Frump to Fab 2017 - A Whole New World

lessonlearned · 1 February 2017 at 2:19PM

Good morning lovely ladies.

February Already.

I'm going to make it Fabulously Frugal so I can save lots of pennies for some summer adventures......

Thanks for the tip about premier inn at Tower Bridge. I have friends that have used that one too. As you say great for a one nighter.

Bit grey and dismal. Got to wait in for builder today (a bit of exterior maintenance needed) so going to use the time to do some more decluttering and boxing up stuff for the loft.

MAman.......my son has an orangery - although currently being used as a workshop/junk room. It has a traditional slate roof but large windows on three sides and doors to garden, and a big radiator.

One day it will be a nice room......he has to sort out the proper workshop first and then he can bring back the orangery to its former glory. He's currently working on the kitchen but I know he's aiming to tackle the orangery this year.

It will be a great room for summer entertaining, even on a sunny winters day it gets nice and warm. A conservatory or sun room of some sorts is definitely on my wish list. My parents had one and on a sunny winters day it was lovely for afternoon tea.

I'm Another one looking forward to spring and getting stuck in the garden. Got loads of ideas, DS2 wants to build a seating area and I want to have a go at vertical gardening..... (easier for my back). Not long now.

Right lunch break over....back to the decluttering.

dreaming · 1 February 2017 at 2:35PM

maman wrote: »

Good to see you dreaming. I'm a big Slimming World fan as IMO it's the closest 'diet' you'll get to normal eating. Have a look at their website for a sample week's menu. In some areas GPs can refer patients who need to lose weight for health reasons to SW.

What sort of activities are you planning? .

Thanks for the welcome. Not sure if "activities" is the right word as there is a lot of weight to lose and I have a tendency to go dizzy if I move my head too much (have cervical spondylosis (arthritis in neck/back)). I have found a seated exercise class but am waiting for the next session to start. The idea being that I can build up some strength in my legs then walk more. Other than that I belong to 2 book groups, have just joined a craft club and the Townswomen's Guild (but not sure if that is for me as most of the members are in their late 70's and 80's - and quite doddery with it). In the summer I will be in the garden mainly. It's not that big but I do grow veg. in some raised beds. I wish I could interest eldest in something and get her out of the house but everything I suggest she just flatly refuses to consider. So all I can do for her is try to control the diet (although she has already hit the bread bin hard this morning). She wouldn't even consider Slimming World or similar but has been referred to a NHS group run by a dietician. She always thinks she knows so much better than the experts though so is likely to go once and then tell me it is a waste of time (aaagh). Plus she doesn't cope well with groups of people.
I tend to be quite happy in my own company for a lot of the time but can be sociable in small doses as well. I don't have many big goals as such but just like to keep learning things. I'm not very brave so you won't find me doing any sky-diving or wing-walking, and as I have to semi-support eldest (she only gets minimal benefits as she lives with me) I always have to consider cost.

Although it is a bit grey and wet here, I have a large mirror behind my laptop and I can see loads of birds flying round and looking for nest sites in the trees opposite. Soon be spring.

Have tickets to see Ruby Wax (Frazzled tour) with youngest on Friday. Then we will either be going shopping on Saturday, or I might "be roped in for housework" as youngest lives alone and works long hours. What a choice!

Floss · 1 February 2017 at 7:45PM

LL my DH always stays in either Premier Inn or Holiday In Express when traveling with his job (and when taking me away too!) as they are consistently clean, of a reasonable standard and there will be somewhere to eat very close.

chanie · 1 February 2017 at 9:30PM

maman wrote: »

So you do have the golden doors then!:rotfl:

I remember doing something similar with my DGD. She'd been studying the Great Fire so we took her to Pudding Lane. DH climbed the Monument with her. I guarded the coats and bags!:D

maman golden doors are so tacky. Mine are made from unicorn tears and pixie dust, cos I'm classy.

DS is learning about the Great Fire, so, yes, it's Pudding Lane, for us. I didn't realise that Monument related to the Great Fire - I thought it was Tube Station (obviously thought 'a monument' was there). Despite being a Londoner born and bred, there are so many places I haven't been to - when it's on your doorstep, you tend to take it for granted.

LL I wouldn't recommend staying in The City (the financial district) over the weekend. Years ago, I won a weekend stay in Hotel near Tower Bridge (I only lived a few miles away, so barely worth it). Anyway, me and OH stayed and it was like a ghost town, so we ended up going to the West End.

sugarbaby125 · 2 February 2017 at 12:32AM

Hello Ladies,

I went to the local Odeon to see Inferno today. Very MSE as it was a Silver Screen showing of the film so only cost £3 for the adult ticket. I really enjoyed the film even if it was a bit implausible in places.

Unfortunately my nephew has decided to cancel his upcoming wedding. No great surprise as it was all very rushed. Hopefully he will reschedule later in the year.

I had a very good night out last night at Karaoke. i wore perfume, black mascara, brown eye shadow and clear lip gloss. I decided to be brave and try out some new songs.

I sang:

1. For once in my life - Frank Sinatra

2. Can't take my eyes off of you - Andy Williams

3. That's the wonder of you - Elvis

4. Dream Lover - Bobby Darin

5. Perfect - Fairground Attraction

6. No Matter What - Boyzone

The 1st 3 songs were completely new for me and the other 3 I had not sung for about a year, so I decided to revisit them. I made a total mess of the Frank Sinatra song, because I forgot the tune, but I could laugh at myself. I will have to make an effort to learn that song. I usually just learn songs by singing them again and again at Karaoke.

The DJ also played lots of music that I really loved before the singers started to sing, so I danced my legs off. :j

indiepanda · 2 February 2017 at 12:53AM

grunnie wrote: »

I am going to colour me beautiful for colour analysis so hope it works haha.
Thanks for the perfume links and I have signed up for their newsletter and ordered the perfume bible from the library.

Let us know how you get on at CMB.

Re perfume books, the best one I ever read is Perfumes: The A to Z guide by Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez. It's a bit out of date now in terms of new releases, but in terms of the classic perfumes it's great, and their reviews range from the poetic to the really quite rude in a witty way.

maman wrote: »

Good to have you with us grunnie.:)
I thought of indie as soon as you mentioned colours. Indie uses a company that does a range of tops/clothes that fit in well with colours when you know them. I'm sure she'll post a link.

It's Kettlewell:
https://www.kettlewellcolours.co.uk/

It was set up by a woman who had her colours done and was then frustrated to struggle to find much in the shops in her colours. They aren't cheap, but the quality is good. The owner went to House of Colour to have hers done, so the site classifies things that way (i.e. spring / summer / autumn / winter) but they do have a translation into CMB tonal directions here:-

https://www.kettlewellcolours.co.uk/all-about-colour/tonal-directions

sukeyboo wrote: »

Let us know how you get on having your colours done grunnie - I keep toying with the idea but wonder if it is worth it or not? I really do need to get some new wardrobe staples for Spring/Summer and maybe a proper colour analysis would guide me in the right direction?

I definitely think it was worth it for me, and I also had the style analysis done too, which looks at your personality and body shape to come up with what styles works for you. I feel so much more like "me" since I had it done and if I find myself feeling uncomfortable in an outfit it's often because I've been tempted into buying something which deviates too far from the guidelines for my type.

MaddieMay, I know what you mean about needing to gel with a consultant. The first time I went to a House of Colour seminar I really didn't like the way the consultant dressed or banged on about never leaving the house without make up. I didn't go to get mind done until about ten years after I met her and it was to a different woman when I had moved to a different county.

maman · 2 February 2017 at 1:03PM

You certainly know a huge range of songs sugarbaby. There's a real mix there. I think your nephew is wise to postpone his wedding if there's any uncertainty. 'Marry in haste, repent at leisure' doesn't always apply but it's always worth stopping to think. You'll just have to find another outing for your lovely new evening coat!:D

When you go into the City at the weekend chanie, it's worth taking the children to look for the Golden Boy of Pye Corner too. Also something about Christopher Wren (who designed the monument). I wouldn't necessarily go in to St Pauls as it's hugely expensive but there are masses of Wren churches around and, of course the river which stopped the fire going south.

I know what you're saying about the City being a ghost town at weekends but for sightseeing that's brilliant. DH and I did a (self guided) walking tour and it was great wandering around traffic free before we went to a show at the Barbican.

dreaming, I understand that with her MH issues your DD might not want to join a group but that doesn't stop you following the SW way of eating. I belong to a great SW thread on here and there's a number of people on there that don't go to groups. Take a look.:)

Enjoyed catching up with friends last night but theatre production, although pleasantly enjoyable, was a bit weak. I did wear a skirt and heels and was pleased to feel a bit more dressed up. It's so easy to just wear jeans all the time.:o

Although last week's cold is gone I'm left with a few sinus type headaches

and very heavy eyed. I'm finding the facial massage helps that too so I'm sticking with it.

We made a little progress on the discussions about house yesterday. To be continued....;)

pink_poppy · 2 February 2017 at 4:28PM

Do you think the facial massage would help with my 'carb-face' problem??

My face is definitely looking a bit 'waterlogged' at the moment, probably because I'm eating far too much bread (I know I need to address that too).

dreaming · 2 February 2017 at 4:55PM

maman wrote: »

grunnie, I understand that with her MH issues your DD might not want to join a group but that doesn't stop you following the SW way of eating. I belong to a great SW thread on here and there's a number of people on there that don't go to groups. Take a look.
/QUOTE]

Maman, I think this was meant for me, not grunnie. My diet is quite good, although portion sizes are too big and comfort eating over the past 3 years, plus the arthritis I have, have led to piling on the pounds. That bit is relatively easy to address but eldest has a habit of either going for long periods without eating, or eating everything in sight (a family sized loaf can easily disappear in a day if I go out for the day). Added to which she is very rigid in what she will eat and it tends to be all the things she needs to cut out. I have started to look for low-carb recipes and had already cut out buying crisps and biscuits etc. after Xmas but I am trying not to control her too much as she needs to start taking responsibility for herself. The trouble is that some days we can have a reasonable conversation about things and agree "ground rules" (which she promptly forgets as her memory is very poor except for facts) and other days she will just refuse to talk about anything and either get very upset or very angry. So I will control what I can.

Anyway I popped into town today and as there was no-one in the walk-in hairdressers had my hair cut very short. The stylist was a very good-looking, young, French guy and he asked what I liked about my hair and I said "nothing" as it is very fine, straight hair and just sort of "sits there" on my head. Anyway, I really like it - it's not so radical that I gasp when I look in the mirror (like when I went blonde years ago), but it is a bit different for me as I usually just have "a trim".

maman · 2 February 2017 at 6:49PM

dreaming wrote: »

maman wrote: »

grunnie, I understand that with her MH issues your DD might not want to join a group but that doesn't stop you following the SW way of eating. I belong to a great SW thread on here and there's a number of people on there that don't go to groups. Take a look.
/QUOTE]

Maman, I think this was meant for me, not grunnie. My diet is quite good, although portion sizes are too big and comfort eating over the past 3 years, plus the arthritis I have, have led to piling on the pounds. That bit is relatively easy to address but eldest has a habit of either going for long periods without eating, or eating everything in sight (a family sized loaf can easily disappear in a day if I go out for the day). Added to which she is very rigid in what she will eat and it tends to be all the things she needs to cut out. I have started to look for low-carb recipes and had already cut out buying crisps and biscuits etc. after Xmas but I am trying not to control her too much as she needs to start taking responsibility for herself. The trouble is that some days we can have a reasonable conversation about things and agree "ground rules" (which she promptly forgets as her memory is very poor except for facts) and other days she will just refuse to talk about anything and either get very upset or very angry. So I will control what I can.

Anyway I popped into town today and as there was no-one in the walk-in hairdressers had my hair cut very short. The stylist was a very good-looking, young, French guy and he asked what I liked about my hair and I said "nothing" as it is very fine, straight hair and just sort of "sits there" on my head. Anyway, I really like it - it's not so radical that I gasp when I look in the mirror (like when I went blonde years ago), but it is a bit different for me as I usually just have "a trim".

I'm so sorry, of course it was meant for you dreaming.

Good news about your haircut. It's a great feeling coming out of the hairdressers pleased with what they've done.:)

I know I'm a bit obsessed with SW but it was so successful for me more than 5 years ago and I've kept the weight off ever since by following it a bit more loosely that I want everyone to feel as I feel.:o I know losing weight was definitely the number one change for me in terms of feeling fab.

I think not buying snacks is an excellent start. You're in a bit of a Catch 22 with DD but as she's staying with you I don't think it's too controlling for you to choose the menus although it must be so difficult if she only really enjoys 'junk' food. Aside from things like omelettes with salad or pickles and soups I like a swede and carrot mash instead of potatoes to keep carbs down.

poppy, I think it has to be worth trying the massage. I find it invigorating and it's suppose to get stuff moving into the lymph nodes so it might help. I know it's not very mse but I only buy the small 400g loaves of wholemeal and limit myself to 2 slices a day and none if I have cereal or porage instead. I generally have the bread with breakfast which forces me to find things other than sandwiches for lunch.

Frump to Fab 2017 - A Whole New World

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