Frump to Fab 2024

Makingabobor2

I think my main Fabbing is trying to eat more healthily, getting my sleep in a better routine and exercising more. I've never really been one for lots of makeup, or having my nails done. I know a lot of people love it, but to me I'd rather spend the money on an experience or going out somewhere creating memories. I am having my hair cut next week, and a bit of a body MOT.....breast screening and also a screening for PAD which I had a letter about as they are trialling it in this area.  So as long as my body is in good order, I am happy

artistlifestyle

hello everyone. Every so often I have a wakeful night, this is it so I thought I’d have a catch up on here before a second sleep.

My fabbing is continuing on the admin side and studio. Little by little progress is being made on both fronts. The paper mountain is shrinking and the recycling to date has been collected. Shredding will be the last job. A few more files to do. Rome wasn’t built in a day 🤣

I’ve disposed of the old unwanted big furniture and it’s currently chaos in the attic. A work in progress for sure. Some of what’s to keep is stacked in the ensuite shower! Hope the tap doesn’t run! 😂 I might just get it all done before the garden needs my attention. Some more recycled ikea to take up there and build next week, it’s slow going on one’s own, but so satisfying. 👍 plus I get a lot of steps and even cardio in carrying all the parts up to the top a few at a time 🤣

I’m eating very healthily with loads of extra veggies every day, which I love. It’s just a bit time consuming to fit all the cooking in. I partly cooked some traditional broth mix yesterday and today will be adding all the chopped veg and some chicken. I have a chopping gadget with a handle and for batch cooking it makes it much quicker than chopping by hand. Some will be frozen. Plus this week I’m also making a kind of ratatouille with added butternut squash to have on my toasted home made bread. Again will freeze some. I’m working all weekend and some of next week so good to have nice quick things to eat and keep me going. Eating the freezer also progressing and making room for the fresh batches, it’s only a fridge freezer, 3 drawers but surprising what I can get in there. Freezer jenga is what the family say 😂

I had a shingles jab this week and had some side effects, but better than bad shingles. Missed one active evening class due to fatigue. Second dose in 6 m. I also need the pneumonia jab but will wait a bit. They offered it at the same time but I’d never agree to two jabs at once, it’d be too much for my body. 

Your teeth and implant stories make me shudder, I go regularly but eek the dentist . I had a bit of a while without one, after moving it took ages to get a new dentist and through Covid, even privately. I have one nearby now, seems ok, not NHS, Time will tell. 

Had a hair cut 2 w ago, a lovely lady comes to the house and I wash it before she arrives. Works well and I’ve never been able to afford salon prices.
I’ve got a good jigsaw on the go this week and I’m enjoying that in between knitting and crochet, and needed a break from tv. 

Once the current major winter/spring projects are finished I’ll need to give the house a big clean. While I'm so busy it’s just the minimum vacuuming, kitchen tops, bathrooms etc, there’s just not enough hours and energy to get it all done. Family coming in March, so that’s my deadline. 

Also trying to exercise more regularly and had some extra walks. There’s an easy 15 minute block from where I live so although it’s dull it’s quite satisfying to add this in one or two times day. Now it’s getting lighter it’s more appealing. 

Have a good weekend x 

thepurplepixie

I had a nightmare last night.  Not sure what caused it as I don't generally have nightmares.  I had murdered someone, not sure who or how or even why as the nightmare started after the murder as I was trying to get rid of the body.  People I worked with years ago kept appearing as I was about to move the body and I knew the office was going to be closing soon so time was running out.  I was in a terrible panic  Woke up feeling out of breath and very stressed.  I think I'm going to avoid news programmes today as they aren't exactly positive and so much violence.

On a brighter note I had a lovely long shower and washed then blow dried my hair.  It's actually looking better than it has in a long time so that is definitely a positive.

I'm off to Asda shortly.  I ordered some nice winter coats for the little grandchildren in the Asda sale as I thought 50% off was pretty good and I've had a text that they are ready to be collected..  Hope daughter and daughter in law like them, I don't fool myself that son and son in law are interested in what one and 2 year olds are wearing. I don't go to Asda very often as I have to drive past 3 supermarkets to get there so seems a bit pointless so I will take the opportunity to have a look round.  I'm just waiting for the rain to ease off a bit as it is really pelting down here.

Makingabobor2

With ref to what you said about cooking veggies being time consuming. I follow 2 amazing Australian ladies and they were showing a brill idea. Dice up lots of carrot, sweet potato, beetroot, onion, and garlic if you like it. Air Fry or bake and then when cool, put in airtight container in fridge and will last for several days and can just grab a few handfuls to put in salad or anything.  Suppose you could also add squash & swede etc

sukeyboo

@thepurplepixie - it’s horrible when you have those sort of nightmares - when I have had similar ones in the past you are almost frightened to go back to sleep 😱.

@artistlifestyle - sounds like you have been really busy with your sorting and admin - well done fir getting it under control.

My fabbing for today was a checkup at the dentist - good news that there is no treatment needed - he actually said that my teeth and gums are in excellent condition 😁.

Not exactly MSE but I am looking at treating myself and a friend to a spa day as I had a small win on the premium bonds this month.

Have a good weekend all 😀

FreetodoasIlike

@sukeyboo I know what you mean about nightmares! I still dream of ex-colleagues - wonder why? People I haven’t seen for years. Enjoy your spa day. I had a small win too on the premium bonds (only £25) but every little helps! Glad your teeth are in good shape. Unfortunately, mine were falling out, hence the implants. I think it stemmed from childhood, when we lived abroad in an Asian country for a while for my father’s job. I didn’t eat much and my mother almost fed me on Coca Cola as she thought at least I was getting something down me. Little did she know (bless her) that it was ruining my teeth.

@thepurplepixie - how scary your dream was! Sometimes it’s good to give yourself a break from watching news programmes - there is so much bad news these days and there is unfortunately nothing as individuals we can do about it.

I didn’t’ “fab” today, but had a good clean in the kitchen/lounge. I don’t need to de-clutter, as I am fairly minimalist. With my OH, it’s a different story, but as he has his own room in our loft conversion, he can clutter all he wants. Apart from cleaning the adjoining en-suite and hoovering I just shut the door on him! I like my clutter-free space downstairs. It makes it sound like he’s up there permanently but I do let him down occasionally (honest Gov).

@Makingabobor2 - great tip about vegetables. I have an air fryer and will try this.

Hope everyone enjoys the rest of the weekend.

artistlifestyle

@Makingabobor2 thank you, I do this sometimes but need to remember more often and often reheat rather than add to salads. Will try this week. Got butternut squash in the fridge 

@thepurplepixie that sounds horrible, big hugs. 

@sukeyboo thank you. I tell myself all progress is good even if only a little is achieved. It’s all going in the right direction. I also sometimes forget that things take longer than they used to now since it’s just me. 

@FreetodoasIlike that’s funny ! 

No fabbing today, just work and a bit of knitting tonight. 

Take care everyone x

thepurplepixie

Well it happened again!  Last nights horror was water leaking from the bathroom.  We have a revamp of living room at the end of last year, replastered, new carpet, new radiators, redecorated and new sofas.  In my dream I was in this room and I was chatting to someone but could hear water, eventually I looked up and it was pouring through the ceiling.  I rushed upstairs and was banging on the bathroom door to get DH to stop the shower.  The room was ruined with the wallpaper peeling off and everything soaked.

Few problems with the scene setting as the bathroom isn't above the living room, DH showers in the ensuite which also isn't above the living room and it was the wrong wallpaper.

I was so happy to wake up but I just don't know what is causing this, I'm not one for having nightmares and I hope this doesn't become a regular thing.

helensbiggestfan

Good Morning Lovely Ladies

Purple Pixie .....Sorry to hear you are still having troubled sleep.  I could be wrong but I tend to think that unpleasant immersive dreams often occur when one is undergoing some stress or some kind of anxiety.  Often we may not even be aware that we are stressed or anxious but our subconscious mind is sending us a message through dreams.   I think you are wise to avoid the news for a while, there is so much doom and gloom in the world at the moment, even if it doesn't impact us directly it is there in the background.  

Our brains are divided into compartments, the pre frontal cortex which is responsible for our thought processes and reasoning, the cerebellum which controls involuntary actions, such as movement, speech, swallowing etc and the amygdala (sometimes referred to our Lizard brain). This is the oldest part of our brain, dating right back to when we were invertebrates.  It's function is to keep us safe, for example it is responsible for our fight or flight reflex when it signals the need for our adrenal glands to produce cortisol and adrenaline. 

The amygdala is always on high alert for danger, even at night when we are asleep it is still scanning for any perceived threats.  Sometimes the amygdala becomes over stimulated and goes a bit haywire, sending out incorrect instructions and signals.  It could be that your amygdala is sending out the wrong signals and that your body is producing too much cortisol.  Cortisol is the stress hormone and your dreams do sound stress related.  

Although we cannot control our amygdala as such it can be calmed down and reprogrammed through meditation and relaxation techniques. Journalling can really help to offload built up stress or anxiety, just writing down the bad stuff and "dumping it" can really help calm things down as can practising gratitude.

It might also be worth looking at your evening routines and practising good sleep hygiene habits. No computer screens or mobiles after say 7pm, a warm relaxing bath, easy tv such as a relaxing film or series you enjoy, avoiding the evening news, no stimulants such as tea, coffee or alcohol. Maybe have you main meal a little earlier.  

Yes, dreams often "set the scene wrong" and often seem to be nonsensical but I do believe they are trying to tell us something.  

As a child I had a particularly distressing recurrent dream, involving large ant like creatures marching towards me.  I would wake up trembling and sweating. I didn't have the most idyllic of childhoods so you don't need to be a psychiatrist to work that one out.  😟.  As soon as I left home the ant dream ceased.  Occasionally I have a dream where I have to catch a plane or train and I'm woefully unprepared, running around like a headless chicken, trying to pack a suitcase but unable to for some reason.  I think we can safely say this is about feeling overwhelmed.....lol.  

Had a nice at home mini spa day yesterday, hair, nails, facial.  Have ordered some new hair products but what I really need to do is book a hair cut.  I have also ordered an air fryer.  I am struggling to lose weight and I've decided I'm probably using too much oil and butter, so thought an air fryer might help. Just a small one, there's only me.  And of course they are cheaper to run than a traditional oven. 

Day 22 of being caffeine free.  Still feeling a bit under par, the productive cough and catarrh is quite troublesome. (No cold just the cough). I did look up withdrawal symptoms and sure enough it said excessive mucous production was the body's way of detoxing. Hopefully it will clear soon, it really is rather unpleasant.   Still feeling dreadfully tired and keep falling asleep during the day.  Everything I've learned about caffeine withdrawal does say that it can take weeks (in some cases months) to clear the system completely. The recommendation is to try and stick it out for at least 30 days.  At least the headaches have stopped and I'm definitely sleeping better.  So I must be doing something right.  😂

Hey ho, just need to keep on, keeping on.  

Have a good week, stay fabulous.  💕

Makingabobor2

I always seem to have awful dreams when I am really ill, like when I had pneumonia, covid, any sort of infection etc. Also when my mum was really ill and passed. The dreams were nothing to do with my mum, but I'm sure they were because of it and in a way were telling me something