Frump to Fab 2022 - The Big One

liberty_lily

Hope you're feeling better very soon Sugarbaby 💐

sheilavw

get well soon Sugarbaby x

sugarbaby125

Thank you, ladies. 

liberty_lily

The house fabbing continues here 😁

DH is making massive plastering progress in the living room and some areas are now dry enough to mist coat! I'll be cracking on with that during the week 😉

After a spot of local Christmas shopping in Llandeilo yesterday morning, I succumbed to pressure from DH and put up the kitchen decorations. The understated felted wool garland on the chimney breast looks so much better now we've banished most of the brick and added wallpaper. In the window (which I still need to finish painting - hence the visible green frog tape 🙄) I changed things up a bit by mixing some red/cream paper baubles we previously got in the sales (marked down from £36 to £20 for sixteen) with the vintage teal glass ones on the 'twiggy trees' display. I prefer these to the small red glass ones we used last year....

Floss

Ooh I love those paper decorations LL, I looked at some today but felt £4 each was too much to pay.

Wednesday2000

liberty_lily said:

Lovely!:)

Wednesday2000

My friend called me from Barbados earlier. We went to school and uni but I haven't seen her since 2006. She may come over to England next year and I said she could stay with us and I said I could possibly visit her in 2024. It feels ridiculous planning so much in advance but we have already got a few concerts booked for next year which are eating up our savings. My husband got Peter Kay tickets for Feb 2024 too. I feel like I am planning my life away!

I am going out in London this Thursday and Friday. It is meant to be cold. I need to layer up.

chanie

@liberty_lily  i like the way you have decorated your twig display, it looks lovely with the lights. 

liberty_lily

Thanks ladies 😊 That twiggy trees display is not what we'd usually choose, Christmas decoration-wise, being quite contemporary but I think the baubles being more traditional style help. Previously we'd had a live, potted tree in the kitchen window but ahead of last Christmas two of our three small potted trees died. The remaining one is too big for that space so we have it by the front door 😁

I'm writing Christmas cards today, hoping to get them posted/delivered ahead of the next postal strike. Also using up our stash of stamps before the new barcoded ones come in (although I know it's possible to trade them in).

A holiday in Barbados would be wonderful, Wednesday (as will seeing your old friend if she visits the UK!) - we have great memories of holidaying in St Lucia back in 2004 😄

sugarbaby125

Hello Ladies,

Helen, I hope you are reading along, even though you are obviously too busy to post. I hope your house move into your new rental home went smoothly and you are lovely and warm in your new home.

I am finally over my cold.   

I took my daughter to the Ant House restaurant for lunch. I had a Groupon that I paid £15 for which entitled us to £40 worth of food and drink.  We had starters of vegetable spring rolls and chicken wing skewers, both of which were served with salad vegetables and dips that tasted delicious. For our mains, my daughter had beef bun sa (a vermicelli noodle, stir fried vegetable and noodle dish) and I had a honey roasted chicken leg with egg fried rice and salad. My daughter had this strawberry soft drink, and I had a small bottle of sparkling water to drink.   

I am so thankful that I can afford to heat my home, even though I am currently paying between 2.5 to 3 times more than the maximum of £3 a day my central heating was costing me up to the winter of 2022. Gas prices are extortionate.   

I cut out all unnecessary Christmas, birthday, Mother's day, Father's Day and Easter gifts throughout 2022. I only bought birthday presents for my 3 adult children, my grandchildren and my Great grandson. I no longer buy presents for my oldest daughter as she has turned 40. I warned my daughter when she turned 39, that the cut off point would be her 40th birthday. I have warned my other 3 adult children as well, so this is the last year of birthday and Christmas gifts for my older son. I have not even bothered to buy and post Christmas cards this year. I have been able to increase my savings, rather than spend the money on my wider family.  I will always buy presents for my grandchildren and Great grandchildren, within reason.

I have to start the gift wrapping soon for the gifts I did buy and I am not looking forward to it, but I need to get it done.