Frump to Fab 2024

helensbiggestfan

Ooh enjoy the concert.  Bet it will be fab.  

My DIL mentioned covid. Apparently her parents and their extended family have all just had it. They were in Costa Rica for a family celebration and it just swept through the hotel like wildfire.  Luckily the symptoms were mild and they all shrugged it off ok, even though some of them were in their 80s.  

Actually it could also be linked to hay fever.  I took an anti histamine earlier and I do feel a bit better.  I'll see how I go and if it doesn't clear soon then I'll get tested.  

helensbiggestfan

Good morning lovely ladies.  

Been a bit of a non week, the lurgy lingers on, still coughing away. It's not covid, so that's something but I've had to cancel all my appts etc.  hey ho, never mind, it will pass.  At least the weather has been nice, although dare I say it, a couple of days were a bit too hot for me.   

We are never happy are we.  

Other than that all is good, just need to keep fabbing and keep trying to lose a bit of weight. I am NOT giving up.   Hoping for more fun next week. 

FreetodoasIlike

Good luck good luck with your weight loss - it’s hard isn’t it?! I’ve lost 1lb this week (stayed the same last week) so I suppose it’s better than nothing (provided it’s not just water loss). Hey ho, onwards and downwards. It’s a pity, as I really cut down on my calories and thought I would lose more.

@Wednesday2000 Did you enjoy the concert? How’s your house hunting going? Your photos in the past of Leigh-on-Sea are lovely so staying put might be an option? However, I think you said it wasn’t your forever home, only until your husband retires, which must be imminent. I suppose you chose it for his commute and that, because of this, house prices may be high in Leigh as it would attract a lot of Londoners and could tend to push the prices up. You might get a lot more house for your money elsewhere. But now that retirement looms, the choice of location is far and wide, but as it’s a huge decision, I can understand you don’t want to rush things. If it’s going to be your forever home you’ve got to get it right!

I would have moved years ago, but with our jobs and my elderly mum (still going strong at 102) it wasn’t really an option and as we’re settled where we are, I don’t think there is any chance of our moving. I think when you get your house how you like it it’s hard to find anything better. The only thing I would do again if I were to move would be not to live nearby a school. There is a local primary and secondary school near us and you have to time your trips/visits so that you don’t coincide with the school rush as it’s manic on the roads. The other drawback is that when we first moved here many years ago, there weren’t as many houses. Since then, some estates have been built, which puts pressure on the one main road you have to get to in order to get to other places. But apart from that - we’re happy where we are!!!! There is a reasonable bus route which I could access if I had to stop driving, so if I were to move, I would have to take this into consideration. No point in being out in the sticks if you can’t go anywhere without a car!

thepurplepixie

I agree with you about the schools.  I live near a primary school, it was built as one form entry but five years ago they decided to rebuild it, made it 3 form entry and included a nursery.  So 200 children because nearly 700 and then you got the parents parking and how they do park.

I'm really pleased that I've lost a pound this week.  With the visitors staying, lots of nice meals and even a Devon cream tea I think it is encouraging.

Wednesday2000

The Taylor Swift concert was amazing. I have never been to such a slick show. I wish we had been nearer the stage, but we were lucky to get those tickets. I think there were 400,000 people in front of my husband at one point in the queue when he was buying the tickets.

We sold the extra Taylor Swift ticket for £525. My husband accidentally bought a single ticket for the wrong night so we had to sell it as I didn't particularly want to go to such a long show on my own. I could have done without the ear splitting screaming from the girls there towards the end, though. I felt quite exhausted the next day. I have no idea how she has the energy as I read she partied until 4 in the morning after doing the 3 and a half hour show!

My husband is officially retired now.  I did go through our finances yesterday and our monthly household bills (not groceries) are £730 a month. I'm sure people on here spend much less, but that is fine for us. We do spend a lot on going out/eating out so I need to rein that in a lot until we get used to being on a fixed amount.

We had an outdoor concert last night and it was okay, but we both were really not in the mood so we just stayed to see Professor Green and then had some food and a cider from one of the stalls and then came home shortly after. 

I am going down to Kent next week to look around the area and meet my cousin who will show me around a bit more. There isn't really any rush for us to move so it depends if we see a house we like this year.

artistlifestyle

hello everyone, just catching up after an absence. Loved reading all your news and ventures. Wild is my deodorant choice. Tried to sell a few items on Vinted but then after a few months took to the chazza, as they were just cluttering up the house. 

I relocated after my life changed completely and I’m very happy with where I am. Still making new friends and connections, mainly through arty things and volunteering. We’d moved a lot anyway so I wasn’t settled or rooted which made the decision easier. 
Turned out my chest infection earlier in the year was pneumonia, no wonder it took a good while to get back to full health. Plus I’ve had eye trouble and now have to go to the hospital regularly. It’s much better than it was, and I can still do everything and drive. I’m so grateful for that, it was a bit scary. My employers are flexible with my shifts and the appointments so that’s ok. 

I’ve already had some nice days out, despite the weather, and trips to see family and friends for my time off this year. Love a bit of catch up and adventures in my car. 

I seem to be ok for clothes this year, especially as summer is absent, but there’s a wedding coming up next year so that’s exciting and I wonder if Vinted can come into its own there? 

Started sprouting peas in a jam jar for extra protein and crunch in my salads and continuing my cholesterol lowering eating plan. 

All the main meals this week and next are coming out of the freezer so I can defrost it when it’s empty. Still buying veg to go with. Meals have an element of pot luck as not all the pots are labelled. It might be soup, or risotto, or bolognaise or something else. I can usually tell from the colour… 😂
keep on keeping on, til the next time
ALS xx 

thepurplepixie

Hi @artistlifestyle my freezer contents are a similar lucky dip.  When I put things in I think it is obvious what they are but then it isn't quite so clear when I come to use them.

I sympathise with the chest infection, I've been suffering on and off since last November, it is gradually improving but I'm a bit fed up with the "you need to cut the cigarettes out" comments as I've never smoked  a cigarette in my life.but I have to admit I sound like I smoke 40 a day.

Makingabobor2

What is your cholesterol lowering eating plan @artistlifestyle? I've recently been told I have high cholesterol....although when I investigated my scores, they weren't actually that bad. But Dr wanted to put me on statins and I refused and wanted to try plant sterols, which she has agreed to. Trouble is they are massive and I am having to crush them as I find it hard to swallow them....lol.  Trying to eat better, its just cutting out the chocolate and cakes that is the hard part.  I always ate quite healthy apart from that. What are you doing?

helensbiggestfan

Hello Lovely Ladies.  

My 73rd birthday today and I have to confess I still have not been able to evict the Frump.  Despite my best efforts I still have a mountain to climb.  Disappointing to say the least,  oh well I'll just keep plodding along. 

Not only that but next month it will be the 10th anniversary of my husbands death. I need to move forward now, ditch the frumpy widow and become a stylish singleton.  

Definitely not looking for a man (😱😂🤣) but just want to live life to the full in the time I have left.  To do this I need to up my game.

 Stop procrastinating and just get on with it.......

on a more positive note.....I had a lovely lunch with my youngest son, family and friends yesterday and I am spending this weekend with my eldest son and family.  Being spoilt rotten and having a good time.  Sod the diet.  😉

SandyShores

Happy Birthday Helen, sounds like you are having a fab time, enjoy

@Makingabobor2 I had a high cholesterol test last year and I also refused to go onto statins.  Its one of the reasons I said I was going to get fit and slim down a bit, which I did - but then put it all back on again.  Now you've reminded me of a good reason to be more diligent with the exercising and cutting out the cakes and biscuits again.  The British Heart Foundation has a useful webpage  - its all the things we know but then don't put into practice.  I did start having the yoghurts and spread with sterols in, but had to stop the yoghurts as I was eating too many .  Hubby bought the spread again the other day though and I think that's a good compromise - and stops me spreading the butter over everything.