Frump to Fab - 2025

Wednesday2000

Glad to read it wasn't anything too serious regarding your health. That is a good idea about building storage in your home. If we get a flat after this house I will definitely look for unused  areas to build extra storage.

I think summer has really dragged and I don't mind Autumn coming. It did feel cooler today.

I booked myself a hair appointment for next week as I'm going to Bournemouth and Brighton in early September. I'm probably going to get some highlights done and a good cut too. I went to a local secondhand store today as I wanted a white TV unit and found one for £10 so I was happy with that.🙂

helensbiggestfan

Well done on the tv unit.  I'm going to start looking for some vintage bits and pieces, furniture, artworks, decor etc in the next few weeks.  

Another hot one today. 😎.  

Taking a break from gardening/decluttering.  Both going well.  Two black bin liners of clothes waiting in my car to be dropped off. Wardrobe looking better already.  Going to treat myself to a few bits to fill in the gaps. Nice autumn colours. No more blacks, navy, greys or sludgy browns......

I've cleared the garden of weeds and pruned most of the shrubs, just two more to go.   Hoping to start planting soon.  Might need to get my handyman to give me a hand with the heavy digging. Then make a start on the decorating.exciting!!!   

helensbiggestfan

Hello Lovely Ladies. 

Well the great purge has begun.  Two bin liners full of unwanted clothes donated last week.  Boots and shoes next.  Desk cleared out ready for donation, along with some other pieces of unwanted furniture which are currently in the garage.  Will contact the YMCA this week.  If they wont accept it then I'll just hire a skip.  Time to get rid of the old to make way for the new.....

Chiro on Wednesday, then I might treat myself to a spa visit.  I haven't had a massage in aeons. Time for some serious pampering.

  I've noticed my eyebrows are sprouting more and more white hairs.  I just used to pluck out the odd strays but they seem to be multiplying. 😱😂.  I need to investigate a salon eyebrow treatment.  

And I really must book a hair appt.  I'm starting to look like a witch.  Lol. 

helensbiggestfan

Good Morning lovely ladies.  

Having a lazy one this morning. Easing myself gently into the day.  Lol. Chucking it down with rain so an indoor catch up day.  

Pleased with my new hair cut.  Still need to sort out a proper consultation for my eyebrows.  In the meantime I'm just using ordinary brow make up but I think I need to think about getting them dyed.  And I need to book that massage I keep promising myself.  

I also need to buy a few bits and pieces, some "transitional" tops and sweaters.  I recently bought some loungewear - wide legged "bottoms".  Smarter than leggings and warmer than pjs -  perfect for wearing round the house. 

I've been busy cooking, filling the freezer with "healthy" comfort foods, shepherds pies, casseroles, stewed apples, plums (for crumbles).  Going to try my hand at some homemade cakes, mainly for the grandchildren, although I'm not much of a baker. Im hopeless at pastry but I can manage a crumble and a simple banana cake. I know my limits. Lol 

Today I shall give myself a facial and a manicure.....

Floss

@helensbiggestfan I've had my brows waxed and brows & lashes tinted for years. My lashes are brown with fair tips and brows are a mix of brown, fair & white. It makes life much easier - no brow powder or mascara!

helensbiggestfan

My 90 Day Challenge. 

Good morning lovely ladies.  

Sadly I have been drifting a bit lately, falling back into bad habits.  So I've decided on a 90 day challenge to reset me back on the path of righteousness. Lol.  

Finance, house and garden, health and fitness.  

Here we go......Again.!!  

I keep falling by the way side, but I keep trying. Lol.  

sukeyboo

My health and fitness have fallen a bit by the wayside too recently @helensbiggestfan but, like you, I am determined to rectify that.

it’s the start of a new month today so I want it also to be a new start for me - more exercise, healthier eating and less booze - my weekends recently have been a series of very late nights and too much alcohol (due to relationship issues ☹️) but I am drawing a line under that now - as Yazz would have said ‘The Only Way Is Up’ 😀.

helensbiggestfan

We can do this Sukeyboo.  Let's do it together, become each others mentor and health and well being buddy.  

Sorry to hear about your relationship issues, hope things can get sorted to your satisfaction.  Remember the old adage. "Better no man, than the wrong man".  I was very fortunate in that I eventually found "my person" but I did have to kiss a fair few frogs before I found him.  🤪. 

As you say it's a new month, a good time to draw a line and start again.  

One of my issues is chronic pain, caused by arthritis and fibro.  I have been struggling quite a bit recently.  It's a vicious circle, lack of exercise makes it worse and yet when I'm in pain I find it very difficult to exercise.  And excess weight certainly doesn't help.   Anyway I have finally sought help from a GP. I don't want to be on pain meds for the rest of my life but have agreed to an "intervention" and have started taking medication, hopefully as a temporary measure.    

Hopefully I can break the cycle.  Take meds long enough to reduce pain so I can then exercise, get fitter, stronger and reduce pain naturally by exercising regularly and just generally enjoying a more active lifestyle.  

So my new word is resilience.  Digging deep, working through the pain and finding the resilience to not only keep going but to heal.

Oddly enough I find alcohol does seem to help a bit with pain relief. I have also found out that my cholesterol is a bit high. I refuse point blank to take statins, my joints hurt enough as it is without statins making joint pain even worse.    So I am actually going to start drinking a glass of red wine of an evening. Apparently red wine helps reduce cholesterol.  So, I'll have just one with dinner.  😁.   My aunt used to swear by it, and she lived till 96. !!!  

I think alcohol is fine, in moderation, unless of course your system can't tolerate it, in which case maybe best to stay clear.  I only ever have two drinks at most because I know my system can't cope with more so I find it easy to stick to my limit. 

I want to thrive not just survive. 

sukeyboo

@helensbiggestfan - I am lucky that I’m not carrying any excess weight but I know my fitness levels have dropped dramatically in the last few months - partially because of my situation but also I stopped exercising during the summer when it got really hot and then I have got out of the habit. I do suffer from frozen shoulder which comes and goes but I have noticed it has been worse since I stopped regular exercise. I do agree with you that it is a vicious circle as, like you say, it hurts to exercise but the best cure is moving around more and keeping active.

i am sure you are right alcohol being fine in moderation but, at the moment, I don’t drink at all during the week and then am overdoing it at the weekend.

Hopefully your medication will help and get you started on the road to recovery and wellbeing.

Wednesday2000

I have to get my cholesterol checked again in a couple of weeks. it had dropped considerably but the one that shouldn't be high was still a little high. I'm going to up my fruit and veg and I'm about to go and use my mini trampoline in a minute as that has been gathering dust for months now!

I'm going out to a festival this weekend and we booked a hotel for the night. It is right next to the sea, well estuary, but it should be nice.