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

Christianne1957

Beautifully put "There's an old saying that the best things in life are free.  I would take that one a stage further and say that often the best things in life aren't actually things at all.  Time with people I love and care about is the most precious of all."

I am looking forward to having the time for simple (and cheap) pleasures - reading a library book in the garden on a summer day, getting my home in order, making jam/wine and baking with lovely foraged fruit in the Autumn, sewing/tailoring my CS finds. I have had wear a work uniform of flat boots, trousers, polo shirt and sweatshirt for the last twenty years, so looking to editing my wardrobe to be more feminine and colourful

I have lost many friends in recent years - they worked too and all those plans for the fun things we'd do together once we all retired will now never be. I am grateful to still be here but aware I need to make new friendships as I look towards old age so need to work on that too

helensbiggestfan

Fab Friday. 

And thank goodness I feel more fabulous than I did last Friday.  Last Friday I felt so low, but it transpired that. It was Day 3 of my sugar withdrawal so that probably had a lot to do with it.  Today is Day 10 and am still on my sugar free journey.  I feel tons better, no real cravings. No weight loss yet but that's ok.  I'll get there.  I think I have finally cracked it and I'm sure the weight loss will happen....eventually.  

Reducing caffeine next......after Christmas.  Just one thing at a time.  

What can I do to be fabulous today and to introduce  more "fabulousity" into my life.  I will take a bit extra care with my appearance.  I have been watching some hair styling videos and experimenting with my hair, trying to rescue my disappointing hair cut.  I could have it all cropped into a pixi cut and start again but I'm trying to avoid that because I want to try and grow it a bit.  So I'll try and hang on till January and then visit my old hairdresser and see if he can sort it out.  

Chiro appt today.  It's been a while and I am so ready.  Walking around like an orangutang is not a good look. 😉. I feel like I need a good "racking". (Being stretched out on a rack ......the old mediaeval torture). 

Christianne.  Sorry to hear that you have lost some of your friends.  That's so sad.  I remember my dear pretend Aunty S telling me that she was "the last one left". All her siblings, cousins, etc and most of her friends her own age had died.  The sadness in her voice was heartbreaking. I was young, in my 30s at the time and although we were close obviously she missed people nearer her own age because of their shared memories and experiences.  

You are so right, we need to nurture our friendships and also continue to try and foster new ones,  I think I shall add Friendship Friday to my list.  Make a point of contacting a friend.  Oddly enough I had already decided to do that today so your comments are a timely reminder. 

Have a fab day.  

Siebrie

My parents were very good at actively seeking out younger people for their social circle. They would invite people for lunch after church on Sunday, different people, sometimes a mix of 'singles', and would try to stay in touch. Now that Dad has passed away, Mum has quite a few young people offering help

helensbiggestfan

I read somewhere that Joan Collins made a point of befriending younger people too.  Maybe that's how she met Percy.   Maybe I should try it....I like a younger man. 😂🤣.   

My first husband was 5 years older than me (although he acted 20 years older).  My darling second husband was 6 years younger and much more on my wavelength.  😉

Makingabobor2

helensbiggestfan said:

I read somewhere that Joan Collins made a point of befriending younger people too.  Maybe that's how she met Percy.   Maybe I should try it....I like a younger man. 😂🤣.   

My first husband was 5 years older than me (although he acted 20 years older).  My darling second husband was 6 years younger and much more on my wavelength.  😉

My DH is 12 years younger than me. He's not my 1st husband....least said about that the better...lol.  I was almost 40 when I met him and my parents thought it was dreadful that I should want to marry a younger man. In there eyes, husbands should always be older.  Anyway, we have not been married over 26 years and by the time my mum passed, 3 years ago, she loved him and thought he was wonderful.  My dad also gets on very well with him now and DH has done a lot to help my dad with DIY etc as dad is now 91 and not able to do things himself.  I know that being with a younger man is what keeps me feeling young and you'd never know he wasn't a "blood" grandad to my 4 DGSs, he loves them to bits. When I look at photos I've seen on FB of my ex, who was 3 years older than me, I just think I'm so definitely in the right place now. Like your 1st husband, mine acted very old.   Also I've retired, but DH is still working, so we are able to get the debts & mortgage paid off, that we so stupidly accrued in our early years of marriage.

weenancyinAmerica

On my Swiss branch of the family, the men are often up to 15 years older than their wives, but on my Swedish side, the women are older than their husbands. In one case, the husband was twenty to her forty. They had two children one of whom was my great grandfather and were married for forty years. When they were married, she already had five children from her first marriage. The oldest was almost the age of the second husband. All five ended up taking his surname. With my English ancestors, the husband usually turns out to be older by two to three years.

Siebrie

In my family the wives are usually 5 years older than their husbands. I only know of my sister and a cousin whose husbands are older (by 1 year and by 25 years).

helensbiggestfan

Wonderful Weekend 

Good morning lovely ladies.  

Thoroughly enjoyed reading your posts about relationship age gaps.  Interesting stuff.  Just goes to show physical age is really just a number. It's our mental and emotional age that count. 

I am aiming to make it a putting up the Christmas decorations  weekend.  My grandsons are due any minute to "help" put up the tree.  😱😂.  

Have fun and have a wonderful weekend.  

Christianne1957

What a lovely memory making thing to do with your grandsons - a special time that money can't buy that will be treasured by them as they grow up

helensbiggestfan

Super Sunday. 

Hello my lovely friends. 

It's a a dark miserable day here, but then again we are fast approaching The Winter Solstice so not really surprising.  Today I am going to do some cleaning and then put up some more Christmas decorations.  The tree needs tweaking, my grandsons did their best but as they are only 3 and 5 the poor things  looks rather haphazard and bedraggled. I wont undo all their good work though, just a few minor adjustments.  😉 

Feeling very lethargic today so I am going to have to push myself. I would much rather just hibernate with a good book or a film but I must crack on.   I feel like I need some sun.......maybe March time.  I want my teeth finished and to lose some weight first so I can look and feel a bit more like my old self. I'm still feeling very frumpy and unattractive, and whilst I feel like this I don't even want to socialise much let alone go on holiday.  

Hey ho.....the good thing about the winter solstice is that spring is never that far behind.