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

artistlifestyle

Good to catch up with news, and projects @helensbiggestfan and @liberty_lily

I’m finally so much better, thankfully, and back working at my 3 jobs. 

The new cordless mower is a huge success, cuts the lawn in less than 15 minutes and does a much tidier job. I’ve also just replaced the 3 dead shrubs, the December frosts were too much for them, with garden centre sale items and applied a feed to all the others. It’s developing into a random shrub hedge, mainly evergreen with different leaves and flowers through the year. The birds love it. I sold all the old mowing and surplus garden gear on marketplace so that helped with the purchases. Still weeding the borders under the shrubs, an endless annual battle against the thousands of sycamores, and trying to stop neighbours ground elder coming through. That’s part of this weeks tasks, just doing a little at a time, but I love being outside, especially as it warms up, but it’s still freezing this week. 
I’m enjoying my reorganised kitchen hugely and keeping it tidy and organised is so easy now, as are my sorted bedroom cupboards, so long as I fold everything right. So far so good. 

I’ve just bought three small hand towels for the kitchen, the old ones are full of holes and over 20 years old. I’ve had my moneys worth for sure and now they’ll be art rags til the end! 

It’s a rare day off today, out for a potter and lunch with my b/f. It doesn’t happen often but a lovely change, and the sun is shining. 

May and June are my favourite months, what’s yours? 

helensbiggestfan

Transformation Tuesday. 

Good Morning lovely ladies.  

Great progress there Artistslifestyle, your gardening efforts sound impressive.  Because this house is a rental I am mainly making do with some cheap bedding plants for summer colour and for more expensive plants putting them in pots which I can take with me when I move.  

Todays steps towards my "Total Transformation", was having my third (and hopefully) final tooth extraction in readiness for my implants.  Have to wait for 8 weeks now for healing.  Dentist did say the worst part was over now.  Then watch out Tom Cruise, I'm coming after you for best "Hollywood Smile". Lol. 

favourite months.....??  Not sure, I am one of those strange bods who actually don't mind the depths of winter.......as long as I'm warm enough, although I do find the grey murky days can be a bit of a mood depressor, but I love the crisp sunny winter days.

 I love the changing seasons. I think each season has its own special joys but if I had to choose only one i think my all time favourite would have to be autumn.  I love the gentle heat of a September day, the softer light and of course the colours of autumn - "season of mists and mellow fruitfulness" and all that.  

But yes I like May and June too, when the late spring/early summer flowers are in full bloom, especially the tree blossoms.  "Oh to be in England now that April is here". 😁. Although this April has apparently been one of the coldest for some time and spring seems to have got off to a rather late and shaky start.  

Dentist told me to take it easy today. After getting a "dry socket" last time she has packed the wound and ordered me to rest, no bending or lifting.  I have a book to finish and will watch a couple of films.  

Received my cheque from EDF for the money they owed me today, wahoo.  I think I shamed them into it. 😂🤣. 

Have a great day y'all.  

Wednesday2000

Hello Ladies.

I don't like very hot weather, but I like the daylight in the summer months as the shorter days in winter really affect my mental health. I like Spring and Autumn the best. I was looking at all the blossom on the trees on the streets lining the near me yesterday when I was out. I should have taken a pic to put on here. I read that it is going to be hot this year, but not a heatwave like last summer.

I have been feeling a right mess after just sitting around at home for the last 6 weeks. We have saved money by not going out although we have given in and had a takeaway a few times. We managed to sell concert tickets we were not going to use which is handy. I got the money in our account today.

I am going out this weekend, finally! I am seeing a film on Friday and also a film on Saturday and eating out with my husband on Friday evening and on Sunday with my brother at a pub for a Sunday roast. It feels quite exciting after being indoors so much!

I dyed my roots this morning and I will do my nails Friday before I go out. I need some new clothes so I might look around the charity shops on Friday. Someone on this forum told me about some shops in Southend that I haven't tried before.:)

artistlifestyle

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend. Meeting with family today, friends tomorrow and working on Monday. Too wet to cut the lawn, and been too busy back at work to carry on with the borders, next week for that. Managing energy levels is still interesting. Had a lovely day off on Thursday though and went to the coast. 

Off to make some cardamom scones to take with me today as they supplied the cardamom. Yum. 

helensbiggestfan

Good Morning my lovely friends.  

Just dropping by to wish you all a Wonderful Weekend, However you decide to spend it.  

Sadly I'm still recovering from my tooth extraction on Tuesday, feeling rather uncomfortable and very tired because the pain is keeping me awake at night,  so it's just a quiet weekend for me, gently pottering about and catching up with some jobs around the house and garden. 

Need to tackle some ironing.  I know how to have fun.  😂🤣.  

Artistlifestyle.  I get what you're saying about managing energy levels. This is my problem at the moment. I have such low energy levels right now. Must try and work on that.  A decent nights sleep would help. Lol.  

Actually it's not all bad so I mustn't give way to negativity.  That was (hopefully) the last tooth extraction and yesterday was the penultimate chiro treatment, so that's all the nasty stuff out of the way at long last.    Chiro is definitely getting easier so, in the future, four to six weekly maintenance treatments should be a doddle.  And the dentist did say the worst was over, that the actual implant procedure was far less painful than extractions.  🤞.  

I have learned a valuable lesson from all this.......not to overreach myself by subjecting myself to two simultaneous treatment  programmes.  In future I will plan these things with more care.  

Getting warmer here but still quite grey and overcast.  Hopefully the sun will show its face soon.  

So for now it's just steady as she goes.  I have booked a hair appt for next Friday and I am aiming to have a couple of clothes shopping trips next week. 

Time to revamp my summer wardrobe.  💐🌞😎.  

The bag lady look is so last season......😉

artistlifestyle

How's everybody?
So it's Tuneful Tuesday here. Cutting the grass in a spare hour and hanging out the red, white and blue, bunting to my favourite music. Got visitors staying on Coronation Day, so I thought I'd make the garden look the part. Some of the bunting is old, last came out for the Jubilee.
Made a lovely oat and bran loaf too, no UP bread here most of the time, except in emergencies.
enjoy your week.

helensbiggestfan

Hello Everyone.

Artistlifestyle…..sounds like you're in for a fun time for the coronation. Not quite sure what I'm doing on the actual day but I have a pretty packed diary from Sunday onwards, seeing either friends or family most days next week. I too have been gardening like mad, trying to get everything nice.

Wellness Wednesday

The Wellness Programme has rather hit the buffers at the moment. I have been feeling a bit below par so not much happening and not much to write about. Im just coasting, trying to rest and recuperate.

I am still struggling with post tooth extraction pain. It's been over a week now so I've booked an appt with the dentist on Friday. I am guessing it's a case of "dry socket" again so it will need sorting. I am truly fed up with it all tbh, Hey Ho …this too will pass. In the meantime I have stocked up on painkillers……lol.

At least I'm done with tooth extractions and dental remedial work for now so hopefully I can have a break. Just one more chiro and then I'm done with those too. I have learned my lesson. Next time I need anything similar I will do one thing at a time and not try to be clever.

Was feeling so fed up and demoralised this morning I decided it was time for some retail therapy to try and cheer myself up. Hit the chazzers and picked up three pairs of trousers, two tops and a maxi dress. £13 the lot, so that put a smile back on my face without breaking the bank.

Anyway I'm determined not to wallow in self pity 😂🤣 It's a lovely day so I shall head off for a nice walk later and potter in the garden.

But first coffee………..have a great day. ❤️

artistlifestyle

@helensbiggestfan anything dental can be so intrusive and debilitating, really hope you feel better soon
It’s a Thrifty Thursday here, putting off shopping til last minute and eating out of fridge and cupboards. Last night used up some very old lentil pasta found when I did the sort out, with tired veg from the fridge and a can of mackerel in tomato sauce, it was surprisingly good. 

Popping to the butchers later for a few of their pork pies for Saturday and weeding the border in between meetings. Joys of self employment. Preventing the neighbours ground elder, brambles and nettles coming through is a constant struggle. Hopefully when my shrubs are bigger and I’m even older it won’t matter so much. It’s a real on your hands and knees task, and I have bought a kneeler with handles to make getting up and down easier. 
 

helensbiggestfan

Thrifty Thursday. 

Artistlifestyle I have had a thrifty day today too.  Like you I am using up stuff rather than going food shopping.  Tonight I just had chips and beans.......all I fancied. Tbh I'm struggling to eat because my mouth hurts so much but at least the beans made the chips easier. 

Had to reschedule tomorrows hair appt so I could get a last minute slot with the dentist.  My hair is desperate for a cut so I grabbed a chance to get it done on Saturday,  therefore whilst KCIII is getting crowned I shall be getting my hair done. 😂🤣.  Never mind I can probably watch the highlights.  

I have one of those kneelers...,it was my mums.  They help don't they.  

failingminimalist

Hello everyone - I have been missing - Fibro has been playing up, Loki the pup has been horribly and worryingly sick and my Nan is in hospital with internal bleeding that they can't work out where it's coming from.  All in all its been a horrible week and its safe to say that my Fibro isn't at all happy with all the stress.

Thank goodness for pet insurance is all I can say - its cost nearly 6K to get Loki better, but it is worth every penny.  I am so excited to be going to pick him up this afternoon - 5pm can't come around soon enough! 

How is everyone doing? Did we all watch the Coronation? Hugs to all in need xx