La Dolce Vita - 2025

Wednesday2000

That would be wonderful to meet you. My uncle lives in Saltburn so I said he should help me with planning the trip as I would like to see him too. People have heard of Saltburn now because of that notorious film!

Floss

Wednesday2000 said:

My Grandfather was actually from Newcastle. I have been to a few places in the north, I went to York a couple of times in the past few years. I was thinking about going to Whitby for the Goth festival next year and then maybe going to other places like Liverpool. 

I was born in Newcastle 😊

Let me know if you're coming to Liverpool, it's my closest city.

Wednesday2000

I might be going to Liverpool too. I haven't really worked it out yet. I was standing next to a man on the tube and I heard him saying that he flies to Newcastle, which didn't even occur to me. I was thinking of going by train.

helensbiggestfan

Hello my lovely friends.  

I don't know whether it's any quicker to fly within the U.K., especially when you add in check in times and transfers but it's often quite a bit cheaper than the train.  Train fares do seem disproportionally high.

Saltburn.  Lol. I rewatched it recently, it's definitely a dark one but I did enjoy it, even more so second time around.  It's one of those films where you can easily miss the important little details on the first viewing.  

Anyhoo......life is going well.  My vita is still dolce. 😁.  I do so love being retired, I just the love the freedom. I give thanks everyday for my happy retired life.  Being able to do what I want, when I want, with no-one watching over my shoulder, no criticism, no "helpful suggestions", no lengthy commutes, no deicing the car on dark frosty mornings, no freezing site offices, no obnoxious clients. Lol.  Just peace. 

But.....I have been busy.  Gardening and decluttering mainly.  Making good steady progress.  Aiming to start decorating soon.  Have been socialising more too.  Although still in a fair bit of pain with fibro and arthritis so pacing myself.  But all in all I'm happy with the way things are panning out.  The house feels like "mine" now.  

helensbiggestfan

Good afternoon my lovely friends. 

A typical grey dark November afternoon.  Perfect for some serious Hygge. Lol.  One thing about this house that is a real bonus is that  its energy rating is B. A far cry from my last F registered property, which took an eternity to heat up and which cooled down almost immediately you switched the heating off.   It is lovely to be so warm and cosy and I don't nearly faint when I receive the gas bill. 😊. 

I Have been busy so haven't been out much.   Although I did manage to go to a concert last Sunday evening.  An ELO tribute band, thoroughly enjoyed it.  Took me back to my misspent youth. 😉

The good news is I am finally getting my lounge decorated,  my go to handy man is doing it.  Although it's only slapping emulsion on the walls, sadly I am not really up to decorating these days. Getting too old and decrepit........ I'm not doing anything fancy or complicated, but changing the colour will make a huge difference.  Like many young people the previous owners rather overdid the grey. Grey flooring, grey walls, grey blinds, the works.  Lol. As if it wasn't grey enough outside.  I have chosen Dulux's Light and Space range, which contains light reflecting particles to help bounce light around.  Sounds mad but it does work. I've used it before and it makes a big difference in small darker rooms.  It really does do what it says on the tin!!!!   

I have chosen a warm cream, in keeping with my habit of keeping the big things neutral and then adding personality and colour through accessories, changing the colour schemes with the seasons.  I have already picked up some red and green accessories ready to complement the Christmas decorations.  In my best Miranda Priestly voice (Devil Wears Prada). "Christmas, Green and Red. Groundbreakingl  😂🤣. 

I have donated my 7'6" Christmas tree, it would be far too big for this house and shall buy something smaller.  I will go back to having a real tree with roots this year which I can then plant out in the garden.  Speaking of trees I recently planted three small eucalyptus saplings. I wanted evergreens for extra privacy.  Bought them off eBay, £13 for 3.  Yes they are small but they grow easily. In fact I checked them this morning and they look happy and healthy.  The garden centre wanted £59 for one, admittedly they were bigger but I am patient.  I don't mind waiting an extra year for them to grow and spread out.  Come spring they should take off.  

Other than that, nothing much happening.  Life is good, the vita is still dolce.  😁

Humdinger1

Sounds fab @helensbiggestfan! Totally agree re grey; too much sucks the lifeblood out. A vampire among colours.  Onwards and upwards love Humdinger xx 

helensbiggestfan

Good morning my lovely friends.  

A glorious morning.  So nice to see that yellow thing in the sky.  🌞.   Aiming to have a bit of a potter in the garden, mainly tidy up the leaves.  

Humdinger.  A great description of grey as a vampire colour.  lol.  I find it very depressing. 

The lounge is now a rich warm cream colour and it looks so much better.  Still have the same grey laminate flooring but have put a large oriental rug down which helps. And of course it will soon be Christmas decoration time.  Then in the new year I will be adding new artwork, accessories, maybe splurge on a new sofa.  Fancy a nice rich jewel toned velvet.......

I do enjoy "nesting". 😁

All is good here.  Hope you are all well.  

Humdinger1

Ooh velvet sofas @helensbiggestfan! Glorious. Glad that all is well love Humdinger xx 

helensbiggestfan

Good Morning my lovely friends.....

How are we all, are we getting ready for Christmas.  Can't believe we are almost there.  This year has flown by.  Must admit I'm looking forward to it, spending time with my family.  The grandsons are now 5 and 7.  A perfect age for Christmas fun and magic.  And yes, I am a typical doting grandmother who loves to spoil them all.  My dodgy knee has been playing up so I have been doing most of my Christmas shopping online this year, 🥂 in hand, a few snacks, melting the plastic.  Very civilised.  Lol. 

Had a nice big fat juicy tax rebate this week. Wahoo. 💃 so yes I shall definitely be treating myself to some nice new furniture and accessories in the new year. Just need to decide on sofa colour.  Stuck between olive green or rust, some of the principal colours in my rug, so just need to decide which.  Rust would be lovely for autumn/winter but I think a soft olive green might be a better "all purpose" colour which I can then warm or cool down by switching out accessories. 

Had a very interesting experience whilst out shopping last Saturday.  Nothing exciting, only grocery shopping at Aldis, but it was both fun and quite enlightening in its way.   I was sporting my new hair cut and although I wasn't wearing make up and wasn't exactly dressed to kill I must have looked reasonably put together because a rather dashing gentleman of a certain age began flirting with me by the chilled desert cabinets.  I was gobsmacked but I smiled and flirted back.  Then blow me, as I continued round the store, three other lone men smiled, gave me appreciative glances etc.  I was so taken aback, although very flattering course for a 74 year old woman, somewhat past her prime.  

Have supermarkets on Saturday become the new "pick up" places. Lol.   The 21st century equivalent of discos and dance halls.  

Nice to know  I am still worthy of some appreciative male attention.  🤪

daisy_1571

oh well done you!  Thats very flattering even if you aren't interested   

Dxx