La Dolce Vita (The Sweet Life) - on a tiny budget.

MrsPorridge

I'm also in!  I have been wearing the same few clothes for the last few weeks and have stopped bothering.  

However, last night we went to some friends for dinner and I made a real effort with clothes, hair and make up and boy did I feel good.

I am determined to try and dress up as often as I can even if I am not going out.

Nargleblast

I am looking forward to being able to wear nail varnish a little more frequently once I finish work. 

Wednesday, that's a lovely cup and saucer. I have two fine Noritake sets, both eBay bargains bought by my husband years ago. I don't have guests often but when I do, out comes the best china and cutlery for every meal. One thing I do with fancy cups and saucers is use them to serve portions of mousse or fruit salad, to be eaten with a teaspoon and some shortbread on the side. Very elegant and quick to prepare.

poppy811

Similar story. My husband died very suddenly just over six years ago and your thread was invaluable to me.  Good luck with this thread, much more my style than the one that has caused all the hassle.  Seemed to become a self promoting diary which I disliked.

helensbiggestfan

poppy811 said:

Similar story. My husband died very suddenly just over six years ago and your thread was invaluable to me.  Good luck with this thread, much more my style than the one that has caused all the hassle.  Seemed to become a self promoting diary which I disliked.

Sorry to hear about your husband Poppy.  I am pleased if my previous thread was helpful to you.  I find that very humbling but I suppose we do tend to draw some comfort in reading about other people's loss and realising we are not alone. Loss and bereavement can be a lonely place.  

And yes I take your point about self promotion in your last sentence. The thread didn't start out that way ..........

nargleblast - love the idea of using fancy China tea cups and saucers for serving desert.  It never occurred to me but yes, very dainty and elegant, making the simplest dish look dead posh. 😁. Thanks for the idea, I shall definitely copy that one.  

helensbiggestfan

Mrs P - well done on getting dolled up for your night out,  glad you enjoyed it.  

Truth is I think we do feel better when we make an effort.  And people do tend to notice, even if only on a subconscious level.  

I find that when I make the extra effort, even just to go the supermarket that I get treated with more deference and courtesy, people smile more and are more friendly.  Perhaps it's a two way thing, perhaps because I feel better I act differently and am more friendly and outgoing myself and therefore elicit more positive responses.  

An interesting conundrum. 😉

Wednesday2000

Nargleblast said:

Wednesday, that's a lovely cup and saucer. I have two fine Noritake sets, both eBay bargains bought by my husband years ago. I don't have guests often but when I do, out comes the best china and cutlery for every meal. One thing I do with fancy cups and saucers is use them to serve portions of mousse or fruit salad, to be eaten with a teaspoon and some shortbread on the side. Very elegant and quick to prepare.

That is so strange you saying that as I just bought a Noritake teapot last week from a second hand shop. I hadn't heard of the brand but I mentioned it on the charity shop thread on here and someone said it was a bargain as I bought it for £18 and it can be worth a lot more.:)

Wednesday2000

I did actually see some YS food too for the first time in years! I bought quite a few of the fresh bread products from Coop last Friday evening as they were reduced to 12p -18p each. I have put them wrapped up in the freezer.

I saw a person marking down the fresh fruit portions in Tesco today as well (fruit like apples and grapes sliced up and put into portions) and took a look as I thought I might buy some if they were cheap, but they were reduced to around £1.20 which I didn't think was a bargain at all!

Debsnewbudget

I quite often get sliced fruit in my Olio collection from Tesco, so it might be worth checking out your nearest food waste heroes on the Olio app. 

The only problem is that it is usually dated as “use by” which means it has to go that day and cannot be picked up the day after.  My collection is at 8:30 pm so people normally  have to pick up between 9 and 10:30 pm
The earlier collection is on a Sunday and might be worth looking out for. 

bellabella

Good Evening all I thought i would join this thread I so agree with the sentiment and after reading through the posts I wonder if i might see a chiropractor as my hip is playing up and we have a long flight ahead of me in March and I am dreading it . I hope that by following this i can join in and try to open my days up I find it very difficult to go anywhere except with family or a couple of close friends i tend to be indoors mostly only venturing out to go shopping once a week I tend to live for my holidays but i am sure i can pick up some great tips so my life can be sweeter

helensbiggestfan

Magic Mondays

Watching my grandsons this Morning, so happy and joyful, excited to be going to school. I thought to myself.....when did I lose that excitement to be starting a shiny new week with all its promise........how can I bring back that feeling of excitement and happy anticipation. 

How to create a Magic Monday.  

I can remember a time when I experienced the Sunday night blues, that feeling of quiet dread at the thought of going to work the next day because I didn't like my job but then I changed my job, found one that I loved and excited me, and lost those Sunday night wobbles,  

Now of course I'm retired - no more overloaded diaries, no more running around trying to cram 30 hrs worth of work and activity in a 24 hour period.  I am as free as a bird. 

So why have I been wasting my freedom.  What have I done with it. Can I do more, be more.  How to recapture the magic of a new day, a new week. 

Today I have my chiro appt and then I need to pay a visit to Lidl. So I shall reframe the experience and see both activities as the wonderful opportunity they actually represent, not just as a chore to be worked through.  

The chiro appt is another small step on my journey to fitness and Lidl is a cornucopia of gastronomic delights, with produce from all over the world laid out for me to choose from. 

 How fortunate we are with our shopping choices today .......a world away from the bleak boring 50s of my childhood and early 60s where food was deadly dull and boring and a packet of Vesta curry was as exotic as it got. 😂🤣

It's a lovely bright Morning, a tad chilly but I don't mind that.  I shall wear my faux shearling coat, cosy and glamorous.  I shall style my hair and put on some slap. I shall buy some delicious food and cook a nice feast for my family.  

Have a fabulous magical day.

❤️