and life lessons.  And of course they fall in love.  

It's a sweet film, I won't give away the ending. It sounds sombre and depressing but I found it quite uplifting.  

The female character is poor and working class and  her wages help support her unemployed parents and family but she's fashion mad.  And it is her outfits that are one of the themes of the film, indeed its her quirky fashion sense which first attracts our hero's attention, drags him out of his misery and which makes her so endearing to him. From at first studiously avoiding any interaction with her and remaining in the depths of his depression he starts to become intrigued and looks forward to seeing what "charity shop chic" outfit she will be wearing next.  

Ah, the power of clothes!! 😂

As for Monday and my darling's  birthday.....well these red letter days are becoming less painful with the passage of time.  It does get easier.......eventually. I'm meeting up with one of my closest friends for a nice leisurely lunch and a bit of retail therapy.  I'll be fine.  About time.....it's been 5.1/2 years now but I do now feel happier and more content than  I have done for many years. 9 years of being a carer, then 5.1/2 years since his death adds up to a fair chunk of my life.  I feel like I have some catching up to do. 😂.

I'm finally ready.  I feel like my Frump to Fab journey is almost complete. 😁

[Deleted User]

Just popping in to say that the film you watched is also a very good book! I sobbed reading it, and she also has 2 more to follow it ...  

helensbiggestfan

I'll keep an eye out......she's a great story teller.  

[Deleted User]

I don't know why I didn't think to link it in my previous post - https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/series/DXU/me-before-you-trilogy

She definitely is, both the book and the film are wonderful! 

helensbiggestfan

Oh wow....thank you so much for the link.  I didn't realise the story was the first part of a trilogy.  

I have just read the just synopsis of the two following books in the series.  

I don't want to say too much because I don't want to spoil the story for others, but, in many ways,  although I am of course much older than Lou,  the dilemmas she faced in book one and the decisions she had to make really reasonate with me........ I have to find out what happens next........so I'm going to order the next two books from amazon.

I know I said I won't buy any more books but I'm going to make an exception......the story is too good to miss and I don't want to leave it hanging in mid air.  

Thank you you so much for putting me on the case.  😁. Good reading for the train journeys to and from Scotland.