Champagne Lifestyle on a Lemonade Budget - 2021

Wednesday2000

Sugarbaby - you see so many interesting plays!

Siebrie - that is excellent value for a day out like that!

sugarbaby125

Siebre, 2 great family events that cost so little. 

sugarbaby125

Thanks Wednesday. Lucky for me I have eclectic tastes when it comes to going to the theatre.

My Champagne moment today:

My new Hotpoint heat pump condenser dryer was delivered. It is very efficient, and time will tell if it is as cost effective as it's A++ rating professes it to be. It has a digital readout, and it was really easy for me to figure out how to use the different drying programmes. It is much quieter in operation and does not overheat the room it is situated in. It is a definite improvement on the old-style condenser tumble dryers. I got a £115 discount on the price of the tumble dryer.  

sugarbaby125

My Champagne moments:


I went to the National Theatre yesterday evening to watch the play Blues For An Alabama Sky. I got a £49 ticket for only £6.50. I thought this play was excellent. The costumes were very evocative of the era the play was set in, which was the summer of 1930 in New York. The musical numbers were a joy to listen to as the singers harmonised beautifully and they all had such depth and tones to their individual voices. For me this play was a 9.5/10.      

I went to the Hampstead theatre for the 1st time this evening to watch the play The Snail House. This was a play about class, families, politics. ambition, loveand power and it gave the characters and the audience much to debate. I found the performance of one of the characters so poignant and so moving that I was completely choked up and had to hold back my tears. It surprised me how much the story brought out so many emotions in me and had me totally captivated. I got a ticket worth £39.50 for £12. For me this play was another 9.5/10.    

sugarbaby125

My Champagne moments yesterday:

In the afternoon, I got my 1st feedback about the scene from my play and the treatment for my play from Ola and Kirk Ann. I got some positive feedback from Ola and a suggestion about swapping 2 scenes around. Kirk Ann was completely negative, was not constructive with her criticism and did not give me time to discuss any of the points she was making to me in any detail. 

In the evening I went to my niece's 60th birthday party in the Palmers Green area. It was such a wonderful coming together of some of our family members. There was good food, a free bar for most of the evening and a really fantastic DJ. I danced the night away after I had a plate of food. It was great to talk to family and catch up on each other's lives. 

sugarbaby125

My Champagne moments over the last 3 days:

I went to see House of Flamenka at the Peacock Theatre on Tuesday evening. It is an absolutely mesmerising dance show. It is a mixture of flamenco and contemporary dance. It was stunning sets, staging and costumes, especially for the men. The dancers were superbly talented, athletic and flexible. I loved the show so much, I literally wanted to watch it all again on the same night.     I got my ticket for £9 but it was worth £38.    

I went to the Matinee Idols event yesterday from 11.45am to 2pm. We had a group singing session followed by a zoom question and answer session with Donato Wharton, the sound designer for Eureka Day at The Old Vic. Both of the events were enjoyed by all of the participants including me. Thanks to the recent Matinee Idols open day, there are far more of us than in the recent past. We had the usual snacks, hot soup, bread, red and white wine and hot beverages provided for us.  

Then we all went across to The Old Vic to watch the play Eureka Day from 2.30pm. It is a comedy, which just did not tickle my funny bone. It was just not entertaining to me and it did not keep me engaged, I was distinctly bored at times. Good job my ticket which was worth £30 (senior discounted price) it only cost me £5 plus a £1.50 booking fee. I also got a free programme for Eureka Day that was worth £4.    

I went to The Royal Court Theatre in Sloane Square to watch the play Jews In Their Own Words this afternoon. It was a brilliant play based on interviews with 12 Jewish people, both male and female and of different ages and ethnicities about their harrowing accounts of antisemitism. It was a real eye opener for me and it was an education about the everyday antisemitism, bigotry, racism and hatred that Jewish people are subjected to was truly shocking. It made me deeply sad and ashamed that other non-Jewish people feel they have the right to do this to Jewish people. There were some lighthearted, funny moments in the play and that levity was really welcome. There was also a song and dance number. I got my ticket which was worth £45 for only £6.50.    

liberty_lily

All that culture you're submersing yourself in, Sugarbaby, wonderful and all useful for your own playwriting 😃

My recent champagne moments - finding that the Umbra sink caddy I'd put back on the shelf in Homesense a week previously (due to not being the ideal colour) was still there yesterday evening 🙂 It was reduced to £3.99 (not sure what from), but they're going for quite a bit more online so a nice little bargain despite the colour issue!

Also, buying a pretty oriental planter for the guest room on ebay. It was £35 but the seller made me an offer of £27 which I accepted...so with p&p a total of £35 instead of £43. It has arrived and I'm thrilled with it (perfect colours, immaculate condition and larger than I was expecting!)...just need a suitably sized plant now 😉

Sold a few more items so going to treat myself to the crewel work cushions I've been coveting for the living room (although will probably hold off till the building work is done!).

Wednesday2000

It is lovely weather out today in sunny Southend.:) My thermometer says it is 22.2 in my living room. I just did some weeding and went to drop off some bottles for recycling. I am staying in today and binge watching a Star Trek series with my husband. He is off work this weekend because of the train strike.

I have my Covid booster jab tomorrow and I hope I feel okay afterwards. I have a play next week that I am looking forward to. I must remember to bring a cushion with me as I found the seats in the local cinema hard and uncomfortable and the seats in theatres are sometimes even worse. We are probably going to go and get cake in one cafe and then go out for dinner to another local place before the play.

helensbiggestfan

Hello everyone......sorry I've been awol again.  Life just seems so busy (and fraught) at times.  

Still hanging around waiting for legal completion dates....still decluttering, have now started packing some boxes.  Some minor health issues and dental problems but plenty  of nice Champagne moments, mainly time spent with family and friends. Priceless. 😁. 

Oh and I've now managed to lose 10lbs.  💃.  Wahooo.  So pleased because I have a wardrobe full of nice clothes I have been unable to fit into for the last year or so, some I've not even worn. Definitely time to start "shopping from my closet". Lol. 

Life is good and hopefully will get even better once I finally get to move.........I'm a bit nervous it's dragging on for so long....just hope the current mortgage woes won't affect anyone in the chain. Still no point in getting anxious, worrying won't change the outcome but I shall be relieved when it's all done and dusted.  

Oh nearly forgot.  Picked up an amazing China dinner service from the chazzer, 38 pieces for £9. It's gorgeous. Defintely an upgrade on my white crockery from ikea. A pretty brooch caught my eye, it was very grubby but I thought well at 50p it was worth a punt. Showed it to my neighbour who dabbles in antiques and who is quite knowledgeable. He  told me the tiny stones are diamonds !!!  Gave it a clean and it's really pretty, it will look fab on my plain navy wool vintage Windsmoor coat I picked up for £5.😂🤣.  

Hope you are all well and happy.  Keep those champagne moments flowing.......

  

sugarbaby125

Liberty Lily some great bargains. Your selling of surplus items is also going really well.

Helen, so lovely to read a post from you once again. I was just beginning to worry about your absence from both of the threads. It is never the same without your contributions. Congratulations on your continuing weight loss. The dinner service was a great bargain, as was the brooch.